Hiyori Shiina Class D

Project Kiyotaka part 1/?

The soft chime of her alarm nudged Hiyori awake just before the first rays of morning slipped through the dorm curtains. She blinked slowly, her eyes adjusting to the soft light painting her ceiling gold, and remained wrapped in her blanket for a moment longer, suspended in warmth.

She liked mornings in ANHS. Mainly because she wouldn't face the water bucket from missing her first alarm. Stretching, she prayed for one thing, no cramping please. I massaged you well enough before I went to sleep so you better not fail me now.

It had been nearly a month since school began. The chaos of those first days—the scrambled spending, the confusion about points, had faded into a rhythm and routine now everyone has made for themselves.

Hiyori had grown used to her classmates' personalities. She'd quietly attached herself to the edges of things—never the center, but always close enough to listen. And in that time, one of those quiet connections had begun to bloom.

Mii-chan.

They weren't just acquaintances meeting in elevators anymore. They had exchanged contact info. Shared lunch a few times a week. Even watched anime together in Hiyori's room. Hiyori didn't feel entirely alone anymore. She wasn't used to that feeling. Friends are so wonderful having a shy friend was an even better stroke of luck. She'll always surprise me with how shy and bold she can be it's like she's two different people.

Hiyori chuckles to herself before slipping from bed, she shuffled toward the bathroom, rubbing sleep and dried tears from her eyes. Pinning her hair up in a soft bun, standing under the lukewarm shower for exactly seven minutes long, with a towel wrapped neatly as she stepped out onto the bath mat without a single splash out of place.

She dried off and returned to her room, dressing with practiced calm. She slipped on the Advanced Nurturing High School uniform—a crisp white blouse with sharp collar lines, tucked into a fitted white pleated skirt that fell neatly above her knees. Over that went the distinctive deep crimson blazer, lined with gold and bearing the ANHS crest embroidered on the breast pocket.

Hiyori looked into the mirror remembering herself copying her dad before he would leave for work:

Everything is in order.

Every line is smooth.

Every fold is exact.

Calm. Gentle. Forgettable.

Hiyori then let out a sigh after realising she was holding her breath.

Even if I don't like him as he just abandoned us... he knew how to install good habits in me.

Breakfast was as simple but effectively to her taste: half a boiled egg, toast with a swipe of honey butter, and a mug of warm barley tea. She sat by the small window overlooking the campus lawn, letting the quiet fill the room.

And then came the part no one could ever know about her if they did, she'd immediately drop out of ANHS.

After cleaning up, she sat cross-legged on the edge of her bed, reached under her pillow—and pulled out her daily affirmation notebook. It was a small, pastel-covered thing with a cartoon bunny on the front. Embarrassingly childish.

She wrote in it every morning without fail.

Flipping to a fresh page she wrote

"Today, I will not flinch when someone talks to me first.

Today, I will make eye contact. Maybe. Briefly.
Today, I will not imagine scenarios where I say the perfect thing and become the class hero. And not pretend there are people reacting to edits of how cool I look right now"