A Mirage

Chapter 1 : Sight

I remember it as clear as the clouds I would never fail to see, it was the month of April.

Spring (season)
Lively flowers
Birds chirping
All perfect
That is if you have someone to be along with...

As a kid, I always assumed that by the time I reach high school. My life would somehow magically change, I would have lots of friends with whom I would feel connected (synced) and go on to find what everyone in the world needs; A little bit of love.

It's the first of April already. Another month has passed by. Yet my loneliness has not faded away, I was always like this since my childhood.

Being left out, isolated like a piece of thrash.

Every time that I pass by these grounds, every step that I take I feel like I am being observed by each and every eye. Each and every time I see the kids playing together I get this awful pain in my chest.

Help, help!! Can anybody hear me...?
Help!!

I want someone to hear my pain. Was I always this lonely?? My memories as a child are foggy, but I remember her. The one who stood for me. But I can't remember her name anymore.

"Good Morning Azuma-san lost in your own world again?" Yuki greeted.

Asada Yuki is the captain of the class. She is the most kind, helpful and caring person I ever knew.

We have been in the same class for the past three years so she knew me very well.

Yet I still consider her as a classmate and nothing more than that because except the greetings we made on the way to our class every day, we never really talked.

"Good morning, Yuki-san. Lost? I was just admiring how pleasant the weather is today. "It's better to forget about my eternal loneliness for a bit.

Yuki-san looks different today. There is a different glow to her face.

*stares at the sky*
"You quite right Azuma-san. Today is just perfect" Yuki-san said while giving the most pleasant smile I had ever seen from her

"Ehh... Yuki-san just call me by my name Tendo... By the way you look quite different today, what's the occasion??" *smirks*

I like it when I am called by my name

This longest conversation I had with someone leaving aside the conversations with the school counsellor.

"Oh you noticed. Satoshi-kun proposed me yesterday and I asked him to give me some time to think and so" *blushes*

"Ah, Satoshi, the golden boy," *I said with a smirk*"You must have a queue of suitors to choose from, Yuki-san. But... congratulations, I guess."

"And so have you decided to accept his proposal?" I asked her with the lousiest smirk I could make

Yoshuda Satoshi is good looking, tall and a nice guy he's good both in sports and academics as well also every girl crushes on him even the senior girls. In short, He's a nice guy to be around with unlike me, lonely and unwanted.

I envy him. I envy Satoshi

"I had a crush on him for a long time *blushes*
I never expected him to have the same feelings for me as I have for him.
*Yuki sees Satoshi waiting for her near the school stationary*
Gomene! Tendo-kun can you excuse me for some time." *blushes* said Yuki-san in a shy voice

"Take your time Yuki-san ... Ganbatte!!" I told her as she slowly walked to where Satoshi is.

Yuki-san and Satoshi-kun I wonder how their pair would go on... Anyways I should head to class before the bell rings.

*Tendo walks up the stairs*

Ahh... These steps, the school should install an escalator or elevator, don't they care for student's well being. Someone might die and haunt these stairs one day.

Finally I'm here.

sigh

These people here are so noisy but I envy them because they are having the best time of their lives, unlike me lonely and unwanted piece of thrash.

Tsk I don't want to be with them either walks to his corner Being here all by myself is better, anyway.
Let me pretend like they don't exist, Aaaah the sky looks beautiful today.

It feels so good to see the clear blue sky, makes me forget everything else about this judgmental atmosphere for a moment.

From here everyone looks so miniature. How could the kids be so happy just by chasing each other? How could the girls just gossip and never get tired , how could the boys keep chasing a ball yet have so much fun.

I should look away from all this. Just as he turns his head slightly to the right

Wait, isn't that her.

heart beat racing

From my corner in the classroom, I turned my gaze toward the open sky. The sunlight seemed gentler today, almost like it was offering me a brief respite from the chaos inside. My eyes wandered down to the street below at Hana No Kokoro(Heart of Flowers) flower shop, and then I saw her.

She stood amidst a sea of flowers, yet she was the one that bloomed brightest. Her delicate hands brushed against the petals as if apologizing for disturbing their rest. A gust of wind untied her hair band, and her chestnut hair cascaded down her shoulders, catching the sunlight like strands of spun gold.

As she struggled to tie her hair back, the sunlight danced across her light brownish locks, illuminating her aquamarine eyes, which sparkled like the ocean

That's her. The girl I have a crush on for the past two years, that's her. That's Anri Matsuki

For two years, I had admired Anri Matsuki from afar. She was what everyone aspired to be-graceful, confident, and untouchable. And here I was, Tendo Azuma, the invisible boy who barely existed in her world. I leaned forward, my heart racing as she tucked a stray strand behind her ear. She was beauty itself, and I... I was nothing.

Anri-san is the heartthrob of the class her beauty is known throughout the school. There are both classmates and seniors who are engulfed by her beauty.

But do I even have a chance of getting her?? I wish I was more like Satoshi, if I was maybe she could be mine.

Do you think Tendo Azuma and Anri Matsuki will get to know each other and the romance between them would blossom? Keep reading to know what happens next.
*Japanese names have their surnames upfront followed by their real names.