NŌBURU ACADEMY
❝Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.❞
– Carl Bard
【Third-Person POV】
On a beautiful rose garden, right outside an extravagant mansion, a beautiful young woman sat on a wooden bench with closed eyes.
The chilly wind blew her dark brown hair gently, making her look like an ethereal being.
Mayumi gradually opened her eyes when she felt a gentle tap on her left shoulder. She looked behind her and smiled when she realized it was her onii-sama, Tachibana Hideo.
He's wearing khaki trousers matched with a black and white striped shirt that suited him quite well– portraying a perfect and handsome university student.
Mayumi, on the other hand, is wearing her seifuku (制服, school uniform) which consists of a white long-sleeved shirt paired with a red necktie and a navy blue blazer with the Nōburu Academy crest, and it is matched with a tartan plaid skirt.
"Let’s go, Mayu-chan. It’s already half-past six and nyuugakushiki in the academy also starts at eight, right?" Hideo asked as he looked at her with concern.
Since the accident, his younger sister became quiet and docile. She was once contemptible due to her wretched behavior, but now she’s different... in a good way.
Mayumi nodded and stood up. "Let’s go, nii-sama." They walked side by side as they made their way towards the entrance of their mansion where a luxurious car was parked.
The chauffeur, a man in his fifties called Ito Masaki, opened the door for them whilst bowing in respect.
Once they're settled in the back seat, Masaki shut the door and walked around the car to the driver's side.
He turned the engine on and drove off towards their first destination– Nōburu Academy (ノーブルアカデミー).
A few minutes later, they stopped in front of an imposing gate. It stood ten feet high and silver in color.
"Thank you, Masaki-san." Mayumi said whilst smiling before opening the door at her side and getting off. "I'm going now, nii-sama. See you later."
Hideo nodded. "Just call me if you need anything." He said before looking at the still shocked chauffeur. "Let's go." Mayumi closed the door with a soft thud.
Masaki nodded as tears welled up from his eyes. He has been serving the Tachibana siblings since they were little, but this is the first time that Mayumi had thanked him. She even smiled genuinely at him!
Mayumi waved her hand with a small smile plastered on her face when the car pulled away.
Then, she slowly walked in the direction of the small gate beside the large one and swiped her identification card on the scanner.
In the university section (Nōburu University, also known as Nōdai), there's no prescribed seifuku (制服, school uniform) and everyone has the freedom to wear anything they like, but with the exception of clothes that expose body parts in an indecent manner.
Nōburu Academy, however, has a prescribed seifuku (制服, school uniform) from Yōchien (幼稚園, Nursery School) to Kōkō (高校, High School).
Each level has two versions of it: one for winter and one for summer.
For middle school and high school students, during winter (December-February) and spring (March-May), girls wear their seifuku which consists of a white long-sleeved shirt paired with a red necktie and a navy blue blazer with the academy crest, and it is matched with a tartan plaid skirt whilst boys wear white long-sleeved shirt paired with a red necktie and a navy blue jacket with the academy crest, and it is matched with tailored tartan trousers.
During summer (June-August) and autumn (September-November), however, instead of a navy blue blazer, it is replaced with a navy blue vest suit.
Mayumi continued walking towards the waiting shed where a gray minibus is waiting.
Since Nōburu Academy is quite large, it has a minibus transportation system. It will take the students to different places within the vicinity of the school.
When Mayumi boarded the medium-sized vehicle, all eyes turned on her direction.
She smiled genuinely to them, but they only stared at her whilst gaping. Their reaction should be expected though since it's the first time she had smiled towards other students in the academy.
She gradually made her way towards the vacant seat behind a sleeping guy whilst trying to ignore the uncomfortable stares she's getting from the other students.
Few girls were shooting daggers in her direction whilst whispering with each other. Most guys, however, are looking at her in admiration.
Her 'old self' would have lashed out towards the daring girls who were obviously talking about her and the accident that happened nearly a month ago, but she decided to ignore them in order to avoid any problems.
'They should be thankful I have decided to change or I would have made their life a living hell.' Mayumi inwardly thought as she inhaled and exhaled slowly in order to calm her nerves down before sitting on the chair near the window. No one dared to sit next to her though.
If not for the strict school policy forbidding students from interrupting the members of Nōburu Sākuru (ノーブルサークル, Noble Circle) and other popular students within the school premises, this vehicle would have been filled with a mob of fangirls and fanboys already.
Mayumi sighed in relief as she leaned on her seat.
The minibus started moving, so, everyone finally settled down. Before they reach the place where the buildings are located, they must pass through a medium-sized forest called Nōburu Forest which is one of the best features of Nōburu Academy.
After a ten-minute trip, they finally reached their destination.
They got off the minibus with excitement apparent on their faces and went to the gym. Mayumi is the last one to get off the vehicle.
She made her way towards the gym where the nyuugakushiki (入学式, Entrance Ceremony) will be held, however, before she could step inside, a hand abruptly stopped her.
Mayumi halted with widened eyes. In her entire eighteen years of existence, no one had dared to touch her without her permission. Everyone is afraid of her, after all.
Mayumi turned around and was greatly taken aback when she saw that it’s actually a guy, the same guy who was sleeping at the bus earlier. He stared at her with a small smile plastered on his cute face. "Ah…"
He scratched his nape shyly before showing Mayumi a sky-blue handkerchief.
"You dropped this."
Mayumi took the handkerchief from him whilst smiling genuinely. "Thank you so much…?"
The cute guy answered. "Hiroto. Nakamura Hiroto."
"Thank you so much, Hiroto-san. My name is Tachibana Mayumi, by the way." Hiroto bowed with a small smile on his face.
"Nice meeting you, Mayumi-san."
1. Onii-sama is a Japanese honorifics that means 'older brother'.
2. -san is a Japanese equivalent of Mister and Miss. It is used for peers or elders, specially among people you don't know that well or you just got acquainted with.
3. -kun (くん) is used to address young males. It is also used by superiors to inferiors and male of the same age and status.
4. Nōburu University (ノーブル大学) and Nōburu Academy (ノーブルアカデミー) are just fictional institutions.