Tick!

     4:55 P.M. It was the time that was shown on a clock hanging on a wall. As time ticks by, the scorching heat decreases due to the sun setting on the horizon. Countless students can be seen doing various tasks on the school grounds at Itami High School, where the prominent students of Saitama Prefecture attend. It is situated at the top of a hill, where the city lies below.

     Even though it was late afternoon, some of the students were still in session, especially the students of Class 1-A, which is situated on the second floor of the school building. They're still discussing their last subject of the day: English literature.

     Amidst the scratching noise of the chalk marker as it hit the blackboard, you could hear faint whispers and yawning at the back of the classroom. But their English teacher ignored those noises and continued writing on the board.

     In the back-row seats, near the window, a girl named Mitsuha Reika silently watched a bird chirping from the tree branch. She had a beautiful pair of purple eyes that resembled a sparkling gem. She had short, dark, and silky hair, with a shade of purple in it, revealing the purple-ish pigment in her hair upon contact with light. She wore a white uniform because she didn't want to wear her dark blue blazer and it was too hot if she wore it inside their classroom. In the middle of her chest, there is a maroon-colored ribbon with diagonal dark blue stripes attached on her uniform's neck. She wore a maroon-colored skirt with several dark blue stripes embroidered on it.

     "Mr. Shin! "

     Reika turned her head around and noticed that her English teacher was calling her seatmate, Shin Soru.

     Shin Soru is straight-up average on first glance. He wore a white uniform and dark-blue school shorts, like other students wear. It looks like he was stuck in his thoughts most of the time, not paying attention to what was happening around him, like he had a world on his own. Due to his detachment from reality, he didn't notice his teacher's call, which was already calling him several times.

     "Mr. Shin...," their English teacher murmured while clenching his fists. 

     Suddenly, a chalk marker hit Soru's head. Although it looks painful, Soru doesn't feel anything at all, nor does he flinch when the chalk hits his head. 

     Soru searched around, wondering who threw that chalk marker at his head. He saw his English teacher in front of the black board, staring at him with an angry look on his face. Everyone in Class 1-A laughed.

     "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

     "Shin Soru, Are you even listening? Are those silly thoughts or whatever it is in your head more important than my lessons? "

     "I—"

     "Your score during midterm exams and quizzes is pretty average. Are you a genius to the point where you can slack off during my class, huh?"

     Everyone in the class laughed again.

     "HAHAHAHAHA! He's always like that... " the male in front of him said, while looking at his friend in front of him.

     "Now, what are the different types of prepositions?"

     "Uhh, the different types of prepositions..." Soru picked up his English textbook, looking for the answer.

     "Page 18, Mr. Shin!" His English teacher shouted.

     Soru immediately found the said sentence. "The various types of prepositions are..."

     While Soru was reading the sentences, Reika glanced at him with a dissatisfied look. She raised her right eyebrow.

     Shin Soru... What a strange fellow...

     Reika ignored all the commotion and looked back outside the window. Upon staring back at the tree to enjoy the view, she realized that the bird that had been perching on the branch before was gone. 

     The bird from before, where is it?

     Reika searched on the other branch, which is opposite the branch where the bird was perched before. She looked at other branches she could find, but she still couldn't find the bird's whereabouts.

     Maybe the bird flew away or something?

     Reika sighed.

     Well, forget about it...

     Just as she turned her head back to the class and continued listening to their teacher, Reika heard a faint chirping sound. 

     Is that..?

     She looked back and noticed that there was something wriggling at the bottom of the tree trunk. She deduced that the source of that faint sound of a bird chirping originated there, and she was indeed right. Because of the difference in height between the classroom and the ground, she could only see the bird's head, which was lying on the ground.

     Reika noticed that the right wing of that bird seemed broken, as if it was agonizing in pain.

     She was worried about what happened to the poor bird, so she decided to excuse herself in order to check the condition of the bird further outside the front yard. 

     "Ah-"

     RING! RING! RING! RINGGG!

     Reika stopped when she heard the dorbell ring, indicating that the class session was over. The students packed their things and stood up.

     "Goodbye, Mr. Watanabe!" The entire Class 1-A said it in unison.

     As the students began to go in separate directions, Reika decided to help the poor bird and assess its situation. But she halted when a group of girls called her.

     "Mitsuha-saan! We decided to go shopping after class. Would you come along with us?"

     Reika refused their invitation by shaking her head.

     "I'm sorry, I have some errands to run. Probably next time!"

     Reika immediately ran over to the hallway and left the group. They sighed and walked away in the opposite direction.

     "Haahh... Mitsuha-san's such a busybee."

     "She had a part-time job, remember? That's why she rarely joins us when we go shopping and karaoke."

     "I wonder if I would have the same mindset as hers. That would be fantastic!"

     "Not going to happen. You're lazy as hell!"

     "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

     While the group was laughing as they left the school's premises, Reika headed to the tree alone, where she saw the bird lying injured. It was still writhing in pain due to its damaged wing.

     Reika couldn't do anything to help the bird ease its pain, so she decided to keep the bird away from the predators while it recuperates. She looked around, searching for a safe place for the bird to heal itself. 

     Where should I place this poor bird...

     She looked above the building and remembered that there was a small garden at the top of their building.

     The bird should be safe there...

     Reika carefully scooped the bird using her hands. The bird slowly calmed down from its chirping when it felt Reika's warm hands. Reika walked away and entered the building. After some time, Reika reached the rooftop.

     "Huff... huff... Finally..."

     Reika opened the door, and the cold breeze welcomed her. Reika took a deep breath as she felt the afternoon light strike her face. The bird chirped, as if it was glad that Reika helped it.

     Reika turned around and saw the garden. She looked for a safe spot and placed the bird in it.

     "There. You should be safe here. "

     "Chirp!" 

     Reika smiled as she heard the bird chirp, as if it was responding to her.

     As the sun continued to set, Reika stood up and walked towards the edge of the rooftop. In her eyes lay the entire city of Saitama. 

     How beautiful...

     Reika raised her right arm and stared at her watch. 

     There's still 30 minutes left till my night shift... What should I do now that I still have some spare time?

     Reika stared back at the beautiful scenery in front of her. She couldn't help but appreciate the view once more.

     Hahhh... I guess I'll stay here a little bit longer, then. 

     While Reika was gazing at the entire city, her moment was disturbed when she noticed the door opening. She turned around and saw a familiar-looking person walking out of the door.

     Isn't that... Shin-kun?

     Soru noticed Reika standing near the edge of the rooftop, but he didn't greet her at all. He continued walking, like he didn't see her at all.

     "Shin-kun...?"

     Soru didn't respond. Instead, he just stared at her for a brief moment, and continued to walk towards the edge.

     "Uh-uhm... What are you doing-"

     "Sightseeing." Soru answered abruptly.

     Reika didn't utter a single word after she heard his reponse. A silence between them emerged while they were staring at the bustling city.

     This...This is super awkward... Reika thought while sweating profusely.

     I must do something... Maybe engage in an interesting conversation with him?

     Reika was thinking about how to kill the awkwardness she felt between them. After some time, she finally figured it out.

     "Hey, Shin-kun."

     Soru tilted his head and saw Reika staring at him.

     "What is it?" 

     "H-How's your day?"

     A gentle breeze flew past between them. Soru stared back at the city.

    "Good." he answered.

    Reika stared at him with a dissatisfied look.

     What's with that response? Just "Good"? What about adding some minor details like "what about you?" or another response that could prolong this conversation?

     "Uh... What about school?"

     "..."

      Reika waited for half a minute, but Soru didn't answer her back. Reika frowned and got slightly irritated.

      How rude! What kind of a man are you, leaving a girl hanging like that?!

     Reika decided to annoy Soru in order to get revenge on him for ignoring her.

     Hmph! In that case...

     She immediately hopped up on the parapet and sat exactly in front of him. Because of that, Soru couldn't see the city anymore because Reika was blocking his view.

     "What are you doing?" Soru asked.

     "Sitting?" Reika slyly answered him.

     Reika closed her eyes and looked smug, as if she were satisfied with what she had done.

     How's that? You must be super annoyed right now, huh?

     Reika peeked at Soru, hoping to see his annoyed reaction. But her expectations betrayed her. He saw Soru move a little bit away in order to get a better view. And what made Reika annoyed the most is that Soru's expression didn't change at all, as if he didn't care about her meaningless provocations.

     You...!

     Reika moved again and blocked Soru's vision using her body. Soru didn't respond and moved away from her again. They did it several times, moving from left to right without taking a break.

     Why...Won't...You...Admit...Defeat already! Reika thought as she kept moving again and again, unwilling to give up.

     Suddenly, Reika noticed something unusual and decided to stop.

     Why am I doing these pointless things?

     She slapped her face with her palm and blushed out of embarrassment.

     Gah! I totally look like an idiot now...

      While covering her face to hide her embarrassment, Soru moved his body once again. When Reika finally calmed down, she raised her head and looked at him.

     "I'm sorry, I wasn't my usual self just now..." 

     Soru looked at her without changing his expression.

     "Mhm."

     Reika sighed and didn't answer back. Instead, she glanced at the bustling city below them without uttering a single word.

     While the silence between them continued, Reika suddenly heard a continuous chirp behind her. Reika instantly recognized the noise and turned around. 

     Oh no, the bird I saved before!    

     Reika immediately jumped and rushed towards the spot where she had placed the bird before. Upon reaching it, she noticed several ants crawling onto the bird's body. The poor bird chirped continuously as it tried to ward the ants away from its body.

    "Hey!"

    Reika immediately got the bird away from the pesky ants and brought the bird back to the parapet. She blew all the ants away using her mouth and plucked the ants one by one using her hand. 

     "This is for you, you dumb shit!" Reika exclaimed as she pinched the ant hard with her fingers.

     After she checked that there were no ants left, she sat at the parapet and placed the bird on her lap. Soru stared at her while she was busy caressing the poor bird.

     At that moment, Reika didn't notice that she had unintentionally sat on the part where she had placed those plucked ants before. Due to her carelessness, one of the ants crept inside and bit her thigh. Reika immediately felt a prickling sensation as the ant bit her.

     "Ow!"

     Reika jolted out of shock and immediately placed the bird on the parapet.

     "What the hell was that?" Reika said as she rubbed the part that got bitten by the ant. 

     Seconds later, the other ant bit her again, followed by the third ant. Several ants started biting her thighs, taking revenge for what she had done to them.

     "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

     Reika finally remembered those pesky ants she had plucked from the bird before and realized that she sat at the place where she had placed those ants.

     Those pesky little...!

     Before she knew it, she lost her balance and noticed that she was going to fall from the parapret she was sitting.

     What the..!

     Out of desperation and, she grabbed anything she could see at that moment. With only Soru beside her, she grabbed Soru's shoulder without hesitation.

     "What are you doing?"

     Even though she managed to grab him, Soru's strength wasn't enough to keep him balanced while Reika held him. Soru immediately lost his balance and got dragged along with her.

     Shit, how careless of me!

     Reika closed her eyes while trembling. The cold air covered her entire body as she descended to the ground, without assurance if she would survive or not.

     Dang it! Even if I survive, if someone knew that the reason I fell was because a bunch of ants bit my thighs, the embarrassment would kill me! 

     While imagining how embarrassing the outcome was, Reika noticed a warm sensation that enveloped her entire body. The cold air was gone in a sudden due to the sudden warmth spreading, including her trembling.

     What is happening...?

     Reika looked around and found Soru floating in the air. To her surprise, Soru doesn't seem scared at all; rather, he is calm, as if he knew that it was coming. Before she could utter a word, everything around her turned white, and all of her senses were blocked, leaving her unable to perceive anything.

     On that night, several people in Saitama Prefecture saw a pillar of light strike Itami High School. No one knew the reason, as the event was too sudden and unheard of. As the pillar of light began to dissipate, they couldn't help but just stare at it, not knowing how and why it emerged above the sky and struck the ground.

     ...

     CAW!! CAWW!!

     A loud caw entered Reika's ears after minutes of deafening silence. She tried to open her eyes to see the source of the noise, but the blinding lights prevented her from doing so.

     Ow...!

     Even with her eyes closed, she noticed the dimming in her vision, as if she were covered with a veil or something. Followed by a flapping sound and a gust of wind hitting her cheeks, Reika opened her eyes once more. Curious about the thing above her, she finally saw the object that covered her face.

     A bird...?

     Reika stared on the bird as it flew past her and glided gracefully in the air. Reika squinted her eyes a little bit when the bird uncovered her vision. She opened her eyes slowly, forcing her eyes to adapt to the surrounding light.

     In the process, Reika looked around, even though her vision seemed blurry and unclear. She noticed that the sky seemed a little bit different compared to earlier.

     Is it just me, or did the night sky seem a little too bright?