To understand all of this…
we have to go back to the past.
To the middle of the final year of elementary school.
Back then, little Itsuki wasn't exactly the most disciplined student in the classroom.
He was a bit lazy.
And more than once he ended up getting scolded by teachers for getting into small bits of trouble.
But there was something everyone knew.
Itsuki was smart.
Very smart for his age.
Whenever the teacher explained something new, he usually understood it quickly.
He often raised his hand to participate in class and answered questions with confidence.
Because of that, within that elementary school, he was quite well known.
Many teachers spoke highly of him.
And among the students, he was considered one of the best.
Besides that, he also liked helping others whenever they had a problem or didn't understand something.
Seeing someone's face when they finally understood a problem thanks to his explanation created a warm feeling in his chest.
It was a simple kind of happiness.
But very real.
It made him feel like he could do something good for others.
And for a long time…
everything stayed that way.
Until one day…
things began to change.
That morning, little Itsuki walked toward school with his eyes half closed.
"What a pain… waking up this early…" he murmured while yawning.
The sun had barely risen, and the morning air was still cool.
He walked with his backpack hanging from one shoulder, dragging his feet slightly from exhaustion.
"I hope they don't give us too much homework today…"
When he finally arrived at the classroom, everything looked like a normal day.
His classmates were talking with each other.
Some were laughing.
Others were finishing homework at the last minute before the teacher arrived.
But then the classroom door opened.
The teacher walked in.
And this time, he wasn't alone.
Standing beside him was a girl.
The classroom fell silent for a few seconds.
"Good morning, students."
"Good morning, teacher," everyone replied almost at the same time.
The teacher gestured lightly toward the girl.
"This is Mikari. Starting today, she will be your new classmate."
Itsuki raised his head.
And for a moment, he simply looked at her.
Wow…
She's really pretty.
Her dark hair fell softly over her shoulders, and her eyes carried a calm but slightly timid expression.
Itsuki blinked and quickly shook his head in his mind.
But that doesn't mean I like her.
Nobody likes anyone.
…for now.
The girl stepped forward slightly.
Her hands were held together in front of her, as if she were a little nervous.
"Hello everyone. My name is Mikari," she said with a soft, polite voice. "I moved here with my parents, and we plan to stay for a while. I hope I can get along with all of you."
The way she spoke was gentle.
Too gentle for a classroom full of curious children.
Itsuki watched her with interest.
Meanwhile, from another part of the classroom, Natsuki looked at Itsuki with a hint of suspicion.
Later, during math class, the teacher assigned several exercises to solve.
The classroom became quiet as everyone began working.
Little Itsuki finished fairly quickly.
He set his pencil down on the desk and stretched his arms slightly.
Then he looked around the classroom.
Some students were still writing with concentration.
Others looked completely lost.
Then his eyes stopped on Mikari.
She was staring at her paper.
Her pencil was still.
She looked confused.
Itsuki stood up from his seat and walked over to her desk.
"Hey, Mikari… did you understand today's topic?"
The girl looked up.
She seemed a little embarrassed.
"Honestly… no."
She lowered her gaze to her notebook.
"Did you understand it?"
Itsuki smiled naturally.
"Yeah. If you want, I can help you."
Mikari's eyes showed a small spark of relief.
"Thank you very much…"
Itsuki picked up the pencil and began explaining the exercise step by step.
As he spoke, Mikari listened carefully.
Little by little, her confused expression began to change.
"Ah… I understand now," she said at last.
Itsuki smiled.
He always liked that moment.
That instant when someone went from confusion to understanding something.
It was a small feeling.
But it made him happy.
While putting the pencil down, he thought something.
She looks a little lost…
Maybe I should help her get to know the school.
That way she won't feel alone.
So he spoke again.
"By the way, my name is Itsuki."
Mikari looked up.
"If you ever have questions about anything… you can ask me."
She nodded with a small smile.
"Thank you, Itsuki."
It was a brief smile.
But for Itsuki, it was enough to make him think he was doing the right thing.
And that was how Itsuki began helping Mikari.
At first, everything was simple.
She asked questions about things she didn't understand in class, and he tried to explain them as clearly as possible.
"Look, this exercise is easier than it looks," Itsuki would say while pointing at the notebook. "You just have to do this first."
"Like this?" Mikari would ask uncertainly.
"Yeah, exactly like that."
When she finally solved a problem on her own, Mikari would smile slightly.
"I did it…"
And even though the smile was small, it was enough for Itsuki.
Seeing someone understand something thanks to him gave him a strange sense of satisfaction.
As if he were truly useful to someone.
As the days passed, he began getting closer to her.
During recess they sometimes sat near each other.
Other times they walked around the schoolyard talking about simple things.
"Was your old school very different?" Itsuki asked once.
"A little…" Mikari replied. "It was smaller than this one."
"Then you must still be a little lost."
"A little…"
Itsuki nodded energetically.
"Don't worry. I know almost the entire school."
He said it with a confident smile.
"If you ever need help with anything, just tell me."
For him, it was something natural.
Ever since he was little, he had always been someone who approached others without thinking too much.
And Mikari seemed like someone who needed help.
That was enough reason for him.
As the weeks passed, Itsuki began showing her more things around the school.
He told her which teachers were stricter.
Which ones gave the most homework.
And which places in the schoolyard were the best to sit during recess.
Sometimes he even explained things that had nothing to do with classes.
"If you stay after school, the sky looks really nice from the back yard," he told her once.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Almost nobody goes there."
Mikari listened to everything attentively.
Sometimes she nodded.
Sometimes she simply answered with short phrases.
But even so, Itsuki felt like they were getting along well.
Other students began to notice it too.
"Hey, Itsuki."
"What?"
"You're always with the new girl."
"Huh?"
"Do you like her or something?"
"Of course not!" he replied quickly.
The other kids laughed.
But Itsuki didn't mind much.
After all, he was only helping someone.
Nothing more.
Meanwhile, Mikari also heard those comments.
Every time someone said something like that, she lowered her gaze slightly.
Sometimes she smiled awkwardly.
But Itsuki didn't seem to notice.
For him, they were just childish jokes.
The only thing that mattered to him was that Mikari didn't feel alone at school.
So he kept doing the same things.
He explained exercises to her.
Helped her with homework.
Told her about the other students so she could integrate better.
He even introduced her to a few classmates.
And every time Mikari seemed to understand something new or laugh a little…
Itsuki felt a small satisfaction inside him.
As if he had done something right.
For him, everything was simple.
He only wanted to be a good friend.
But while Itsuki enjoyed those small moments…
there was something he never noticed.
Mikari, even though she walked beside him and accepted his help…
was starting to feel more and more uncomfortable.
Even though everything seemed fine from Itsuki's perspective…
for Mikari, the situation was different.
At first, when she arrived at that school, she felt completely lost.
She didn't know anyone.
She didn't know how to talk to others.
And in the middle of all that, Itsuki was the first person who approached her.
He helped her with math.
He showed her the school.
He spoke to her naturally, as if they had already been friends before.
At first, Mikari thought he was kind.
A good boy.
But as the days passed, she began to feel something she didn't know how to explain.
We enter her thoughts.
Why is he always near me…?
Mikari watched Itsuki from her desk.
He was talking enthusiastically about something.
Like always.
He always seemed happy when he was with her.
At first I thought he only wanted to help me…
But…
he keeps trying to talk to me more and more.
During recess he approached her.
In class he sat near her.
After school he sometimes appeared to ask if she needed help.
For Itsuki, it was completely normal.
But for Mikari, it began to feel… too much.
He's too intense…
she thought while lowering her gaze.
It's not that he's a bad person…
but…
he makes me a little uncomfortable.
There was also something she couldn't tell anyone.
At that time, there was another boy she liked.
And she was certain of something.
It definitely wasn't Itsuki.
She sighed slowly.
I need to avoid him…
But immediately another thought appeared.
But… I'd feel bad doing that.
Every time she spoke with him, Itsuki always smiled.
He looked genuinely happy to be there.
He was the first one who explained things to her.
The first one who helped her.
The first one who talked to her when nobody else did.
I don't want to hurt him…
But even so, that uncomfortable feeling didn't disappear.
Every time Itsuki got too close, she felt a slight pressure in her chest.
And little by little, she began to think something she had never considered before.
What if…?
What if he's obsessed with me…?
Mikari tightened her notebook slightly.
No…
Maybe I'm exaggerating.
But the idea had already appeared in her mind.
And once that thought appeared…
it began to grow slowly.
Mikari decided not to say anything.
She thought that if she ignored the problem, it would disappear on its own.
But the opposite happened.
The other students began to notice something.
They noticed that Itsuki was always near her.
They noticed that Mikari sometimes looked uncomfortable.
And since they were children…
they started asking questions.
"Hey Mikari."
"Do you like Itsuki?"
"You're always together."
"You look like a couple."
At first she only denied it quickly.
"No… that's not it."
But the comments didn't stop.
"Then why is he always with you?"
"Yeah, it's like he doesn't leave you alone."
Those words made Mikari think about it even more.
And finally, one day…
someone asked her directly.
"Hey… does it bother you that Itsuki is always with you?"
Mikari hesitated.
Just for a second.
But that second was enough.
"A little…"
she answered quietly.
And that small answer…
was all they needed to hear.
From that moment, the rumors began to grow.
First as simple comments.
Then as jokes.
And finally…
as accusations.
One day, during recess—
"Itsuki…"
Kunze's voice called him from behind.
Itsuki turned around.
"What's wrong, Kunze?"
But something in his friend's face made him feel uneasy.
Kunze didn't look like he was joking.
He looked worried.
"Itsuki…"
"Haven't you heard what people are saying about you?"
Itsuki frowned.
"About me?"
He let out a small nervous laugh.
"But I haven't done anything bad… well, at least not that I know of."
Kunze lowered his gaze for a moment.
"Itsuki…"
"This is something serious, man."
Little Itsuki's heart began to beat faster.
An uncomfortable feeling appeared in his chest.
"What… are they saying?"
Kunze hesitated before speaking.
As if he didn't want to say it.
But in the end, he did.
"They're saying you've been harassing Mikari."
Itsuki's world fell silent.
"And that… she feels uncomfortable when you're around."
For a moment, Itsuki couldn't say anything.
It felt like something inside his chest had stopped.
"Harassing…?"
he repeated quietly.
"But…"
his voice began to tremble.
"I only…"
He tried to remember.
The times he helped her.
The times they talked.
The times they walked together around the school.
I only wanted to help her…
Kunze placed a hand on his shoulder.
"But I know you're not like that, Itsuki."
"I know you well."
"I know you wouldn't do something like that."
Even though he tried to encourage him…
Itsuki felt terrible at that moment.
Kunze's words kept repeating inside his head.
They say you're harassing her.
She feels uncomfortable when you're around.
It was as if those sentences wouldn't stop echoing in his mind.
Itsuki lowered his gaze.
"I… just wanted to help her…"
Kunze didn't know what to say.
He knew his friend wasn't someone like that.
But the rumors had already spread across the entire school.
That same day, Itsuki made a decision.
He would distance himself from Mikari.
If his presence made her uncomfortable…
then the best thing he could do was disappear from her side.
Even though nobody had asked him directly.
Even though nobody had told him to his face.
For Itsuki, it was the right thing to do.
But that decision didn't make him feel better.
Quite the opposite.
During class he couldn't concentrate on anything.
The teacher talked.
The students wrote.
But Itsuki barely heard any of it.
His mind was trapped in the same thoughts.
When did I do something wrong…?
When did she start feeling uncomfortable…?
Why didn't she ever tell me…?
He tightened his grip on his pencil.
If I had known…
I would have stayed away earlier…
When classes finally ended, Itsuki quietly gathered his things.
He didn't talk to anyone.
He didn't even look at his classmates.
He simply left the classroom.
He walked through the school hallways with a strange feeling in his chest.
It was heavy.
As if something were pressing down on him from the inside.
Some students looked at him.
Others whispered among themselves.
Even though he couldn't hear what they were saying…
he felt like they were talking about him.
That made him walk faster.
When he stepped outside the school, the afternoon air hit his face.
But not even that managed to clear his mind.
The road home felt longer than usual.
His steps were slow.
Heavy.
Each step came with a thought.
I only wanted to help her.
I only wanted her not to feel alone.
Why did it end up like this…?
When he finally arrived home, he noticed something.
No one was there.
The house was completely silent.
Luckily, he always carried his keys with him.
He opened the door.
He went inside.
The sound of the door closing echoed through the empty house.
He slowly walked upstairs.
When he reached his room, he left his backpack to the side.
Then he fell onto the bed.
He stared at the ceiling.
And without meaning to…
memories began to appear in his mind.
The first time he spoke with Mikari.
When he helped her with math.
When he showed her around the school.
The times she smiled slightly when she understood something.
At no point did she seem uncomfortable…
he thought.
Then…
why did she say those things about me?
His chest began to feel heavier and heavier.
I only wanted to help her…
I just wanted to be her friend…
to be someone she could feel comfortable with.
He closed his eyes tightly.
But the more he thought…
the more painful everything became.
Maybe…
maybe I did the exact opposite.
He felt sadness.
He felt guilt.
He felt fear.
But for some reason…
he couldn't cry.
The tears wouldn't come out.
It was as if the pain was too new for him.
Too big to understand.
And the more he tried to think about something else…
his mind kept returning to the same place.
To the same words.
You're harassing her.
She feels uncomfortable around you.
That night, Itsuki could barely sleep.
The next day…
the feeling hadn't disappeared.
As he walked toward school, he felt a knot in his stomach.
Something inside him told him that day would be worse.
And he wasn't wrong.
While walking toward his classroom…
he began to notice the looks.
Some classmates were staring at him.
But not like before.
Not normally.
They looked at him with distrust.
With contempt.
Some even whispered to each other.
Itsuki lowered his gaze.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
When he entered the classroom, the atmosphere turned strange.
For a moment, some people stopped talking.
Just to look at him.
Then the conversations resumed.
But the looks didn't disappear.
Classes continued as usual.
But for Itsuki, nothing felt normal.
Every whisper sounded like an accusation.
Every look felt like a judgment.
Until…
the classroom door opened.
It was the principal.
"Itsuki."
Her voice was firm.
"Come with me for a moment."
Itsuki's heart pounded hard.
For an instant, he felt like the world had stopped.
This is it…
he thought.
It's over.
He stood up slowly.
Every step toward the door felt like he was walking toward punishment.
When they arrived at the principal's office, the silence became heavy.
The principal looked at him for a few seconds before speaking.
"Itsuki… I've heard rumors about what's been happening between you and your classmate Mikari."
Itsuki lowered his gaze.
He didn't know what to say.
But the principal continued.
"However, I cannot judge you without hearing your side first."
Silence filled the room.
Until finally Itsuki spoke.
"Since Mikari arrived… I tried to help her."
His voice was weak.
"I showed her the school…"
"I helped her with homework…"
"We talked…"
"I tried to make her trust me."
His hands trembled slightly.
"She never told me she felt uncomfortable when I was around…"
"I found out from a friend."
He struggled to breathe.
"But I swear I never thought I was making her feel bad."
The principal listened in silence.
Then she sighed.
"They say that since she arrived, you wouldn't stop bothering her."
Itsuki immediately raised his head.
His eyes were filled with desperation.
"I would never do something like that!"
His voice cracked.
"I swear…"
"I know I sometimes get into small trouble… but I would never do something like that."
The principal watched him for several seconds.
Finally, her expression softened slightly.
"Itsuki… you have been one of the best students in this school."
"You have even represented the institution several times."
She sighed softly.
"I never fully believed those rumors."
"And now I understand that this was probably just a misunderstanding."
Itsuki's chest relaxed a little.
But only a little.
Because even if the principal believed him…
he knew something.
The others wouldn't.
Itsuki left the principal's office with slow steps.
The hallway was silent.
For some reason, the sound of his own footsteps seemed too loud.
He felt as if everyone could hear them.
As if everyone knew what was happening.
He returned to the classroom.
When he opened the door, the conversations stopped for a moment.
Some students looked at him.
Others quickly looked away.
And some simply stared at him with an expression that was difficult to describe.
Distrust.
Disgust.
Contempt.
Itsuki lowered his gaze and walked to his seat.
He said nothing.
He looked at no one.
And no one spoke to him.
Classes continued as usual.
The teacher explained.
The students answered.
Some laughed.
But for Itsuki everything sounded distant.
As if he were hearing the world from underwater.
From time to time he felt eyes on him.
Looks that made him shrink a little more over his desk.
Even when the teacher asked questions, Itsuki avoided raising his hand.
For the first time…
he didn't want anyone to look at him.
The days began to pass.
But the situation didn't improve.
If anything changed…
it was for the worse.
The rumors were no longer whispered.
They were said right in front of him.
"That's the boy I told you about."
"They say he wouldn't leave Mikari alone."
"That's disgusting…"
Sometimes he heard mothers whispering when they came to pick up their children.
"Isn't that the boy they talked about?"
"Yes… they say he's problematic."
"Poor girl…"
Itsuki pretended not to hear.
But every word pierced deep inside him.
The principal had trusted him.
But that didn't change anything.
Because in the world of children…
rumors turn into truth very quickly.
And no one wanted to hear his side of the story.
Meanwhile…
Mikari continued going to school.
And although sometimes their gazes accidentally crossed…
she always looked away.
She never said anything to stop the rumors.
She never said it had all been a misunderstanding.
She never said that he wasn't a bad person.
And for Itsuki…
that silence hurt more than any insult.
The days passed slowly.
Until finally, the last day of the school year arrived.
Elementary school had ended.
The students were celebrating.
Some hugged each other.
Others talked excitedly about middle school.
But for Itsuki…
that day didn't feel like a happy ending.
Mikari was moving to another city.
Some classmates decided to go say goodbye to her at the station.
Itsuki didn't want to go.
But in the end…
he went.
Maybe because deep down…
he wanted to close that chapter.
When they arrived at the station, the atmosphere was filled with farewells.
"Don't forget about us!"
"Write to us!"
"Take care!"
Mikari smiled while saying goodbye to everyone.
She looked happy.
As if nothing had ever happened.
Itsuki watched from a distance.
His hands were in his pockets.
His body felt heavy.
He could walk over.
He could say something.
He could say goodbye.
But his feet wouldn't move.
Part of him was afraid.
Afraid she would look at him with discomfort again.
Afraid of confirming that he had truly been a problem for her.
The transportation arrived.
The doors opened.
The last classmates said their goodbyes.
Mikari stepped inside.
And just before entering…
another girl ran toward her.
She was shorter than the others.
Her hair moved with the wind as she ran.
She looked like someone cheerful.
Mikari greeted her with a smile.
Maybe she was a friend.
Or someone who had come to accompany her.
Itsuki watched them from afar.
And then…
the other girl looked up.
Her eyes met Itsuki's.
It lasted only a moment.
But for him…
it felt strange.
That girl had very clear blue eyes.
Eyes that seemed to observe him with curiosity.
Not with contempt.
Not with distrust.
Just curiosity.
Itsuki remained still.
But one thing was certain.
Those eyes were beautiful.
The girl looked at him for a moment longer…
and then boarded the transport with Mikari.
The doors closed.
The engine started.
The vehicle slowly began to move away.
Itsuki watched until it disappeared in the distance.
The sound of the engine faded.
And the station fell silent once again.