Seventeen was perhaps a sacred age for some people; it was the age when you officially gave up your brat status and began to enjoy life as an adult, or at least, a young-adult. At that age, many new things were available to you. You can get an ID card instead of a student ID with a nerd photo, have your own driver's license so you don't have to worry about getting fined every time you take out your parents' car... well, things like that.
Ah, and most of the time, everyone treated you like you're special on that big day! Sweet seventeen was a once-in-a-lifetime thing, right?
Karuizawa Kei was one of those who thought so. After the hardship she had experienced in the previous exam, she was already looking forward to that special day. In the early spring of that year, when the air was warm and new buds were beginning to appear, she was seventeen years old and ready to greet the new day!
.
A Special Day
.
A music beat could be heard from one of the rooms in the 2nd-year students' dormitory that morning. Occasionally, a girl was singing along with the beat playing on her cellphone. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the girl who lived in that room was feeling happy. Incredibly happy, in fact. Just looking at her face, it was as if she couldn't stop herself from smiling
It was March 8th, which coincided with the day she took her first breath in the world seventeen years ago.
The birthday girl put the comb she had been using to do her hair on the table and smiled happily at her reflection in the mirror. Now that she was ready to carry out her usual activities, she couldn't wait to see what surprises she might receive later.
It had become a kind of tradition in her group. The person who had a birthday that day would be the main character for the whole day, and the others would fulfil any wishes the main character had.
Today is going to be fun. I can feel it...
Kei excitedly grabbed her cell phone from the table in anticipation of the first surprise. Maybe there would be a congratulatory message from Kiyotaka and the others.
But those hopes were shattered in an instant when she found nothing on her phone.
Kei sighed, feeling a little disappointed. However, she hurriedly shook off that feeling.
It's okay, 24 hours are not over yet...
Kei grabbed her bag that was on the bed and hurried out of the room.
***
"I've told you," Matsushita Chiaki said, casually throwing her classmate a smile. "Of all of us, you're the best at irritating her."
"You're making me sound like a scumbag," Ayanokuoji Kiyotaka commented, turning his gaze to his shoe locker. Chiaki laughed as Kiyotaka picked up his indoor shoes and slipped them on his feet.
"Exactly," Still smiling, she leaned her back against the locker and fiddled with the bag in her hand, "If you don't want to, I can ask Machida-kun from Class A. I'm sure he won't mind."
"I'll do it," Kiyotaka said quickly, not looking at Chiaki.
Chiaki, who had expected this reaction, smiled brightly. "This is going to be great!"
He finished putting on his shoes and closed the locker door behind him. Just then, Hirata Yosuke came out from the end of the hallway and walked towards them.
