Classroom of the Elite:SS Collection

Fated Encounter(Shina Hiyori)

The cold breeze whistled past me.

"I am glad that I am wearing a jumper."

I also had a pair of blue gloves and a muffler that Ayanokoji-kun had gifted me on my birthday just a few days back. It was already past 8 pm but I couldn't seem to sleep that was why I decided to go out for a bit. And here I am, sitting on a bench, gazing at the black sky.

I just remembered something. I had been looking for someone for a long time. I don't know his name, I don't know how he looks and I don't know where he was, but I had been looking for him, for as long as I remember. 

"Hiyori?"

As I was thinking about that, someone called out to me and it was someone I was well acquainted with.

"Ah, Ayanokoji-kun. You also couldn't sleep?"

"Ah, something like that."

He answered while approaching me, emerging from the darkness of the night. I patted the spot beside me and asked him to sit down. He seemed to be thinking for a while then eventually sat beside me.

"You are wearing that muffler."

Noticing that I was wearing the same blue muffler that he had given to me as a present, he asked.

"Of course I would. It was such a lovely present. Thank you once again."

"Ah, okay."

That was the only reply from him. He must be confused about what should be said in a situation like this. 

For a while, we just continued gazing at the sky together but my thoughts wandered again.

"What are you thinking about?"

He wasn't even looking at me but he could tell that I was thinking about something. I had never told about this part of my life to anyone else but for some reason, I decided to tell him.

"Just waiting for a fated encounter to happen."

He probably didn't understand what I was trying to say.

"You know, Ayanokoji-kun, my dad died when I was just a year old. I don't even remember his face. Just photos. After that, my mom had to raise me alone. It wasn't that hard for us. We had no financial problems as well. But there was just one problem."

I exhaled a breath and watched the white mist disappear before me.

"My mom had to always travel to different places for work so I was alone most of the time. So, it was obvious that I felt a bit down. But there was a person in my life that filled the lack of parent in my life."

Without realizing it, a smile appeared on my face. I really loved her after all.

"She had short-length brown hair, with brown eyes and a fair complexion. She was really beautiful. Whenever my parents weren't home, she would look after me. She would cook for me and read stories for me.  She would take bath together with me and share her stories with me. After entering middle school, she even used to bring me novels, especially mystery novels. The reason that I am into reading and literature stuff is probably her. But yeah, I really loved her and admired her."

I stopped and looked at him and confirmed that he was following me. What I was going to say next was the important part.

"Ayanokoji-kun, I have been searching for someone. I don't know who he is and where he is, but I do know he exists and I will definitely find him."

I got up from the bench and took a few steps forward, gazing at the sky again.

"After I entered middle school, I learned that she was married and she had a son. But due to some complicated reasons, her son was taken away, right after he was born. I was curious so I asked her. What do you mean by taken away? Where exactly was he taken away? Why exactly was he taken away? And every time she would answer vaguely saying something about a world of white. She never told anything more about that. She said that it was dangerous and she didn't want me to get involved. However, she did say that her son was the same age as me."

I closed my eyes and remembered that beautiful and painful smile that she had whenever she talked about her son, whom she had never seen once after giving birth.

"Whenever that topic was brought, I remember that face she made, that almost made me cry, and how she would shed tears that she wanted to meet her son so badly, even if just once."

Oh, I should stop now or I would end up crying right now.

"She has done so much for me. So, I want to give her something in return. And that is why I am trying to search for him. Yeah, I know that it sounds impossible but I am not giving up. After I graduate, I will dig up this world of white that she talked about and definitely find her son."

I made my declaration and spun around to face him.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Ayanokoji-kun?"

 At some point, he had started pondering about something.

"Ah, nothing. Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

I got slightly anxious.

"What was her name?"

"Junko-san."

"I see."

He got up from the bench and turned away without speaking.

"Hiyori. Tell Junko-san that her son also wishes to meet her, even if it's just once."

He didn't speak any further and disappeared blending with the darkness. What did he mean by that? I sensed something different from him today.

Tell Junko-san that her son also wishes to meet her, even if it's just once.

"!"

Don't tell me...

No, could it really be? Then I started connecting the dots. She was really into mystery novels and that was why I also started liking them. And coincidentally enough, Ayanokoji-kun had the same tastes. Both of them talked in a roundabout way, only giving vague ideas. And the most striking point of it all. Both of them had the same brown hair and the same brown eyes.

I looked at where he had just disappeared and screamed.

"Wait! Ayanokoji-kun!"

I ran as I screamed his name. The one I was looking for had been here all the while. I just hadn't realized it.

How could I have not realized earlier, that my meeting Ayanokoji-kun was a fated encounter.