Closer To The Stars With You [shuji x reader]

22. Stars

The last day of eighth grade had arrived, and I could hardly believe how quickly the school year had flown by. It felt like just yesterday we were walking into school on the first day, nervous about what the year would hold. Now, as I stood at my locker for the final time, the hallways buzzing with a mix of excitement and bittersweet nostalgia, I couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed.

As I packed up my locker, sliding the last few notebooks into my backpack, I glanced around at the familiar sights—the colorful posters on the walls, the clusters of friends laughing together, and the teachers giving final farewells. Everything felt so normal, yet completely different. It was strange to think that in just a few hours, this place would no longer be our daily reality. High school was just around the corner, a big unknown that both thrilled and terrified me.

I spotted Shuji a few lockers down, chatting with some of his friends. He caught my eye and gave me a warm smile, one that always made my heart skip a beat. i cant believe its been 5 months of us dating, but it felt like we'd been connected forever. He was my rock, the person who made everything feel okay, even on the toughest days.

Shuji walked over, his dark hair slightly tousled, and leaned against the locker next to mine. "Hey," he said, his voice soft and familiar. "You all packed up?"

"Just about," I replied, pulling out a photo strip we had taken at the spring carnival, one of my favorite memories from the year. "It's crazy, right? This is it."

"I know," Shuji said, glancing around the hallway. "It's kind of hard to believe. But we're ready for what's next."

I nodded, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. "Yeah, I guess so. But I'm gonna miss this place."

"Me too," Shuji agreed. He hesitated for a moment, then added, "But at least we're moving on together."

I smiled, feeling a wave of comfort wash over me. "Yeah, that makes it a lot easier."

As we walked to our last class of the day, we passed by familiar faces—some we'd see again in high school, and others who were heading to different schools. The realization that this chapter of our lives was ending started to sink in, but having Shuji by my side made it less daunting. We shared a lot of laughs on our way to class, reminiscing about the most embarrassing and hilarious moments of the year.

In our last class, the teacher gave a short, heartfelt speech about how much we'd all grown and what an honor it had been to teach us. She handed out our final grades and some personalized notes for each student. When she handed mine to me, she smiled warmly. "You're going to do great things in high school, Y/N. I know it."

"Thank you, Mrs. Palmer," I said, feeling a lump form in my throat. She had been one of my favorite teachers, always encouraging me and pushing me to do my best. It was hard to imagine not seeing her every day.

As the bell rang for the last time, signaling the end of the school year, a cheer erupted from the students. Some people were already making plans for summer, while others were lingering, taking one last look around the classroom. Shuji and I exchanged a glance, a mix of emotions passing between us—excitement for the future, sadness for what we were leaving behind, and a deep sense of gratitude for the bond we'd formed.

We walked out of the classroom together, the hallway now a chaotic swirl of goodbyes and laughter. "Ready to go?" Shuji asked, slipping his hand into mine.

"Yeah," I said, squeezing his hand. "Let's get out of here."

We made our way to the school's front entrance, where students were gathered in groups, taking photos and hugging goodbye. The sunlight felt warm on my face as we stepped outside, a perfect summer day waiting for us. The "Goodbye Middle School" party that night was all anyone could talk about. It was going to be the last big event before we all moved on to high school—a chance to celebrate, to laugh, and to maybe even shed a few tears.