Note

Welcome Home

The metro shifts rhythmically back and forth as it eases towards my destination.Although it's about the time in the morning when men and women make their way to work and children skip off to their schools.there are barely any signs of life onboard.I gaze out the window, where a vaguely familiar landscape indifferently greets me.I am Jun Daichi, and my family and I have been moving from place to place for as long as I can remember.Our home and lives change every time my father's job uproots us from each residence.Moving was sickening at first, but I'm used to it now.After eleven years of hopping around the country, I finally have my own place a tight, old apartment with dry cracks on the walls.It was the best I could rent on a whim.I think I lived in this city a long time ago since it seems familiar. If so, the city must've changed drastically since the last time I was here Or maybe I just don't remember what the city was like because I recognize some of the buildings.

Such a thing is trivial anyways. hope the school's not too difficult.managed to find the place in time and undergo the transfer preparation procedure without much delay, but I haven't visited the campus yet.I wonder what it's like.Idly, I glance around the train.

"What was the stop again...?"

"I glance at the station notifier."

"Oh, it's this one."

girl"Jun?"

Jun "Huh?"

I turn to see a girl with green eyes and her brown hair tied in a ponytail.Did I see her on the train before? She's standing in thesame car I had been sitting, but I don't recall seeing anyone during the ride.The girl's hair waves calmly with the leaking breeze from the station tunnel. She blinks twice as she peers into space, then exhales and relaxes her shoulders while shaking her head a little in the process.I wonder what's on her mind.

"..."

I'm not sure if she's the one that called my nickname, but, instead of asking, I gaze at her listlessly, oblivious to the extent of time passing by me.The sliding doors close with a clank, and the growing hum of the electric motors reaches an apex as the train departs from the platform.Thus, smoothly removing my opportunity to raise the question I wished to ask her.What am I doing?Oh, that's right, I'm creepily staring at some random stranger on a train.

"I shake my head."

"I shouldn't be looking at girls right now."

"I make my way towards the school, climbing up the stairs of the station-"

"-but the image of that girl occupies my mind. Have I seen her somewhere before...?"

"It seems to take an an ever increasing amount of steps to take me to my destination."

I arrive at what I assume is the schoolyard. The lawn houses a building with a sign that reads thesame as on my admissions paper.The structure that holds the nameplate is painted the color of clouds and towers four stories high. A tree breaks the monotony of the yard. This probably isn't the front of the school, but this is the place.For a school day, it looks suprisingly vacant.I look around for someone to ask for directions.Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of a dark-haired girl.

Jun "Oi, excuse me-"

girl"Hmm?"

Jun "Are you busy?"

girl"Not particularly. Why, do you need something?"

Jun " Well..."

girl"Ah, you're a transfer student, aren't you?"

I'm not going to ask how she came to that correct conclusion, and move on...

Jun"Yeah, and do you-"