Project Pegasus

V 1.1 Chapter 0.5: The Story of Haruka.

It was April 4, 2016 when all of it started. I never would have thought that a certain rejection would change the state of our peaceful lives.

"Hiiro, I love you!"

"Yosh, this time, definitely, I'm going to do it."

Opening the door, I saw Hiiro Akira, my childhood friend, standing outside the house gate. He was probably waiting for a while.

"Good morning, Haruka. Did you sleep well?" he greeted with his usual smile.

"Good morning. Sorry, I got a little too excited that I couldn't sleep."

"Well, I think that's normal since this will be our first day of senior high, but please try to take care of your body more," Hiiro responded.

"S-sorry."

Well, there's actually a different reason why I couldn't sleep.

Afterward, we made our way towards our new school, the Fukuoka High School in Fukuoka, Japan. I was nervous. It was not the usual walk together, because, after school, I plan to confess my feelings to him.

It's already been six years since I met him.

During my elementary days, due to my father's job, I often transferred schools. Because of this, I became a loner who couldn't fit into the class. I was a shy and timid girl back then, but, Hiiro saved me. He was the very first friend that I got. He showed me the wonders of having companions. My once black and white life became full of colors. Eventually, I fell in love with him.

Reaching the school, we met a fancy looking middle-age guy. According to him, he was a butler, but something felt eerie about the man as he gave Hiiro a letter.

***

Lunch came, Hiiro and I were sitting in the cafeteria eating. As usual, the place was filled with people. Some with their friends. Some eating alone.

"Oi oi, eat your vegetables," Hiiro complained while pointing to my boxed lunch which he prepared for me. "Eating nothing but meat is bad for your health."

"S-shut up. I'm a growing girl. I only need meat in my life."

"Oh really?" Hiiro said, frowning as he put his right hand in his face. "Next time I cook your boxed lunch I'm going to only use vegetables."

"Please, have mercy on me."

A few minutes later, we finished eating. It was delicious as always.

"Haruka, go back to the classroom first. I'm going to meet someone," Hiiro said.

"O-okay."

However, I didn't do what he told me. I followed him.

"As a childhood friend, there's no way I'm missing this. This is the first day of school and you're already meeting with an unknown person. It's my job to make sure this person won't bring you trouble."

Behind the school building, Hiiro was standing waiting for that someone. Meanwhile, I was hiding at a distance but not so far away that I couldn't hear him speak. I was nervous while looking at him. It was not the first time some unknown person gave a letter to Hiiro. Usually, those letters were some sort of recruitment to something, because people treated Hiiro as a genius. But the nervousness was not because of that. In some cases, those letters were love letters coming from girls who wanted to confess to him. Although Hiiro usually turned them down it was still nerve-racking.

"Please, don't be a confession," I pleaded as I clasped my hands tight.

A few minutes later, a girl whose beauty was comparable to a princess stepped in fidgety and blushing.