The soft chime of the school bell echoed through the halls of Tokyo’s Kurozawa High as cherry blossom petals drifted past the windows. In the doorway of Class 2-B, a girl stood with a bright smile and a brand-new uniform.

  Her name was Sayaka.

  "Everyone, this is Sayaka Minami," the teacher announced. "She transferred here from Osaka. Please make her feel welcome."

  Sayaka bowed cheerfully. "Nice to meet you all! I hope we can be friends."

  Her smile was genuine, her eyes sparkling with an energy that seemed to brighten the room. A ripple of curiosity spread among the students.

  “She’s cute,” someone whispered from the back.

  “Osaka, huh? I wonder what she’s like,” another voice chimed in.

  Most of the girls responded with polite smiles, though a few seemed guarded. The boys, however, exchanged glances and nodded approvingly. All except one.

  At the back of the class, by the window, sat a boy with black hair that hung over his eyes. His desk was perfectly clean. His hands rested calmly, fingers laced together. He stared outside as if the class didn’t exist.

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  Sayaka noticed him.

  "That seat is open," the teacher hesitatingly said, pointing to the one beside the quiet boy. "You can sit there."

  Sayaka walked over with a bounce in her step. She set her bag down and smiled at him.

  "Hi! I’m Sayaka," she whispered.

  He said nothing.

  She leaned a little closer. "What’s your name?"

  A moment of silence passed before he finally spoke, his voice low and measured. “…Ren.”

  "Ren, huh? Cool name. You always this quiet?"

  Ren slowly turned his head toward her. His eyes were dark—not angry, just… cold. Empty.

  But something about them felt sharp, like he was always watching.

  "Usually," he replied.

  Sayaka giggled. "I like quiet guys. You’re mysterious."

  Ren turned back to the window without another word.

  The day continued, the rhythm of lessons and laughter filling the classroom. Sayaka tried striking up another conversation with Ren during lunch, but he simply stood and walked away without a word.

  Still, Sayaka wasn’t the type to give up.

  [School end - Sayaka's home]

  That evening, in the quiet of her small bedroom, Sayaka sat at her desk. Flipping through her new school’s welcome guide. Her eyes wandered to the class list. She stopped at one name.

  Ren Kurozawa.

  She’d heard that name before. Somewhere. But where?

  Curious, she searched it online. The connection loaded slowly, but when it did, her screen showed something that made her eyes widen.

  An old news article stared back at her. The headline, though faded with time, sent a chill down her spine.

  "Family of Three Found Dead in Tokyo Home – Son Survives"

  "Police Stumped by Flawless Crime Scene"

  "Case Remains Unsolved After 3 Years"

  The article mentioned no names—but photos showed the same house. A small image of a boy, blurred for privacy. Sayaka looked closer. The shape of his hair. The tilt of his head.

  It was him. Unmistakably him.

  Ren.

  Her chest tightened as she looked at the details of this tragedy. His family. Mother, father, and younger sister, all of them had been brutally murdered. A perfect crime. No clues. No fingerprints. No suspects.

  Ren had been the only one left alive. At the time, people called him a victim. A poor, broken child.

  Now, he was just the quiet boy in the back of the classroom.

  Sayaka’s smile faded just a little as she closed the laptop.

  “…What happened to you?” she whispered.