Haru stood in front of the results board, scanning the names.
"Second place! That's amazing, Haru!" a girl squealed beside him.
But he barely heard her. His eyes were fixated on the name in first place.
Sakura Suzuki.
"Who's Sakura?" he muttered to himself.
The first time he noticed her…
"Hey, Sweet Sakura, can you help me after class? I fell asleep during the lecture again," Jules whined.
Sakura smiled, but her face twitched slightly.
"Sure."
Haru frowned. So this is my rival? A girl who can't even say no when she doesn't want to do something?
How pathetic.
The first time she intrigued him…
"Sakura!"
"Mia! What's up?"
"Nothing much. You?"
"Gotta help Jules again because she's too busy banging her boyfriend to study."
Haru flinched at her bluntness.
"I wish I had a boyfriend!" Mia whined.
"I don't. They're seriously a waste of time. I wouldn't get shit done if I had one."
She's completely different when she's with her best friend… Did she just say 'banging'? And 'shit'? I've never heard her speak the Sweet Sakura talk like this.
The first time she amazed him…
"What's wrong? Pay up! You owe us, Mia!" a girl shouted.
"I don't owe you anything! Stop making up lies!"
The girl shoved Mia to the ground, yanking her purse away.
Haru was about to step in when—
"Mia! Are you okay?"
Sakura appeared, her voice sharp and demanding.
Mia burst into tears.
"She owes us money!" the girl insisted.
"Do you?" Sakura asked, her eyes piercing.
Mia shook her head.
Sakura sighed. "I'm sorry, but my friend says she doesn't owe you anything. Now, either you give her back the purse, or I call security."
"Oh no, I'm so scared," the girl mocked. "You think you're something special just because you're the most popular girl in college?"
Sakura didn't even hesitate—she kicked the girl in the stomach, sending her stumbling backward.
Haru's mouth fell open in shock.
Sakura snatched the purse from the ground, dusting off her hands.
"I never said I'm special. Don't put words in my mouth."
The girl groaned in pain.
As Sakura turned to check on Mia, her eyes briefly met Haru's.
And for the first time, he thought—
She's amazing.
The first time he was captivated…
Sakura walked into class, her long hair falling loosely around her shoulders.
Haru barely heard the professor anymore.
She looks different today.
She laughed softly at something Mia said, and he found himself staring.
I've never seen her smile like that before.
The first time he realised he liked this side of her…
Haru stood in front of the midterm exam results board, his eyes scanning the names. There it was—his name at the very top. First place.
A small, satisfied smirk tugged at his lips.
Beside him, Sakura Suzuki frowned at the rankings.
"What's wrong, Sweet Sakura?" Haru said mockingly, tilting his head as he turned to her.
"Upset that you're second place this time?"
Before Sakura could respond, Mia stepped in with a sharp glare.
"Watch what you say to my best friend."
Sakura exhaled, shaking her head, and turned to walk away.
But Haru wasn't done.
"What's wrong?" he called out. "Cat got your tongue? Or is your sidekick going to speak on your behalf again?"
Sakura halted in her tracks. A hush fell over the surrounding students, sensing the tension in the air.
Then, slowly, she turned around.
"I'm sorry, did you say something, your highness?"
His smirk twitched. "Oh? Already acknowledging that I'm better than you?"
"Of course you are…Princess."
A ripple of laughter spread through the students around them. Haru's smirk vanished.
"What did you just call me?"
"Princess," Sakura repeated coolly. Then, as if reconsidering, she tapped a finger against her chin. "Or maybe… Prince Disgusting? Since your pampered attitude reeks."
With a dramatic motion, she blew the air in front of her, as if clearing away an invisible stench.
More laughter erupted, but Haru barely heard it. He should feel irritated—insulted, even.
But instead, he found himself grinning.
I should be mad… but for some reason, I like this. I like when she's herself and not 'Sweet' Sakura.
The first time he wanted to protect her…
Sakura had fallen asleep in the library, her head resting on the desk.
Haru's eyes instinctively followed the soft curve of her lips.
She looks so peaceful…
A few guys at a nearby table started pointing at her, whispering.
His jaw tightened. Without thinking, he stood, moved next to her, and blocked their view.
He took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
Why does she leave herself so defenseless?
Later, Sakura stirred, slowly opening her eyes. When she saw him, she yelped.
"I'm sorry," Haru said quickly. "I didn't mean to scare you. Some guys were looking at you in a weird way."
She blinked sleepily. "Oh… You could've just woken me up. But instead, you blocked their line of sight—that's really kind of you."
She smiled, standing to leave, but—
"Wait," Haru called.
She turned. "Hm?"
"…Can I talk to you?"
"About what?"
"You," he admitted, barely able to look at her. "I want to know the real Sakura."
The first time he made a big mistake…
"I like you, Haru. Will you go out with me?"
Mia's eyes were full of excitement, anticipation.
Haru hesitated.
Why do I feel like I shouldn't?
Mia was cool. She liked the same music he did. She was interested in him.
"Sure," he heard himself say.
Then why did his chest feel so heavy?
The first time he realised something was missing…
"I heard you're seeing Sakura tomorrow," Haru said casually.
Mia smirked. "Why, jealous?"
"No, I just… Can I come?"
"We're going to a café. You sure you wanna tag along?"
"Yes."
He didn't know why.
All he knew was that things felt more fun when Sakura was there.
The first time he regretted letting her go…
"I'm going to miss you," Mia said, hugging Sakura tightly.
"Same." Sakura wiped her tears, then turned to look at him.
Haru's heart pounded.
She's looking at me. Say something.
"I have to go, or I'll miss my flight."
He swallowed. "Goodbye."
Wait.
The first time he realised Mia wasn't the one…
Every single date with Mia was worse than the last.
She wasn't who he thought she was.
She had only been pretending to be Sakura.
And now, Sakura was gone.
Sakura… I miss you.
The first time he chose wrong…
White.
Too much white.
The fabric of his suit felt suffocating. Mia stood beside him, radiant in her wedding dress, smiling up at him like this was the perfect day.
But it wasn't.
His heart wasn't here.
It was somewhere else—someone else.
Then he saw her.
Sakura, standing at the back of the crowd, looking at him with eyes that screamed everything she couldn't say out loud.
And suddenly, he couldn't breathe.
I want you.
Before he could stop himself, he closed the distance and kissed her.
She gasped, her lips frozen beneath his.
She's so cute. I bet I'm her first kiss.
But instead of feeling victorious, all he felt was regret.
Because she wasn't his.
The first time he ran toward what he truly wanted…
The rain had started falling by the time he reached outside.
His breaths came fast, his mind a mess.
And then—Sakura.
She had chased after him.
Her hair clung to her damp face, but she didn't care.
"Haru—why did you run?"
He didn't know.
Or maybe he did.
Maybe it was the same reason his hands reached for her, pulling her close.
The same reason his lips crashed onto hers like he'd been drowning for years and only now found air.
She gasped against his mouth.
But she didn't pull away.
She never pulled away.
And as the rain poured, they kissed like they were making up for all the lost time.
…
What am I seeing? Dreams? No, I would never dream about Mia. Besides these all feel to real. Are these memories?