Early in the morning on October 20, 2011,
the sun was casting its light through the clouds, and the wind was blowing gently through the trees at 5:00 a.m.
Shinji woke up to the familiar scent wafting from the kitchen—the aroma of paprika and onion. It was Uncle Nakayama, cooking something delicious.
Shinji quickly cleaned his futon before heading to the kitchen.
As he entered, he saw his uncle preparing breakfast. "Oh, you're up already! I picked up your uniform from Tsukigahara High just now," Uncle Nakayama said. "This will be your last year of high school; you better not fail."
"Got it, Uncle. You can count on me," Shinji replied with a smile.
"The breakfast is ready, Shinji. Eat up; I'll take you to school afterward," Mr. Nakayama said.
Shinji grabbed a bowl and chopsticks and helped himself to some delicious-looking fried rice and katsudon. "Finally, homemade food! It's been a while since I ate like this," he exclaimed.
"Why? Does your father not know how to cook?" Mr. Nakayama asked, trying to suppress a laugh.
"K-kind of…" Shinji replied, and Mr. Nakayama burst out laughing. "Hahaha, come eat up; it will get cold!" he said.
Both Shinji and Mr. Nakayama enjoyed their meal together.
Minutes passed, and after they finished eating, Shinji prepared his uniform: a dark navy blazer over a crisp white dress shirt, paired with grey slacks. The blazer proudly displayed a school logo—a crescent moon beneath the lapel.
"Shinji, I'll be waiting for you outside in the car!" Mr. Nakayama called from outside.
After a few more minutes of preparation, Shinji stepped outside and saw Mr. Nakayama waiting in the car. "Whoa, Shinji, you look great!" Mr. Nakayama complimented him.
They both climbed into the car, and as the engine started, they drove toward Tsukigahara High. During the ride, Shinji admired the relaxing view outside.
After a short drive, they arrived at the tall building of Tsukigahara High, bustling with students.
"Yo, Shinji, make a lot of friends, alright? I don't want you to get into trouble," Mr. Nakayama said with a serious expression.
Shinji nodded. "Yes, Uncle, I got you," he replied.
As Mr. Nakayama pulled away, Shinji walked toward the entrance.
As he approached the gate, he noticed a familiar face—a cool-looking girl in a red hat, waving at him. It was Rika. "Told ya we would meet again!" she said with a bright smile.
"I-I guess so," Shinji replied with a nervous laugh.
"So what year are you in, Shinji?" she asked.
"Uh, I'm a 4th year senior. I have no idea where my classroom is," Shinji admitted.
"Wow, we're both in our 4th year; that's great!" Rika exclaimed excitedly. "Come on, let's check the bulletin board to find our homeroom!"
Shinji nodded in agreement as they headed to the main hallway.
They peered at the bulletin board, and Rika exclaimed, "Woah! We have the same homeroom: 4-A!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Damn, Shinji, you didn't tell me you were a nerd in your previous school," Rika laughed.
"How can you tell?" Shinji asked, puzzled.
"Dude, we're both in Class A, which only accepts students with above ninety-five percent grades," she explained.
"Ah, I see. Isn't a ninety-five average a bit low?" Shinji replied.
Rika jolted, surprised by his words. "Boastful bastard! Come on, we'll be late!" Rika said, nudging him as they walked to the fourth floor.
When they reached Room 4-A, Rika ran to the door, where she was greeted by a bunch of her friends.
As Shinji approached the door, a strange silence fell over the room. The students stopped talking and began to whisper.
"Who is that?"
"A new face?"
"He's kind of…"
Suddenly, the door opened, and a blond, middle-aged woman who looked like a teacher appeared. "Oh, the new student! Please introduce yourself," she prompted.
"Son of a bi…" Shinji thought to himself, feeling the weight of the moment.