Akira Pov
The sunlight, which was just beginning to rise, filtered through my bedroom window and into my eyes.
At the same time, my alarm clock began to ring: that annoying combination was enough to wake me up completely.
I yawned, stretching, and, after glancing at the clock, which read 6:30, I commented wryly:
"Well... a great combination to wake up to."
I got out of bed, opened the bedroom door, and headed for the bathroom.
There, I washed my face and brushed my teeth, while thinking about what the trip had in store for us.
Once I was ready, I left and went to the kitchen: as always, my mother was already at work, so the house was quiet.
I turned on the TV and, with the forecast predicting a beautiful day, I began making pancakes with some fresh fruit.
Once everything was ready, I set the table and began eating slowly, enjoying breakfast while the news scrolled on the screen. With the window open, I could hear the birds chirping in the tall tree next to the house.
"Mmm... they turned out better than I expected," I commented between bites.
After finishing, I packed my bag and left the house, locking the door tightly.
It was 7:20: the bus would arrive at 7:30, and considering it took 15-20 minutes to get to school, I'd be early.
There were already several students at the bus stop: some senpai, some kouhai, some in my year. When the bus arrived, I got on and took the first seat by the window.
During the ride, I glanced outside and noticed a girl walking down the street. She looked a year or two younger than me.
Her eyes were bright silver, her long, brown hair, perfectly combed, dancing in the wind.
She was wearing a different uniform than mine, probably from a nearby school.
But what really struck me wasn't her beauty, but her facial features... incredibly similar to my own.
I was perplexed for a moment, then shook my head: surely it was just a coincidence.
The bus finally arrived in front of the school.
We got off, and I saw that the trip would include second-year students, the first-years from our school, and even a class from another school in Shibuya.
"Oh, you're here too, Akira-kun," a classmate greeted me. It was Sawada Akane.
"Good morning, Akane-kun," I replied, approaching him.
Not far away, I noticed six other classmates: there were eight of us, but four more to go.
"Kyosuke will be arriving soon, while Izumi and Yamada went to the cafe to get something for the journey. Toru should be here soon, too," Miyako-san explained.
After everyone arrived, the teachers gathered us for roll call and then made us board the booked bus, headed to the port.
I sat in the middle of the bus, next to my classmate Izumi.
"What do you think we'll do on the trip, Akira-kun?" he asked first.
"I don't know... probably visit some museums or wander around the city," I replied, logically.
Izumi snorted. "Then it'll be deadly boring."
I burst out laughing.
"Come on, I don't think it'll be that bad. Knowing our teachers, they'll definitely try to make it interesting."
Izumi thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Maybe you're right."
After about an hour and a half, we finally arrived at the port of Yokohama.
"Wow!" my class exclaimed in unison.
In front of us was a huge cruise ship.
"It's gigantic!" someone commented enthusiastically, while I watched more quietly.
(I wonder how the school could afford this…)
I thought.
We climbed aboard, and the view that greeted us was breathtaking: the crystal-clear sea reflected the sunlight, seagulls flew freely in the sky, and the salty air was fresh and pleasant.
"Fantastic!" Kyosuke exclaimed.
"I agree,"
Izumi added. I laughed softly, amused by their reactions.
It was then that a group of students caught my attention.
They looked upset. They were wearing different uniforms: they must have been from the Shibuya school.
I approached. "Hi guys. My name is Akira Kondo, 2-C. Sorry to intrude, but I saw you were a little nervous... Can I ask what happened?"
They seemed wary at first, but eventually one of them stepped forward.
"Nice to meet you, Kondou-senpai. I'm Kento Sakamoto from Class 1-A. These are my classmates: Takeo Ogawa, Sae Inoue, and Nagi Minami" he said, introducing them one by one.
Then he added, lowering his gaze: "If you saw us like this, it's because of a situation that's been going on for two weeks."
"Oh, but there's no need for such formality. And anyway, it's my pleasure. If you want, you can tell me about it: maybe I can help you."
Kento hesitated, visibly tense.
I observed him carefully: his voice had cracked slightly, his breathing had accelerated, his facial muscles had twitched for a moment.
It was clear he was hiding something.
"You know... in middle school I was student council president. I've already resolved some rather complicated school dynamics," I added, trying to reassure them.
They finally agreed and explained. There was an anonymous Instagram account that was posting the class's most intimate secrets, along with offensive comments.
Not only did it make them laugh, but it had created a climate of anxiety and mistrust.
"I understand... It's a really difficult situation. I understand how you feel,"
I replied seriously.
"I'll do my best to help you."
"Really?! Thank you so much, Kondo-senpai!" Kento and Takeo said, thanking me profusely.
Shortly afterward, Izumi called me: it was time to meet with the teachers.
"It was nice talking to you. If you don't mind, could I have the number of one of you so we can stay in touch?" I asked.
"Sure, you can have mine,"
Kento said. We exchanged numbers and said goodbye.
As I walked back to my classroom, I began to think.
My guess is that the account owner belongs to the same class.
I don't think it's Kento: his nervousness isn't that of a perpetrator, but of someone forced by someone else.
The odds of that being the case are low, but this is getting interesting…
End of Chapter 1