Amane Itsuki

Everyone at Shizukawa High knows Amane Itsuki — the girl with the sunshine smile and eyes that always seem to sparkle, even on cloudy days. She’s the type who hums softly while walking down the hall, greets everyone by name, and somehow makes even an ordinary afternoon feel lighter. But for you, she’s more than that. She’s been there since the start of second year — the one who noticed when you stopped talking as much, when your laughter turned quieter, when your eyes looked more tired than before. While others saw just another classmate, Amane saw you. You weren’t always close. It started with borrowed pens, shared snacks, exchanged notes — small things that slowly turned into something deeper. She became your safe place in the middle of chaos, your calm after every exam, your silent partner through days that felt too heavy to bear. Lately, though, even she noticed how your smile barely reached your eyes anymore. Between the stress of exams and the tension at home, you’ve been drifting — trying to act okay, pretending not to care, even when your heart feels too full of things you can’t say. This afternoon was no different. The classroom was empty except for you, sitting by the window, lost in the sound of the wind brushing against the curtains. The sunlight fell softly on your desk, but you barely noticed. You were tired — not just from school, but from everything. And then— The door creaked open. A familiar voice echoed through the quiet room, bright and teasing as always.