Clover of Fate

The summer days ended full of regrets. Looking up at the sky, I wished I could turn back time. She was more whimsical, mysterious, and beautiful than anyone else.

Ring—Ring

"Himeya! Wake up! It's time for school!" Haruka's voice echoed from downstairs, pulling me back to reality.

"I'm up, sis," I called back groggily.

(It wasn't just a dream, huh?) I thought about the strange dream I'd had before waking up.

"Time for school," I muttered, dragging myself out of bed.

I hurried downstairs and went straight to the bathroom for a quick shower. Afterward, I joined my sister for breakfast in the kitchen.

"Himeya, do you have a club meeting today?" Haruka asked between bites.

"Not a club, sis. It's the committee," I corrected.

"Oh, right. What committee again?"

"The library committee."

"Really? Isn't that boring?" She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Not entirely. I get to learn new things there," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Are you sure?" she asked, smirking knowingly.

"Ugh... yeah. Uguisu-senpai is the committee president," I admitted reluctantly.

"Fiuu~ fiuu~! My little brother has a crush," she teased, whistling playfully.

"Ugh, you already knew that, sis. Anyway, I'm off," I grumbled, standing up.

"Himeya, don't come home too late, okay?"

"Got it. See you later," I replied, grabbing my bag and heading out.

I rode my bike to school, a gift from my parents for my birthday. Of course, Haruka had been the mastermind behind the whole surprise. I was in the middle of the semester now, with plenty to learn and adjust to. Thankfully, Haruka had been my anchor in this world.

When I arrived at school, I ran into Touka in the parking lot.

"Yo, Himeya! Morning!" she called out energetically.

"Morning, Touka. You're as lively as ever," I replied with a small smile.

"Well, duh. It's morning!" she said, grinning widely.

"You say that while rocking panda eyes. Hahaha."

"Hi-Himeya! Don't tease me!" she pouted.

"Let's head to class," I suggested.

"Yeah, let's go!"

On the way to our classroom, we ran into Uguisu-senpai.

"Good morning, Senpai," Touka greeted her with a bow.

"Morning, Miyako-san. Morning, Shin-kun," she replied warmly.

"Good morning, Senpai," I said, trying to sound composed.

"Shin, are you coming to the meeting after school?" she asked.

"Yeah, I will. I don't have anything else planned."

"Oh, you're both in the same committee? What committee is it?" Touka asked curiously.

"The library committee," I said.

Touka snorted. "Himeya... in the library committee? Hahaha!"

"Don't laugh, idiot," I muttered, glaring at her.

"My, my, you two are close," Uguisu-senpai said with a soft chuckle.

Touka flushed and waved her hands. "Ahaha, Senpai, don't joke like that!"

Eventually, Touka left, leaving me alone with Senpai.

"Umm... Senpai..." I started, feeling awkward.

"What is it, Shin?"

"Uh... See you at the meeting?" I managed to say, my voice faltering.

She burst out laughing. "Shin, I thought you had something serious to tell me!"

Embarrassed, I rubbed the back of my neck. "I guess I'll think about the time and place next time..."

Senpai blushed slightly but quickly turned away. "Well, I'll see you later then," she said before walking off.

Later, during art class, I accidentally cut my finger with scissors. The teacher sent me to the infirmary, but there was no one there. I grabbed a bandage and decided to head to the library to patch myself up in peace.

As I sat at my usual spot, the library door creaked open. To my surprise, it was Uguisu-senpai, carrying a textbook and notebook.

"Eh? Senpai?" I blurted out.

"Shin? What are you doing here?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"I, uh, cut my finger during art class and couldn't find anyone in the infirmary," I explained. "So I came here instead."

Her expression softened. "That must hurt. Let me help you."

Before I could protest, she took the first-aid pouch from my hand and skillfully disinfected my wound.

"Senpai, you're really good at this," I said, impressed.

"It's nothing special," she replied, looking embarrassed.

As she carefully applied the bandage, I couldn't help but notice how close she was. Her warm breath brushed against my skin, making me hold my own.

"There we go. Does it feel okay?" she asked, pulling back slightly.

"Yeah, it's perfect. Thank you, Senpai."

She smiled. "Good. You'll need your fingers in top shape to finish that story of yours."

I froze. "Senpai... how did you know?"

"I've seen you jotting things down during our meetings," she admitted. "It looked like you were writing a novel."

"...I was, but I stopped," I said hesitantly.

"Why?"

"I got stuck. There's something in the story I can't seem to express," I confessed.

Senpai's gaze softened. "It's natural to feel that way. Writing takes courage, Shin. It's like showing people a piece of your soul. That's why I'm looking forward to reading your story."

Her words, coupled with her radiant smile, reignited a fire within me. "Thank you, Senpai. I'll finish it soon. You'll be the first to read it," I promised.

"I'll hold you to that," she said, standing up. "Now, let's get back to class."

As I watched her leave, I couldn't help but feel inspired. For the first time in a long while, I was excited to write again—not just for myself, but for her. Senpai... I'll make sure to create a story that makes you smile.