"From Panic to Play: My First School Day"

 My first day of school started with me being lost. I didn't know which way would lead to the gymnasium where the opening ceremony was being held. I wondered here and there, looking for any clue, the whole area was empty. Everyone already left for the gymnasium. I turned, a girl unexpectedly collided with me, sending both of us—and everything she was carrying—crashing to the ground.

She tried to get up, but she couldn't, as I watched her struggle to get up, I stood up and extended my hand and offered my help. She hesitated for a moment before taking my hand. With a gentle pull, I helped her to her feet.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am. My bad—I was in a rush and wasn't watching my step."

She stared at the mess on the ground, her expression unreadable. She knelt and one by one started collecting the items, and as I watched her struggle, her eyes locked onto mine, wordlessly pleading for help. I sighed, crouching to help pick up the mess. Soon we were done collecting the mess we made. I took a glimpse at her, she is beautiful, she has blonde hair. Her hair is open and she is short compared to my height, I am around 5'10 feet, so she is around 5'6 or 5'7 and her eye color is blueish. She has this honorable student vibe, and if you tell me she is a few years older than me, I would accept it, but she had worn the same uniform as me, which was for only first-year freshman, in this school there are different uniforms for different grades. She looked mature and had a very soft voice.

 A word came out of my mouth.

"So pretty" but she didn't hear what I just said.

"I have to give the speech for the first year, that's why I was in such a hurry"

"In that case, can you tell where the opening ceremony is being hosted?"

"Oh, just take a turn from here and you will find it, now, if you will excuse me."

 And soon she disappeared from my sight; after walking for a while, I reached my destination. I am not too fond of the school ceremony, it is a basic ceremony that can be found in any high school, the teacher and the student exchanged words of gratitude.

"Now the first-year representative will give the speech," said the teacher's representative

 And with that, she took over and started the speech.

"Good morning, my name is Kane Inoue and I am honored to stand before you today as a representative of the first-year students. Entering high school is a significant milestone in our lives, and we are eager to learn, grow, and contribute to the rich traditions of this esteemed institution. To our teachers, we want to express our gratitude in advance. We understand the dedication and effort you invest in guiding us, and we are committed to making the most of the opportunities you provide to our seniors, we look up to you as role models. We hope to follow in your footsteps, learning from your successes and your challenges. We are ready to support each other, and we hope to build strong bonds with you as we navigate this journey together. We look forward to being in your care, learning from you, and doing our best to make you proud. Here's to a wonderful and successful year ahead for all of us! Thank you."

 She ended her speech and everyone started giving her a hand of applause, from the reaction of everyone, that she will end up being the popular girl, and most of the people here are thinking of dating her and many of them would hope to be in the same class as her.

But whatever happens, it has to do with me, as I will just be invisible to everyone, and it's not like I hate it, that's how it has always been and always will.

To be honest, the ceremony felt like a huge pain in the butt, and probably everyone felt the same too. We had to stand in line to see which classes we were in, I was given 1d.

 As I walked into the classroom. I wondered, "Will I ever be able to make friends?" "What if everyone hates me?" "What is friendship anyway? My eyes landed on a seat, and to my surprise, it had my nameplate on it, it was in the back, besides a window. I sat there; everyone minded their own business. I was the last person to arrive.

Soon, a young woman in her 20s arrived in the class, she had worn a black suit and a miniskirt, had a ponytail.

"Hello everyone, my name is Tanaka Takahashi, you can call me Tana- sensei ~. I will be the homeroom teacher for 1D. It's a pleasure with y'all, so then let's start with introducing who would like to introduce themself first?"

"Why don't we start from me?!" said a certain person.

I'm Sayoko Nakamura, there's a lot that I like, but I like to play basketball, and I am looking forward to playing basketball in this school. Hope to be in your care."

She looked like a princess. Her height was about 5 feet, her hair was black, and her dark brown eyes perfectly fitted for an Asian beauty standard. She effortlessly started chatting with everyone, as if she had known them forever. For a second, I thought she stared at me or she maybe didn't, it happened so fast I couldn't see.

Basketball, huh? I was never good at that kind of stuff. She seemed to be popular with everyone—boys and girls alike. I decided it was best to keep my distance. And just like that, her introduction was over.

 "Then next is me, right?!, I am Ryuichi Shibata, I want to be friends with y'all. No need for formalities, you may call me by my first name. I would love to be with friends, with everyone, it's an honor to be working with you, you can include me in any events, and if you ever need any help, don't hesitate to ask for my help."

He was the type to be with everyone, to belong everywhere. I should probably keep my distance. Seems like I'm going to have a hard time fitting in here. "Hey, why don't you introduce yourself?" Ryuichi asked.

 What should I say? I wouldn't lie—I felt anxious right now. But then, I heard a voice behind me. Turns out, Ryuichi wasn't asking me to introduce myself; he was talking to the girl behind me.

 "Yes, um- I am Machi Kato. I am average in both academics and athletics. I don't have many hobbies, but I like to read novels, and I would love to discuss them, nice to meet you y'all." She spoke

"Thank you, machi, was it again?" said Ryuichi

 "Yes".

"God, I was saved—that must have been the look on my face when she finished her introduction." 

 Everyone was done with their part of the introduction, and I was the only one left. Everyone stared at me, expecting me to introduce myself.

'What should I say?'. Should I start with a joke? Well, it won't fit my personality. I stood up from my seat and locked my gaze towards sensei, I took the courage to speak.

I am yuk-

just as I was about to introduce myself, I was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. A student entered the classroom.

"Sorry, I was late!". Everyone started looking at them, it was the girl whom I met in the hallway today, the representative of the 1-year freshman.

"Isn't she, the representative of 1-year freshman?" or "What blonde hairs?" Everyone started gossiping like that.

She looked around and found me standing there.

 "it's you".

"Yeah"

Everyone had the same expression—'How does he know her?

"Sorry for the interruption guys!"

teacher asked. Your grandfather said you were going to come late. But this late?

 "Yeah, sorry for being late".

"Anyways, why don't you introduce yourself?"

 "Of course,".

"Hello everyone, my name is Kane Inoue"

"Inoue?" The name echoed through the room—it was the same as the principal's.

 "he's my grandfather".

If I interpret what everyone was thinking. "That principle? Didn't know he had a granddaughter or it seemed like a coincidence when she gave a speech." 

"Why not take that seat? There's no other spot open," said Sensei

 "Yes, I will do that then!".

Unfortunately, the seat beside me was empty. She lowered herself onto the chair, adjusting her posture slightly as she settled in. Her hands brushed against the desk, and she took a glance around before finally resting her gaze forward.

 "Looks like we are going to be neighbors!".

"Seems like it".

"Sensei, can I now introduce myself?".

"Yes, sorry for the interruption. You may continue now".

"Hi everyone, I am Yuki Hara. Hope to get along with you all."

 "Guys, we are done with introductions, hope you will study hard and enjoy your time in this school". Said sensei

 "Hey, how do you know her?" the person sitting in front of me said, their tone laced with curiosity as they turned slightly to glance at me.

"Um-and you are?"

 "You are so terrible, you didn't listen to my introduction, did you? Anyways, I am Haru Tanaka. I will be in your care. You can call me Haru, so how do you know each other?".

 I told him everything. As I spoke, I watched his expression shift—eyes widening, brows furrowing in surprise. That look on his face was something else.

"What am I supposed to do now?" I thought, feeling the weight of the silence that followed. I didn't know what to say next.

 "Now that explains everything".

"Yeah"

 Soon the homeroom started.

I suck, don't I? Well, this might be my fate. That I am all good for nothing. Will I always be a loner? What am I supposed to do?

 A voice called out to me, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Who is it?" I asked, turning my head in confusion.

Kane nudged me lightly and whispered, "Wake up, Tanaka-sensei is asking you to read."

Um, which page was it again? Everyone started laughing at me.

Kane whispered "Page number 18".

I ended up reading the whole chapter, and with the help of Kane, I made it.

"Don't you have to thank me?" Kane asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Thanks to you I made it. You have my gratitude," I started bowing my head.

"You don't have to be this formal."

"I don't even know you... so isn't it obvious that I should bow my head in gratitude?" I said, glancing at Kane with a puzzled expression. My voice came out quieter than I expected, laced with both confusion and reluctance. The air between us felt heavy, as if I owed her something I wasn't even aware of.

She tried to end the silence.

 "Then why don't we know each other?". 

"No thank you. I don't want to stand out"

"You are so boring." She has a disappointed look on her face and I pretend to be a fool.

I started staring out of the window.

"Boring you say? I am not even allowed to love myself, and become friends with others that can never happen again. I am not allowed to love anyone, not even myself, I brought this upon myself and I will atone for my sins.

 Mr.? um- Mr. Yuki? a voice called out to me, made me snap out of my thoughts.

 "Yes?" I spoke; my voice hesitant as I pushed myself up from my seat. My gaze shifted toward the door—the source of the sound.

One of the staff members was standing in the doorway, waiting for me to respond.

"Driven by curiosity, I lifted my voice and inquired, 'Is something wrong?"

Staff member noticed the curiosity in my voice and asked me to come with her.

I left with the classroom, as we were about to reach the principal's cabins, I thought about every worst thing that occurred today.

There was a silence between me and the staff member, cutting the silence, I asked, "Why are they calling me?".

 Responding to my question, the staff member said "You don't have to be this formal. No one is even here." 

Anya and I had some history. Now she's my guardian, but back when my parents left, she was the one who stayed. She's got jet-black hair, dark eyes, and stands at about 5'9"—tall, graceful, and the kind of woman who'd turn heads.

Soon, we reached the principal's office. A door stood between us and the meeting. Anya placed her hand on the handle.

As she was about to open the door. We heard a noise.

Anya knocked on the door. "Sir, may we come in?"

 "Yes".

As she pushed the door open, we saw two people standing face-to-face—Kane and her grandfather. The tension in the room was palpable, the atmosphere thick with the aftermath of a heated argument

Kaneki Inoue—the man in charge of this school.

The room was awkward, traces of a heated argument were still traceable.

Kane's cheeks were flushed, her eyes glistening as if she were on the verge of tears. When she noticed my gaze, she quickly picked up on my silent cue and tried to lighten the mood.

Kane asked. "What are you doing here?".

"What about you?".

"Making it obvious that a heated argument had just taken place, she looked at me and asked, 'Don't you think it's rude to ask something before answering someone's question?'"

I nodded in response.

Noticing the awkwardness in my response, she tried to diffuse it by saying, "You're a strange one, huh? Well, it doesn't matter."

Shifted my attention toward Kaneki, only to realize he had been glaring at me the entire time. His intense stare made me flustered, prompting me to ask why he had called me.

Noticing my discomfort, he pretended not to see it and simply answered my question.

"Why are you acting so damn mysterious? It's not like this is our first meeting."

 As I tried to make sense of his words, I hid my confusion behind a nod and answered his question.

Mocking me, he smirked and said, 'Still the same, aren't we? Some people never change, huh?

I played it cool by replying, "I don't know about others. But I am still the same!"

Kane tried to interrupt the conversation. Unfamiliar with our history, she asked, 'Wait! How do you guys know each other?

"Well, he's an acquaintance—looks after me now and then. He was also my father's acquaintance"

Kane narrowed her eyes, picking up on a detail. Repeating the word, she asked "Was?".

"I took a deep breath before answering her question, my expression betraying my vulnerability. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out—like a cat had caught my tongue. Memories flooded in, each one heavier than the last. It took all my courage to finally say it.

'He's dead.'"

Kane's eyes portrayed how bad she felt for me. She hesitated before she said anything. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know that."

I tried to lighten the mood, but it was a failed attempt.

"That's okay, it's not your fault anyway."

the atmosphere still felt a little awkward.

Noticing the awkwardness, Kaneki shifted his gaze toward me and began questioning how I knew her

 . I remained calm and stated that she was a classmate

Wanting to be playful, he stated that there was something fishy going on

Interrupting, Kane firmly stated that there was nothing unusual about it.

Tilting his head slightly, he smirked. "Well, who's to say now?"

I said nothing. Instead, I locked eyes with him, silently conveying that this was his last chance.

"Don't give me that look, Yuki," he muttered.

I sighed internally. Well, whatever, I thought

Being done with his stupid questions, I questioned if I was free to go

There was a slightly hesitance in his eyes, he took a big breath. Wait a bit, He insisted.

Before I left, he asked in a worried tone, 'So, how's school? Finally socializing, huh? You're getting along with everyone, right?

 I smiled a bit. I convey that he has done a lot for me and I am grateful.

Right... Yeah, it's been great,' I replied, though my tone lacked conviction. "I mean, I really can't socialize after everything that happened."

Kane had a puzzled look on her face but she knew that this was not the right time to ask.

"Soon, I left the room with Kane by my side. With each step we took, the principal's cabin slowly faded from view. A silence settled between us, but Kane's expression made it clear—she wanted to ask something.

I couldn't stand that look. Sighing, I finally broke the silence. 'Just ask already.'

She hesitated for a moment before speaking. 'Hey, what did you mean by 'after that much'?'

I glanced ahead, my voice calm but distant. 'When the time comes, I'll tell you everything.'

She nodded. 'Okay.'"

 either of us said a word. The silence between us grew heavier, making things awkward. We exchanged glances, but still, nothing was said.

We just kept walking.

Eventually, we reached our classroom. I made my way to my desk and sat down.

Haru, noticing something was off, leaned over and asked, 'What happened?'

I told him everything.

He nodded. 'Oh, I got that.'

That's how the day ended.

As I reached for my locker, a voice called out from afar.

'Hey! Wait for me!'

I had already seen them before they even yelled—it was Sayoko Nakamura.

I sighed. 'How many times do I have to tell you not to come near me?'

She crossed her arms, unfazed. 'I don't care what you say.'

I narrowed my eyes. 'I told you to stay away, didn't I?'

Sayoko scoffed. 'Huh? Look who's talking. So, you won't even speak to your childhood friend now?'

I exhaled, rubbing the back of my neck. 'You know me. I don't like standing out.'

'I know,' she said with a smirk, 'but I don't care. You're walking home with me.'

I shook my head, defeated. 'I guess it can't be helped then. Shall we?'

'Of course.'

And with that, we started walking home together.

Sayoko—my childhood friend. The first friend I ever made. I still remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday.

The past... no matter what I do, I can't seem to atone for it. Every day feels like a battle, a struggle to break free.

There's a reason I don't want her talking to me in class. But... that's a story for another day."

Sayoko tilted her head slightly, questioning me. 'So… you still don't want me talking to you in class?

"No, never, I don't want to talk with anyone in class.

First, they act like your friend. But once they've gotten what they want, they throw you away. After everything I've been through... I can't trust anyone anymore.

My face turned pale. Sayoko noticed and, sensing the shift, quickly tried to change the topic.

'You're still having episodes? What do they say?

Noticing her concern, I sighed and said, 'They just tell me to take my meds and talk to someone. I would be fine as long as I was talking with others.

"Don't worry, it will be over soon. Contact me if it gets harder, okay? I would be there.

 "Yeah, I know."

She smirked and, teasing me, said, 'Doesn't seem like you're having such a hard time being around them

Confusion flashed across my face, but I quickly asked, 'Who are you talking about?

"You know about whom I'm talking about,"

 Oh, no, wait! There's a misunderstanding. She's just an acquaintance."

"Relax, I'm just kidding," she said with a smirk.

 Don't you get along with everyone huh? I smirked.

She got annoyed by my question but then I started laughing.

"No fair," she said.

We hadn't even realized where our steps had taken us until we stopped at a place I knew all too well.

"It's been years, hasn't it?" Sayoko said, a nostalgic smile forming on her lips.

We were standing in the park where we used to play as kids.

"I can't believe it's been five years since we last came here together, right?"

"Yeah… ever since I stopped leaving my house," she murmured, lost in thought.

For a moment, we both stood in silence, memories flooding back—how we used to spend entire days here, playing without a care in the world. And how, without fail, our moms would come searching for us when we lost track of time.

"Of course, I do. How could I ever forget those peaceful days—"

Before I could finish, everything blurred.

When I opened my eyes, I was lying on the ground. A dull ache pulsed through my head, and for a moment, I couldn't process what had happened. My vision swam, but I could make out figures standing nearby—Principal Kaneki and Anya. They were talking to someone.

The doctor.

Their voices were muffled, but I managed to catch fragments of the conversation.

"You will never be able to get—"

I gasped, my body tensing.

The doctor turned toward me.

"Can you hear me? What's your name?"

I'm Yuki

"Okay good, remember what I said last time?"

 "As long as I keep talking with others".

"Due to visiting Memorial, a place he might have gotten shocked, there is nothing to worry about." Doctor stated

 We left the hospital, the cool air hitting my face as we stepped outside.

Kaneki glanced at me, his expression unreadable. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

 "Yes, I am."

Anya sighed, crossing her arms. "Try not to cause so much trouble for us, okay?"

I gave a small nod. "Yeah, I won't."

I left them behind, walking home alone. As I approached my doorstep, I noticed someone sitting there, waiting for me. It was Sayoko.

The moment she saw me, tears welled up in her eyes, and she started crying.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…!" she repeated, her voice breaking between sobs.

I crouched down beside her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, okay? Don't worry, I'm fine. I promise."

She shook her head, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "But I was so scared! I didn't know what to do when you collapsed… I just grabbed your phone and called Anya-san. She came with the principal and took you to the hospital. I wanted to go with you, but they told me there was nothing I could do—that they'd handle it. But how could I just leave?!"

Her voice trembled as she continued. "If I hadn't asked you to come back to school, this wouldn't have happened… I'm so sorry, Yuki. You were right after all. I shouldn't have talked to you in class… and from now on, I won't."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Sayoko, stop. Please, just calm down first, okay? Listen to me—thank you for calling Kaneki-san and Anya. I don't even want to think about what could've happened if you hadn't."

I looked her in the eyes. "And tell me… what am I supposed to do without my childhood friend? If you stop talking to me, then what's the point?"

She hesitated, her lip quivering.

"This wasn't your fault. It was my trauma acting up. So please, stop blaming yourself and… just keep talking to me, alright?"

She exhaled deeply, finally calming down. A small, shaky smile formed on her lips. "Ahh… what am I gonna do without you?"

I chuckled softly. "You wanna come inside? Have some water or something?"

She shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, but I should head home. It's already getting late."

"Is that so? Alright then… see you tomorrow."

And just like that, she turned and walked away.

That was how my first day at school ended.

But who knows what story unfolds next?