shudo

Summary:

Sora Nagi, a boy with black hair and eyes, lives a life of isolation, burdened by depression, social anxiety, and trust issues due to painful past experiences. He stays at home most days, only leaving for school and returning to his secluded world. Trusting no one, he keeps his emotions locked away, navigating his days with little connection to anyone.

Everything changes the day he accidentally bumps into Nanako Shimuya at school. Nanako, with her own struggles related to her parents, doesn’t fit the mold of Sora’s usual interactions. At first, their meeting is unremarkable, but as their paths cross more, they begin to form an unexpected bond.

From strangers to friends, then to something more, Sora and Nanako help each other confront their personal demons. Together, they explore the complexities of healing, trust, and love, slowly discovering that maybe, just maybe, they don’t have to face their battles alone.

Will their deepening connection be enough to overcome the struggles in their lives, or will their pasts pull them apart?

A World Beyond My Window

The school hallway was quiet, except for the distant murmurs of students chatting near their classrooms. Sora Nagi preferred it this way—no eyes on him, no unnecessary conversations, just silence.

He walked with his usual habit of keeping his head slightly down, avoiding interactions. But as he turned a corner—

Something—or rather, someone—collided into him. His body tensed instantly, his mind racing for an escape.

A bright, cheerful voice filled the space between them. Sora barely had time to react before he looked up and met a pair of warm brown eyes.

The girl in front of him took a step back, brushing off her uniform as she laughed lightly. She had short brown hair and a casual confidence about her.

"You okay?" she asked, tilting her head.

Sora froze. He knew he should answer. It was a simple question. But his throat tightened, and the words refused to come out.

Seeing his hesitation, she smiled. "You don't talk much, huh?"

Sora instinctively looked away. He wasn't sure if she was teasing him or just making an observation. Either way, he wanted the conversation to end as quickly as possible.

"I'm Akio Sanagi," she continued, unfazed by his silence. "And you're… Sora, right?"

Sora felt his hands clench slightly. He didn't like the idea of people knowing about him—especially people he had never met before.

"…Yeah," he muttered, barely audible.

Akio grinned. "Thought so. I've heard about you from Nanako."

At the mention of Nanako, Sora stiffened. Of course. That's why she knew him.

"Well," Akio stretched her arms behind her back, "I won't keep you. Just wanted to say hi."

And just like that, she gave a casual wave. "See ya, Sora."

Without waiting for a response, she walked past him, blending back into the crowd of students.

The interaction had lasted less than a minute, yet his mind was still trying to process it.

He had spent most of his school life unnoticed, existing quietly in the background. But now, first Nanako, and now this girl—Akio—were talking to him like it was normal.

He sighed heavily and turned toward his classroom, but the feeling of unfamiliarity lingered.

That was the first time someone had spoken to him like that in a long time.

And he wasn't sure how he felt about it.

Chapter 7: An Unfamiliar Presence