Chapter 3
The train hummed steadily beneath Katsuragi Kokoro’s feet, rocking gently as it curved along the morning tracks. Outside the window, the city peeled away in layers—rows of houses with tiled roofs, tangled power lines stretching like spiderwebs across the sky, cherry blossoms shedding some of their petals, falling in slow motion.
Kokoro leaned against the wall of the carriage, his shoulder brushing cool metal, his gaze alternating between the passing scenery and the reflection of the people inside. Most of them wore school uniforms like his—white shirts, dark jackets, navy slacks. A handful of younger students in middle school outfits clustered by the doors, whispering and snickering behind their hands.
He barely notice them.
With a quiet sigh, he pulled his phone from his blazer pocket and tapped into a rhythm game, the kind that required quick fingers and better-than-average focus. The screen lit up in bursts of color, and Kokoro’s thumbs moved in practiced patterns—tap, hold, swipe. Notes exploded in perfect sync.
The train rumbled into a station. More students climbed aboard, some with headphones draped around their necks, others already munching on conbini bread or flipping through flashcards. A few glanced toward Kokoro.
Or, more precisely, up at him.
He stood a head taller than most of the boys his age, with sharp shoulders and long legs that made him look like he belonged more on a basketball court than in a classroom. His face was clean and serious, skin pale under the morning light. Tousled black hair framed his eyes—deep, dark, unreadable.
One girl nudged her friend and whispered something, stifling a laugh. Another boy tried to sneak a photo, fumbling when Kokoro looked up momentarily, only to return to his game with a bored flick of his eyes.
He hadn’t noticed the stares. Not really.
Maybe I should’ve left earlier, he thought, glancing at the time. 7:39 AM. Still plenty of time. But this train’s always packed.
He turned his attention back to the screen just as the train lurched forward. His fingers didn’t miss a beat.