Even though I spent the majority of my time during April in solitude, many of my classmates were taking advantage of the school's false benevolence. No one noticed it was hidden under a web of lies and deceit, despite all the clues being there right in front of our eyes.

Even though our high school lives were promoted to be the time of our youths and the start of something great, it began to warp into a dark reality. No one felt this more than the students of my class, E Class.

Many of them believed that high school would be a chance for them to change their surroundings and start fresh, being able to escape from their failures in middle school, me included.

The truth was, we were doomed to perpetuate the same old, same old. The situation never got better. The situation slowly got worse. The difference was, this time, we were stuck in a class that was labelled failures.

As we moved into May, and the true nature of the school was revealed, my classmates lamented over the fleeting luxuries we had lost. Due to our mismanagement in the first month, E Class had lost any right to gain any private points, the currency at this school, and we were a laughing stock to the other classes.

While being subjected to it all, I reflected upon that last month. There was very little of worth, except my consistent failures. I had become a useless person over time, but there was one happy memory I had kept to myself.

This was a collection of stories that happened in April, before our student lives were turned on its head.

The rare meeting between me and Yukina.

In E Class, I was regarded as one of the "big 3 loners", alongside my classmates Ikesugi Kaoru and Kouji Tenma. However, what separated me from those two was that, I had friends, but never had the courage to speak to them.

Instead, I waited for someone to invite me out, so I could have fun with them. However, no invitation to play ever came. It was like I was a background character, easily forgotten and too invisible for my own good. As a result, I became a shut-in, just like in middle school.

That's why, when Yukina called me on a rainy weekend, I was surprised. I answered her call and sat on the couch in my dorm room.

"Moshi moshi?"

My hands were shaking since I hadn't talked to her in a long time. Despite being friends in middle school, we rarely talked while in GEN Academy, since she found a new group of friends she was more comfortable with.

While back in middle school, she could be considered a loner, the Yukina of GEN Academy was a bijin who lived as a riajuu. She was best friends with the most popular girl in our class, Sakigamiya Alice, which put her very high up the social ladder.

It was completely opposite to me, who was so far down the social ladder people forgot I existed or labelled me a loner.

"Yuu-kun? Moshi moshi!"

Yukina sounded cheery. I doubted she was actually excited to talk to me.

"Yep, it's me."

Still, I couldn't get a grip on myself. I was horrible at socialising. Even though we were friends, it didn't feel like it. It made me anxious, which could be heard in my awkward reply.

"How are you?"

If I told her that I wasn't fine, I think she'd end the call right then and there. Instead, I put up a front and pretended that everything was okay.

"Uh... I'm fine."

Nailed it.

"You don't sound fine."

Didn't nail it.

"Ah... um... why'd you call me?"

From my nervous stuttering, I accidentally let out the question that was primarily on my mind.

"Oh, um..."

Yukina began to sound nervous on the other side too. Did something bad happen to her?

"It's raining, isn't it?"

That was a strange reply from her.

I could hear the pelting of the rain even from this secluded corner of the room. I looked out of my window, and checked.

It was definitely raining, even more than normal. I didn't realise how bad it became.

"Yeah... it's raining."

The sky was all grey and gloomy. I supposed it reflected my bitter mood right now.

What am I to her, a weatherman?

"Then..."

Yukina trailed off mid-sentence.

"The weather's... pretty bad."

I tried to continue this conversation for her, even though I was bad at it. It seemed she was having more trouble than me when it came to communicating.

Perhaps I became the type of person she didn't communicate easily with anymore. I'm sure her conversations with Sakigamiya are more engaging than this dry one with me.

"It is, but... um..."

"Is something wrong?"

Yukina wasn't acting like her usual self.

"Um... can I come over to your room?"

"...eh?"

Did I really hear that? I listened in very carefully.

"C-can I come over to your room?"

I covered my mouth, but I still gasped like an idiot.

Even though I tried to reply, no words would come from my wobbling mouth.

I was stunned.

I pinched my cheek to see if this was a dream. Nope, it was definitely reality.

I still can't believe I heard that. That Yukina wanted to come to my room? It just seemed impossible... too good to be true.

I began to wonder what prompted her to be so forward.

Did something bad happen to her friend group? Could she only rely on me now? Did she actually want to see me all along?

At the same time, I was both terrified and excited.

My heart was unable to stop thumping in my chest, loudly going doki doki.

I've never thought of it before, but no one has ever visited my room before. She'd be the first one.

When I think about it like that, it makes me more stressed.

Even though it was probably good for me, it would look bad for her, since she'd be going into a guy's room after all. Mine, no less...

I was one of the worst regarded people in this school. I'd be dragging her reputation through the mud. I didn't want that at all.

"Yuu-kun?"

Her soothing voice brought me back from my swirling thoughts.

"You can come over."

My hands were trembling as I covered my chest. I could feel every hastening beat and the sweat building on my chest.

"Okay. What's your room number?"

"106."

I repeated the numbers that was on the lanyard around my neck. Even though I tried to sound calm, I was far from that state of mind,

"I'll be there in a few minutes then. Please wait for me."

And with that line, she ended the call. I put my phone down and slumped.

It was still difficult for me to accept this was happening, and that I wasn't having a fever dream. Yukina wanted to visit me, in my own room no less.

Looking down at my shirt, I realised I was still in pyjamas. I should probably change into something more suitable to meet her.

I ransacked my closet and grabbed a basic white shirt and black jeans. The most generic combination anyone could think of, but it's a tried and tested outfit.

As she promised, Yukina knocked on my dorm door approximately five minutes after our call.

I opened the door with my keycard, and there she was.

Kazuraba Yukina, wearing a casual lavender dress with a small bag clutched to her chest. She smiled with an excited glimmer in her eyes.

"Yuu-kun, hisashiburi!"

"Hisashiburi."

I had no idea how to compose myself around her. Now that she was standing here in the flesh, I realised that the time we spent apart made me feel like she had transformed and become a completely different person.

I stepped aside and let Yukina enter. She looked around my room, taking in how unimpressive I was at house decorating. Unlike everyone else, I didn't buy anything new for my dorm room, which meant it was the same as when we first got them.

Yukina put down her bag on the table.

"You're the minimalist type?"

She teased me for my lack of decoration. I didn't mean for it to be minimalist... I just didn't know what to add to it. It had nearly everything I needed.

"It... sort of turned out this way."

I leaned against the wall as Yukina rested her arms on the windowsill. Sighing, she looked at the heavy rain with a gentle smile. Looking over her shoulder, she beckoned me over.

In this position, I felt unworthy to be by her side. Even I had to admit how beautiful she looked peering out at the rain. I'd be ruining the atmosphere.

Still, she wanted me by her side. Without any other choice, I stood beside her, putting my hands on the windowsill.

"Isn't this nostalgic?"

"Not really..."

I liked the rain, but it never brought any happy memories back for me.

"You don't remember?"

"Is this meant to provoke a memory?"

Yukina nodded, looking disappointed. She took out a book from her bag, and presented it to me.

I stared at the cover of the book. It was "TOP", the light novel series I was reading when I first properly met Yukina that day.

The first time I met Yukina... it was in the school library. Even though we were in the same class, I was an outcast because I didn't speak to anybody. You could even consider me a loner, as I spent my time during break and lunch at the library, reading books to pass the time.

Just like me, Yukina also was an outcast that spent her days in middle school reading books at the library. However, during a rainy lunch time, just like today, she changed my life.

Yukina approached me, wanting to talk about the book we were both reading: TOP. I was on the third volume, while she was on the fifth. I had just finished the third when she talked to me, and we both got excited over the story, it's characters and settings, the themes...

...it made me happy, that I wasn't alone.

Because of this one moment, everything changed. Yukina became my first and only friend in middle school. In that school, all I needed was her. I didn't need anyone else back then.

I looked away and scratched my cheek. I felt embarrassed that I had forgotten such an important part of why we became friends.

I didn't feel like facing her anymore. I betrayed her by forgetting a very special memory. It was one of the worst things I could've done.

Was it because I couldn't recognise Yukina as the same person back then anymore? Or was it because my nerves got to me and made me freeze up?

"I'm... sorry..."

It was all I could utter from my devastated feelings. It was pathetic that this was all I had to say.

"It's okay."

Hearing that from Yukina relieved my heart.

"It's been a long time since then. If you forgot, then I'm glad I made you remember it."

Even though I didn't mention it, she was able to understand my thoughts. That's what I also liked about Yukina. We didn't need to say words to each other, because we understood each other through the silence.

Seeing that part of her again made me recognise I was wrong about her changing into an unrecognisable person. She's still Yukina, no matter how distant we may become.

"Do you remember... when we would used to read books together?"

Rain or shine, we would both be in the library reading. Side by side, quietly understanding and supporting each other.

"I do. That's why..."

She picked up her bag from the table and showed it to me.

Inside were all twenty two volumes of the story that brought us together.

"Do you want to read TOP together, Yuu-kun? Just like we did in middle school..."

I picked up the first volume from the bag.

"Yeah. I'd love to."

Yukina smiled. It's been a long time since I've seen that.

We sat next to each other on the couch. I opened the book, and we held one side each. The rain served as soothing background music as we read the day away.

I wanted this precious moment to last forever. I wanted to read more and more books with her...

Since I miss... spending time with Yukina.