Did their height lean towards the tall or short end? Were they inclined to follow the rules, or not? These were just a few among the many ways to categorize individuals, but today, my sole focus was on one particular division: people I knew, and those I didn’t.

          I was now entering my second year of high school.

          As April arrived, all students advanced to the next grade, and it was time for us to change classrooms. Naturally, we had no control over who our new classmates would be.

          Having just become a second-year student, I searched for my name, “Sendai Hazuki,” on the class lists posted right in front of the school entrance. When I found my name, I noticed that “Ibaraki Umina” was written on the same list as mine. While I wasn’t particularly shy, having a few familiar faces in the same class didn’t hurt. Especially Umina; I considered myself lucky that we were placed together in the same class this year.

          With her around, I could expect to cruise through my second year just like the year before. My position in the classroom would likely remain the same, so it seemed like smooth sailing ahead.

          I scanned the lists one more time to see where my other friends were before heading to my classroom.

          The atmosphere at school always felt a bit restless after returning from long breaks. Everywhere I went, I’d either hear other students reminiscing about how they spent their vacations or see people looking absentminded, as if half their bodies were still at home. There was a unique blend of excitement and anxiety in the air, probably because we were being welcomed into the beginning of the new school year with unfamiliar classrooms and new classmates.

          I walked down the noisy hallways before reaching my new classroom.

          As soon as I opened the door, the first person I saw had a head full of light brown hair.

          That person was none other than Umina.

          She stood out no matter where she went.

          Well, considering that was exactly what she was going for, it’d be more concerning for her if she didn’t stand out. Nevertheless, the ability to accomplish whatever she aimed for was a talent in itself. She and I had our differences, but I admired that part of her. Umina was probably going to end up at the center of the class again, just like how it was in our first year.

          I made my way towards Umina.

          One step, two steps, three steps.

          As I passed by a few desks, I heard a couple of voices that sounded excited, yet a bit sorrowful at the same time.

          「I’m happy we’re in the same class again this year, Maika, but…」

          「It’s kind a shame that Ami’s not with us, huh.」

          When I snuck a glance at them, the girls I saw seemed completely different from Umina.

          Classroom changes were always a mixed bag of joy and sorrow.

          While some were delighted to find themselves in the same class as their friends, others were sad at being separated from them.

          It seemed that the girls I’d walked by had ended up being separated from one of their close friends, so they weren’t entirely pleased with their situation. It made sense that the two of them couldn’t rejoice at being in the same class when their other friend ended up all alone.

          Well, as much as I understood their feelings, I wasn’t about to do anything about it.

          I didn’t know them well enough to randomly start a conversation with them. Out of the two categories I’d mentioned earlier, I considered those girls “people I didn’t know”, which also meant I had to learn their names later, so for the time being, I made sure to remember their faces.

          I stopped in front of Umina’s desk and called out to her.

          「Good morning.」

          「Oh, hey, Hazuki! Everyone said they’re down to hang out after the entrance ceremony today.」

          As soon as I greeted Umina, who was already surrounded by a bunch of people – some familiar faces, others not – she informed of me our after school plans. It seemed that nothing had changed from last year.

          「Have we decided on where to go yet?」

          I asked.

          「That’s what we were discussing before you came over. Oh, but before that, tell me about what happened.」

          「What do you mean?」

          「You know, what happened with Masaki-kun?」

          The moment she mentioned the name of someone I’d rather not hear, a feeling of dread washed over me.

          I knew she was going to ask me about him today, but I didn’t really have much to tell her.

          「What about him?」

          I asked, feigning ignorance.

          「Didn’t Masaki-kun try to contact you?」

          I did remember getting a call from him during spring break, but I’d never met nor spoken to him before, so I wasn’t the one who gave him my contact information.

          It must’ve been Umina.

          Even though I hadn’t granted her permission to set me up with a guy, she was requesting a status report from me. This wasn’t the first time it had happened. She had done this numerous times before in the past. Umina was the type of person who enjoyed meddling and playing matchmaker for her friends. I knew she probably had good intentions, but since I had no interest in getting a boyfriend, I found it a bit bothersome.

          「He did try to call me, but that was it.」

          「Huh? You guys didn’t hang out or anything?」

          「Nope.」

          「Why not?」

          「We didn’t really have much to talk about.」

          「Does that really matter? Just talk about whatever. Don’t you think it’s kind of a waste to turn him down without hanging out with him at least once?」

          「Isn’t it important to share some common interests with your partner?」

          「Nope, not really. I think your standards are way too high, Hazuki. You gotta be ready to make some compromises if you wanna find yourself a boyfriend. I can introduce as many guys to you as you want.」

          「Thanks, but enough about me. How are things going with your boyfriend, Umina?」

          Steering the conversation away from me, I asked Umina about the guy she’d been dating since our first year.

          「Oh, him? He’s been kinda getting on my nerves lately.」

          「How so?」

          Someone else asked. As I listened to Umina rant on in the background, I took a good look around the classroom.

          The classroom felt like a fish tank where every student was like a creature that could be observed and ruthlessly compared to one another.

          The power dynamics in the class had already been established on the first day.

          There were no ordinary fish surrounding a flashy fish like Umina. Those around her either stood out as much as she did or were simply there to enjoy the benefits of being in her company.

          But unlike the sea, here, the strong fish didn’t prey on the weak.

          Both the flashy-looking fish and the ordinary fish swam around each other to avoid any collisions.

          I felt quite at ease within this aquarium, where tranquility managed to coexist with these power dynamics. I didn’t particularly like the idea of being divided by a social hierarchy, but as long as I was able to establish a favorable position for myself, I had the freedom to swim wherever I wanted. Here, I was accepted by others even when my own family didn’t accept me. As long as I played my cards correctly, it was guaranteed to be smooth sailing from here on out without me having to work too hard for it.

          「Oh, I heard the fruit sandwiches they sell there are delicious.」

          I snapped back to reality upon hearing Umina’s bubbly voice.

          The conversation had somehow shifted from Umina’s boyfriend to a shop known for its cute and colorful fruit sandwiches.

          「Let’s go check it out after the opening ceremony. I also wanna shop for some foundation while we’re at it.」

          「Okay, sure.」

          I replied with a smile. Thanks to Umina, my after-school schedule was now booked.

          Every fish in the tank had a place to return to at the end of the day, but if I could, I wanted to delay that moment, even if just by a little bit. Each day, the thought of returning home to my family, who I viewed more as dolls than real people, filled me with dread. My own house served as a constant reminder that I could never become like the perfect doll my older sister was.

          「Maaan, the opening ceremony seems like such a bore. Maybe I should just skip it.」

          Umina grumbled. Her words weren’t exactly what I’d call praiseworthy.

          「Come on, the school day’s almost over.」

          「Yeah, but I still don’t wanna go. Why don’t you skip it with me, Hazuki?」

          「It’d be a pain if the teachers caught us, so I’d rather not.」

          I had no intentions of breaking the school rules on the first day, nor was I going to in the future. I wanted to avoid anything that would tarnish my reputation.

          As soon as the bell rang, I went to take my seat.

          In order to coast through my second year of high school alongside the other flashy-looking fish, establishing a positive first impression was crucial. I had no desire to ruin my standing with the teachers, and there was nothing to gain from becoming their enemy either.

          From today onwards, I would live each day just like the one before, over and over again, as if I were caught in a loop.

          Things would probably continue like this all the way until graduation.

          This forever unchanging everyday life felt both liberating and constraining. It was enjoyable, yet mundane. Nevertheless, I managed to find contentment within my cramped daily routines. While I didn’t mind introducing some variety every now and then, I found the intrusion of others, imposing unwanted changes on me, to be inconsiderate and unsettling. It was as though the concept of the perfect level of stimulation didn’t exist.

          So it was better not to change anything at all.

          There was value in keeping everything the same.

          I didn’t want anything in my daily life to change.

          At least, that was what I had thought to myself at the time.

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