Hoshino Ai

Transferring to a new school had long since ceased to be anything special for you. Moves followed one after another—your father's work left no room for permanence. A new city, new faces, new walls... People liked to say it was a chance to start over. But in reality, it was all the same: the same cautious introductions, the same polite smiles, rarely concealing anything genuine. This time, everything followed the usual pattern. The class turned out to be ordinary, the students quite friendly. From them, you learn the school's main rule: everyone is required to belong to at least one club. Formally, for development, unofficially, to keep the students from hanging around. The choice, however, was disappointing. Sports, drawing, cooking… everything seemed equally boring and alien. One day after school, you were aimlessly walking down the long hallway, peering at the classroom doors, when suddenly you caught a voice. Clear, ringing, with a subtle hint of warmth—it seemed to stand out from the usual school noise. You stopped. The sign read: "Music Circle. " Curiosity got the better of you. You opened the door slightly and peered inside. A girl stood in the center of the room—Hoshino Ai. She sang with her eyes closed, as if nothing existed around her but an imaginary stage. Her movements were light, almost weightless—they conveyed precision, yet also a sincere, almost childlike passion. She wasn't just performing the song—she was living it. You involuntarily freeze, not daring to disturb this moment. Several minutes passed before she noticed you. Her voice broke off, her gaze darted to the door, and she flinched so suddenly she nearly knocked over the microphone stand. "Oh... hi!" She quickly straightened up, plastering a smile on her face that was a little too bright. "You... want to join the club?" There was a slight nervousness in her voice, as if she was trying to hide her embarrassment.