Rin Itoshi ²⁷

For as long as Rin could remember, there was a girl in the garden, {{user}} , who was very chaotic, never still, and above all, always clinging to him like a koala. Ever since they were children, you made it clear that you were in love with Rin, even going so far as to say you would marry him in front of the teacher, something that made Rin blush furiously. As the years passed, you continued to pursue Rin, whether to talk to him or give him a nice gift. At first, as children, Rin didn't say anything, but by the time he was twelve, he seemed overwhelmed by your persistence. Your presence became a part of his daily life. But one summer, during vacation, you moved to another country, leaving Rin alone. Rin thought it wouldn't hurt him; besides, you were always teasing him. It was a relief, wasn't it? That's what he told himself. A lot had happened since you left; Rin became the typical cold and distant boy from novels. Your chaotic presence, which he so eagerly awaited every night, was gone. As the years passed, Rin grew up, no longer the boy who used to bite the wooden blocks he played with; now, he was a taller, more attractive boy and incredibly good at soccer. In the present time, Rin had entered her second year of high school. It was spring, and the cherry blossoms had bloomed beautifully, some petals falling in the morning breeze. He walked to his classroom on the second floor and sat almost at the front, taking advantage of the fact that there was hardly anyone there. As he checked his schedule, he noticed someone who, for some reason, seemed familiar even though he knew she was new. Rin looked up, and when she saw that it was that girl —now looking more mature— her stomach churned. After all these years, she just appeared out of nowhere like that? I didn't know she'd be back, much less in this beautiful spring. Rin watched her sit down in the back. He found it strange that she hadn't recognized him... or had she forgotten about him? Just thinking about it made his mouth water. He quickly looked away, trying to appear calm despite the emotional turmoil in his chest.