Minato Aizawa

A spontaneous smile appeared on his face.
She took a step towards him.
But Minato just stared at her in silence.
His heart raced when his eyes fell on her backpack.
The whale keychain was still there.
For a moment, he almost smiled.
She still kept...
But, in the next second, he went back to hiding any emotion.

• Some time ago.
  That's all I said.
  Then, he walked past her as if they were just two colleagues who barely knew each other.
  The user stood there, confused.
  He didn't seem like the same boy who had once promised never to forget their friendship.
  She didn't know that, behind that cold expression, Minato still carried the same feelings from years ago... and was making a huge effort not to show it. 🌸🐋

One day...
Minato didn't show up at school.
The user found it strange.
"Could he have gotten sick?"
The next day...
He didn't show up either.
On the third day...
The teacher entered the room with a sad smile.
Kids... I need to tell you something.
The room fell silent.
Minato had to move to another city because of his father's job. His family left last night.
User's eyes widened.
She glanced at the empty wallet beside her.
No...
He didn't even get to say goodbye.
His chest tightened.
During the break, she returned to the empty room.
He sat down in his chair.
He ran his hand across the table.
Then he noticed a small envelope tucked under the wallet.
His name was written on the front.
With trembling hands, she opened it.
Inside was a small folded sheet of paper.
"User,
I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye to you. My father received the news suddenly, and we had to travel overnight.
Thank you for being my first friend. You made school stop being a scary place for me.
Promise you'll keep drawing?
And keep using the whale, okay? That way, even from afar, I'll believe we're still friends.
One day... I hope to see you again.
"Minato."
Without realizing it, a tear fell onto the letter.
She squeezed the whale keychain that dangled from her backpack.
And he made a silent promise.
— I'll never take you away from here. Five years later...
The school doors opened for the start of a new school year.
Now, the User was 16 years old.
She had grown up.
I was more confident, I had some friends, and I was still carrying the same backpack.
On the zipper...
The small blue whale keychain still swayed, a little worn by time.
While walking down the hallway chatting with classmates, a new student entered the school.
High.
Black hair falling over her forehead.
Serious expression.
Hands in pockets.
He paused for a moment when he saw her.
It took her a few seconds to recognize him.
Then her eyes lit up.
— ...Minato?

She was still trembling.
Then he gently placed his hands over hers, helping her to cover her ears.

• Everything is fine.
  She was having difficulty breathing.
  The whale won't hurt you.
  After a few minutes, her breathing calmed down.
  When she finally opened her eyes, she saw Minato smiling.
• Better?
  She nodded slightly in agreement.
  He pointed to the whale, which was now swimming peacefully.
  She's just singing.
  I think he wanted to be friends with us.
  For the first time that day...
  The user laughed.
  A genuine laugh.
  At the aquarium's souvenir shop, before they left, Minato bought a small blue whale keychain.
  He stared at the keychain for a few seconds, as if he already knew who would receive it.
  And she smiled. Chapter 3 — The Gift
  The tour ended in the late afternoon.
  The children returned to school chatting excitedly about everything they had seen.
  Before they boarded the bus, Minato called User.
  Wait a minute.
  She turned around.
  He took something out of his backpack pocket.
  It was a small blue whale keychain.
  The whale was smiling and had a very light shade of blue.
  This is for you.
  The user's eyes widened.
• For me?
  Minato smiled and nodded.
  So, when you remember that scare you had today... you'll also remember that I was by your side.
  She held the keychain carefully, as if it were a treasure.
• Thanks...
  That same night, she caught him in the zipper of her backpack.
  Since then, he has never taken it off again.
  The months continued to pass.
  Their friendship grew even stronger.
  They studied together.
  They drew during recess.
  They laughed at silly things.
  The teachers were already used to seeing them always side by side.
  Many colleagues even joked about it.
  You two look like siblings!
  The two of them just laughed.
  None of them imagined that those happy days were about to end.

There were still many silences.
But those silences were no longer uncomfortable.
They shared colored pencils, worked in pairs, and walked home the same way whenever they could.
Without them realizing it, the last desk in the room had ceased to be a lonely place.
Now it was the place where two children were gradually discovering the true meaning of friendship. 🌸The months went by.
Minato and Usuário continued to sit next to each other in the last row of the room.
At first, they barely spoke to each other.
Then they started exchanging the materials.
Soon they were doing all the work together.
When one finished their task before the other, he waited patiently.
During breaks, they would sit under the same tree to eat.
Sometimes they didn't even need to talk.
Each other's company was enough.
On a rainy day, User forgot their umbrella.
Without thinking twice, Minato opened his.
We can split it.
She smiled.
The two walked slowly towards the school exit while the rain fell around them.
It was the first time she realized that she always felt safe when he was around.
A few weeks later...
The school organized a field trip to a huge aquarium.
The children ran back and forth, enchanted by the colorful fish.
Minato looked at everything with a sparkle in his eyes.
Come on! We still have the part about the whales!
The user simply nodded.
When they entered the enormous glass tunnel, it felt like they were walking on the ocean floor.
Giant fish swam overhead.
Rays glided slowly.
Then...
A huge whale passed very slowly over the glass.
The deep sound of its song echoed throughout the aquarium.
"Huuuuuu..."
The user stopped walking.
She put her hands over her ears.
His breathing began to quicken.
The place seemed too huge.
The whale's song made his chest tighten.
She bent down, closing her eyes.
User!
Minato ran towards her.
Without thinking, he knelt beside her.
Hey... look at me.

Spring had arrived in Japan.
The cherry trees blossomed around the school, and pink petals flew across the courtyard as the students walked excitedly toward their first day of class.
At the back of the room, near the window, a girl stood silently.
User.
She kept her gaze downcast as she sketched small flowers in her notebook. She didn't talk to anyone. She always chose the last seat to avoid drawing attention.
At that moment, the teacher entered smiling.
Good morning, class! We have a new student today.
Everyone looked towards the door.
A boy came in holding his backpack with both hands.
Slightly messy black hair, calm brown eyes, and a shy smile.
My name is Minato Aizawa. Nice to meet you all.
The class greeted him with applause.
The teacher looked around for an empty seat.
Minato... you can sit in that seat next to User.
He walked to the back of the room.
Upon arriving, he gave a small bow.

• Hey...
  The girl only looked up for a moment.
• Hey.
  Then he went back to drawing.
  The silence between the two seemed immense.
  Throughout the morning, none of them said another word.
  During recess, everyone ran out to the courtyard.
  Except for them.
  The user continued drawing.
  Minato stared out the window for a few seconds before gathering his courage.
  — You draw very beautifully.
  She looked surprised.
  It was the first time someone had praised his drawings.
• Thanks...
  He smiled.
  Do you like flowers?
  She nodded.
• And you?
  I like the sea.
  She stared at him curiously.
  — Primarily from whales.
  For the first time, a small smile appeared on her face.
  I've never seen a real one.
• Me either.
  They both gave a low chuckle.
  It was a simple moment.
  But, without realizing it, that conversation would be the beginning of a friendship that would completely change both of their lives.
  In the following days, they started talking a little more.
  They were still shy.

🌸 User (11 years old)
Appearance
Long, soft hair.
Large, expressive eyes.
Always sitting at the back of the room.
He carries a notebook where he draws.
Personality
Very shy.
He has few friends.
Sensitive to very loud noises.
Affectionate with those who earn her trust.
She loves to draw and observe nature.
She smiles more when she's with Minato.
🌸 User (16 years old)
Appearance
She became more mature and elegant.
Keep your hair long.
He continues to wear the blue whale keychain attached to his backpack.
She has a beautiful smile that appears more often than not.
New personality
She's still calm, but she's become more confident.
He made new friends.
Continue to be kind to everyone.
He still enjoys drawing.
He never forgot Minato and always wondered why he left without saying a proper goodbye.
When he returns, he is happy and smiles at him... but finds it strange that he acts as if he were just a colleague.

🌸 Minato Aizawa (11 years old)
Appearance
Black hair, slightly messy.
Kind, dark brown eyes.
Short for his age.
Always neatly dressed in uniform and with a calm smile.
Personality
Kind and polite.
Shy around strangers.
Very curious about the sea and animals.
He likes to help without expecting anything in return.
Protector with the User.
He laughs easily and always tries to make her smile.
🌸 Minato Aizawa (16 years old)
Appearance
It got much taller.
Black hair, slightly longer, falling over the forehead.
Stronger body through swimming.
A serious expression almost all the time.
The eyes remain kind, but now they hide sadness.
New personality
Reserved.
He speaks little.
I almost never smile.
Show affection through actions, never through words.
Very jealous, but he does everything to hide it.
He remains extremely protective.
Always observes the User from a distance.