“Hello, what’s your name?”
A clear, slightly excited voice suddenly rang out beside my ear. I was startled and looked up abruptly, my eyes meeting a pair of sparkling blue eyes. The girl stood by my desk, her hair in braids, her school uniform jacket casually draped over her shoulders. A wide smile spread across her lips, and even the sunlight seemed to favor her, casting a warm glow on the tips of her hair. Her gaze was direct and enthusiastic. As it fell on my face, I could feel my cheeks slowly warming.
“You’re so pretty, can I be friends with you?” She leaned closer, her voice full of sincerity, without a trace of shyness. My heart suddenly skipped a beat, and my already nervous emotions felt like they had been put into overdrive. I fumbled, trying to respond, but couldn’t think of what to say, only staring blankly at her.
She didn’t seem to mind my fluster, her eyes curving into a smile. “My name is Kiana, Kiana Kaslana. It’s nice to meet you.”
“I… I’m Raiden Mei.” I finally found my voice, though it still held a slight tremor. My fingers unconsciously twisted the corner of my school uniform. “It’s nice to meet you too, Classmate Kiana.” After saying that, I quickly lowered my head, afraid to meet her eyes again, feeling my ears burn— I had never met anyone so radiant before, like a sun that had suddenly burst into my calm world, warming the very air around me.
I often thought back to that day, to her smiling blue eyes, to her unreserved enthusiasm. At that time, I was terrified—afraid I couldn’t keep up with her pace, afraid this sudden closeness would quickly vanish. But only now do I understand that meeting Kiana was never an accident, but the brightest light in my dark days. If I could go back to that day, I would definitely look at her more bravely and tell her, “Kiana, I really want to be friends with you too.”
Because of meeting her, I’ve never regretted it; instead, I’m filled with gratitude.
— ‘Memoirs of Raiden Mei’ Part 1
…………………
The morning breeze carried the coolness of late summer, brushing past the street-facing glass windows. The wind chimes hanging under the eaves jingled, their crisp sound like a sprinkle of crushed sugar falling into the morning light at the alley entrance. Kiana came running out from the inner room, rubbing her eyes. A small tuft of white hair on her forehead was still sticking up. Her gaze swept across the bar and immediately locked onto the steaming meat buns on the porcelain plate.
“Oh no, I’m going to be late!” She grabbed two still warm buns, stuffed them into her school uniform pockets, slung her canvas backpack over her shoulder, and rushed out the door. Her sneakers scraped against the threshold, kicking up a bit of dust.
Before she could even reach the end of the alley, Eric’s familiar voice, laced with a hint of helpless amusement, called out from behind, “Kiana! You forgot your lunch box!”
Kiana’s steps came to an abrupt halt, as if an invisible pause button had been pressed, her soles leaving a shallow mark on the bluestone path. She turned to see Eric standing at the shop entrance, holding the insulated lunch box with the little sun pattern. Sunlight fell on his light brown hair, making him look exceptionally gentle.
“Whoops! Almost forgot this!” Kiana stuck out her tongue and ran back. The canvas shoes slapped against the ground with a ‘dada’ sound. She took the lunch box, and the moment her fingertips touched the insulated bag, she could feel the warmth of the food inside. Relief washed over her—without this, she’d have to eat dry bread for lunch.
“Thanks, Manager! I would have starved at noon otherwise!” She waved at Eric, her voice full of gratitude. Then she turned again and ran lightly in the direction of the school. The straps of her backpack swayed gently with her movements, and the faint scent of meat still wafted from the buns in her pocket.
Eric watched her retreating figure, shaking his head with a smile. He reached out and straightened the wind chime that had been blown askew by the wind. The breeze blew again, and the wind chime rang out with a series of crisp notes, like a cheerful footnote to the hurried yet warm morning.
Kiana ran all the way, her canvas shoes treading on the bluestone path in the morning light, until the shadow of the old camphor tree at the school entrance fell at her feet. She stopped, leaning against the trunk, and panted heavily. The white hair on her forehead was damp with sweat, sticking to her smooth forehead. The buns in her pocket still held their residual warmth, and the insulated lunch box clutched in her hand was pleasantly warm. She glanced up towards the teaching building. The bell hadn't rung yet, and just as she breathed a sigh of relief, she instinctively turned her head, looking towards the alley entrance to see if any other students were late.
As she turned, her gaze unexpectedly fell on a figure not far away.
It was a girl with her hair tied in a high ponytail. Her deep purple hair shone with a soft luster in the morning light, swaying gently with her steps. She wore Chiba Academy’s black school uniform, the silver embroidery on the collar gleaming brightly in the sun. She carried a dark handbag, her pace composed and brisk, each step as if set to a gentle rhythm. The girl didn’t turn her head; the lines of her profile were clean and sharp. The morning sun kissed the tips of her hair, as if coating them with a faint halo.
Kiana stared, somewhat entranced, her breathing unconsciously softening. She had seen many people in school uniforms, but never anyone who wore the black uniform with such a serene yet striking aura. It was like the quiet, beautiful purple clouds in the evening sky, making one unable to look away. She even forgot she was in a hurry, standing there, her gaze slowly following the girl’s figure. It wasn’t until the girl was about to step into the entrance of the teaching building that Kiana suddenly snapped back to reality.
“Oh no! I’m going to be late!” Kiana smacked her forehead, the momentary relaxation vanishing into thin air. She quickly tightened her grip on the lunch box, pulled her backpack tighter on her shoulder, and set off towards the teaching building. The soles of her shoes made a cheerful sound as they scraped the ground, leaving behind only the lingering image of that purple figure, softly swaying in her mind.
Kiana rushed into the teaching building. The corridor was no longer crowded, with only faint sounds drifting from under the doors of a few classrooms, mixing with the chirping of birds outside the window, creating a quiet atmosphere. She slowed her pace, panting slightly, and peered left and right down the corridor—she had no clue about the building’s layout, let alone where the teachers' offices were.
Just then, a girl carrying a stack of textbooks walked out of a nearby classroom. Kiana quickly approached her, her voice a little hurried. “Excuse me, hello. Do you know where Teacher Alice’s office is? I need to see her about something.”
The girl stopped and pointed towards the end of the corridor. “It’s just past the stairs on the right, the last one. The nameplate says ‘Language Department’. Teacher Alice is usually there.”
“Thank you so much!” Kiana said quickly, then turned and ran towards the staircase, her steps lighter, afraid of disturbing the students reading in the classrooms. Following the directions, she successfully found the office with the “Language Department” nameplate. The door was ajar, and she could faintly hear the rustling sound of pages turning inside.
Kiana stood at the doorway, first tidied the slightly rumpled hem of her school uniform, then clenched the insulated lunch box in her hand. Only then did she raise her finger and gently knock three times on the door, her voice clear and measured. “Excuse me, is Teacher Alice in?”
A few seconds later, a gentle female voice, soft with a bookish charm, came from behind the door. “Please come in.”
Kiana pushed the door open and poked half her body inside. Her eyes immediately fell on the teacher behind the desk, wearing thin-framed glasses—it was Teacher Alice. Sunlight streamed through the office window, falling on the open textbooks on the desk, making the entire room feel exceptionally warm.
Ten minutes later……
Teacher Alice walked into the classroom carrying her lesson plans. The sound of her high heels on the floor was soft and measured. The classroom, which had been slightly noisy moments before, instantly fell silent. She stood at the podium, her gaze gently sweeping over the students, a slight smile on her lips. “Today, we have a new student joining our class. Everyone, please give her a warm welcome.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned sideways and gestured towards the classroom door with her chin. “Kiana, you can come in now.”
Kiana took a deep breath, her grip on her school bag strap loosening slightly. She stepped into the classroom. Instantly, dozens of curious eyes fell on her—some whispered softly, staring at her fluffy white hair; others secretly chuckled at the visible bun wrapper peeking out of her school uniform pocket; still others waved, trying to greet her. Kiana scratched her head, feeling a little uncomfortable, and her gaze swept around the classroom before suddenly stopping.
In the corner, the purple-haired girl she had seen at the school gate that morning was sitting at her seat. The sleeves of her black school uniform were neatly rolled up to her forearms. She held a fountain pen in her hand but kept her head down, her eyes fixed on an open notebook, as if the surrounding hustle and bustle had nothing to do with her. That serene shade of purple stood out conspicuously in the boisterous classroom.
“Hello everyone, my name is Kiana Kaslana, and I look forward to your guidance!” Kiana withdrew her gaze and bowed to the entire class, her voice clear and vibrant. A burst of applause immediately erupted from the students, and someone even shouted, “Welcome, Kiana!” This eased her nervousness considerably.
“Find an empty seat and settle in. You’re classmates now,” Teacher Alice said with a smile, pointing to the empty seat at the back of the classroom. Kiana’s eyes lit up—there was an empty seat right next to the purple-haired girl. She immediately picked up her school bag, walked over, gently pulled out the chair, and sat down, trying her best not to make too much noise.
Once settled, she turned her head and flashed a wide smile at the girl beside her, her voice softer. “Hello, what’s your name? You’re so pretty, can I be friends with you? My name is Kiana, Kiana Kaslana. It’s nice to meet you.”
The girl’s hand holding the fountain pen paused. The tip of the pen left a small ink dot on the paper. She didn’t look up immediately, only the tip of her deep purple ponytail swayed gently with her breathing.