{Sato-san and the Cherry Blossom Season}

The cherry blossoms in the schoolyard are reaching their final stage.

The wind has been strong for the past few days, and today it is howling outside. You can see cherry petals being lifted and dancing in the sky even from the classroom window on the third floor.

That said, I’m not particularly interested in the cherry trees that bloom every year.

They scatter in no time anyway, and even if they bloom more beautifully than last year, I haven’t had the time to enjoy them.

Compared to me, Sato-san seems to have plenty of time for such things.

“The cherry blossoms in the schoolyard are almost gone, huh?”

At the end of lunch break, she returned to her seat next to me, breathless.

“It’s because the wind is strong.”

While gazing out the window, I responded as usual, without any particular emotion.

Then I glanced at Sato-san casually.

There’s no deep meaning behind taking a moment before turning to her after being spoken to. It was just a habit I had.

Sato-san, with her flushed cheeks, was undoing her tied-up hair. Her fingers combing through the disheveled hair didn’t seem too clumsy. I wondered if she couldn’t try a different hairstyle.

“Sato-san, are you playing tag again today?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

She answered my question without hesitation.

She seems to play tag with her close friends in the schoolyard during lunch break.

I’m amazed that high school students are still doing that, but it seems perfectly fitting for Sato-san, which is strange. Childish things suit her well.

“Why don’t you join us next time, Yamaguchi-kun?”

She asked while retying her hair, and I gave a wry smile.

“I’m good.”

“It’s good exercise. Plus, it’s a change of pace.”

“Well, I’m already doing sports in PE class.”

I was in the basketball club until junior high, so I’m much more adept at sports than Sato-san.

But I quit when I entered high school. There were various reasons, but the main one was that starting over from the first year seemed bothersome. With entrance exam studying, I didn’t want to waste energy on unnecessary things.

Moreover, now that we’re in our third year, getting exhausted from playing tag would affect my afternoon classes.

“It’s a shame, though.”

Sato-san smiled innocently, talking about the appeal of tag.

“At this time of year, cherry petals fly around, and it’s really beautiful. They even end up in your eyes or mouth sometimes, but that’s what makes it interesting.”

Ah, so that’s it, I thought.

Cherry petals must be sticking to her hair, which she should have combed through with her fingers.

They were casually stuck in her hair like a hair accessory, peeking out discreetly.

“Sato-san.”

After some hesitation, I decided to tell her.

It’s a small kindness.

“There are petals in your hair.”

“Huh? Where?”

“On the right, towards the upper side.”

“Here?”

Sato-san started searching for the petals with clumsy movements.

Her fingers touched her recently tied hair.

Unfortunately, she was searching in the wrong direction.

Even though I said the right side, she started looking on the left, which seemed just like her.

“Here, the right side.”

I pointed to the right side of her hair, feeling frustrated.

Sato-san followed the black hair with her awkward fingers.

“Oh, is it here? Where exactly?”

Reluctantly, I navigated her verbally.

“A little higher.”

“Here?”

“Ah, a bit more to the right.”

“Here?”

“Oh, you went too far. It was a bit higher from the earlier spot.”

“Where was the earlier spot…?”

Despite getting close, her fumbling fingers were searching in the wrong direction. As a result, she couldn’t catch the petal. Seeing her confused expression made my irritation grow.

“Got it.”

Unable to stay silent any longer, I stood up with a sigh.

“I’ll get it for you.”

After saying that, I cringed and regretted offering my help immediately.

I mean, would a girl want a classmate, especially a boy, to touch her hair?

Even though it’s Sato-san, she might not want that. Given her clumsiness, maybe I shouldn’t have made such an offer after all.

“Oh, could you?”

“Huh?”

“I don’t even know where it’s stuck. Could you take it off for me?”

Sato-san lowered her head so honestly.

The surprise lasted only a moment. I steeled myself and walked over to her seat, trying to act nonchalant.

Sato-san’s hair, viewed from above, was almost black.

It didn’t lighten much even under the afternoon sun; it looked sturdy and well-maintained.

I wondered if it would hurt to touch, but it didn’t. It was actually smoother than it looked, almost like the fabric of a kimono. And it was softer than I expected.

The sensation made my hand tremble for some reason. It didn’t move smoothly, and I missed the petal on the first try. At that moment, I was as clumsy as Sato-san.

I realized I had been holding my breath unconsciously.

If I didn’t, my awareness might drift elsewhere.

“Did you get it?”

Sato-san stayed still, waiting for me to pick up the petal.

I could see everything—her thick bangs, the occasional flutter of her eyelashes, her flushed cheeks, and even the movement of her dry lips.

Her innocent face was all so close.

I could even hear her breathing.

She was completely defenseless right in front of me.

—Though, she didn’t need to protect herself.

There shouldn’t be any danger approaching her.

In the end, on my second attempt, my trembling fingers picked up the cherry petal.

“Here, I got it.”

When I showed it to her, her face lit up.

“Thank you, Yamaguchi-kun.”

After the words of thanks, she extended her palm.

What’s that about? I looked down at her soft palm with confusion.

“Oh, the petal.”

Sato-san smiled brightly.

“I’ll throw it away, so give it to me.”

The petal from her hair was discarded without much chance to appreciate it.

To her, who seemed childlike, fallen cherry petals might just be that. They’re worth no more than being thrown away.

As for me,

Even though I’m not as childish as Sato-san, I couldn’t find a clear answer.

I just felt, at that moment, that it was a bit of a shame to throw it away.