"Haa~" (sigh), another start of the school year. I'M EXHAUSTED! (said a tall young man with white hair)
April again. I firmly believe this year will be just another ordinary one. I feel like I'm wasting my precious lifetime, since supposedly you only live once.
My name is Kisaragi Ritsuya. I'm 16 years old. Me and a bunch of other teenagers have three years until the start of "adult life," or at least that's what they say. I still don't know what I'll do in the future, but I guess I still have time… I think.
Kisaragi Ritsuya: (lightly fixing his hair)
—I'm insanely late, and my bike feels heavier than it did last year.
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(Note: I think I'll start using these hyphens "-" to show that the characters changed scenes, but I'm not completely sure yet.)
Prof. Tanaka: (adjusting his glasses and looking at the class)
—Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Minato-Mirai. Look to your side. From today on, these are your classmates for the next three years. In high school, things change a bit.
Sato (Student): (raises his hand, looking a little nervous)
—Professor, is it true that the study pace is much faster than in middle school? I heard the math classes here are on another level...
Prof. Tanaka: (with a slight smile)
—I won't lie, Sato. The level does go up. But the biggest difference isn't just the subjects. In high school, you start shaping your future. Many of you will spend your afternoons in school clubs (Bukatsu) or prep schools (Juku). Your freedom increases, but so does your responsibility.
(Note: Koukou is the abbreviation of the Japanese word Koutougakkou, which literally means "High School.")
Akari (Student):
—And what about clubs, professor? I want to join the Art Club, but my parents say I should focus only on university entrance exams from now on.
Prof. Tanaka:
—Exams are important, Akari, but Japanese school life is incomplete without clubs. That's where the strongest bonds are formed. The secret is balance. By the way, get ready: our Cultural Festival (Bunkasai) in November is organized almost entirely by you.
Sato:
—Organized by us? Seriously?
Prof. Tanaka:
—Yes. High school is the stage where you stop being children and start becoming adults. Real classes begin tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. Be ready for the challenge.
After the professor finished saying everything he had to say, they were dismissed.
While most students went home, Ritsuya leaned against a tree and started listening to music. He was listening to his favorite band, "Crazy Rockers," and began to reflect a little.
Ritsuya:
—Man, I think I need to try something new… but what?
He remembered the clubs mentioned in class and decided to take a look.
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Ritsuya: (walking through the halls with his headphones around his neck)
—Alright, the professor talked about "strong bonds" and blah blah blah… let's see if there's anything that won't make me want to fall asleep in five minutes.
He passed by the Kendo Club. The sound of wooden swords clashing and the shouts of "MEN!" were so loud he didn't even need to step inside.
Ritsuya: (making a face and covering one ear)
—Forget it. Too much yelling. My head already hurts just thinking about taking a hit like that straight to the forehead. Next!
Then he stopped at the door of the Astronomy Club. It seemed calm, perfect for his exhaustion, but when he peeked through the crack in the door…
Club Member: (staring at a star chart, talking to himself)
—If we calculate the declination of Sirius' right ascension...
Ritsuya: (slowly closing the door without making a sound)
—Okay, I didn't understand a single word that guy said. I want a hobby, not a PhD in quantum physics.
He sighed, hands in his pockets, feeling like his "mission" to find something new was a total failure.
Ritsuya:
—Yeah… the "adult life" Tanaka talked about seems pretty boring if the options are just yelling or calculating stars.
He was about to give up and go get his bike when, as he passed by the arts building (in general, not just painting), something caught his attention at the end of the hallway, near a room that looked abandoned.
Ritsuya: (looking at a crooked sign on the door)
—What's this? Club of…