Yuki No Furu Machi (The City Where Snow Falls)

The following week, as usual, Naomi stopped at her usual place to wait for Saori. Barely a few minutes passed when she heard her friend excitedly calling out to her. As they walked to school together, they chatted about everyday topics until Saori suddenly became pensive and, after a few seconds of silence, looked at Naomi curiously.

- And how are things going between you and Kotaro? -asked Saori with a mischievous smile.

- Eh?! Kotaro?.... I'd say everything is going normal. I don't even know if we're friends yet," replied Naomi nervously, looking at the ground.

- Normal? Come on, Nao, I saw them having lunch together at the festival! -Saori joked, raising her eyebrows in complicity.

- It was only because we were both alone. My aunt couldn't come, and Kotaro didn't have anyone with him," Naomi paused, pursing her lips and twiddling her thumbs. So, yeah... normal.

- Hmm... if you say so," Saori replied, still smiling.

As they continued walking, a momentary silence fell over the two of them. Saori, with a more serious expression, paused for a second before blurting out a question that had been on her mind for a while.

- Nao, can I ask you a more serious question?

- Sure, tell me," Naomi answered, raising her eyebrows.

- Do you have feelings for Kotaro?

- Something? Like what? -Naomi looked at her with surprise, not quite understanding.

- Well... Do you like Kotaro?

Naomi felt her face light up immediately and she quickly denied, waving her hands.

- Huh?! Me? No, no, no, no, nothing like that. I barely know him, it's only been a few weeks, why are you asking me that? -She tried to sound natural, but her blush betrayed her.

- It's just that... I see you worry about him a lot. And I wonder if it's because you care about him in some special way," Saori said, smiling tenderly.

Naomi looked down, as if searching the floor for answers.

- It's not that... I don't know how to explain it. It's just... he seems to have been through a lot, you know? He's very lonely and I don't want... I don't want the same thing to happen to him as to...

- The same as Haru? -asked Saori softly.

- Yes," Naomi muttered, looking away, her eyes shining.

- I understand," Saori put a hand on her shoulder, trying to convey calmness, "but keep in mind that Kotaro is not Haru. I just hope you're not trying to replace something... or someone.

- I know, Saori, but he helped me once... and I feel I can do something for him -Naomi remembered the moment she saw Kotaro playing the piano, with that melancholy that reminded her so much of her childhood friend.

- Oh, how cute! -Saori joked to lighten the mood. So you want to be his "princess savior", do you? The princess who comes to rescue her lonely prince.

- That's not it! -Naomi replied, very embarrassed and averting her eyes, while a slight blush betrayed her.

Arriving at the school, they both noticed that Kotaro was near the lockers, organizing his things. Saori went forward to greet him with her typical enthusiasm, while Naomi, still distracted by the previous conversation, approached hesitantly and realized too late her mistake.

- Good morning, Haru," said Naomi, not realizing what she had just said. Saori opened her eyes in surprise, and Kotaro frowned in confusion.

- Haru? -repeated Kotaro, puzzled.

- Hey! No, no... I meant Kotaro... I'm sorry..." replied Naomi, ducking her head, embarrassed.

- Good morning, Naomi," he replied, giving her a fleeting glance.

- Well, I'm off to class," interrupted Saori, laughing quietly. See you later, Nao.

With Saori leaving for her class, Naomi and Kotaro walked together towards the classroom. As they entered, several of their classmates turned their eyes toward them, whispering comments that only added to the tension in the atmosphere. Embarrassed, Naomi hurried to her seat and waved to Akane, while Kotaro headed to his, ignoring the stares.

Already in class, while the teacher was explaining some math exercises, Naomi was lost in her thoughts, remembering Saori's question and wondering if she really had feelings for Kotaro. Almost without noticing, she glanced sideways at him again, her fingers fiddling nervously with each other. "Do I like Kotaro?"

- Hanazawa! 

-Hey, no, I don't like him! -Naomi, who had impulsively answered her own internal question, realized she had spoken out loud.

- What don't you like, Hanazawa? I just asked him to tell me the result of the exercise on the board," said the teacher with a raised eyebrow.

Laughter from her classmates erupted in the classroom. Embarrassed, Naomi tried to shrug her shoulders and crouch down like a turtle, wishing no one would look at her. Kotaro, on the other hand, remained serious, ignoring the laughter, while Akane watched Naomi silently.

- Please try to pay attention to the class, Hanazawa. This will all come up on the exam," the teacher reminded her.

- Yes... sorry," Naomi muttered, still cowering in her seat, waiting for the laughter to die down.

After several hours of class, Naomi and Saori headed to the schoolyard for lunch together. As they ate, Naomi told her friend about what happened in math class, omitting, of course, what she really thought at the time about Kotaro. Saori burst out laughing, making fun of the situation affectionately.

- I think we should get back to the classroom before the bell rings. I don't want to come in late and have everyone staring at me... I've had enough of the limelight in math," Naomi commented, still a little embarrassed.

Just as she was about to throw her trash in the trash can, Saori threw her juice box at her.

- Nao, please throw this away for me! -Saori exclaimed.

Naomi caught the box in mid-air, but as she accidentally squeezed it, a splash of juice splashed her.

- Ouch, there was still juice in it... You could have warned me! -said Naomi, shaking out her shirt with a resigned smile.

- Sorry, Nao," replied Saori, between laughter and apologies.

- Now I have to go to the bathroom to clean up. See you later," Naomi replied quietly, with a slight smile.

She headed to the bathroom, but just as she was about to enter, she heard voices mentioning her name.

- Don't you think she's a little silly? -said one of the girls, laughing.

- Yes, I don't understand why we chose her as class representative," added another.

- It was just to get us out of that position... the only thing "smart" about her is those glasses, right? But it's all a sham," commented the third one mockingly, as they all laughed.

Hidden behind the door, Naomi listened to every word, feeling how those phrases affected her deeply. The girls finally emerged from the bathroom, laughing among themselves. Naomi waited until their footsteps could no longer be heard and entered, trying to stand her ground. She approached the mirror, took off her glasses to clean them and, leaning over the sink, tried to hold back her tears, splashing water on her face to cool herself.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the break, and Naomi hurried out into the living room, her spirits low. Once in her seat, she reached into her purse for a handkerchief, but couldn't find one. Frustrated, she pursed her lips and lowered her head, feeling her eyes watering again. Akane, sitting next to her, watched her with an indifferent expression, though she made no comment.

As Naomi tried to dry her face with her hands, she felt a gentle touch on her left arm. Turning around, she noticed that Kotaro, without looking at her and with his eyes fixed straight ahead, was discreetly extending a handkerchief to her. Touched, she took the handkerchief and whispered a "thank you" under her breath. Kotaro barely gave a slight nod.

Breathing easier, Naomi set out to listen to the lecture, but as she pulled out her notebook and looked at the teacher, she realized something disturbing: she couldn't read what he had written on the board. She touched her face and felt the absence of her glasses.

- "Oh, no... my glasses. I left them in the bathroom" -she thought in horror.

He wanted to get up to go get them, but stopped himself as he remembered the awkwardness of interrupting class and drawing everyone's attention. She decided to wait until the end of the hour so as not to cause another scene. During class, he tried with all his might to read the board, straining his eyes until his eyes began to hurt. He opened and closed his eyes, straining to make out something, but only succeeded in exhausting them further.

Finally, when the class was over, he hurriedly got up before his classmates to go to the bathroom and look for his glasses. However, in her haste, she misjudged the distance and slammed into the door frame, producing a clatter. Everyone turned to look at her, and Makoto took the opportunity to make a hurtful comment.

- Hey, watch where you're running, four-eyes! Lest we run out of door," he joked, provoking laughter from several of his colleagues.

Embarrassed, Naomi ignored the taunts and left the room immediately. When she reached the bathroom, she looked where she had left her glasses, but couldn't find them. Her heart began to pound, and worry began to creep over her.

Disappointed and exhausted, Naomi returned to the classroom to gather her things. Most of her classmates had already left, and the classroom was almost empty, except for one person: Kotaro, who was in his seat, looking out the window. Naomi walked over to her desk to grab her bag and prepare to leave.

- I-I'm... sorry I wet your handkerchief," Naomi muttered, avoiding looking him in the eyes as she put the handkerchief on her desk.

- Don't worry, you can give it back to me later," replied Kotaro in a calm voice.

Naomi tried to thank him, but she felt the lump in her throat and embarrassment building up in her chest. As she looked down, she heard Kotaro get up from his seat. To her surprise, he was right in front of her, extending his notebook to her. Naomi looked up slowly, staring at him with reddened eyes.

- I think you lost your glasses..." said Kotaro, watching her with a glint of understanding in his eyes, "I saw that you were trying hard in class to write, even if it was difficult.

Naomi took a breath, but couldn't hold it in. The accumulated pain came out in the form of tears.

- I'm sorry...I'm a fool...useless," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I couldn't write anything and I lost my glasses...I'm like they say, a fool who just does everything wrong.....

Kotaro kept silent for a few seconds, letting Naomi vent. Finally, he spoke to her in a serene tone, his voice projecting a calmness that began to soothe her.

- Don't listen to them," he said firmly, looking her in the eyes. Do these people really know you?

Naomi shook her head.

- Then don't let them hurt you with what they say. They are only words, and they have no power over you... unless you give it to them.

Naomi tried to wipe away her tears, her eyes searching Kotaro for an answer.

- I know it hurts, but that pain only grows if you accept it. You are so much more than what others can say. Show what you are worth, and all that you are.

As Naomi tried to calm herself and thanked him quietly, Kotaro handed her his notebook.

- Here, so you won't miss today's lessons.

- Thank you... and I'm sorry for bothering you, I'll return it as soon as I can. 

- No worries," Kotaro replied, and with a faint smile added, 'I think I'll start charging you for every time you say 'sorry'.

Naomi let out a soft laugh, feeling a little better. With a shy smile, she looked at Kotaro and thanked him for the gesture, deeper than her words could express. Kotaro smiled back before taking his leave and walking out of the room, leaving her feeling more at ease.

At that moment, Naomi remembered that Saori would be waiting for her at the school entrance. She quickly put the notes away and headed for the exit. When she arrived, she saw Saori, who was waiting for her with a worried expression.

- Saori! Sorry, I was busy and forgot you were waiting for me.

- You were late, Nao! I was on my way up to pick you up," Saori replied, watching her carefully and noticing something different about her. Wait! What about your glasses?

- Eh... I lost them," answered Naomi, lowering her eyes.

- You lost them? Where? Have you looked for them?

- Yes, I left them in the bathroom... when I came back they were gone.

Saori frowned with concern and, becoming more serious, moved a little closer.

- Nao... are you okay?

Naomi nodded with a weak smile.

- More or less... I don't know how I'll explain to my aunt that I lost my glasses. And besides, now I won't be able to see well in class...

Saori looked at her with empathy and, instead of joking as usual, gave her a firm hug.

- Don't worry about that now. Tomorrow we'll take care of getting help at school or see how to get you others, okay? Now let's go home.

Naomi appreciated the gesture and relaxed, putting aside her worries for a moment as they walked together. However, she turned one last time towards the school and silently thought:

- "Thank you very much, Kotaro..."

- What's wrong, Nao? -asked Saori, looking at her curiously.

- Ah! Nothing, nothing... let's go quickly," answered Naomi, hurrying along with her friend.