Chapter 2: Her Words, His Reply
That night, after brushing his teeth and crawling under his blanket, Katsumi sat on the edge of his bed, holding Utsuro's diary in his hands.
It felt strange.
Heavy, despite its small size.
Delicate, despite its soft cover.
Like he was about to open a window into someone else's heart.
He took a breath—and opened it.
The first page was bright. Full of color.
Little doodles danced in the margins: tiny cats, hearts, stars, and one oddly round caricature of him. There were even sparkly stickers stuck beside a few sentences.
Her handwriting was neat, bouncy, and alive—just like her.
> Dear Katsumi,
If you're reading this, it means we've exchanged diaries! Hehe. That means… you really agreed, huh? I'm so happy!
Katsumi blinked.
He hadn't expected her to be so excited about this.
> I wanted to try this because… I don't know, I just feel like there are so many things I want to ask you. So many little thoughts I can't always say out loud. I'm not good at talking about my feelings directly… even if I act cheerful sometimes. But I think I can write them.
Also—don't laugh—but… I really, really like you, Katsumi.
Okay, now some questions!
Katsumi stared at the page.
Her words had a warmth he didn't quite know how to process.
He turned to the next page. Sure enough, more doodles. More tiny hearts.
And a list of handwritten questions.
> 1. What's the first thing you thought of when you woke up today?
2. What's your favorite kind of weather?
3. Did you think about me during class?
4. Do you ever feel nervous around me? (Be honest!)
5. What's one thing you've never told anyone?
Katsumi stared at the last question for a long time.
Then he smiled, just a little.
He pulled out his own diary, uncapped his pen, and began to write.
---
The next morning came like any other.
The sun rose.
The classroom filled with voices.
And Katsumi sat at his desk, handheld console in his hands, fingers tapping away at the buttons.
But today, something was different.
His bag felt just a little heavier.
And in his chest—though he'd never admit it aloud—his heart beat just a little faster.
"Good morning!" came the familiar voice.
Utsuro leaned over his desk again, her eyes shining like they were searching for treasure.
"So?" she asked, leaning in. "Did you reply?"
Katsumi didn't look up right away.
He finished his combo.
Then paused the game.
"…Yeah," he said. "I replied."
"Yay!" She almost jumped on the spot. "What did you write?"
Katsumi blinked at her. "You'll find out when you read it."
"Ehhh, that's no fair!"
He smirked faintly. "You asked questions. I answered them. That's the deal, right?"
Utsuro puffed out her cheeks again—but she was clearly pleased. Her eyes glimmered with excitement.
"So," she said, trying to sound casual, "can we exchange again today?"
"Sure," Katsumi replied. "After school. You can read it on the way home."
"Or at home, in bed," Utsuro said softly. "That way, it's like you're beside me."
Katsumi blinked.
Then quietly turned back to his console.
"…That's kind of embarrassing," he muttered.
Utsuro just laughed.