High school graduation was supposed to be a tearful event where friends say goodbye, taking pictures together to commemorate their friendships and tearful goodbyes.

In the second year of high school, Ruka had still failed to make any real friends. However, he could finally muster the courage to hold a decent conversation with the guys of his class, unlike previously when he would freeze up and become unable to speak at all.

“Hikaru!” a guy shouted, as he tapped Ruka on his shoulder from the back.

“Oh! Ehh… Sorry, Sakurai-kun. I thought you were Hikaru. ”the stranger apologised.

“Its…ok”, Ruka said, as he stared at the boy, quizzically pondering the reason he was looking for his older brother.

The boy went pale and fidgeted: “Ehh… I need to go. Bye!” Immediately after, he bolted as fast as his legs could take him. At this rate, Ruka thought, he would have been able to make the track team.

Hikaru and Ruka were identical twins, but once spoken to, people had no difficulties tell them apart due to the sharp contrast in their personalities and expressions. Hikaru was known to be cheerful and outgoing, while on the other hand, Ruka was constantly monotonous and dry. Only close friends knew this was because Ruka was very shy of most other people.

Hai…I wish I was more like Hikaru……Speaking of which, where is he? Ruka thought.

Ruka began to search for Hikaru through the school compound. As he was about to walk pass the class block, Ruka saw Hikaru on the other side of the block through the window. A girl was passing him a love letter again! A normal individual would probably not have recognised that piece of paper as a love letter. However, with his perfect eyesight that is on par with a hawk, he could spot a mouse a mile away.

Ruka immediately fled from classroom block. It must have been the umpteenth time this year that he witness such a scene. Fleeing, Ruka’s chest burned with jealously at the thought of his popular older brother Hikaru-- the school’s idol, student council president and cliché popular guy in school-life mangas that all the girls want to date!

Even his crush seemed to be infatuated with his brother-- the earnest and diligent vice-captain of the girl’s kendo club was constantly seen talking to his brother, while blushing! It was a very rare yet beautiful side of her revealed whenever they are together. Oh how he longs for her to smile at him and blush only because of him. Ruka really hated Hikaru for being so charming and popular.

From the corner of his eye he spot her under the old cherry tree near the school gate, her silky black hair swaying in the wind, her pale skin adding to her otherworldly mystique. Ruka stood there rooted to the ground, enrapture by her beauty. This spell on Ruka was only broken when Yui-san glanced in Ruka’s direction and made eye contact. Time seemed to freeze as Ruka’s face turned many shades of red, causing Ruka to quickly turn away in embarrassment, not wanting to be caught staring and taken as a creep.