The morning air was cool, a slight breeze rustling the leaves, while the sun had barely risen, casting a warm light on my skin. I stood in the school courtyard, my eyes heavy and dark from lack of sleep,

It's my duty today to water the plants. I yawned and reached for the garden hose, feeling the coldness of the metal against my fingers. As I let the water flow, the droplets splashed rhythmically against the leaves, mirroring the soft pattering of my scattered thoughts. As I splashed the plants with water from the hose, my mind was preoccupied with memories from yesterday and the thoughts that had kept me up before bed.

I tried to focus on watering the plants, but the vivid images from the Sports Festival kept intruding, pulling me back to moments I wasn't ready to relive yet.

I closed my eyes briefly, allowing the crisp morning air to fill my lungs, but even that couldn't dispel the lingering scenes playing out in my head- Yukihiro-san... Yukihiro-san...

'Why does he make me feel this way?' I wondered, the thought surfacing again like an uninvited guest.

It wasn't the first time I'd questioned my feelings, but thankfully I haven't seen him yet today. His image had been seared into my mind-the way his muscles rippled under his shirt, the sweat glistening on his skin, his eyes blazing with a passion I'd never seen before.

"He's really something else," I whispered to myself, my voice almost lost in the soft hiss of the water hitting the plants. I could still see his intense expression, the way he commanded the court with every movement, and it sent a flutter through my chest that I couldn't ignore.

Lost in thought, I didn't notice the approaching footsteps from the other side of the flower beds. My grip on the hose loosened slightly as I allowed myself to sink further into my memories. Yukihiro's broad smile as he played, his intensity-it all replayed in a loop.

I was completely unaware of my surroundings until a startled voice pulled me abruptly back to reality.

"Ah-!" A soft gasp escaped someone nearby.

I blinked, confused, and turned my head just in time to see Miyamura-san, drenched, standing awkwardly in front of me. Water dripped from his hair and down his clothes, creating small puddles at his feet. His expression was one of surprise, his posture tense as if unsure how to respond.

"Oh no! Miyamura-san!" I gasped, immediately dropping the hose and rushing toward him. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't realize you were there."

He blinked, his bangs plastered to his forehead, and he nervously adjusted his glasses. "It's... fine," he muttered, barely above a whisper, his eyes shifting away from mine like he wasn't sure how to react. "I... didn't mean to get in the way."

I fumbled for the handkerchief from my pocket, my hands shaking slightly as I handed it to him. "Here, please-let me help. I really didn't mean to-"

He hesitated, taking the handkerchief from me with a slight nod, but his movements were slow and almost reluctant. "It's okay," he mumbled again, wiping his glasses carefully. His voice was soft, almost apologetic. "I... probably should've been paying more attention."

His quiet demeanor only made me feel more guilty and awkward. I watched as he wiped the water off his face and glanced down at his soaked clothes, his usual slouch making him look smaller and more withdrawn.

"I'm really sorry," I muttered again, feeling my face flush with embarrassment. How could I have been so distracted? "I was just... uh, thinking about-"

"It's... not a big deal," Miyamura-san interrupted, his tone shy and uncertain. He wrung out his clothes, not quite looking at me. "Stuff like this happens, right?"

I nodded quickly, unsure of what to say. He seemed eager to end the conversation, his body already inching away.

"Um... I'll... I'll get going," he added, voice trailing off as he gave me a brief, awkward glance. "Take care."

And with that, he turned, his wet clothes sticking to his back as he hurried off, almost as though he was eager to escape the situation. I stood there, rooted to the spot, replaying the moment over and over in my mind, my face burning with embarrassment.

But then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone else-someone who had been watching the whole exchange from afar. A fellow student, standing just by the garden wall, their eyes narrowing as they glanced between me and Miyamura.

But later, as I walked through the hallways, the soft hum of student chatter and the shuffle of footsteps filled the air, blending into the usual school day sounds. I kept my head low, trying to shake off the lingering embarrassment of the morning incident with Miyamura-san. It wasn't until I rounded the corner near the lockers that I heard it-a quiet whisper, a barely audible murmur that froze me in my tracks:

"Did you hear? He's still obsessed with him. They saw him secretly took pictures before..."

The words hit me like a jolt of electricity, my breath catching in my throat. My steps faltered, and I quickly ducked into the nearest corner, pressing myself against the wall as my heart raced. I felt my chest tighten as the voices grew clearer, just around the bend.

I may not be the original Watabe Ichirou, but even now, I can't deny that I'm not as tough as I try to appear-inside or out.

"I mean, how could you not notice? He even joined the photography club. He was acting so sketchy, always with that camera."

I swallowed hard, gripping my bag until my knuckles turned white. They couldn't be talking about me, could they? I deleted those photos. I erased every trace of the person I was before-my old behavior, my obsession with Miyamura-san. It was all gone, wasn't it?

"I heard he's, like, really into him, still. It's creepy." The voices continued, a mix of amusement and disgust. "I mean, he's trying to act normal now, but who knows what else he's hiding."

Each word felt like a dagger, stabbing deeper into the fragile sense to my normalcy I had been trying so hard to maintain.

"Now, he's always with the transfer student. Is he the new target now?"

My pulse pounded in my ears, and I leaned back against the cold wall, my mind racing. How could this be happening? I thought I'd buried everything-the photos, the obsession, the stalking. No one was supposed to know.

But someone had seen. Someone may had been watching, maybe even before my transmigration into this world, and now the rumors were spreading like wildfire.

The past was clawing its way back into my life, threatening to unravel everything I'd worked so hard to change.

I needed to leave. Now.

I quickly turned, making my way down the hall as quietly as possible, my mind spinning with thoughts. How many people had heard those rumors already? How long until it reached Yukihiro-san? What if he started seeing me the same way ? What if he believed I'm that kind of a person?

Author's note:

I finally discovered how the story is gonna be... Like a little bit. I have some ideas that sounds good. I hope you like this update!

I will be graduating from college this September! Quite busy these days, but since I have time now, I tried my best to publish this chapter.

Thank you everyone for reading my story! I really do appreciate your views, votes, and comments!

Feel free to give your opinions and critiques, or if there's some error