I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Yuu Tenkuji, one of the few handsome guys in their class.

He is quiet, mature and reliable, but for some reason he doesn't have many friends; let alone confessing to him, he will be rejected even if you ask him to go out. He is known as the "Wall of Sighs" among girls.

Even so, it doesn't mean he became invisible; on the contrary, his aloof and eccentric personality earned him a lot of popularity.

Despite living outside the crowd, his presence is impossible to ignore—his aloof and noble way of life, like that of a lone ranger, is something that Yui Yuigahama greatly admires and envies.

"Handsome and studious, is this the template for a winner in life...? I'm from a completely different world."

With a sigh, and lacking the courage to approach and speak, the ordinary-looking Yui Yuigahama turned around with her head down, borrowed "Kami-chan" from the counter, and silently left the library.

No matter how high you stand on tiptoe, you can't touch the book at the very top of the bookshelf, just like you can't touch the stars in the sky.

Therefore, books and stars are similar things to her that are both desirable but unattainable.

……

The cherry blossoms of spring are slowly falling.

After finishing the first volume, when she went to borrow the second volume, Yui Yuigahama saw him again, buried in a pile of books.

Then came Volume 3, Volume 4...

Before we knew it, April had passed, and May had arrived, a month dedicated to watching over him.

Nowadays, Yui Yuigahama has a habit of glancing at the corner before borrowing a book, using the act of looking for the book to cover up her spying on him, and only after she is satisfied will she take the book and leave.

When she went to borrow Volume 5, she was surprised to find that Yuu Tenkuji was not in his seat, but there were still stationery and books on the table.

"Where did you go...?"

Just as I was wondering about this, a calm, magnetic voice suddenly sounded from behind me.

Are you looking for me?

"Waaah!"

She let out a scream that was very noticeable in the library. Yui Yuigahama quickly covered her mouth and stared back in astonishment with wide eyes.

Tenkuji Yu stood behind him, frowning and scrutinizing him with a critical gaze.

"Ten-Tenkuuji-kun...?"

"Is there something you need? Have you been spying on me from behind the bookshelf these past few days?"

He spoke bluntly, a stark contrast to his usual gentle demeanor in class; he seemed sharper.

Yui Yuigahama blushed, and trying to avoid being glared at by others, she tried to explain in a low voice, "I-I didn't! I was just looking for a book..."

"Really? Anyway, just don't keep looking this way at me, it's distracting me from studying."

Unexpectedly, he didn't pursue the matter relentlessly. After scaring her, he simply curled his lip in disinterest and returned to his study desk.

Watching his retreating figure, Yui Yuigahama turned around and leaned against the bookshelf, patting her chest and taking a few deep breaths to calm her wildly beating heart, which had been startled by the sudden fright.

"W-what is this?! He seems like a super arrogant person..."

After pouting and grumbling a few times, Yui Yuigahama decisively borrowed the book and left, resentfully deciding in her heart—if she doesn't want to read it, she doesn't want to! From now on, she will definitely ignore this arrogant guy with his barbed tone!

Although it was wrong of me to spy on him first, his attitude towards the stalker was really annoying!

Even the most ordinary girl has her own pride and dignity!

With heavy steps, as she left the library, Yui Yuigahama subconsciously looked up at the sky.

Suddenly I realized that books and stars are not as far away from me as I had imagined.

……

Having left behind the avoidance of May, we arrived in June, the end of the first semester.

After returning the last volume of "Kami-chan" to the counter, Yui Yuigahama thought that she probably wouldn't come to the library again and walked towards a corner after a long absence.

For the first time in a long time, I looked directly at my classmate who was studying diligently.

Perhaps it was to put an end to the past, or perhaps she felt that this was the last chance for her to speak to him alone.

She didn't know where the courage came from, but she took a step towards him.

"Ten-Tenkuji-kun."

He paused, then looked up: "Is something the matter?"

How indifferent!

That's true, being interrupted while studying can be very unpleasant...

Suppressing the urge to run away immediately, Yui Yuigahama took a deep breath and suddenly bowed to him.

"I'm so sorry for spying on you before! I didn't mean to disturb your studies. I lied because I was too embarrassed, and I'm only now daring to apologize to you. I'm really sorry!"

"……what?"

He uttered a sound in a daze, seemingly not expecting to apologize for something he had denied in the past, and stood there speechless with his mouth agape, as if startled.

One could vaguely guess his expression at that moment; Yui Yuigahama, who had her head down, inexplicably smiled with amusement.

You scared me last time, now it's my turn~

After a long silence, he finally spoke:

"It's okay if you don't apologize, I don't even remember you existed anyway."

"That's going too far!!"

Her smile vanished instantly, and Yui Yuigahama suddenly looked up, glaring angrily at Yuu Tenkuji.

But then I noticed a slight smile on his face, as if he had seen something interesting. He was resting his face on one hand, and his clear black and white eyes were curved into shallow crescents, shining with a warm glow.

—When he smiles, it seems like there are stars in his eyes.

Always so beautiful, so captivating.

"I was just kidding, Yuihama-san."

"Huh?"

Snapping out of her daze, Yui Yuigahama blinked in surprise: "You know my name?"

"Aren't we in the same class? Remembering your classmates' names is basic etiquette, isn't it?" He shook his head, his attitude towards her like she was an idiot making her even more annoyed. "As for your grades, I remember they're in the lower middle range, right?"

She retorted angrily, "So what if it is? Even though Tenkuji studies so hard, he's never been in the top ten."

The results of the major exams at Shimizu Middle School will be released, but only the class rankings will be published. The school rankings will be available for students to check themselves. However, students in the lower ranks of their classes usually don't care about such things.

Upon hearing these words, Tenkuji Yu's brow twitched, and his face darkened considerably.

"Much better than you, aren't you?" he said sarcastically, his tone cold. "At least I'm confident I'll be in the top ten next time, and I'm preparing for the high school entrance exam... And you? You spend all day loitering in front of the novel shelf. Have you decided which private high school you want to apply to?"

She ground her fine white teeth, then walked quickly to his side, slapped her palms on the table, and looked down at him as he sat in his seat.

"What's it to you? I've been studying hard too! -- Tenkuji-kun, have you decided which public high school you want to go to?"

Tenkuji Yu smiled faintly: "Of course it's Soubu High School."

Chiba Prefectural Sobu High School is the public school with the highest deviation score in Chiba, and it is a high school that Yui Yuigahama could never get into.

"Really... is it true or not..."

She couldn't help but admire him, but seeing his haughty expression, Yui Yuigahama straightened her face again, tilting her chin up defiantly: "Oh, really? I'm also preparing to take the entrance exam for Soubu High School. I didn't expect that we would have the same goal! What a coincidence!"

With a smirk, Yuu Tenkuji gave a disbelieving yet pitying laugh, as if he were watching a snail trying to outrun a rabbit.

"Are you dreaming in broad daylight? No wonder your grades are at the bottom of the class."

Yui Yuigahama stared at him in disbelief, then gritted her teeth and made the sound of a dog being provoked.

"Gurgle gurgle—!"

As if her sanity had snapped, she picked up a book from the table, smacked him on the head several times in a fit of rage, then tossed her shoulder-length hair and stormed out of the library.

This is how the two officially met.

It was also the opportunity that led to Yui Hihama's change.

……

School ended the next day.

Yui Yuigahama pulled out a chair, ignoring the subtle expression on the boy's face opposite her, and put down her schoolbag to sit down, taking out her stationery and notebook.

He paused for a moment before speaking: "...Yuigahama-kun, if your eyesight isn't bad, you should be able to see other places in the library."

"And then? Please don't disturb my studies, okay?"

She simply replied indifferently, then tucked her hair behind her ear and began writing in her round and lovely handwriting on a blank notebook.

I thought he would be annoyed and walk away, but after a soft sigh, he seemed to ignore me and picked up his pen again without wavering.

For some reason, Yui Yuigahama calmed down, and her indomitable spirit became even stronger. The originally obscure questions seemed to shine.

...became a glitteringly obscure topic.

"No, I can't let him look down on me!"

Even if it takes a lot of effort, I'll show him how capable I can be when I'm serious!

For no particular reason, I just want to prove that even if I'm ordinary, there are things I can do!

Beneath her flowing hair were eyes burning with fire.

Her unwarranted confrontational attitude subtly influenced Yui Yuigahama's life.

……

the next day.

"Yui-chan, everyone's going to sing karaoke, do you want to come along?"

"Ah, sorry, I have something to do..."

After hesitating for a moment, Yui Yuigahama, unusually, declined her friends' invitation. Amidst their surprised gazes, she picked up her schoolbag and followed behind Yuu Tenkuji, hurrying towards the library.

They sat facing each other in the same corner.

"Is it really a good idea to turn down your friend's invitation to study? For someone like you, interpersonal relationships are definitely more important than grades."

He opened his book and spoke sarcastically.