26.05.29 (Fri)｜16:20｜Clear｜Light Breeze
Aonagi High School 3-2 Classroom｜Summer 0%

An early summer breeze drifting through the open window lightly lifted the corner of the career preference survey.

Even in the recent 1st-semester midterms, Haruka had ranked at the very top of the grade. The other students were in awe, and the homeroom teacher smiled, saying that with these grades, Haruka could choose any university they wanted. Haruka, as usual, gave a gentle smile.
Toward the Direction the Wind Blows 風의吹く方へᶠ | 運がよかっただけです。 (I was just lucky.)
The survey on the desk was being filled with neat handwriting, one line at a time.

1st Choice: Teito University, Faculty of Business Administration, Department of Business Administration.
Desired Path: 4-year private university.
Future Career— The tip of the pen paused there for a moment.

There was nothing they wanted to do. They didn't even know what they liked. Because their grades were good, a good university; because it offered many options, the Faculty of Business Administration. It was an answer that would look perfect to anyone.
Haruka erased the faintly written 'Undecided.' A faint trace remained where the paper had been rubbed several times. Over it, they wrote in neat letters once more.

'Seeking employment at a general corporation.'

It wasn't a lie. But it wasn't an answer that came from Haruka's heart either.
The classroom, after the final meeting, had grown quiet before they knew it. Beyond the open window, a blue sky and white cumulus clouds were visible. A few birds slowly crossed the sky, riding the wind. Haruka's gaze followed their movement.

The birds, heading who knows where, passed over the school grounds and receded toward the sea. Even after only the empty sky remained, Haruka kept their head tilted up for a while.

From behind, someone asked what they had been looking at for so long.

Haruka couldn't answer immediately. They narrowed their eyes slightly as if posing the same question to themselves, but no reason came to mind.
Toward the Direction the Wind Blows 風の吹く方へᶠ | ……さあ。自分でも、よくわからない。ただ、気づいたら見てる。 (……Well. I'm not really sure myself. I just... find myself looking at it before I realize it.)
The wind blew again.
The corner of the survey on the desk fluttered, and Haruka gazed a little longer at the sky where the birds had vanished.