[ Haru's POV ]

My name is Haru. I'm 25 years old and I'm a first-year student.

It was my 3rd time to become a first-year student. I must say, I have been doing a lot of restarts in my life and I have never achieved any single thing.

When I turned 25 this year, I promised myself to step out of my comfort zone and accept life's challenges that I should have faced five years ago. I was scared of the pressure reality was slowly giving me back then but in my five years of experience in the real world, I think I can handle this time.

It was my first day of school. I felt weird wearing a school uniform after five years. I couldn't help but stand straight and tried to look proper as I walked down the hallway, searching for a place to spend the remaining thirty minutes before the first class starts. I already found my classroom.

I can see a group of students standing in front of the classroom door waiting. I quietly chuckled thinking about myself before. I used to do that too. As I sat on a concrete bench, I began to reminisce about the old times. My classmates before have graduated, some have already started their own families.

A lot of things changed on campus. It became prettier. The buildings that were so dull and under-maintenance were all colorful and functioning well. But one thing hasn't changed at all, me. I barely forget that day 5 years ago. I spent a lot of time alone on my first day. I wasn't successful in making friends on that day so I ended the day having no friends.

Will today be different from that day five years ago? I thought to myself.

I spaced out for a while until I heard someone whistling. I turned to each side and saw my former class professor Ms. Seo. I got up from the bench and walked towards her excitedly. My former classmates used to hug her whenever they see her, but I didn't. I stopped being excited and held myself from hugging and dipped my head in greeting. She eyed me up and down and her quirky brow raised.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in a sassy manner, but I knew she was just joking. I chuckled and bit my smile.

"I kinda thought about what you said the last time we met, miss."

"That's good. You finally realized that you are missing the most important years in your life," she said placing a hand on my shoulder. "You can do it,"

"I'll do my best,"

"That's not what I am expecting you to say, Haru. Every student here has his or her own struggles yet they manage to keep their life going. And you should too," My heart clenched and it made tear up a little. I kept myself from crying because it was the first day of school.

I respect Ms. Seo with all of my heart. She encouraged me to become better when I was struggling in class. What more, she encouraged me to continue my studies regardless of the hurdles I was currently running. She said the words that people who were close to me should have said when I was listless.

The bell finally rang and Ms. Seo finally left to her office. I made my way to the third floor where my first class was going to be held. I took the staircase at the end of the hall because a few people use it. I managed to avoid the crowd while climbing the stairs until I reached the third floor.

Before I turned to the right where the classrooms were located, I noticed a guy standing at the corner of the concrete railing. He had his arms crossed, his back facing the open space, and his eyes seemed distant. He had a ch