The surrounding students were all changing their shoes by the shoe lockers, preparing to go home, while Tojo Nozomi was already waiting by Jiang Chen's shoe locker.
"Senpai, you arrived so early," Jiang Chen said, a hint of delight flashing in his eyes when he saw Tojo Nozomi.
Tojo Nozomi smiled softly, her bright eyes seeming to hold stars. "I thought I had to catch you early today, otherwise, I was afraid you'd disappear in a flash." As she spoke, she playfully winked.
"I already promised you I'd go home with you after school, and you're still afraid I'd leave first? Senpai, I'm so sad." Jiang Chen feigned sadness, clutching his chest, yet a smile still played on his face. Tojo Nozomi couldn't help but lightly hit him. "You're such a faker. I know you; you run faster than a rabbit every time."
The two walked out of the teaching building side by side, laughing and chatting. The sun's rays spilled onto the campus path, casting long shadows of them. A gentle breeze, carrying a touch of summer warmth, ruffled Tojo Nozomi's hair. She reached up to smooth her hair, her movements natural and graceful.
The petals underfoot made a soft crunching sound, as if someone had scattered a whole jar of stardust into the wind. Senpai suddenly stopped, her fingertips plucking a late-falling cherry blossom petal from your shoulder, her purple eyes holding her usual, half-smiling curve.
"Today's wind seems to have blown the future over too," she said, turning her face, the earring by her ear glinting with a touch of starlight. "Shall we do a fortune-telling? — But if it's 'Great Luck,' you'll have to treat Senpai to the newest sakura parfait."
"Alright, Senpai," Jiang Chen replied with a smile.
Tojo Nozomi Senpai softly hummed in acknowledgment, as if she had already anticipated your agreement. She untied the small cloth pouch hanging at her waist, and with a flick of her fingers, three tarot cards adorned with star patterns fanned out in her palm. The backs of the cards were a deep purple night sky, with golden lines tracing the path of Orion, subtly gleaming in the setting sun.
"You can only draw one ~"
She held the cards out to you, her sleeve sliding down to reveal her slender, pale wrist, where a tiny string of star-and-moon bells jingled.
Jiang Chen reached out —
The first card brushed past his fingertips, as if twirled by the wind; the second card seemed to have a will of its own, gently clinging to your thumb; the third card was excessively quiet, as if awaiting a more deliberate choice.
Tojo Nozomi looked down at you, her purple hair slightly disheveled by the wind, her voice low and gentle:
"The wind is urging you, but the future should always be grasped by yourself."
"Please tell me which card you choose, or simply turn it over; I will read that card for you, and the future it brings." As your fingertips touched the first card, its face flipped over on its own —
You ultimately drew —
With a soft click, what landed in your palm was —
The Star (Upright)
On the card, a girl in purple poured starlight from a bottle into a river under the night sky, the water rippling with circles of silver light, as if all the petals on the street were lifted by that halo, floating around your feet.
Senpai softly gasped, the corners of her eyes curving into crescent moons:
"It's the upright 'Star' — the best of Great Luck."
She raised her hand and tapped your still-open palm, as if pressing that touch of starlight into your destiny.
"This card says:
Wishes will be heard by the wind,
Lost people can also find their way home by following the starlight,
And the person holding your hand right now —"
She paused intentionally, a hint of mischief flashing in her purple eyes,
"Will also be responsible for taking the sakura parfait bill home."
The wind blew just then, stirring up a shower of petals.
Senpai turned sideways and nodded towards the small shop at the street corner with a sign that read "Limited Edition: Cherry Blossoms and Stars":
"Let's go, the future's starlight is treating ~"
Losing and having to treat was not a big problem for Jiang Chen, after all, his parents had left him a substantial amount of money, and he also wanted to thank Tojo Nozomi for preparing his lunch in the cafeteria today.
As the two entered the shop, they heard a loud voice from the server. "Welcome ~ What can I get for you, customers?"
"Two of your newest sakura parfaits, please."
Behind the transparent display case, pink and violet lights intertwined, as if the entire early spring night's cherry blossoms were condensed into a single cup. The clerk nodded briskly: "Alright! Two sakura parfaits —"
The bar's LED strip lit up with a soft, starry glow. Sakura ice cream scoops from the freezer were swirled into spirals by a machine, gently topped with a salted cherry leaf. The clerk skillfully drizzled intersecting star trails of strawberry and blueberry sauce, then sprinkled a handful of crushed freeze-dried strawberry bits, and finally inserted a small white chocolate star.
"Here are your sakura parfaits, both of you ~ Please enjoy!" Tojo Nozomi pushed one of the cups towards you, her purple eyes reflecting the sugared star at the top of the shaved ice: "They say this shop's limited flavor only appears for three days during cherry blossom season — today just happens to be the last day." She took a spoonful first, a bit of pinkish-white cream clinging to the corner of her lips, like a wisp of stardust secretly plucked from the night sky.
Jiang Chen had never eaten a parfait before, but judging by Senpai's recommendation, it shouldn't be bad.
With one bite, it was like holding the entire month of April on your tongue — the top layer was light sakura whipped cream, with a hint of salty pickled cherry leaf aroma, keeping the sweetness very subtle, leaving only a faint pink aftertaste.
The shaved ice part was mixed with strawberries and a little blueberry, the sweet-sour taste like the night wind that had just blown over the Sumida River, cool but not harsh. Hidden in the middle was a small dollop of vanilla pudding, creamy and smooth, like starlight suddenly gleaming through the clouds.
At the very bottom were crushed salty shortbread bits and rose jelly, making a 'crunch' sound when bitten, like the fuse before distant fireworks launched into the sky. Overall, it was sweet but not cloying, with floral, fruity, and milky flavors cycling through the mouth, like watching a three-minute mini fireworks display.
Tojo Nozomi narrowed her eyes: "Hmm — the taste of spring, plus a little bit of the future."
"What have you been doing lately, Senpai? You seem very busy," Jiang Chen asked.
"Nothing major, it's just that a few first-year kohai want to start a club, but there's already a similar one, and they don't have enough members," Tojo Nozomi replied while eating.
"Similar club? Not enough members? Wait... you're not talking about Kosaka-san, Minami-san, and Sonoda-san from Class B, are you?" Jiang Yang asked uncertainly, but his tone had a hint of certainty.
Tojo Nozomi licked her parfait, a hint of slyness flashing in her purple eyes: "Ara, Yang-kun's information is surprisingly well-informed ~" She deliberately drew out the end of her sentence, "But Honoka-chan and her friends aren't from Class B, they're from Class A next door."
"Uh... the school isn't that big. As long as there's a small matter, everyone pretty much knows about it," Jiang Yang said, rubbing his nose.
"Chen Jun, are you interested in joining them? You could be with beautiful girls every day," Tojo Nozomi said with a smile.
