Part 1 EVERY ACTION YOU TAKE has the chance of making someone else unhappy. That was the philosophy by which I was raised for eighteen years of my life, up until I graduated high school. So as a freshman at university, I decided to make this the principle by which I lived my life. In other words, never would I carelessly approach others, nor would I ever speak up ‡‘—‰Š–‘˜‘‹…‡ƒ‘’‹‹‘™Š‹…Š‹‰Š–…‘–”ƒ†‹…–ƒ›‘‡‡Ž•‡ǯ•ǤŠ—•ǡ believed, I would decrease the possibility that I might ever inconvenience anyone else, as well as the chance that anyone who was ever inconvenienced by me might wound me in return. And so, when I first laid eyes upon Akiyoshi Hisano at my university, I thought very little of her. Here, I thought, was proof of how foolish, overconfident, and dull the people of this world could be. It was the second Monday of my first freshman term. For the most part, I had finished selecting my courses, and starting this week, my studies would begin in earnest. On such a day as this, where I was possessed of such righteous motivation, I, who had yet to join any clubs or take part in any of the usual freshman activities, found myself sitting alone in the corner of a large lecture hall. All I hoped for was some measure of peace in my university life. Third period was a general civics course of sorts, I believe. As I thumbed idly through my textbook, the lecturer finally took quietly to the lectern, a respectful hush falling over the room full of freshman. Of course, throughout the ninety minutes of undivided attention that such a lecture demanded, that dutiful focus began to wane. The hall was soon abuzz with chatter. Even the teacher, likely accustomed to this annual progression, paid this little mind, simply continuing the lesson. I was no exception here as one of those people who could never even maintain my attention in my high school classes. Those ninety minutes of …Žƒ••ˆ‡Ž–Ž‹‡ƒ‡–‡”‹–›„‡‡ƒ–Š–Š‡•’”‹‰•—•Š‹‡ǡƒˆ‡‡Ž‹‰–Šƒ–™ƒ•ǯ– sure I would be able to bear for the next four years. The lesson quickly became tedious. From my seat at the edge of the room, I could see outside of the window. The laughter of out-of-class students and the chirping of the birds melted into the sunlight. It was just as my head began to droop and my chin was about to slide from my hands that I heard a voice come crashing through this beautiful, sunny day. Dzƒ”†‘‡ǡ…ƒƒ•ƒ“—‡•–‹‘ǫdz