The Girl in the Greenhouse 🌸
Harrow International School Appi, Japan · Beginning of the Second Year
A peaceful morning
Morning sunlight filtered through the enormous glass ceiling of the school's greenhouse, casting golden patterns across the lush greenery.
The greenhouse was one of the largest buildings on the campus of Harrow International School Appi, an elite all-girls school in Japan. Inside, rows of plants stretched toward the sunlight, flowers bloomed in carefully maintained gardens, and small paths wound between trees that made the place feel more like a botanical garden than part of a school.
Near the center stood a magnificent tree with a wide canopy of leaves. Beneath it was a wooden bench, tucked away from the busier parts of the greenhouse.
And on that bench lay a girl who seemed to have no intention of waking up anytime soon.
Her long, silky hair rested against the wooden backrest. Her eyes were peacefully closed, and her breathing was slow and steady. Sunlight slipped through the leaves above, illuminating her delicate features.
She looked almost unreal.
Her name was Yuri.
For most students at Harrow, the beginning of a new school year meant meeting friends, attending classes, and catching up on summer stories.
For Yuri, it meant finding another quiet place to sleep.
The greenhouse was her favorite hiding spot. Away from the attention, the whispers, and the endless stream of students who seemed to know her name, she could finally enjoy a little peace.
And today, she had found it.
Completely undisturbed.
At least, for now.
A new beginning
Outside, the campus was alive with excitement.
Cherry blossoms drifted through the air as students in elegant school uniforms walked along the broad stone pathways. Some greeted old friends, others hurried toward their classrooms, and a few stopped beneath the trees to take photographs.
It was the beginning of the school year for the second-year students.
Standing at the campus entrance was a girl who couldn't stop smiling.
Sachi.
She adjusted the strap of her bag and looked up at the impressive buildings before her.
"Wow..."
Harrow International School Appi.
She had heard so much about this prestigious school in Japan. Its reputation, its excellent facilities, and the opportunities it offered its students had made Sachi incredibly excited to begin her studies there.
But seeing it in person was something else entirely.
"The campus is enormous!"
She watched several students walk past in their beautifully tailored uniforms.
Everyone looks so cool!
Sachi glanced down at her own uniform, checking that everything was in place.
Okay, Sachi. New school, new year, new beginning! Let's make this a good one!
She took a deep breath and started walking.
Her enthusiasm lasted until she reached an unfamiliar intersection.
She looked at the signs.
Then at the map on her phone.
Then back at the signs.
"...Huh?"
She turned around.
"...Wait."
She checked her phone again.
"How did I get lost already?!"
The campus was so large that even the map seemed determined to confuse her.
Sachi wandered along another path, hoping to find someone who could point her toward the second-year classrooms. Instead, she found herself standing in front of an enormous glass building surrounded by greenery.
A greenhouse.
Sachi tilted her head.
"Oh? I didn't know the school had something like this."
Curiosity won.
She pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The sleeping beauty
The moment Sachi entered, the sounds of the campus seemed to fade away.
It was peaceful inside. The air was fresh, the sunlight warm, and the gentle rustling of leaves filled the silence.
She walked slowly along the path, looking around in wonder.
"This place is amazing..."
Then she noticed someone beneath the large tree.
A girl was sleeping on a wooden bench.
Sachi stopped.
Her eyes widened.
...Huh?
She took a few steps closer.
The girl wore the same school uniform, but something about her appearance made Sachi forget everything else around her.
Her long hair fell gracefully over her shoulders. Her expression was calm, almost innocent, and the sunlight resting on her face made her look like a character from a fairy tale.
Sachi stood completely still.
She's...
Her heart gave a strange little flutter.
So pretty.
She had seen beautiful people before. There were plenty of students on campus who looked like models.
But this girl was different.
There was something about the peaceful way she slept, completely unaware of the world around her, that made Sachi want to keep looking.
Sachi glanced around.
Nobody else seemed to be there.
She crept a little closer, careful not to make any noise.
"She's really pretty..." she whispered.
The sleeping girl didn't move.
Sachi leaned forward slightly.
I shouldn't disturb her.
She straightened up.
Then looked at the girl again.
But...
Her eyes drifted toward the girl's cheek.
I wonder if she's always this pretty when she sleeps.
Sachi pressed her lips together, trying to suppress her curiosity.
Just one little poke.
That wouldn't hurt, right?
Slowly, she extended her index finger toward the sleeping girl's cheek.
She stopped just before touching it.
Should I?
She hesitated.
Then—
A tiny tickling sensation crawled across her arm.
Sachi glanced down.
A small bug was making its way along her skin.
"..."
Her eyes widened.
"...AHHHHHHH!"
She flailed her arms and stumbled backward.
"BUG! BUG! THERE'S A BUG!"
Her foot caught against the edge of the path.
And down she went.
THUD!
The sudden noise echoed through the greenhouse.
On the bench, Yuri stirred.
Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she slowly opened her eyes.
"...Hmm?"
She blinked at the sunlight, then turned toward the source of the noise.
A girl was sitting on the floor a short distance away, looking as though she had just survived a natural disaster.
Yuri stared at her for a moment.
Then she sat up.
"Are you okay?"
She stood and approached the fallen girl, holding out a hand.
Sachi stopped moving.
Her gaze slowly traveled upward.
First, she saw the girl's hand.
Then her arm.
Then her face.
Those beautiful eyes were looking directly at her.
She's even prettier when she's awake.
Sachi's brain promptly stopped functioning.
"Hello?"
Yuri tilted her head.
Sachi continued staring.
"...Are you hurt?"
Sachi's mouth opened.
What came out was not what she intended to say.
"Pretty."
Yuri paused.
"...Pretty?"
Sachi's soul nearly left her body.
WHY DID I SAY THAT OUT LOUD?!
"AH! NO—I MEAN—YES! I'M OKAY!"
She waved both hands frantically.
"I mean, I'm okay! Nothing hurts! I'm completely fine!"
Yuri blinked.
For a second, she simply watched the girl panic.
Then the corners of her mouth lifted into a small smile.
"...I see."
That smile made everything worse.
Sachi wanted the floor to swallow her whole.
Yuri reached for her hand and helped her stand.
"Be careful. The paths can be slippery sometimes."
"R-Right! Thank you!"
Sachi brushed off her skirt, avoiding eye contact.
Yuri glanced at her.
"Did you come here looking for something?"
"Oh! Yes! Actually, I was looking for my classroom, but I got lost along the way. Then I saw the greenhouse, and I thought it looked interesting, so I came inside."
She bowed her head quickly.
"I'm sorry I disturbed you while you were sleeping."
"It's okay."
Yuri's response was so casual that Sachi finally dared to look at her.
"You weren't angry?"
"Why would I be?"
"Because I screamed..."
Yuri considered that.
"That was a rather loud scream."
"PLEASE FORGET THAT HAPPENED!"
Yuri let out a quiet laugh.
It was brief, soft, and unexpectedly warm.
Sachi stared at her again.
She laughs beautifully, too?
Yuri brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"You should probably find your classroom before your first lesson starts."
"Ah! Right! My classroom!"
Sachi had nearly forgotten why she'd come to campus in the first place.
She quickly checked her phone.
"Oh no! I'm going to be late!"
She turned toward the exit, then stopped and looked back.
The beautiful girl was already walking toward the bench.
"Um..."
Yuri glanced over her shoulder.
"Yes?"
Sachi wanted to ask her name.
She really did.
But suddenly, she couldn't find the courage.
So she settled for a small bow.
"Thank you for helping me!"
Yuri smiled again.
"You're welcome."
Sachi hurried toward the door.
Just before leaving, she glanced back one last time.
Yuri had returned to her bench beneath the tree.
She settled comfortably against the backrest, closed her eyes, and seemed ready to resume her nap as though nothing had happened.
Who is she?
Sachi stepped outside, her heart still beating faster than usual.
And why is she so pretty?
She shook her head.
"Focus, Sachi! Classroom first!"
Then she hurried away.
Behind her, the greenhouse returned to silence.
Yuri remained beneath the tree, completely unaware that a single unexpected encounter had just become the highlight of someone's first day.
And she had no idea that the girl who had screamed at a tiny bug would soon find plenty of excuses to come back.
The girl everyone knows
Sachi eventually found her classroom after asking another student for directions.
She slipped into her seat just as she finished organizing her things, relieved that she hadn't missed too much.
The teacher began introducing the year's schedule and discussing the upcoming school activities.
Sachi tried to pay attention.
She really did.
But every few minutes, her thoughts wandered back to the greenhouse.
I wonder if she's a second-year student, too.
She imagined the girl sitting in a classroom somewhere, listening to a lesson.
Then another thought occurred to her.
Wait. She was sleeping in the greenhouse during school hours.
Sachi frowned slightly.
Does she always skip class?
She tapped her pen against her notebook.
And why was she alone in such a huge place?
She shook her head.
There was no point guessing.
She didn't even know the girl's name.
"...Sachi?"
She jumped.
"Yes?!"
A few students turned toward her.
The teacher looked mildly puzzled.
"Would you like to share your answer with the class?"
Sachi stared at the board.
"..."
She hadn't heard the question.
A couple of girls giggled.
Sachi's cheeks warmed.
"I'm sorry, Sensei!"
Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. First I get lost, then I scream in a greenhouse, and now I'm not paying attention in class.
She covered her face with one hand.
What a great start.
Still, when the teacher turned back to the lesson, Sachi found herself smiling faintly.
She could still picture that gentle smile.
And those beautiful eyes.
I really want to see her again.
A name worth remembering
At lunchtime, Sachi joined a table with several classmates.
As they ate, the conversation turned to school life, teachers, clubs, and the students everyone should know.
Sachi listened for a while before remembering something.
"Oh! Can I ask you something?"
One of the girls looked at her.
"Sure. What is it?"
"Do you know a girl who likes sleeping in the greenhouse?"
The students exchanged glances.
Then one of them laughed.
"Wait. Did you see Yuri?"
Sachi straightened immediately.
"Yuri?"
"You mean the girl with long hair? Really beautiful? Usually seen around the greenhouse?"
Sachi's heart skipped.
That's her!
"Yes! That's her!"
The girl leaned forward, amused by Sachi's sudden enthusiasm.
"Oh, she's pretty famous here. She's one of the most popular students in school."
"Popular?"
"Very. Lots of students know about her, even if they don't know her personally."
Another classmate joined the conversation.
"She's also the heiress to Aisa Corporation."
Sachi blinked.
"Aisa Corporation?"
"You haven't heard of it? It's one of the biggest agricultural enterprises in Japan. Its business covers major agricultural regions and extends into parts of the United States."
"Wait... the agricultural company?"
"That's right. Yuri comes from that family."
Sachi stared at them.
The girl she'd found sleeping peacefully beneath a tree wasn't just beautiful.
She came from an incredibly influential family, too.
Yuri...
For the first time, Sachi had a name to go with the face she couldn't stop remembering.
"Does she always sleep in the greenhouse?" Sachi asked.
"Pretty much! She doesn't seem to like being surrounded by people all the time."
"Some students say she goes there to get away from the attention," another girl explained. "She's gorgeous, rich, and talented. You can imagine how many people want to get close to her."
Sachi lowered her gaze toward her lunch.
So that's why she was there alone.
For some reason, the thought made her curious about Yuri even more.
Everyone seemed to know something about her.
Her family. Her beauty. Her popularity.
But Sachi had seen something else.
A girl who had smiled at a complete stranger after helping her off the floor.
A girl who hadn't made fun of her for screaming at a tiny bug.
A girl who had simply asked whether she was okay.
Sachi smiled to herself.
I wonder what she's really like.
"Hey, Sachi?"
She looked up.
"Hm?"
"You look awfully interested."
"W-What?! No!"
The girls laughed.
"We didn't say anything!"
"You're all imagining things!"
Sachi focused very hard on her lunch, determined not to let anyone discover how much she wanted to see Yuri again.
Unfortunately, her imagination had already made other plans.
Maybe I could visit the greenhouse tomorrow.
She paused.
Just to look around, of course.
She nodded to herself.
Yes.
That sounded perfectly reasonable.
At least, that was what she told herself.
A girl who couldn't stop thinking
That evening, Sachi lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
Her schoolbag was already prepared for the next day. Her uniform hung neatly beside her desk, and the room was quiet except for the faint sounds of the evening outside.
She should have been thinking about her new classes.
Her teachers.
Her classmates.
The exciting school year ahead.
Instead—
Yuri.
Sachi rolled onto her side.
That smile...
She pulled her blanket up to her chin.
And her voice...
She rolled onto her back again.
"Ahhh..."
She grabbed her pillow.
"Why am I still thinking about her?!"
She pressed the pillow against her chest, remembering the way Yuri had held out her hand.
Are you okay?
Such a simple question.
Such an ordinary thing to say.
Yet Yuri had looked at her with such genuine concern that Sachi couldn't stop replaying the moment in her mind.
And then there was that smile.
Sachi buried her face in the pillow.
"She's too pretty..."
Her voice came out muffled.
She lifted her head, cheeks burning.
"Wait! I don't even know her!"
She stared at the wall as if it might offer a reasonable explanation for what was happening to her.
It didn't.
Sachi hugged the pillow tighter.
I just want to talk to her again.
The admission made her blush even harder.
After a moment, she slowly lifted her head.
"...Maybe I'll visit the greenhouse tomorrow."
She nodded.
"Yes. That's all."
She would visit the greenhouse.
Maybe Yuri would be there.
Maybe they could talk a little longer.
And maybe, if she was lucky, Sachi could finally introduce herself properly instead of calling a beautiful stranger pretty in the middle of a panic.
She switched off her bedside lamp and settled beneath the covers.
Outside, the cherry blossoms continued to drift through the cool spring night.
And in the darkness, Sachi smiled.
"Goodnight, Yuri..."
She froze.
"...Wait. Why did I say goodnight to her?!"
She immediately pulled the pillow over her face.
Her muffled groan was the final sound in the room.
End of Chapter. 🌸