After school, Haruki walked alone along the quiet road that led home. The late afternoon sun painted long shadows across the pavement.
A soft voice broke the silence.
"Haruki…"
He froze, then instinctively looked back.
"Oh… Aoi," he whispered, surprised.
Aoi stepped from the shadows, her hair swaying lightly in the breeze. "So… you also go home this way?"
Haruki nodded. She smiled, and without a word, they began walking together.
At first, an awkward silence hung between them, broken only by the crunch of gravel under their shoes. But slowly, conversation started to flow.
"So… what's the town like?" Aoi asked, curiosity lighting her eyes.
Haruki shrugged. "Quiet… mostly. People are friendly… I guess."
They talked about school—the teachers, the classes, the students. Haruki mentioned Daichi and his group, and Aoi laughed softly, teasingly.
After a pause, Haruki asked, almost without thinking, "Aoi… what's your dream?"
Aoi froze, eyes widening slightly. Haruki felt the question might have been too sudden. "Ah… maybe that's too personal," he added quickly.
"No… it's nothing," she replied, her voice almost a whisper.
They walked a few steps in silence, the faint rustle of leaves accompanying them. Then Aoi's voice came again, hesitant.
"It… it feels like I've seen you before."
Haruki frowned, surprised. "Really? But I've never been to this town before."
Neither of them mentioned it again. They continued to the Sakura Garden, the petals fluttering like soft snow around them. Everything looked the same—peaceful, yet strangely alive.
Haruki's curiosity grew. He wanted to ask about the strange events he had experienced, but Aoi seemed unaware. They wandered toward the river, passing the old sakura tree where he had once stood before.
Suddenly, a flicker—a flash—passed through Haruki's mind. Quick. A glimpse. He blinked.
Aoi shivered slightly, as if sensing the same invisible tremor.
Then, a sudden gust of wind swept through the garden, and the cherry blossom petals swirled around them in a soft, pink storm.
"It's… strange," Aoi murmured, her eyes scanning the sky. "I feel like… something is about to happen."
Haruki turned to her, his heart quickening. She looked both worried and mesmerized, like she had sensed something beyond the ordinary.
The petals danced faster, swirling like they had a life of their own. Haruki's chest tightened, and he knew—something was coming. Something neither of them could yet understand.
And then—