The sky was quiet that day.
Too quiet.
---
No wind.
No distant chatter.
Even the river—
Felt slower.
---
Shiro stood there.
At the same place.
At the same time.
---
Waiting.
---
"…Late."
---
That was all he said.
---
But he didn't leave.
---
Minutes passed.
Then more.
---
The sun climbed higher.
Light spread across the water.
---
Still—
No sign of her.
---
"…Irrational."
---
And yet—
He stayed.
---
---
"…Shiro!"
---
He turned.
---
There she was.
---
Running toward him—
But not like before.
---
Her steps were uneven.
Her breathing heavy.
Her eyes—
---
Different.
---
"…You're late."
---
"…Sorry…"
---
She stopped in front of him.
Trying to catch her breath.
---
"…I came as fast as I could."
---
"…You're inefficient."
---
"…You always say that…"
---
But this time—
She didn't smile.
---
---
Something was wrong.
---
Even he could tell.
---
"…What happened."
---
She looked down.
---
"…Today… we're leaving."
---
Silence.
---
The words were simple.
Clear.
---
But—
---
They stayed.
---
"…Today."
---
"…Yeah."
---
"…That's sudden."
---
"…I didn't want it to be."
---
Her hands tightened slightly.
---
"…I tried to come earlier…"
---
"…Irrelevant."
---
She flinched slightly.
---
"…I know…"
---
Silence.
---
The river continued to flow.
---
Unbothered.
---
Unchanged.
---
---
"…So this is it."
---
"…Don't say it like that…"
---
"…How else should I say it."
---
She didn't answer.
---
Because there wasn't a better way.
---
---
"…You'll forget me."
---
"…Incorrect."
---
"…People always do."
---
"…I don't."
---
"…You say that now…"
---
"…I don't forget."
---
His voice—
Calm.
Certain.
---
Not emotional.
---
But—
---
Firm.
---
---
She looked at him.
Really looked.
---
As if trying to memorize him.
---
"…You're strange."
---
"…You've said that multiple times."
---
"…But… I like it."
---
---
Silence again.
---
But this time—
It hurt.
---
Even if he didn't fully understand why.
---
---
She stepped closer.
---
"…Shiro."
---
"…What."
---
"…Don't disappear."
---
"…Explain."
---
"…Don't just… vanish one day."
---
"…That's not under my control."
---
"…Then try."
---
"…I always do."
---
She laughed softly.
But her voice shook.
---
"…You really are bad at this…"
---
"…Define 'this'."
---
"…Goodbyes."
---
"…They are inefficient."
---
"…They're important."
---
"…Unnecessary."
---
"…They matter."
---
---
He didn't respond.
---
Because—
---
For the first time—
---
He wasn't sure if she was wrong.
---
---
She reached into her pocket.
---
Then pulled something out.
---
A small ribbon.
---
Simple.
Light blue.
---
"…What is this."
---
"…Something so you don't forget."
---
"…I already said I won't."
---
"…Then keep it anyway."
---
She stepped forward—
And gently tied it around his wrist.
---
Her hands—
Warm.
---
"…There."
---
He looked at it.
---
"…This changes nothing."
---
"…It does."
---
"…Explain."
---
"…Now you have proof."
---
"…Proof of what."
---
"…That I existed."
---
---
Silence.
---
That sentence—
---
Stayed.
---
---
"…You existed even without this."
---
"…Then don't lose it."
---
"…I won't."
---
---
The wind moved slightly.
---
As if reminding them—
---
Time wasn't stopping.
---
---
"…I have to go."
---
"…Then go."
---
His voice didn't change.
---
But something—
---
Felt off.
---
---
She didn't move.
---
"…Shiro."
---
"…What."
---
"…Say something better."
---
"…Define better."
---
"…Something I can remember."
---
Silence.
---
He looked at her.
---
Then—
Slowly—
---
"…Live."
---
She blinked.
---
"…What?"
---
"…Live."
---
"…That's it?"
---
"…It's enough."
---
She stared at him for a moment—
---
Then smiled.
---
This time—
Tears forming in her eyes.
---
"…You're really bad at this…"
---
"…You've said that."
---
"…I'll remember."
---
"…Good."
---
---
She stepped back.
---
Then turned.
---
And began to walk away.
---
Slowly.
---
Not running this time.
---
---
Shiro stood still.
---
Watching.
---
---
Step by step—
---
She got further.
---
Smaller.
---
Fainter.
---
---
Until—
---
She stopped.
---
Turned around—
---
And shouted—
---
"DON'T FORGET THE PROMISE!"
---
---
"…I won't."
---
His voice didn't carry far.
---
But—
---
He meant it.
---
---
She smiled one last time—
---
Then disappeared.
---
---
Silence returned.
---
---
The river kept flowing.
---
The sky stayed the same.
---
The world—
Didn't care.
---
---
Shiro looked at his wrist.
---
The ribbon moved gently with the wind.
---
---
"…15 years."
---
Long.
---
Unnecessary.
---
Inefficient.
---
---
And yet—
---
"…I will be there."
---
---
For the first time since his rebirth—
---
The boy named Shiro—
---
Stood alone.
---
Not as a king.
---
Not as a god.
---
---
But as someone—
---
Who had lost something.
---
Even if he didn't fully understand what it was.