I opened my eyes—or rather, *his* eyes. I wasn't in control. I couldn't move, couldn't speak, only a silent passenger within someone else's body.
Everything felt… wrong. My hands—*his* hands—were larger than my own, calloused from labor. The clothes were unfamiliar: a simple but well-worn tunic, and a katana hung at my side.
The world around me was vibrant, alive with the hum of a bustling town. Wooden houses lined narrow dirt roads, their rooftops sloping sharply upward. Merchants called out to passersby, the scent of grilled fish and freshly baked bread wafting through the air. Children played in the street, their laughter echoing.
And then I saw her.
She stood a few paces ahead, looking back at me with a radiant smile. Her hair shimmered like freshly fallen snow, and her bright blue eyes seemed to pierce right through me. She felt so familiar, yet I couldn't place her name.
"Are you just going to stand there, Kaito-kun?" she teased, her voice light and playful. "Let's go!"
*Kaito-kun?* I thought, startled. Was she talking to me? How could she know my name?
We walked side by side through the market, her laughter filling the air as she pointed out every little thing that caught her attention. A vendor handed her a small bag of sweet dumplings, and she offered me one, giggling when I accidentally dropped it.
"You're so clumsy!" she said, brushing crumbs off my tunic.
"I'm not!" I wanted to protest, but the words wouldn't come. I was still trapped, forced to watch through someone else's eyes.
We crossed a wooden bridge, stopping to lean against the railing. The river below sparkled in the sunlight, its gentle current reflecting the cloudless sky. She tore a piece of bread in half, handing me the larger piece.
"You eat so much, Kaito-kun," she said, feigning annoyance. "You'll eat us out of house and home!"
I tried to respond, but again, I couldn't. All I could do was watch as *he*—the person I inhabited—laughed and playfully nudged her shoulder.
As the day went on, an unsettling feeling crept over me. Every step we took, every word she spoke—it all felt so familiar, like I'd lived this before.
The way she tucked her hair behind her ear. The sound of her laughter as we ran along the beach, the waves lapping at our feet. The warmth of her hand brushing against mine.
I knew these moments. I could predict her every move, her every word. But how?
How could I have memories of something that never happened?
We stopped at the edge of the water, the sky now painted in hues of orange and pink. She crouched down, picking up a smooth pebble and skipping it across the surface.
"You're terrible at skipping stones, Kaito-kun," she teased. "Want me to teach you again?"
She turned to me, her smile fading as her expression grew serious. "You always forget, don't you? You always…" Her voice trailed off, and she looked away, her shoulders trembling.
I wanted to ask her what she meant. I wanted to tell her I didn't understand. But I couldn't. I was powerless, trapped in someone else's body.
As night fell, we found ourselves back on the wooden bridge. The moon hung high in the sky, its light reflecting off the calm river below. She leaned against the railing, her gaze fixed on the water.
"I wish we could stay like this forever," she said softly. "But I know we can't."
Her words sent a chill down my spine. Something about this moment felt final, as if it was the last time we'd ever see each other.
She turned to me, tears glistening in her eyes. "Kaito-kun… promise me. Promise me you'll never forget."
Before I could respond, the world began to blur.
I felt *his* body sway, his knees buckling as he fell to the ground. She screamed, rushing to his side, cradling his head in her lap.
"Kaito-kun! Kaito-kun, please!" she cried, her tears falling onto his face.
I could feel her hands shaking, her voice breaking as she begged for him to stay awake. "Don't leave me! You promised! You *promised*!"
And then, as if some unseen force was trying to protect me, her face became obscured, shrouded in shadows. I couldn't see her, couldn't remember her.
But her voice… her voice stayed with me.
Everything faded, her cries echoing in the darkness.