Through the Veil of Memories

It was a somber morning. The usual buzz of the classroom was replaced by an unusual quiet. A photo adorned with flowers rested on a small stand at the front of the room.

"Why's everyone so quiet?" Haru whispered to Yumi, who was seated beside him.

"It's the anniversary of... well, someone important," she replied.

Haru's curiosity grew when the teacher stepped forward and addressed the class. "Today, we honor someone who brought so much light into our lives. Let us take a moment to remember them."

The teacher's voice trembled slightly, and Haru glanced at Hana and Riku. Both of them looked unusually solemn.

The Question

During lunch, Haru joined Hana and Riku on the rooftop. "Can I ask you something?" he said hesitantly.

Hana looked up from her lunchbox, her eyes distant. "It's about today, isn't it?"

Haru nodded.

Riku leaned against the railing, staring into the distance. "You've noticed how everyone's acting, right? The memorial is for someone who... meant everything to us."

"Who was it?" Haru asked, feeling a strange pull to the conversation.

 The Best Friend They Lost:

Hana spoke first, her voice soft but steady. "His name was Aito. He was our best friend—our anchor."

Riku nodded. "The three of us were inseparable. Aito... he had this way of making you feel like you were the most important person in the world. He was always smiling, always full of life."

"But..." Hana's voice faltered, and Riku placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"One day, it all changed," Riku continued, his voice tightening. "There was an accident. A truck. He... he saved someone else's life, but..."

"He didn't make it," Hana finished, her eyes glistening with tears.

As they spoke, Haru felt his chest tighten. The details of their story mirrored fragments of his dreams—the truck, the sound of ambulance sirens, the overwhelming sorrow.

"Do you... ever feel like he's still here somehow?" Haru asked, his voice shaking

Riku gave a bittersweet smile. "Every day. But not in a sad way. It feels like he's watching over us, you know? Like he'd want us to keep going, to live fully."

Haru nodded, though a storm raged inside him. Could Aito be connected to his dreams? Was he reliving something tied to this mysterious boy?

That night, Haru found it hard to sleep. The story of Aito lingered in his mind, intertwining with the recurring dreams he couldn't shake.

When he finally drifted off, the dream returned, but this time it was clearer.

He stood on a street corner bathed in golden light, watching as a boy with a warm smile pushed a girl out of harm's way. The truck's blaring horn rang out, and everything went silent. Haru's chest tightened as he reached out to the boy—only to see himself reflected in the boy's tear-filled eyes.

Haru woke with a start, gasping for air. His heart pounded as if he'd been running.