A Forgotten Bond

A Forgotten Bond

The night sky stretched endlessly above, painted with stars that flickered like distant memories. Renji and Rin sat outside, leaning against the stone railing of the Asakura estate's outer garden. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, shifting from teasing remarks to genuine laughter.

Renji had expected a brief, awkward meeting, but somehow, the hours had slipped away unnoticed.

Rin stretched her arms with a yawn. "I didn't realize it was this late."

Renji glanced up at the moon, its pale glow illuminating the dark streets below. "Yeah… Time really flew by."

"I should get going," Rin said, dusting off her dress. "Thanks for today, Renji."

"Thanks for today too," he replied, standing up.

As Rin turned to leave, Renji's gaze shifted toward the streets. The town was peaceful, but the darkness carried an eerie stillness.

"Hold on," he said. "I'll walk you home."

Rin blinked, looking back at him. "Oh, it's fine. I've walked these streets a hundred times."

Renji shook his head. "No. I don't want anything bad happening to you."

For a moment, Rin stared at him. A faint pink hue dusted her cheeks before she turned away. "…Well, if you insist."

The two made their way through the quiet streets, the cobblestone path illuminated by lanterns. The cool night air carried a sense of nostalgia, stirring something deep in Renji's mind.

As they walked side by side, a strange feeling settled within him.

This street… These houses… This path…

It felt familiar.

It wasn't from his game knowledge—it was something deeper, something personal.

Soon, they reached Rin's home. It wasn't grand like the estates of nobles, nor was it a poor, rundown building. It was a modest, well-kept home, nestled between other residences in the quieter part of town.

As they approached, the front door opened, revealing a kind-looking woman with soft features and warm eyes.

Rin's mother.

She greeted them with a gentle smile. "Oh my, welcome back, Rin. And… oh, my! Is this Renji?"

Renji blinked in confusion. She knows me?

Before he could react, Rin's mother took his hands with a delighted expression. "It's been so long! You've grown so much, and—oh, look at you! So handsome now!"

Renji struggled to keep up. "Uh… Thank you?"

Rin laughed awkwardly. "Mom, you're embarrassing him."

"Nonsense! It's been years since I last saw him properly."

Renji's mind raced.

He knew that Rin's father worked in another city, but… why did her mother treat him like an old friend?

The answer hit him suddenly.

A fragment of a buried memory surfaced, one not from the game—but from his own soul.

A young girl, crying on the street, clutching her mother's hand.

The woman, sick, barely breathing. No one came to help.

And a boy… stepping forward.

Renji's breath hitched.

It was him.

In his early childhood, before he became the arrogant noble everyone despised… he had helped Rin and her mother.

Her mother had been on the brink of death, and Rin, just a small child, had been helpless and desperate.

He—Renji—had been the one to get a doctor, using his noble status to force the best medical care upon them.

That was how it started.

That was how they became friends.

Not because of the game's story. Not because of fate.

Because of him. Because of the choices he made in his forgotten past.

Renji stared at Rin's mother, then at Rin, who was watching him with a soft, knowing smile.

"…I see," he murmured, barely above a whisper.

He wasn't alone in this world.

There were people who truly cared about him.