Chapter 1- Two Souls Silent Whisper

Chapter 1- Two Souls Silent Whisper

[-Keizuke Kizaki-]

The morning is serene, yet I found myself walking without direction, my mind elsewhere. The ocean breeze carried the scent of salt and noise of waves overlapping at the shore, but I barely noticed.

I didn't care for the view, the warmth of the sun, or the voices around me.

Everything felt distant.

I kept my hands in my pockets, my steps slow and unhurried. And then—I bump in to something or someone

" Sorry " She blinked once before speaking.

I looked up, and for the first time in weeks, I actually noticed someone.

A woman.

She had long, dark hair that moved slightly with the breeze, and she barely stumbled from our collision. Her posture was composed, as if nothing could shake her.

But her eyes—

Something about them made me pause.

The emptiness hidden at those gaze

There is a hint of sadness but in a way that people would not notice.

But I saw it.

A quiet loneliness, like something buried deep inside, tucked away so well that no one would think to ask about it.

Maybe I only recognized it because it mirrored my own.

Her voice was soft, but there was no hesitation in it. No embarrassment or awkwardness. Just a quiet acknowledgment, like she had apologized for things that weren't her fault a hundred times before.

I should've said something.

Instead, I barely managed a simple, "It's fine."

And that was it.

She stepped aside, walking past me as if nothing had happened.

I didn't turn to watch her go. I didn't allow myself to.

But somehow, I knew.

She looked back too.

[- Miya Suzuki -]

I had always liked the quiet hours.

The time after the lunch rush, when the restaurant settled into a peaceful lull. The sound of distant waves mixed with the gentle clinking of glasses, and for a while, I could just move through my work without thinking.

I carried a tray toward the next table, glancing briefly at the man sitting alone by the window.

The sunlight caught his features, casting soft shadows along his sharp jawline.

I recognized him immediately.

The man from earlier, The one I had bumped into

I wasn't expecting to see him again, and yet—here he was.

He didn't notice me at first. His gaze was distant, lost somewhere beyond the glass. The kind of look people had when they weren't really seeing anything at all.

I set the dish in front of him carefully.

"Here's your order."

"Tell me if you need anything else i will be happy to serve you" I continued

His eyes shifted, finally meeting mine.

And for the second time that day, I felt something strange.

Like a recognition I didn't understand.

Like looking at someone and knowing, instinctively, that they carried a weight you couldn't see.

His expression didn't change, but there was something in his eyes—something I had seen in my own reflection before.

A kind of exhaustion that wasn't just from being tired.

A kind of loneliness that wasn't just from being alone.

I gripped the tray a little tighter, but I didn't let it show.

"Enjoy your meal," I said, my voice as even as always.

A brief pause. Then, his reply.

"Thanks."

It was simple. Unremarkable.

And yet, I felt the weight of it.

I turned and walked away, returning to the counter.

I didn't look back.

I told myself I wouldn't.

But when I reached for a glass, my eyes flickered toward him once more.

And to my surprise—

He was already looking at me.

I exhaled quietly, forcing myself to focus on my work.

It didn't matter.

He was just a customer.

Just a stranger.

And yet… something about him felt too familiar.

[-Kei Kizaki-]

I wasn't expecting much when I walked into the restaurant.

It was just another place to eat, another way to pass the time.

I took a seat by the window, letting my gaze drift beyond the glass. The ocean stretched out in the distance, waves rolling in and out with a rhythmic calm.

Peaceful. Empty.

It suited me.

I barely noticed when the waitress approached—until she spoke.

"Here's your order."

The voice was familiar. Soft, even.

I glanced up, and for a moment, I just… looked.

It was her.

The woman from earlier. The one I had bumped into.

I hadn't thought much about it at the time—a passing moment, nothing more. But now, standing before me in the warm glow of the restaurant, she felt different.

The sunlight touched the edges of her dark hair, casting faint highlights. Her features were delicate, but there was something steady in her expression. Poised. Collected.

She wasn't just beautiful. She was composed. The kind of person who didn't let emotions slip too easily.

And yet… something about her felt familiar.

I couldn't place it.

"Tell me if you need anything else, I will be happy to serve you," she continued, her tone polite, professional.

I studied her face.

There was something in her eyes—just for a second. A flicker of something deeper.

Was she looking at me? Or through me?

I wasn't sure.

"Thanks," I said simply.

She didn't linger. Just nodded and walked away, moving with effortless grace.

I should've gone back to my meal, but my eyes followed her, just for a moment.

And just when I thought she wouldn't look back—

She did.

Only for a second. A quick glance in my direction.

I smirked slightly to myself, turning my attention to my food.

Strange.

She didn't seem the type to be curious about others. And yet, I could tell—

She was wondering about me, just as much as I was wondering about her.

--

The food was good. Warm, filling—better than I expected.

And yet, as I ate, my mind wandered.

It had been happening a lot lately. The past creeping in when I least expected it.

I stirred the broth absentmindedly, my grip on the chopsticks tightening as a memory surfaced.

Years ago.

The day of the college entrance exams.

I had been running late—not because I wasn't prepared, but because Hajun had kept me up the night before, rambling about test strategies and 'mental conditioning.'

"Don't be careless, Kizaki," he had said. "A single mistake could ruin your future."

I had rolled my eyes then. And maybe that was why, as I rushed into the exam building with a drink in hand, I hadn't been paying attention.

Because the next thing I knew—

Crash.

A sudden impact. A quiet gasp.

And then the unmistakable sight of spilled iced coffee seeping into the pristine white blouse of the girl standing in front of me.

She looked down at the stain, blinking in surprise. Her lips parted slightly, but instead of anger, she let out a soft, amused chuckle.

"Well… that's unfortunate," she said lightly, lifting her gaze to meet mine.

I had expected frustration, irritation—maybe even scolding. But instead, she offered me a small, understanding smile.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, feeling uncharacteristically at a loss for words.

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes warm. "It's okay. It's just a shirt."

Just a shirt.

I glanced at the dark stain spreading across the fabric. Anyone else would have been annoyed—maybe even furious. But she wasn't.

Instead, she pulled a light cardigan from her bag and slipped it on as if nothing had happened.

"You're in a hurry too, right?" she asked, nodding toward the exam hall. "Let's go before we're late."

She turned and walked ahead without waiting for a response.

I stood there for a second, watching her, before sighing and following.

That was how we met.

Not through a grand, fateful encounter or dramatic moments.

Just a simple accident and a girl who smiled instead of getting angry.

But Instead…

Somewhere along the way, that kindness had turned into something more.

Something warmer.

Something that, at the time, I had thought would last.

But in the end, it was just another thing that slipped through my fingers.

I placed my chopsticks down, staring blankly at the remaining broth.

She had been the one to leave.

But then, here I was—the one still haunted by her absence.

After my meal I went out but I throw a glance at the waitress busy attending another customer before leaving the lively restaurant.