Chapter 20: Back to the Present (Continuation)

The evening air was crisp when Sora Nagi finally reached his home. The sky had darkened, stars peeking through the clouds as if offering him a quiet solace. He slipped off his shoes at the door, the small click echoing through the empty house.

He moved through the dim hallway, his fingers brushing against the walls. The house had always felt like a maze—each room a reminder of silence, of loneliness. But tonight, it seemed different. Less like a cage and more like a place to rest.

Sora dropped his bag by his desk and sat on the edge of his bed. His notebook lay open, the pages filled with half-written thoughts and fragmented sketches. His pencil lay nearby, worn down but still usable.

He picked it up and began to draw. His hand moved slowly, the lines coming together to form the gentle curve of a smile—the kind he had seen on Nanako's face earlier. He shaded in the softness of her eyes, the warmth they held whenever she looked at him.

For the first time in a long while, his drawings weren't filled with shadows.

A quiet buzz broke his focus. His phone screen lit up with a message:

Akio: Hey Sora! I hope you got home safe. It was fun walking with you and Nanako today. Let's do it again sometime!

Sora stared at the message, his thumb hovering over the keyboard. It took him a moment, but he finally typed back.

Sora: Yeah. Thanks, Akio.

He hesitated, then added:

Sora: It was nice. I'd like that.

The response came almost instantly.

Akio: Yay! Goodnight, Sora! See you tomorrow!

Sora set the phone aside, a small smile lingering on his lips. His chest felt lighter, as if a window had cracked open, letting in fresh air.

He lay back on his bed, his sketchbook still resting on his chest. His eyes drifted shut, and the day's warmth wrapped around him like a blanket.

For once, his dreams were not filled with nightmares. Instead, he found himself standing under the cherry blossom tree at school. Petals fell around him, and in the distance, he saw Nanako and Akio laughing together. They waved at him, and he found himself moving toward them, his feet light, his heart unburdened.

---

The next morning, Sora woke to the gentle glow of sunlight filtering through his window. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and for a moment, he simply breathed. There was no heaviness, no immediate rush of dread.

His phone buzzed again, this time with a message from Nanako.

Nanako: Good morning, Sora! Do you want to walk to school together?

His fingers moved before he could overthink.

Sora: Sure. I'd like that.

He got ready, pulling on his uniform and grabbing his bag. When he stepped outside, the world seemed brighter. The dull sky from yesterday had cleared, revealing a stretch of blue.

Nanako was waiting for him at the corner of the street. She waved, her smile as radiant as ever.

"Morning!" she greeted him.

"Morning," he replied, his voice steady.

They walked together, their footsteps in sync. The silence between them was comfortable, filled with the soft rustling of leaves and the distant sounds of the city waking up.

When they reached the school gates, Akio was already there, bouncing on her toes. "There you are! I was starting to think you two ditched me."

Nanako laughed, and even Sora chuckled, a quiet sound that felt strange yet right.

They entered the school together, a trio bound by threads of friendship—each thread a promise of brighter days.

As Sora took his seat in the classroom, he found himself looking forward to the day. The weight of his past was still there, but it no longer anchored him. It was a part of him, but it did not define him.

And with Nanako and Akio by his side, Sora felt that, slowly but surely, he was finding his way back to the light.