Chapter 12: A Fading Presence

The warm glow of the evening sun bathed the city in hues of orange and red. The streets buzzed with life, yet in the quiet hallway of their apartment complex, an entirely different energy lingered.

Hinata's heart pounded as she turned to Akira, a nervous smile on her face. "Tomorrow's my birthday… Let's go out somewhere and have fun."

Akira, standing just a few steps away, didn't respond immediately. His eyes, shadowed beneath his usual dark circles, flickered with an unreadable expression. The silence between them stretched uncomfortably, making Hinata fidget.

"Akira?" she called again, her voice a little softer.

He blinked, as if pulled back from a deep thought, and simply nodded.

A wave of relief washed over Hinata, and before she could stop herself, she jumped forward, wrapping her arms around him in excitement.

For a moment, the world stood still.

Then, Akira's body tensed. His hands remained at his sides, his posture stiff, but his eyes… they glowed with a mixture of emotions—anger, confusion, and something else. Something softer.

A deep, calm voice broke the silence. "You should be careful about doing things like this."

Hinata gasped, realizing what she had just done. Her face flushed red, and she quickly stepped back, pressing her hands against her warm cheeks.

"S-Sorry! I got too excited..." she stammered.

Akira tilted his head slightly, observing her with amusement.

Hinata, still flustered, peeked at him through her fingers. "Was that your first hug?"

A strange glint flickered in Akira's eyes before he shook his head. "No."

Her heart sank a little. "Oh…" She hesitated before gathering the courage to ask, "Then who was your first?"

There was a brief pause. Then, in a low voice, Akira said, "A girl who thought I was avoiding her. She hugged me tightly while crying."

Hinata felt her stomach twist. She didn't know why, but she didn't like hearing that. She pouted slightly and muttered, "I wasn't crying or anything."

A rare smirk played on Akira's lips. "I didn't say you were."

Hinata's blush deepened.

Pushing aside the sudden awkwardness, she quickly changed the subject. "Anyway! We're going to the amusement park tomorrow!"

Akira sighed but nodded. "Fine."

A wide grin spread across Hinata's face. Tomorrow was going to be perfect.

---

The Next Day

The amusement park was bursting with laughter and excitement. Children ran past, clutching cotton candy, couples strolled hand in hand, and the air was filled with the mixed scent of caramel popcorn and fried snacks.

Hinata was in awe. "This place is amazing!" She turned to Akira, who stood beside her, looking indifferent. "Hey, don't just stand there! What do you want to do first?"

Akira shrugged. "You decide."

Hinata pouted. "That's no fun. At least pretend to be excited!"

He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Let's just get this over with."

Despite his lack of enthusiasm, Hinata dragged him from ride to ride. They went on the Ferris wheel, the haunted house, and even the rollercoaster—where, to her surprise, Akira actually looked somewhat entertained.

After the amusement park, they decided to visit the nearby zoo. The environment was calmer, with families leisurely walking around, admiring the animals.

Hinata skipped ahead, excitedly pointing at the different enclosures. "Look at the pandas! They're so cute!"

But when she turned to Akira—he was gone.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She spun around, scanning the crowd, but there was no sign of him. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

Her chest tightened. "Akira…?"

Her voice was swallowed by the chatter around her.

She had no idea that, at that very moment, Akira was standing in a deserted corner of the zoo, his gaze locked onto something—or someone—familiar.

A ghost from his past.