shu1031

I’m Taki Tamada, just your average high school student. Well… not really. I’m kind of a lazy otaku who spends most of my time talking about anime and gaming. Surprisingly, I still manage to make it to the Top 15 in our exams. But honestly, I don’t care about grades. All I care about is enjoying my youth while it lasts.

There’s one thing I can’t forget, though. A promise.

Years ago, I had a childhood friend—someone I was really close to. But she moved to another country, leaving me behind. I don’t remember when she said she’d return, or even the exact words, but I know she will. One day, she’ll come back.

In the meantime, I’ve got my friends to keep me company.

Haru Tatsunagi and his younger brother, Tatsuki, are always around. Haru’s the cool and reliable one, while Tatsuki is energetic and full of mischief. And then there’s Yuki Hanagi. We’ve been friends since eighth grade. She’s different… quiet, but there’s something off about her. Even though she’s comfortable hanging out with us guys, I can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I have this feeling… something big is about to happen.

And that’s where my story begins.

Threads of a Distant Bond

My alarm blared through the room. I barely cracked my eyes open, squinting at the clock.

I pressed snooze for the third time and buried my face in the blanket. I could probably miss breakfast and still arrive at school if I ran. But did I want to hurry that much? Not really.

School was. well, school. Same people, same schedule. And yet, I somehow kept ending up in the Top 15 on exam days. Don't know how—I don't study that much myself. Perhaps I'm just lucky. Or maybe all that random anime trivia and gaming techniques subconsciously trained my brain. Who knows?

I eventually coaxed myself out of bed, slung my bag over my shoulder, and left.

Haru Tatsunagi stood by the school gate, arms folded, that same disapproving expression he always gave me. Haru was one of my closest friends. Dependable, intelligent, and punctual. The exact opposite of me.

"You're going to get detention one of these days."

We strolled to class together, and as always, Haru began discussing his future plans. He had it all mapped out—top grades, a dream to attend a good university. I, however… just wanted to live my youth while it lasted.

A voice shouted from the back. Haru's younger brother, Tatsuki Tatsunagi, came rushing up to us with his characteristic burst of energy. Tatsuki was a year younger but behaved like a hyper child most of the time.

"Did you guys watch the new trailer for Sword Chaos Online 2? It's gonna be crazy!

"Yeah, I saw it," I said, my eyes actually lighting up for once. "The combat system is insane."

We chatted about games for some time, totally forgetting that we were going to class.

A gentle voice broke through our conversation.

She was quiet, reserved, and always kept to herself—except with us. We'd been friends since eighth grade, and she never acted awkward with us, even though we were all guys. But there was something… wrong with her. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but sometimes, I got the feeling that she was keeping something from us.

"Morning, Yuki," I said, nodding to her.

She smiled weakly and fell into step with us.

Math? I hardly listened. History? I went through the time thinking about what anime I would watch later. But even in the midst of my daydreaming, something was… off.

At lunch, I gazed out at the schoolyard, my thoughts wandering.

"I'll come back, Taki. No matter what."

A soft voice whispered in my head.

I blinked, the memory indistinct but recognizable. I did not recall the words exactly or when it was, but I knew she spoke them. My childhood friend. She was… gone now, having left to live in another country. But she vowed she'd return.

When school ended, I went home the same way—game for a few hours, then eat and put off doing any homework that I had. But that sense of unease earlier refused to abate.

I stood in front of my window while the sun began to set, filling the sky with oranges and pinks.

"When will she return?" I spoke softly to the sky, as if the sky held the answer.

Chapter 1: The Everyday Days That Secretly Hide Something More