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

Taki Tamada was not the kind to brood over things for long. Anime, video games, and spending time with his friends filled his life. As long as life was cool, that was enough.

Haru Tatsunagi motioned from their favorite table. Taki walked over, tray in hand, and sat down next to him.

"Did you see that new anime I recommended to you?" Haru asked in his excitement.

"Man, come on!" Tatsuki intervened, crouching over. "You're lagging behind, bro."

"Take it easy, I'll see it when I feel like watching," Taki grumbled, munching on his food.

By the opposite side of the table, Yuki Hanagi quietly consumed her bento, eating as demurely as always. She never participated in their intense anime discussions, but her presence was. soothing.

"Why does it seem like I've known her longer than I really have?"

The afternoon crawled on, and as was always the case, Taki remained late after school to assist in cleaning up. Yuki was there too, her gaze on the blackboard as she mindlessly wiped away the last of the chalk residue.

"Ah." She looked up, her face serene but inscrutable. "Yeah. I have some club business after this.

"Club, huh? You never told me which one."

"Just… literature club." She smiled gently but wouldn't say any more.

"Why do I feel like she's hiding something?"

Taki took the longer route home that day, headphones on, thumb in idle scroll on his playlist. But for some reason, he caught himself driving by an old, abandoned park—the one he hadn't stepped foot in in years.

The rusted swings softly creaked in the breeze, and the sweet aroma of flowers that had bloomed was still lingering in the air.

A queer tide of nostalgia rolled over him, and his chest tightened.

Taki noticed a figure standing close to the swings.

She didn't move, her eyes fixed on the unused swings, and her face an unreadable mask.

Taki walked quietly but before he could speak—

"Why… am I here again?" Yuki whispered quietly, her voice hardly audible.

Taki's expression narrowed, but he couldn't decipher what she said.

She twitched, as if frightened, and immediately faced the opposite direction.

"T-Taki?" Her eyes widened briefly before she covered up her surprise with a shivering smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh… I was just walking by." Taki looked over at the swings. "Didn't think I'd find you here."

Yuki's hands tightened over the strap of her bag.

"Yeah… I just… wanted to walk."

"Where here of all places?" Taki asked skeptically.

"Why does it feel so familiar to her here…?"

Taki glanced once more at the swings, an old memory working its way past the periphery of his brain.

Yuki's face snapped into a paralysis, but then she turned and walked away from him before he could catch what she was really thinking.

Why. does it feel like I know her from somewhere?"

Taki couldn't get rid of the feeling.

Chapter 2: A Familiar Stranger