Echoes of Neon and Nostalgia

Scene 1: The Salaryman's Labyrinth

Location: Aoyama District, Tokyo – Hirose Financial Headquarters

The skyscraper's glass façade mirrored the pale morning sky, its sterile corridors humming with the mechanical rhythm of keyboards and murmured small talk. Kazuya Hirose sat in a cubicle swallowed by paperwork, his fingers dancing across the keyboard in a monotonous trance. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, carving geometric shadows over his desk—a chessboard of time.

Time-lapse vignettes:

Morning: Kazuya's coffee cup steamed beside a mountain of reports, condensation dripping like a silent metronome.

Noon: Colleagues clustered around the break room microwave, laughter echoing as Kazuya stared at his warped reflection in a lukewarm latte.

Evening: The office emptied, leaving Kazuya bathed in the blue glow of dual monitors, the city's neon heartbeat pulsing beyond the windows.

Izumo: (leaning against the coffee machine)

"Prez's throwing another karaoke night at the onsen."

Mitsuya: (grinning)

"Last time, he sobbed through 'Sake to Namida to Otoko to Onna' like a divorced samurai."

Kazuya stirred his coffee, the spoon's clink drowning out their banter. The liquid rippled, distorting his face—a mannequin in a suit.

Scene 2: Elevator Harmonies and Hollow Laughter

Location: Hirose Financial Headquarters – Elevator, Evening

The elevator doors slid open with a sterile ding, revealing Kazuya and his colleagues crammed into the mirrored cubicle. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a clinical glow over their slumped shoulders and loosened ties. Colleague A jabbed the lobby button, his reflection fracturing across the polished surfaces.

Nagumo: (leaning against the rail)

"Prez's gonna bankrupt us with all these karaoke bills."

Hitsuya: (snorting)

"Better than another team-building seminar."

Kazuya stood at the back, eyes fixed on the descending floor numbers. His reflection stared back—a ghost trapped in glass. The others chattered about weekend plans, their voices bouncing off the walls like stray bullets.

Mitsuya: (grinning at Kazuya's reflection)

"You're coming to the onsen, right? No way you're bailing again."

Kazuya met his gaze in the mirror, offering a practiced half-smile.

Kazuya

"Raincheck."

The elevator shuddered to a stop. Colleague C rolled his eyes playfully as the doors parted, releasing them into the marble-clad lobby.

Scene 3: Tokyo's Evening Glow

Location: Outside the Office – Shimmering Pavement

Neon signs flickered to life, painting the sidewalk in hues of electric blue and molten gold. The group spilled onto the street, their laughter blending with the city's growl. Kazuya lingered at the edge, tie now slung over his shoulder like a surrender flag.

Mifumi: (slapping his back)

"Kazuya, onsen party? It's Friday, come on."

Kazuya (half-smiling, shaking his head)

"Not my thing."

Nagumo: (mocking disbelief)

"Dude, do you even have a 'thing'?"

Kaku: (dramatic sigh)

"I swear, this guy's a mystery."

They laughed, waving him off as they merged into the crowd heading toward the train station. Kazuya watched their silhouettes shrink—a tableau of camaraderie he observed but never joined. The city's pulse thrummed in his temples as he turned down a quieter street, the weight of his briefcase suddenly unbearable.

Scene 4: The Bar – A Temporary Escape

Location: Bar Yorukumo – Night

The bar was a relic: mahogany walls stained with decades of smoke, jazz vinyl spinning sotto voce. Kazuya slid onto a stool, rolling up sleeves to reveal scars disguised as watch tan lines.

Bartender (polishing a glass)

"The usual?"

Kazuya (nodding)

"Yeah. And something sweet on the side."

The bartender smirked, knowing what that meant. A young waitress, Rika, approached, setting down his drink with a teasing smile.

Rika

"Sweet, huh? You finally gonna ask me out, Kazuya?"

Kazuya (grinning, resting his chin on his hand)

"I dunno, depends… you gonna say yes?"

Rika (laughing)

"You're a smooth talker, but I hear that line from half the guys here."

Kazuya (raising his glass, mockingly wounded)

"Ouch. You wound me, Rika-chan."

Rika (smirking, refilling her tray)

"I'd feel bad, but I think you'll survive. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

She turned away, walking toward the booths. Kazuya followed her gaze absentmindedly—until she stopped at a particular table.

A lone figure sat in the booth, partially obscured by the dim light. He nursed a drink, eyes focused somewhere in the distance, a sharp contrast to the bar's lively energy.

Kazuya's playful smirk faded.

That face… He knew that face.

His fingers tightened around his glass, and his chest suddenly felt heavier. His thoughts raced before he even realized he was staring.

Kiryuu Daiki.

Scene 5: Ghosts in the Glass

Location: Bar Yorukumo – Late Night

Kiryuu shifted his gaze, locking eyes with Kazuya. A slow smirk tugged at his lips.

Kiryuu (voice low, amused)

"Didn't think I'd run into you here, Hirose."

Kazuya swallowed, his mind catching up to the reality before him.

Kazuya (muttering)

"Shit…"

Kiryuu motioned to the empty seat across from him.

Kiryuu

"You're just gonna stand there all night?"

Kazuya exhaled and slid into the booth, leather creaking under his weight. The air between them thickened with unspoken history.

Kazuya

"Didn't think I'd see you again."

Kiryuu (raising an eyebrow)

"Not even in a place like this?"

Kazuya (scoffing)

"Especially not in a place like this."

Kiryuu chuckled, swirling his drink.

Kiryuu

"Life's funny like that."

A beat. The bartender's rag squeaked against glass. Kazuya leaned forward, his voice dropping.

Kazuya

"Why'd you vanish? No calls. No texts. Just… gone."

Kiryuu's smirk faded. He tapped his glass, ice clinking like a metronome.

Kiryuu

"You think I owed you an explanation?"

Kazuya (fingers tightening on his glass)

"We were friends."

Kiryuu (coldly)

"Were we?"

The silence stretched, taut as a wire. Kiryuu's eyes flicked to the exit, then back to Kazuya.

Kiryuu

"You're still the same. Staring at your coffee like it'll tell you the meaning of life. Pathetic."

Kazuya's jaw clenched.

Kazuya

"And you're still running. From what?"

Kiryuu slammed his glass down, bourbon sloshing.

Kiryuu

"You don't get to ask that."

He stood abruptly, tossing a crumpled bill onto the table.

Kiryuu

"Last thing I need is a lecture from my new boss after getting transferred."

With that, he strode out, disappearing into the neon-lit alley. Kazuya stared at the empty glass, the ghost of Kiryuu's cologne lingering.

Scene 6: Midnight Reverie – Kiryuu's Perspective

Location: Kiryuu's Apartment – Shibuya

Kiryuu's apartment was sparse—a single futon, a dented mini-fridge, and a desk cluttered with files. A lone desk lamp cast a jaundiced glow. He slumped onto the floor, an old high school yearbook splayed open.

Flashback:

Teen Kiryuu (glaring at a test score, crumpling it)

Kazuya (grinning, tossing a soccer ball at his head) "Lighten up, Daiki! It's just a number!"

Kiryuu's fingers traced a faded photo: himself and Kazuya, arms slung over each other's shoulders, Sakuragaoka's cherry blossoms framing their teenage bravado.

Kiryuu (to the silence)

"…Idiot."

He reached for a half-empty bottle of cheap whiskey, pouring a shot. The liquid burned, but not enough to erase the memory of Kazuya's wounded gaze.

Scene 7: Dawn of Deja Vu

Location: Kazuya's Childhood Bedroom – Morning

Kazuya's Mom (sing-song, knocking)

"Kazu-chan! Breakfast's getting cold!"

Kazuya jolted awake. Sunlight streamed through Sailor Moon curtains. Posters of early-2000s J-pop idols plastered the walls. He stared at his hands—small, soft, teenage.

Kazuya (whispering)

"…No freaking way."

Kazuya's Mom (calling)

"Hurry up! You'll miss the first day!"

Location: Kiryuu's Childhood Home – Morning

Kiryuu's Mom (banging a ladle against a pot)

"DAIKI! WHY ARE YOU STILL IN BED?!"

Kiryuu shot upright, sweat-drenched. His room was militaristic—neatly folded uniforms, a wall calendar circled with exam dates.

Kiryuu's Mom (dramatic gasp)

"You overslept?! My perfect son, corrupted by delinquency!"

Kiryuu (panicked)

"I—I didn't—"

Kiryuu's Mom (clutching her chest)

"First you skip cram school, now this?! Is this your villain arc?!"

Kiryuu (deadpan)

"…Villain arc?"

Kiryuu's Mom (sniffling)

"At least text your poor mother before embracing a life of crime!"

Kiryuu buried his face in his hands.

Scene 8: First Day of School – Separate Classes

Location: Sakuragaoka Junior High – Class 1-A

Kiryuu sat rigidly at his desk, eyes darting around the classroom. The chalkboard read "Welcome to Junior High!" in looping cursive. His teenage classmates buzzed with first-day jitters.

Teacher (droning)

"Open your textbooks to page 42. Today's lesson: algebraic expressions."

Kiryuu's fingers trembled as he flipped the pages. Algebra? I'm 30. Why am I here?

Flashback:

Adult Kiryuu (slamming his drink at Bar Yorukumo)

Kiryuu (muttering)

"This… this can't be real."

Classmate A (whispering)

"Hey, transfer student! You okay?"

Kiryuu snapped back to reality. The teacher glared at him.

Teacher

"Kiryuu-kun. Solve problem 3 on the board."

Kiryuu stared at the equation: x² + 5x + 6 = 0. Muscle memory kicked in.

Kiryuu (monotone)

"Factored form: (x+2)(x+3). Solutions: x = -2, x = -3."

The class gaped. The teacher blinked.

Teacher

"…Correct."

Kiryuu sat down, head spinning. This is a dream. A very detailed, humiliating dream.

Location: Sakuragaoka Junior High – Class 1-B

Kazuya leaned back in his chair, feet propped on his desk.

Kazuya (grinning)

"Man, this dream's got texture. Look at these pencil shavings!"

He flicked a shaving at the boy in front of him.

Classmate B

"Dude, quit it!"

Kazuya (ignoring him)

"Hey, is Kiryuu Daiki in this class?"

Classmate B

"Who?"

Kazuya

"Tall guy, grumpy face, looks like he's constipated 24/7?"

Classmate C

"Oh, the transfer student? He's in 1-A."

Kazuya (snapping his fingers)

"Right, right. Different class. Guess I'll wait till lunch."

He doodled a stick figure fighting a dragon in his notebook, humming the Dragon Quest theme.

Scene 9: Lunchtime Logic vs. Chaos

Location: Sakuragaoka Junior High – Hallway

Kiryuu paced outside the faculty office, clutching a hall pass.

Kiryuu (to himself)

"If this is a time loop, there must be a trigger. The bar? The argument? Or…"

He froze. The breakfast. I ate the same meal as that day.

Kazuya (popping out of nowhere)

"Yo, Daiki! Lunchtime! Let's hit the roof!"

Kiryuu (startled)

"Hirose?! What are you—"

Kazuya (dragging him)

"C'mon, live a little! This dream's got limited runtime!"

Scene 10: The Slow-Motion Confession

Location: Sakuragaoka Junior High – Second-Floor Hallway

Kiryuu paced outside the bathroom, face pale and fists clenched, when Aya Shimizu—a soft-spoken girl with ribbons in her hair—stepped into his path. She clutched a pastel-pink envelope, her cheeks blooming crimson.

Aya (staring at her shoes)

"K-Kiryuu-kun… I… um… I wanted to…"

Kiryuu (sweating, forcing a polite smile)

"Y-Yes, Shimizu-san?"

Aya (voice trembling)

"I've… always… admired…"

Kiryuu (internally screaming)

Not now. Not now. NOT NOW.

Aya (blushing harder)

"Your… dedication to… studies…"

Behind a nearby vending machine, Kazuya peeked out, stifling giggles.

Kazuya (whispering to himself)

"Oh my god, this is gold."

Aya (finally lifting her gaze)

"So… I… I wondered if…"

Kiryuu (bowing slightly, voice strained)

"Shimizu-san, I'm truly flattered, but perhaps we could—"

Aya (interrupting, eyes shining)

"Wait! Please… let me finish!"

She took a deep breath, hands shaking as she extended the letter.

Aya

"Kiryuu-kun… I… I lo—"

Kiryuu (stomach gurgling audibly)

"GGRRRKKLLL."

Aya froze. Kiryuu's polite facade cracked.

Kiryuu (desperate whisper)

"I… apologize. Urgent matter."

He bolted past her, sprinting down the hall. Aya stood stunned, letter still outstretched.

Kazuya (emerging from hiding, howling)

"SHE WAS GONNA SAY 'LOVE'! YOU RAN FROM 'LOVE'!"

Scene 11: Bathroom Aftermath & Time-Travel Revelation

Location: Sakuragaoka Junior High – Boys' Bathroom

Kiryuu leaned against the stall wall, head in his hands, as Kazuya pounded on the door.

Kazuya (snorting)

"Bro, you okay in there? Need a hazmat team?"

Kiryuu (growling)

"Go. Away."

Kazuya (leaning on the sink)

"C'mon, it's just a dream! Worst-case scenario, you wake up in a puddle!"

Kiryuu (emerging, face ashen)

"It's not a dream. We've time-traveled."

Kazuya (blinking)

"…Huh?"

Kiryuu (dead serious)

"Think. Identical breakfast. Same school schedule. We're reliving our first year."

Kazuya (grinning)

"Nah, man. Dreams got weird details! Like…"

He gestured to a graffiti tag on the wall: "Mr. Tanaka's toupee is a hamster."

Kazuya

"See? My brain made that up!"

Kiryuu (grabbing his shoulders)

"That graffiti was there in our timeline too. Tanaka-sensei's toupee did look like a hamster."

Kazuya (pause)

"…Oh. Shit."

Scene 12: Schoolyard Reckoning

Location: Sakuragaoka High – Gates

Kazuya (staring at his hands)

"So… we're stuck in the past? Like, Back to the Future style?"

Kiryuu (grim)

"Worse. We're reliving specific memories. My… incident today. Your suspension next week."

Kazuya (grinning)

"Suspension? Sweet! Let's go graffiti the principal's car again!"

Kiryuu (pinching the bridge of his nose)

"We need to fix this. Undo our mistakes. Change the future."

Kazuya (throwing an arm around him)

"Orrrr… we could prank our old homeroom teacher!"

Kiryuu (shoving him off)

"Focus, Hirose!"

Kazuya (laughing)

"Relax, Daiki! Worst-case scenario, we just live our teen years again. Think of all the girls!"

Kiryuu (walking away)

"I'm going home."

Kazuya (calling after him)

"Hey, you gonna text your mom about your 'villain arc'?!"

FADE TO BLACK

TITLE CARD: 桐生 大輝 – KIRYUU DAIKI

END OF PILOT EPISODE