Moment's Peace

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm golden light over everything. The air was just the right temperature, cool yet gentle. I ran through the yard, the grass tickling my bare feet, and the wind pushed past me like I was meant to be out there, moving faster than I thought was possible. My friends were behind me, shouting my name, but they couldn't keep up. It wasn't that I was faster than them; it was just one of those rare moments where everything came together, where the simple act of running felt like flying. I grinned widely, that carefree, unburdened smile only kids can wear... the kind that says, I don't care about anything except right now.

From the kitchen, I could hear my mom's voice, calling me in for dinner.

"Kiyoshi, dinner's ready!"

The scent of something delicious wafted out, familiar and comforting, like home. My stomach growled in response, but I couldn't help it. I slowed down, taking one last sprint toward the house before finally stopping. Inside, the table was already set, and my dad was cracking jokes, his voice light and playful as he gestured toward something on the TV. My mom was humming as she finished preparing the food, the soft clink of silverware and plates filling the air. Everything felt perfect, like it always did during these simple moments.

We all sat together, the rhythm of our eating becoming its own kind of music. The meal wasn't extravagant, but it didn't need to be. The conversation flowed effortlessly.... casual talk about work, about school, about the usual stuff. Everything was as it should be.

For a moment, I could almost convince myself that life would always be this simple. That things would always feel this perfect.

The next morning came with an almost uncanny familiarity. The sun was already spilling into my room, the warmth of it drawing me out of sleep. I rubbed my eyes and stretched, the room bathed in the light that had always felt so comforting. I wasn't tired, just eager for the day ahead. It felt like another perfect day, the kind that was made for running, for laughing with friends, for feeling unstoppable.

I jumped out of bed, threw on my school uniform, and dashed downstairs. My parents were already up....my dad in his chair reading the newspaper, and my mom humming around in the kitchen. The smell of toast filled the air, and I grabbed a piece before rushing out the door.

"Have a good day, Kiyoshi!" My mom called after me as I hurried off, and my dad waved from the living room, his usual warm smile on his face.

The walk to school was easy, my steps light as I fell into the steady rhythm of the pavement beneath me. Everything felt right.... like nothing could possibly go wrong. My friends were waiting by the gate, and we joined up, our chatter filling the space as we walked inside together. It wasn't just any other day. It felt special, like one of those days where you could run to the moon and back if you wanted.

But then... something shifted. It wasn't obvious at first. It was like the air itself had changed. I didn't know exactly when it happened, but sitting in class, half-listening to the teacher's monotone lecture, I noticed her. She wasn't someone I knew. She didn't stand out in a way that demanded attention, but there was something about her that made my heart skip, just a little. She moved differently, carried herself differently, like she was... out of place.

I shook it off, trying to focus on the lesson, but the feeling didn't go away.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of class, everyone scrambled to leave, but I stayed seated. I couldn't explain why, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. She was just... there.

Something about her presence didn't sit right with me, though I couldn't figure out why. Then, the world shifted again. The school, the sun, the laughter—they all vanished. In their place was a suffocating darkness, thick and heavy, like I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move.

She was still there, only now she wasn't just some stranger in the hall. She was right in front of me, staring at me with eyes that seemed to see right through me. And then the voice came, cutting through the silence with a sharpness that made my skin crawl.

"Why?" she whispered, full of hurt, anger.

"How could you do this?"

I tried to speak, but no words came. My throat felt tight, like I was choking on something. The world around me seemed to collapse in on itself, and I couldn't escape.

"Why did you ruin everything?"

Her voice echoed in my ears, the words cutting deep.

"You don't deserve anything! Just go away! I don't want to see you!"

The ground beneath me disappeared, and I was falling. I tried to scream, but nothing happened. The darkness consumed me, and her eyes never left me, her words replaying over and over in my mind.

I woke with a start, my heart pounding in my chest. The nightmare clung to me like a cold sweat. The familiar shadows of my bedroom reassured me, but the unease—the lingering dread—stayed with me. I couldn't shake it off.

It was just a dream, right?

The bell rang, and I snapped back to reality, the classroom around me gradually emptying. I lingered in my seat for a moment longer than usual, not in any rush to leave. The nightmare still clung to me, like a bad song stuck in my head. I needed a moment to collect myself, but before I could think much more about it, I felt a smack on my shoulder.

"Yo, Kiyoshi! You good?"

Haruto's voice sliced through the fog of my thoughts, his grin wide and unbothered.

Haruto. My one real friend. The guy who could never sit still, who seemed to have endless energy, who always dragged me into things I didn't really care about. He was the opposite of me. The baseball star, the guy who always got what he wanted, while I stayed in the background. But somehow, we clicked.

"No baseball practice today. Want to hit the roof?" he asked, not even waiting for an answer, already heading toward the door.

I blinked, trying to shake off my lingering unease. "Uh... sure."

The roof was a good place to clear my head, so I followed him up, the cool breeze greeting us the moment we stepped outside. The change of air was refreshing.

Haruto wasted no time, flopping dramatically onto the ground and staring at the sky like he was on vacation.

"Man, it's so nice to get away from all that studying and stuff, right?" he said, grinning like nothing could bother him.

"Hey, Kiyoshi, you ever thought about love?"

I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic. "What?"

"Love, man!" Haruto spread his arms wide like he was trying to explain the meaning of life. "You know, that feeling when everything just clicks?"

I stared at him, trying to process the words. "You're really getting into this, huh?"

Haruto sat up, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Of course! I'm just trying to help a guy out."

He went on, acting out some over-the-top "romantic" gestures. "You gotta be mysterious, write her poems, whisper sweet nothings...trust me, that's how you win her over."

I sighed, feeling a little awkward. "Yeah, I'll... keep that in mind."

But Haruto didn't even notice, his rambling filling the air like a constant stream of energy. It was like he never had a serious thought in his life. I wasn't sure what to think about all this.

Then Haruto dropped the bomb. "Someday I'll meet a girl, Kiyoshi," he said, his voice casual, like it was no big deal. "She'll be beautiful, popular, and single, of course."

He paused for dramatic effect, his eyes gleaming. "Can you imagine a girl like that? She'd be the one to make all the other guys jealous."

I followed his gaze and looked down at the courtyard below. There she was. The girl. Beautiful, confident, the kind who made everyone turn their heads. She moved with a grace that said she knew everyone was watching.

For a split second, I felt my heart skip. Could I imagine being with someone like that? Haruto kept talking, oblivious.

"If I could date someone like her, I'd probably have to fight off the whole school. She's got that look, you know? Hot and single, ready to mingle!"

I felt something twist in my stomach, an uncomfortable knot. I glanced at Haruto, but he was still going on, his eyes practically sparkling with excitement. I turned back to the girl, my stomach turning again, and then Haruto's voice broke through my thoughts.

"Kiyoshi, someone like her would never even look at a guy like you, right?"

The words hit me harder than I expected. My chest tightened. I just nodded slowly, not trusting myself to speak. Haruto didn't seem to notice the shift in my mood, his voice carrying on with more talk of "dream girls" and how every guy was after someone like her.

"Man, I don't know what you're talking about," I mumbled, more to myself than to him. "Love's just... not something I have time for."

But as Haruto continued to talk, I realized something. As much as I didn't belong in conversations like this, Haruto was there. He was the one who pulled me out of my head, kept me grounded. Even if he didn't understand everything, he was still here.

The wind picked up again, and I closed my eyes for a second, just letting it hit my face. Maybe, just for today, I could forget the nightmares. Maybe I could breathe for a moment.

Maybe I could enjoy this, just sitting here with a friend who actually cared, even if he didn't get it.