subha_san

He forgets the little things. But she never forgot him.

Yutsume Naji is an average high school student — quiet, a little forgetful, and always hiding behind his headphones.

Until one spring morning, a girl from his past transfers into his class.

Shizuka, his childhood friend, remembers every promise he’s forgotten.

And soon, another girl — Akari, the silent bookworm — starts falling for him too.

A soft, slow romance begins to bloom... between two heartbeats.

(A light novel about love, memory, and the moments that stay with us forever.)

Between two heartbeats

Chapter 3 — Whispers of the Past

After school — golden hour lights spill over the emptying courtyard

As the final bell echoed through the halls, I slung my bag over my shoulder and stared out the classroom window. The soft breeze carried the scent of sakura petals — familiar, gentle… nostalgic.

Shizuka-chan was waiting by the school gate, her hair fluttering as she waved to someone else. I hesitated… then walked up slowly.

She turned, smiling brightly. "Naji-kun?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Um… wanna walk for a bit? I feel like… there's still something I haven't remembered."

Her smile softened, and she nodded without a word. The two of us walked side by side — no rush, no destination.

> "I remember holding a small paper umbrella like this in summer... and I think I gave you mine when it started to rain."

Shizuka gasped slightly. "You… You really remember that?"

She looked at me, eyes wide, hands clutched to her chest.

I nodded slowly. "Bits and pieces... but they feel real now."

We kept walking, the streets quietly glowing under the late sun. More flashes came — laughter on a slide, holding her hand so she wouldn't trip, her crying when I scraped my knee. Each memory linked to another like threads weaving back together.

Then, as we passed a vending machine near the park… it hit me.

> I stopped in my tracks. A strange image flashed in my mind.

The sound of running water. A splash. A girl's surprised gasp.

—FLASHBACK—

"Ah—! Watch it…!"

The lid slipped from my hands. Water splashed everywhere.

I looked up — a girl stood frozen, her uniform soaked with sauce.

Long dark hair. Cold eyes. A stiff silence between us.

"S-Sorry…" I mumbled, but she had already walked away.

—FLASHBACK END—

I blinked, shaking the image from my head.

"There was… a girl," I said slowly. "I messed up her uniform during lunch. I didn't even apologize properly. But something about her felt strange... like I've seen her before."

Shizuka tilted her head. "You mean… someone from today?"

"Maybe... or maybe something more," I murmured.

We stopped at the hill near the school gate where we used to race down as kids. Shizuka looked out at the sunset.

"I'm glad," she whispered. "You're starting to remember… and not just me."

But something else stirred in my chest.

Or maybe a new story… just beginning.