Morning came like nothing had changed.
The sky was clear.
Voices filled the classroom.
Desks, chairs, the same as yesterday.
Everything… exactly the same.
---
"…Haruki?"
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He didn't respond.
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"…Haruki."
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A hand tapped his desk.
He blinked.
Daichi was leaning over him, eyebrows raised.
"Where did you go?"
---
"…what?"
---
"You've been staring at the board for five minutes."
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A few students nearby laughed quietly.
Haruki looked forward again.
The teacher was writing something.
He hadn't noticed when the class started.
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"…sorry."
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Daichi narrowed his eyes.
"…you're acting weird."
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"I'm not."
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Riku, sitting beside them, didn't look up from his notebook.
"Not weird," he said calmly.
"…distracted."
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Haruki didn't reply.
---
Because that was closer.
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The rest of the class passed in pieces.
Words came in.
Didn't stay.
Didn't connect.
---
A voice.
A name.
A figure standing still in fading light.
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"…Shin."
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The sound of his own voice echoed faintly in his head.
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"Haruki."
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He looked up.
Aoi stood beside his desk.
Not rushed.
Not hesitant.
Just there.
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"…yeah?"
---
She watched him for a moment.
Then—
"You saw him yesterday."
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Not a question.
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Haruki's fingers tightened slightly on his pen.
"…who?"
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Aoi didn't blink.
"Don't pretend."
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Silence.
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"I don't know what you're talking about."
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The words came out smoothly.
Too smoothly.
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Aoi tilted her head just a little.
"…then why did you say his name?"
---
Everything stopped.
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No sound.
No movement.
---
"…what?"
---
"You said it," she continued, calm as ever.
"Yesterday."
---
Haruki stared at her.
Trying to find something to deny.
Something to hold onto.
---
"…I didn't—"
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"You did."
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No emotion in her voice.
Just certainty.
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And that made it worse.
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A pause.
Then she added quietly—
"…Shin."
---
The name landed again.
Heavier this time.
---
Something inside him shifted.
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"…I…"
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Nothing came after.
---
Aoi looked at him a second longer.
Then turned.
"…class is ending."
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And walked away.
---
She didn't push further.
She didn't need to.
---
---
The hallway felt louder than usual.
Or maybe—
he just couldn't block it out anymore.
---
Voices overlapping.
Footsteps.
Laughter.
---
None of it stayed.
---
He kept walking.
Without direction.
---
"…what is this…"
---
The words slipped out under his breath.
---
A flash.
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Sunlight.
A road.
Someone walking beside him.
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A voice—
"You're slow."
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Then—
nothing.
---
Haruki stopped.
---
His chest tightened slightly.
Not pain.
Just… pressure.
---
"…stop…"
---
The image was gone.
---
Only the feeling remained.
---
And it didn't feel new.
---
---
The field was busy again.
Preparations continued like nothing had happened.
---
Haruki stood at the edge.
Watching.
---
People moved.
Voices called out.
Instructions passed from one group to another.
---
Then—
he saw him.
---
Not hidden.
Not distant.
---
Clear.
---
Shin stood near the center, adjusting something with a group of students.
Calm.
Focused.
Every movement simple, precise.
---
People listened.
Not because they had to.
Because it worked.
---
Haruki didn't move.
---
His eyes stayed there.
---
And then—
Shin looked up.
---
Directly at him.
---
No confusion.
No hesitation.
---
Recognition.
---
The distance between them—
felt smaller.
And heavier.
---
"…you're going to keep looking at me like that?"
---
Haruki froze.
---
The voice was calm.
Not sharp.
Not mocking.
---
Just… direct.
---
"…do I know you?"
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The question came out before he could stop it.
---
A small pause.
---
Shin studied him.
Carefully.
---
"…you used to."
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Simple.
Clear.
---
But it hit deeper than expected.
---
Haruki's throat tightened slightly.
"…I don't remember."
---
"I can see that."
---
No anger.
No disappointment.
---
That made it worse.
---
"…then why didn't you say anything?"
---
The words came out sharper this time.
---
Shin didn't answer immediately.
---
"…would it have changed anything?"
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Silence.
---
Haruki opened his mouth.
Closed it again.
---
There was no answer.
---
Because—
he didn't know.
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A voice called out from behind.
"Ace! We need you here!"
---
Shin glanced back briefly.
---
Then turned again.
---
"…if you remember," he said quietly,
"come find me."
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And walked away.
---
Just like that.
---
No explanation.
No pause.
---
The space between them returned.
---
But it didn't feel the same anymore.
---
It felt—
real.
---
---
"…I talked to him."
---
Aoi's presence was quiet.
But steady.
---
Haruki didn't look at her.
---
"…I know."
---
"…he said I used to know him."
---
A small pause.
---
"…he's not wrong."
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That was all.
---
No explanation.
No comfort.
---
Just truth.
---
The wind moved softly across the field.
---
Haruki exhaled.
Slow.
Unsteady.
---
"…why does it feel like I'm the only one who doesn't know anything?"
---
Aoi didn't answer.
---
Because he already knew.
---
---
Night.
---
The room was quiet.
---
Haruki lay on his back, staring at the ceiling.
---
His eyes didn't move.
---
"…Shin…"
---
The name felt different now.
---
Closer.
---
A flicker.
---
This time—
clearer.
---
A younger him.
Standing beside someone.
Laughing.
---
A voice—
"Don't forget this time."
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The image broke.
---
Haruki sat up suddenly.
---
His hand pressed lightly against his head.
---
"…what…"
---
His breathing slowed.
---
"…what did I promise?"
---
Silence filled the room.
---
But this time—
it wasn't empty.
---
It felt like something was already gone.
---
And he was only now noticing it.
"…why does it feel like I already broke it?