The morning felt… different.
Kazuki noticed it the moment his eyes opened, even before he fully woke up. The room was quiet—no alarm blaring, no footsteps in the hallway—just that faint gray light slipping through the curtains like the world was still deciding whether it wanted to begin. Normally, he would've stayed there, staring at the ceiling, letting the minutes pass without really thinking about anything. That was how his mornings usually went—slow, distant, untouched. But today… something lingered in his chest, light but impossible to ignore. He let out a quiet breath and pushed himself up, running a hand through his hair as the memory surfaced.
"…Right."
The promise.
And just like that, the usual weight that kept him in bed wasn't there anymore.
The walk to school didn't change—but somehow, it felt like it had.
The same streets stretched ahead of him, the same vending machines humming softly at the corners, the same early morning traffic moving lazily through the city. Nothing was different. And yet… everything felt sharper. Lighter. His steps came a little faster than usual, his thoughts drifting in circles he didn't quite understand. He didn't question it. Not really.
By the time he reached the school gate, his pace had slowed again—just slightly.
Because she was already there.
Hikari stood near the entrance, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her hands tucked behind her back as if she was trying to act patient and failing at it. The moment she saw him, her face lit up—completely, instantly, like she hadn't been expecting anything else but still couldn't hold it in.
She waved.
Not casually. Not shyly.
Bright. Open. Completely her.
Kazuki didn't wave back.
He never did.
Instead, he walked toward her with his usual quiet steps, hands buried in his pockets, gaze slightly lowered—not avoiding her, just… not quite meeting her either. But when he stopped in front of her, there was a small pause. Just enough to feel it.
"…Good morning."
Hikari froze.
It lasted barely a second—but it was real.
Her eyes widened just slightly, like she hadn't expected it—even though she had been waiting for it.
Then— "You did it again!"
The words burst out of her, bright and uncontrollable, like she couldn't keep them in even if she tried. She bounced lightly on her feet, grabbing onto her sleeve as if she needed something to hold onto, her excitement practically spilling over.
"That's four days!" she continued, beaming at him like this was the greatest achievement she'd ever witnessed. "Four days in a row! Do you even realize how amazing that is?"
Kazuki looked at her, unimpressed—or at least pretending to be.
"It's just a greeting."
"It's not just a greeting," she shot back immediately, stepping a little closer, her energy refusing to settle. "It's progress. Big progress."
She leaned in slightly, her eyes sparkling now, that familiar playful glint creeping in.
"And that means…" she said, dragging it out just enough to make him regret listening, "…you've earned your reward."
Kazuki blinked, already tired. "You're still doing that?"
"Of course I am," she replied without hesitation, lifting her chin just a little with quiet pride. "I keep my promises."
For a moment, she tapped her finger lightly against her lips, pretending to think—though the smile she was trying (and failing) to hide gave her away.
"I'll give it to you during break," she decided, as if she had just made a very serious and important judgment. Then she pointed at him, narrowing her eyes slightly. "So don't disappear on me, okay?"
"I don't run."
"You emotionally run," she corrected instantly, far too quickly for it to be a coincidence.
"…I don't do that either."
She didn't argue. Didn't push.
She just smiled—soft, knowing, and a little too warm—like she already understood something he hadn't admitted yet.
And somehow… that made his chest feel just a little tighter than before.
Classes felt unusually long that day.
Kazuki didn't notice it right away. It crept up on him somewhere in the middle of second period, subtle at first, like something just slightly off. Then it became impossible to ignore. The ticking of the clock on the wall—something he had tuned out for as long as he could remember—felt louder than it should have been, each second stretching just a little too far.
He glanced at it without thinking.
Then again a few minutes later.
And then again.
It was strange. Time had never bothered him like this before. If anything, he was used to letting it slip past unnoticed, blending into the background along with everything else he didn't care to pay attention to.
But today was different.
His pen tapped lightly against the desk, a quiet, restless rhythm as his eyes drifted upward once more. Still not break.
He exhaled softly, leaning back just a little. "This is stupid," he muttered under his breath.
And yet, he didn't stop checking.
Because for the first time in a long while, there was something waiting for him on the other side of that clock.
And when you start waiting for something… time has a quiet, almost cruel way of slowing down.
By the time the bell finally rang, Kazuki already knew she was there.
He didn't hear her footsteps. Didn't see her approach. He just felt it, the same way you notice a change in the air without knowing why.
"Kazuki."
He looked up.
Hikari stood beside his desk, hands tucked neatly behind her back, her expression soft but unreadable. There was a hint of a smile on her lips, the kind that felt like it was meant just for him.
"Come on," she said lightly. "Let's go."
He blinked, still half caught in his thoughts. "…Where?"
Her smile didn't change. "You'll see."
And just like that, she turned and walked toward the door, not even checking if he would follow.
For a second, he stayed where he was.
Then he stood up.
And followed.
The rooftop welcomed them with open sky and a gentle breeze that brushed past like a quiet greeting.
It always felt different up there. Lighter, somehow. Like the weight of everything below didn't quite reach that high. The sounds of the school faded into a distant murmur, leaving behind only the wind and the endless stretch of blue above.
Hikari stepped forward first, moving toward the railing before spinning lightly in place, her hair catching the wind for just a moment before settling again. There was something effortless about the way she moved, like she belonged there.
"I love it up here," she said, stretching her arms slightly as she looked out at the sky. "It feels like the world is bigger."
Kazuki lingered a few steps behind her, hands in his pockets, his gaze drifting upward.
"…It's just the sky," he said.
"Exactly," she replied without missing a beat, her smile softening.
Then, as if she had just remembered something, she turned back to him and reached into her bag.
"I didn't forget your reward," she added.
She pulled out two bento boxes, holding them up for a moment before walking back toward him. One she kept. The other she handed over without ceremony, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Here."
Kazuki took it, a little more carefully than necessary. "…Thanks."
They sat down beside each other, not too close, but not far either. Just enough space for the wind to pass between them, carrying with it the faint sounds of life continuing somewhere below.
They opened their lunches and began to eat.
No rush. No pressure to fill the silence.
For a while, neither of them said anything.
And somehow… it didn't feel awkward.
It wasn't empty.
If anything, it felt quiet in a way that was comfortable. Like the kind of silence you don't notice because you don't need to.
Kazuki found himself glancing at her once, then quickly looking away.
Hikari didn't say anything.
But the small smile on her face never quite faded.
And for reasons he couldn't fully explain—
he didn't mind the silence at all.
After they finished eating, Kazuki found himself stealing glances at her without really meaning to. It wasn't obvious—at least, he hoped it wasn't—but his mind had already drifted back to what she'd said earlier. The "reward." He hadn't forgotten about it, not even for a second.
"…So?" he finally asked, trying to sound casual and failing just a little. "What was it?"
Hikari blinked, then let out a soft laugh like she had almost forgotten. "Oh… right. That."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small folded piece of paper, but instead of handing it to him, she held onto it. Her fingers lingered on the edges like it meant more than it probably should have. For a moment, she just stared at it, her usual confidence slipping into something quieter.
"…I've never done this before," she admitted under her breath.
Kazuki frowned slightly. "Done what?"
She didn't answer him right away. Instead, she stretched her hand out toward him, offering the paper at last. From where he stood, he could just barely make out faint writing on it.
"My number," she said, her voice softer now, almost careful. "I've never given it to a guy before… so don't make it weird, okay?"
She turned her face slightly, trying to play it off, but the faint blush on her cheeks gave her away completely.
Kazuki stared at the paper for a second.
Then, instead of taking it, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He unlocked it, opened his contacts, and just… stopped. His fingers hovered over the screen like he was about to do something important, but then froze.
"…?"
Hikari tilted her head, watching him. "You're not taking it?"
No response.
"…Kazuki?"
He hesitated, then awkwardly held his phone out toward her without quite looking her in the eyes. "…Can you write it in for me?"
She blinked. "…Huh?"
"I can't really see the screen properly," he added quietly, like that somehow explained everything.
There was a brief pause.
Then she blinked again.
And then she burst out laughing.
"Wait, seriously?" she said between breaths, clutching her stomach slightly. "That's why you didn't take it? I thought you were rejecting me!"
She wiped the corner of her eye, still laughing. "I was literally about to take it back and pretend this never happened!"
Kazuki turned his face away, his ears noticeably red now. "…Just take the phone."
"Wow," she said, grinning as she grabbed it from his hand. "You really can't do anything without me, huh?"
"That's not—"
"I'm kidding, relax," she said with a soft laugh, already typing.
Then she paused.
"…Wait."
Her eyes narrowed slightly at the screen.
"…You only have two contacts?"
Kazuki didn't answer.
She looked up at him slowly, her expression shifting when she realized.
"Your mom… and your dad."
"…Yeah."
For a moment, neither of them said anything.
The teasing look on her face faded into something gentler, something quieter.
"Well," she said softly as she finished typing, "that makes me special then."
A small smile tugged at her lips. "Now you've got three."
She handed the phone back to him.
Kazuki looked down at the screen.
**Hikari Tachibana**
For some reason, his chest felt… lighter. Warmer, even.
"…Thanks," he said.
Hikari smiled, a little brighter this time. "Don't thank me. You earned it."
Then, after a tiny pause, she added with a playful tilt of her head, "But you better actually use it, okay? I'm not giving my number out for nothing."
Kazuki glanced at her, just for a second, before looking away again.
"…I will."
And for once, he meant it immediately.
After school, they walked home together like they always did, side by side, close enough that their shoulders almost brushed but never quite did. The late afternoon sun stretched their shadows across the pavement, long and quiet, like they were following behind them. Kazuki found himself talking more than usual—not a lot, not enough for anyone else to notice—but enough that Hikari noticed. She always did.
And she laughed.
Bright, effortless, the kind of laugh that made people turn their heads without realizing why. It wasn't forced or polite. It was just… her.
"You know," she said after a while, looking straight ahead as she kicked a small pebble along the road, "if you keep improving like this…"
She paused, then smiled to herself, like she'd just thought of something she liked.
"…these might end up being really important days."
Kazuki stopped walking.
He didn't even realize he had until Hikari took a few more steps and noticed he wasn't beside her anymore.
"Hm?" She turned back, tilting her head slightly. "What's wrong?"
He couldn't answer.
Because something inside him shifted.
The warmth he'd been feeling all afternoon—the lightness, the ease—it suddenly twisted into something else. Something heavier. Sharper. Like it didn't belong to him.
What am I doing?
The thought slipped out before he could stop it.
Enjoying this. Smiling like nothing's wrong.
Forgetting.
His fingers slowly curled into his palms.
Forgetting what?
No…Not what. When.
89 days.
The number hit him all over again, hard and unforgiving, like it had been waiting for the exact moment he let his guard down.
His chest tightened.
"I should tell her…" he whispered, barely audible even to himself.
The idea came suddenly, almost recklessly.
Just tell her everything.
The timers. Her number. The truth he'd been carrying alone.
But the moment it formed, so did the fear.
What if she gets scared?
What if that smile disappears?
What if she looks at me differently?
Worse—
What if she hates me?
His throat went dry. Whatever courage he thought he had vanished just as quickly as it came.
"Kazuki?"
Her voice pulled him back.
He looked up.
She was watching him now, really watching him, her expression softer than before, a small crease forming between her brows.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
For a second, he just stared at her.
At her eyes.
At that same smile that hadn't fully disappeared, just… dimmed a little with worry.
And instead of answering, he asked something else.
"…Do you think people can suddenly run out of time?"
The question came out quieter than he intended.
Hikari blinked.
"…That's kind of random," she said, letting out a small, amused breath.
He didn't respond.
Didn't look away either.
She studied him for a moment longer, like she was trying to decide whether he was joking.
Then, slowly, she turned her gaze upward.
The sky was painted in soft gold, the kind that only lasted for a few minutes before fading away completely.
For a moment, she just stood there, thinking.
Kazuki watched her, his heartbeat louder than it should have been.
Then she smiled.
Not her usual bright, teasing smile.
Something quieter.
"…Yeah," she said.
Kazuki felt his breath catch.
"I think they can."
His chest tightened again.
Of course. Of course she would say that.
But before the weight of it could settle completely, she continued.
"But I don't think that's a bad thing."
He blinked.
"…What?"
She turned back to him, her eyes clear, steady in a way that made it hard to look away.
"If time can just run out like that," she said, "then… doesn't that make everything a little more important?"
A soft breeze passed between them, lifting a few strands of her hair. She didn't notice. Or maybe she didn't care.
"So even if it's short," she went on, her voice gentle but certain, "as long as it's real… I think that's enough."
And then she smiled again.
This time, it was softer. Warmer.
Closer.
Kazuki couldn't say anything.
He wanted to. He really did.
But the words wouldn't come.
Because somehow—Her answer scared him more than the number ever had.