After class, Kaito stepped out of the room, the warm afternoon sun casting golden light over the school grounds. A gentle breeze rustled the trees, carrying with it the scent of fresh grass and distant blossoms. Airi followed closely behind, her footsteps soft and deliberate, her expression conflicted. They walked together, the sounds of chattering students and shuffling shoes filling the background as they made their way to the school gate.
Kaito let out a weary sigh, the air heavy with unspoken tension.
"Say what you want to say, Airi," he murmured, glancing sideways.
She hesitated, then stopped walking. Her eyes searched his face, vulnerability shimmering behind them. "You... you really don't remember, do you?"
Kaito frowned. "Remember what?"
She exhaled, her voice a mixture of frustration and sorrow. "We were childhood best friends. You and me. We used to spend every day together."
Kaito looked away, a crease forming between his brows. "I know... you told me before. But I really don't remember. It's like there's nothing there. No memory of us at all."
Airi's heart clenched. Her lips parted slightly, as if to say more, but she stopped herself. In her mind, she vowed: If he doesn't remember, then I'll create new memories with him. I'll make him remember—no matter what.
She forced a smile. "Alright... see you tomorrow, Kaito."
He nodded silently. "Yeah."
They parted ways, unaware that their lives were about to change forever.
Kaito walked along the sidewalk toward the road where his mother usually waited. His steps were slow, distracted. The light breeze tousled his hair, but his thoughts were elsewhere—on Sayuri.
As he rounded the corner, a familiar figure approached from the opposite direction. It was Koji.
Koji was a tall, calm presence. Mature beyond his years, his gaze was steady and thoughtful, and his posture carried quiet confidence. He wore the same uniform, but there was a noticeable air of wisdom around him. Kaito had always admired that about Koji.
"Yo, Kaito," Koji called out, a slight smile on his face. "You heading somewhere?"
Kaito blinked, surprised. "Koji... yeah, I was just going to visit someone."
Koji's expression softened as he nodded knowingly. "Sayuri?"
Kaito gave a small nod. "Yeah. I just... felt like I needed to see her."
Koji fell into step beside him. "Mind if I come along? It's been a while since I visited her too."
"Sure," Kaito replied, a bit more comforted by Koji's presence.
They walked in silence for a while, their shoes clicking softly against the pavement. The town faded behind them, replaced by nature's quiet embrace. Birds chirped in the distance, and the rustle of the trees followed them like whispers from another time.
When they reached the cemetery, the atmosphere shifted. The air was cooler, the scent of incense and blooming sakura hanging gently. Sayuri's grave rested beneath a large sakura tree, petals dancing around it like tiny memories falling from the sky.
They approached the gravestone with quiet reverence. Kaito knelt down, brushing away dust and fallen petals from the stone. Koji stood beside him, hands in his pockets, eyes solemn.
"Sayuri... it's been a while," Kaito whispered, his voice tinged with sorrow.
Koji closed his eyes briefly, as if offering silent words of his own. After a moment, he knelt beside Kaito and helped him gently clean the grave.
"She was a good person," Koji said softly. "You know, I still remember how she used to laugh. It was the kind of laugh that made people around her smile."
Kaito smiled faintly. "Yeah. It's strange, but sometimes I think I can still hear it."
They remained there for a while, memories hanging in the air like the sakura petals above.
Eventually, Koji stood and dusted off his knees. "I'm gonna head off. I need to drop by somewhere before going home."
Kaito nodded. "Thanks for coming. It meant a lot."
Koji smiled slightly. "Anytime. Take care, Kaito."
They exchanged a nod, and Koji walked down a different path, disappearing into the trees. Kaito watched him go, then turned his attention back to the grave one last time before heading home.
As Kaito made his way back through the quiet streets, his thoughts drifted again. The calm that Koji had brought with him now faded, replaced by an unsettling feeling. He passed a small shop, and a familiar scent hit him. Chocolate. He stopped.
Inside the shop, behind a glass display, sat a perfect chocolate cake—his mother's favorite.
He stepped in. "Excuse me, can I get two chocolate cakes?"
The woman behind the counter smiled warmly. "Of course. That'll be 750 yen."
He handed over the cash and nodded. "Thank you."
With the cakes in hand, he stepped back into the cooling air. The sun was beginning to dip toward the horizon, casting long shadows over the quiet neighborhood.
His house loomed ahead, familiar and still.
He opened the front door. "Mom! I'm home!" he called, his voice echoing slightly.
Silence.
He stepped inside, the air unusually heavy. Something felt... off.
"Mom?" he called again.
His eyes drifted to the staircase—and stopped.
A trail of blood snaked down the steps, crimson and glistening.
His heart dropped.
Then—a voice.
"No! Please don't kill him!"
A girl's scream, high-pitched and terrified.
Bang!
A gunshot.
Another scream.
"Help me!"
Bang!
Kaito's body moved on its own. He crept up the stairs, every creak beneath his feet magnified a hundred times. The metallic scent of blood grew stronger. He turned toward his mother's room.
He pushed the door open.
She lay there—his mother—lifeless, covered in wounds, a gunshot to her chest. Her eyes were still open, frozen in shock.
A choked sound escaped Kaito. He staggered back, tears stinging his eyes.
He forced himself down the hallway to Riku's room.
Riku's body was on the floor, his blood soaking into the carpet.
Kaito bit down on his hand to stop himself from crying out.
Then he saw him.
A man. Tall, dressed in black. A gloved hand bearing a star-shaped insignia. Calmly reloading his weapon.
It's them, Kaito thought. That symbol... it's the same.
His body trembled, but he pushed on.
Aiko.
He opened the last door—just enough.
She lay there. A gunshot wound in her forehead. Her doll still clutched in her hand.
Kaito's heart shattered.
The man in black paused. Then—he turned.
He sensed something.
Kaito gasped and backed away—but a creak.
"Who's there?" the man said, voice icy.
Kaito froze. Panic surged through him, but his legs wouldn't move.
The man stepped forward, gaze dark and piercing. A twisted smile played on his lips.
He raised his weapon.
Time stopped.
Kaito's breath hitched. Every heartbeat thundered in his ears.
The man stared directly at him, as if looking into his soul.
And then—
He stopped.
Stillness.
The air was suffocating. Kaito could feel his chest rising and falling rapidly.
Then the man turned, as if someone had called him.
He lowered the weapon.
Without a word, he walked into the shadows and vanished.
Kaito collapsed to the floor, shaking.
His world had just been torn apart—and nothing would ever be the same again.