The school gate creaked slightly as it swayed in the gentle breeze, the fading sun casting golden-orange hues across the courtyard. Airi stood at the entrance, frozen in place. Her breath caught in her throat the moment she saw them—Kaito and Koji—limping slowly toward her, their clothes scuffed, their bodies bruised and marked by the weight of battle.
"Kaito! Koji!" she called out, rushing forward. Her voice trembled, laced with panic. "What... what happened to you guys?"
Koji gave a crooked grin, one eye swelling, a split lip forming a painful smirk. "We got beaten up," he said casually, as if that explained everything.
Kaito scratched the back of his head awkwardly, trying to avoid her gaze. "Yeah... seniors. Four of them, actually. Big guys. Real friendly."
Airi's heart sank. "So... this is what you meant by danger," she murmured, more to herself than to them. She clenched her fists. "Then why...? Why did you get hurt like this?"
Koji chuckled, even though it hurt to laugh. "We saved you, didn't we?"
"Yeah," Kaito added, sheepish. "Guess we're kinda bad at looking cool, huh?"
Airi stared at them in disbelief. The pain, the bruises... they had done it for her. Her chest tightened, warmth and guilt blending into one overwhelming feeling. She looked at them, these two idiots who had thrown themselves into danger without hesitation.
"So all of this... was for me?" she asked, her voice soft, laced with emotion.
Koji nodded without hesitation. "You matter. Kaito asked me for help, and I didn't even have to think about it."
"I couldn't do it alone," Kaito added, his voice quiet. "I didn't want to fail again."
Airi's eyes shimmered. In her heart, she could hear the echo of a time long gone—the voice of the boy she had once known.
Kaito didn't change... she thought, He's still the same as back then. Stubborn, reckless, but always fighting for others.
A small smile bloomed on her face.
"I already forgave you, Kaito," she said softly.
Kaito blinked in surprise. "Huh?"
"For everything. For lying, for rushing me out, for being... you. I forgive you."
Kaito stared at her, stunned, his lips parting slightly as if to say something—anything—but the words never came. Instead, Koji let out a dramatic sigh and clutched his chest.
"Airi, you're too good," Koji said, sniffling jokingly. "You're making us cry, man."
Kaito turned to him, playing along. "Koji... bro."
"Bro...!" Koji cried out.
The two of them bow down their heads, bawling comically loud, their exaggerated sobs echoing off the school walls.
Airi stared, completely bewildered. "What... what are you two doing?"
But just as quickly as the dramatic performance started, it ended. Kaito and Koji pulled away from each other and struck serious poses like nothing had happened, standing with their backs straight and arms crossed, as if the last thirty seconds were a figment of Airi's imagination.
She blinked, then sighed in exasperation. "You two are hopeless."
The sun dipped lower, shadows stretching across the school courtyard. Airi checked her phone and gave them a small wave.
"It's getting late," she said gently. "I'll head home now."
"Be safe, Airi," Kaito said, finally managing a sincere smile.
"Don't worry. My home's just near the station," she replied, turning toward the path that led down the hill.
"Near the station?" Kaito echoed, surprised. "That close?"
"Yeah. It's not far from here." She turned back one last time and smiled. "See you tomorrow."
Then she was gone, her silhouette fading into the deepening twilight.
Only Kaito and Koji remained, standing side by side at the now-quiet school gate. A few cicadas buzzed in the distance. The bruises on their bodies ached, but neither of them complained.
There was a heaviness in the silence between them now—not one of tension, but of something deeper.
"Hey," Kaito said suddenly. "Let's go."
Koji glanced over. "Where to?"
"To Sayuri's cemetery."
Koji's eyes widened slightly. "It's been a while, huh?"
"Too long," Kaito whispered. "I... I miss her."
Koji looked away, his jaw tightening. "Yeah. Me too, man."
Without another word, they began walking, their footsteps soft against the concrete. The air grew cooler as the sky darkened, turning to violet. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves in the trees lining the path. Neither of them spoke. They didn't need to.
Every step toward Sayuri's resting place was filled with unspoken memories—her laughter, her scolding voice, her protective nature. She had always been the glue that held their trio together. Without her, there had been a void neither Kaito nor Koji could fill.
The cemetery was quiet when they arrived. Lanterns lit the edges of the pathway, flickering gently like soft fireflies. Kaito's feet felt heavier as he approached her grave, like the past was weighing him down with every step.
They stopped before a small, well-kept stone. Flowers had been placed there recently. Maybe her parents had come. Or maybe someone else still remembered her.
Kaito crouched down, brushing a few leaves away from the inscription. His fingers lingered on the stone.
"Hey, Sayuri," he said softly. "Sorry we haven't visited. Things have been... chaotic."
Koji stood beside him, silent.
"I messed up again," Kaito continued. "I rushed in, got myself and Koji hurt. But... we saved someone. Her name's Airi. She's kind. Scared, but strong."
Koji cleared his throat. "And she's got a mouth. Definitely knows how to scold."
Kaito smiled faintly. "Kind of like you, huh, Sayuri?"
The wind passed through the cemetery, rustling the trees. For a moment, it felt like she was there—watching, listening.
"I'm trying," Kaito said. "I really am. But it's hard. I feel like every time I try to fix something, I break something else. I wish... I wish I could ask you what to do."
Koji finally spoke, his voice rough. "You always knew how to knock sense into us. We need that now more than ever."
They stood there for a long while, saying nothing. The stars had started to appear in the sky, tiny dots of light scattered across the darkness.
Eventually, Kaito rose to his feet, his knees stiff. "I'll come back again soon. I promise."
Koji nodded. "Next time, we'll bring flowers."
Together, they turned and began walking away. But as they left, a strange peace settled over Kaito's heart. The pain was still there—the weight of the loops, the uncertainty, the fear—but so was something else.
Resolve.
Sayuri was gone, but her memory remained. And Airi, Koji... they were still here. Still fighting. Still believing in him.
And as long as they did, Kaito would keep moving forward.
No matter how many times time turned against him.