Kenji Igarashi stood in front of his locker, gripping a small black box like it might fall apart. It wasn't anything special...well, actually, it kinda was. He bought a pack of dark chocolates from a pretty expensive store last night. It cost him almost 5,955.10 yen (~40 US dollars) for the girl he cared about the most.
It was none other than Yuki Ayano.
To him, she was the prettiest and most intelligent girl he's ever seen.
Kenji leaned around the corner and peeked down the hall. His chest tightened the moment he saw her. Yuki was walking alone toward the cafeteria, head low.
"Alright. It's time to shine. Just walk up, say something clever and hand over the chocolates. You've got this!" He hyped himself up.
He stepped forward—
But then Riko appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Yuki by the wrist, yanking her toward the stairwell without so much as a hello.
Kenji blinked in disbelief.
"You've got to be kidding me. Seriously, Riko..."
She was already halfway up the steps before he could get a word out. Kenji followed them, just far enough back to stay unseen. By the time he reached the top of the stairwell, they were gone. The heavy metal door thudded shut behind them.
Kenji hesitated, waiting for the hallway to clear. Then he eased the metal door open.
***
Sunlight poured over the rooftop, softening the air into a glow. At the edge, Yuki Ayano sat with Riko Fuyumi. Riko had packed multiple egg omelets, so many in fact that there was no way she could finish all of them.
Seeing her friend struggling to eat everything, Yuki casually reached over with a smile and took a few omelets for herself, happily taking a few bites.
Riko then, looked up and noticed Kenji Igarashi standing near the metal door.
"Hey, Igarashi ? What are you doing here?"
Kenji Igarashi stiffened.
"I just wanted to see Ayano. If that's okay."
Yuki Ayano didn't react, she was way too focused on the food in front of her.
Riko nudged her.
"Hey, he wants to talk to you."
Yuki blinked.
"Oh, come over Igarashi ."
He stepped closer and pulled the black chocolate box from behind his back.
"I wanted to give you this," he said.
Yuki looked down." Wait, you got me dark chocolates? not only that but my favorites? Thank you Igarashi , seriously!"
Kenji Igarashi nodded with a huge smile on his face, that he tried hiding.
"I remembered back in our first year of high school you said you liked dark chocolate, So i got you some."
Riko chuckled.
"Creepy stalker behavior, noted."
"I think it's sweet. Shut up Riko and thank you," Yuki said, smiling.
Kenji scratched the back of his neck.
"Just thought you could use a reason to smile."
"Really? Well, why don't you come eat with us," Yuki said.
"Oh! Okay?, thanks," Kenji said.
Yuki thought back to her first year coming to Kyoto High, and how she felt very lonely. The only friend she really had was Riko Fuyumi, who she had known since middle school. But soon after she meet Kenji Igarashi and she remembered when she first met him, he was the only person who looked at her like a real person, not some freak who was perfect.
A few minutes had passed since they all started eating together. Kenji kept glancing in Yuki's direction, like he had more to say but couldn't.
"Have you been following the disappearances? People are apparently are vanishing left, right and center. To the point, even my cousin said he saw someone disappear right in front of him at the train station," he said.
Yuki didn't react.
Riko waved her hand in front of Yuki's face.
"You've been out of it today. You okay?"
"Sorry. I haven't been sleeping well. But yeah, I heard you, Igarashi. It's the first I've heard of any of that, honestly."
Riko leaned back.
"I think it's fake. Some weird internet thing. I don't believe in the supernatural."
Kenji stood up.
"I think it's real. It's been on the news."
"Since when does the news tell the truth?" Riko pointed.
"You always say stuff like that," Kenji frowned.
"And you always fall for it," Riko snapped.
Then, they kept arguing for some time, as they threw playful insults at each other.
Yuki however, had enough of it and stood up, as she had too much in her mind.
"I need some time alone. Sorry you too."
Both of them stopped and looked at her as she walked way.
Riko frowned and pointed at Kenji.
"Look at what you did"
Kenji blinked.
"What!? Me?"
***
It was mid afternoon, and every student from Kyoto High had packed up their stuff. It was the end of the school day after all. The sky had turned a deep orange as Yuki's shadow stretched across the street.
Up ahead, she saw Kenji Igarashi. he ran swiftly down the street, and when Yuki noticed, she quickened her own pace as well.
While trying to catch up to him, she looked down at her bag and saw the chocolate box he gifted her was still in her bag.
She ran forward and yelled.
"Kenji! Wait up, i just want to thank you for the chocolate box!" she called, hurrying.
But it seemed he didn't hear her at all. Yuki soon realized she couldn't keep up with him at all. Then, with a stroke of luck he turned into a narrow alleyway. This was her chance to get his attention. However, as soon as she stepped into the alleyway, her breath caught.
" Igarashi...?!"
She couldn't believe her eyes. Kenji had vanished into thin air, leaving only his clothes on the ground. The sight of his clothes tore through her mind. She remembered her last conversation with Kenji, and how he had mentioned the disappearances that had been plaguing the city. She gritted her teeth as her body collapsed onto the concrete floor, and in that moment, her world turned upside down.
"No… no, no… Igarashi!!!"