On the overpass behind Tsukinomori.
The surrounding tall buildings were brightly lit, their myriad lights illuminating the city.
Sakiko hung her head, her eyes fixed on the road below the overpass, where cars drove by one after another without a moment's pause.
When people stand at a high place, they can't help but wonder what would happen if they accidentally fell.
Would she... die?
If she was lucky enough not to die, she would most likely become disabled.
At this moment, standing on the overpass, Sakiko couldn't help but have such a thought.
But at this time, she had no thought of taking her own life.
At least, that's what she thought.
Speaking of which... why did she come to this place?!
Sakiko clenched her fists, unable to help but ask herself.
Here, there was a very high probability of meeting one of the people she least wanted to see right now: Tomori.
Because Tomori's home was in the residential building next door.
But... she had already met Tomori once at school today.
Sakiko had always known that she and Tomori were in the same school.
Because on the first day of school, she had read through all the new student lists.
She did this to confirm that there was no one she knew, or who knew her, at this school.
It seemed unnecessary?
Sakiko couldn't help but mock herself.
Because apart from Crychic, all her social connections were at Tsukinomori Academy.
Aside from Sakiko, who else from Tsukinomori would flee like a stray dog to these ordinary schools?
However, her luck was indeed a bit poor.
She actually saw two familiar names on the list.
One of them was Takamatsu Tomori.
And she was the person Sakiko felt she had wronged the most.
Fortunately, Tomori was in class 3, and she was in class 8 on a higher floor.
The two had not met from the start of school until this afternoon.
However, after school today, Sakiko left as usual and encountered Tomori at the corner of the stairs.
She also knew that meeting was inevitable, sooner or later.
But she still prayed it would be as late as possible.
When Tomori saw her, she seemed a little happy and surprised.
But there also seemed to be timidity and fear.
Sakiko couldn't help but recall the scene of meeting Tomori; she seemed to have something to say to her.
But under her extremely cold gaze, Tomori recoiled.
Just like a penguin encountering a natural predator.
However, facing Tomori's retreat, Sakiko secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She was truly cunning.
After school, she finished her part-time job as usual.
About half an hour ago, she returned to that simple, cramped home.
Before even pushing open the old door, she could smell a nauseating odor of alcohol.
Entering the house, empty wine bottles were piled on the wooden floor.
It was somewhat laughable...
Looking at the wine bottles on the ground, Sakiko's first thought was actually that after cleaning them up, they could be sold as scrap, earning a small, meager income.
Some wine bottles even had residual alcohol dripping from them.
Sakiko suppressed her inner disgust and painstakingly cleaned up.
Even recalling it now, her beautiful brows couldn't help but furrow.
Back in her room, she prepared to store today's part-time wages along with her previous savings.
But she found that the zipper of her coin purse, hidden in the cabinet, had been opened.
The purse, of course, was empty.
This was the small amount of savings she had accumulated from working hard, leaving early and returning late every day during this period.
No need to ask... Sakiko knew what had happened.
It must have been her degenerate, self-abandoning scoundrel of a father who had secretly taken it.
Sakiko no longer had any thought of speaking to that father.
She just kept blaming herself, knowing full well what kind of person he was.
Why... why did she still keep her savings at home?
She was truly... truly...
Too foolish!
Clutching the few remaining banknotes in her hand, Sakiko ran out.
She didn't know what kind of emotions she was holding.
She walked and walked... until she reached this place.
It was here that she first met Tomori, back when she was still a carefree young lady.
What was Tomori doing here at that time?
Sakiko pondered, unconsciously extending her slender arm into the air.
The scene from that time also appeared in her mind.
But this time, there were no cherry blossoms.
Even the leaves on the surrounding trees had long since turned yellow, and everything presented a sad hue.
Sakiko suddenly realized that at some point, she had, like Tomori back then, stepped onto the lowest rail of the guardrail.
This action was a bit dangerous.
Cars sped by beneath the bridge.
Yes, that's right.
So at that time, she had mistakenly thought Tomori wanted to commit suicide.
And so, to save her, she had rushed over, pushed Tomori, and they both fell to the ground.
Staring at the cars below in a daze, Sakiko's eyes held no fear.
Yes, she was no longer afraid of death, so what else was there to fear?
The weak me of the past is dead.
So, what if the money is gone?
"I want to..."
"I want to..."
Sakiko's mouth opened and closed.
She wanted to shout those words.
I want to become human!
But she found that she couldn't make a sound.
Sakiko smiled, perhaps... she wasn't worthy now...
Just as Sakiko was lost in thought, a sudden sensation of falling attacked her.
Then the world seemed to spin.
After a "bang!" sound, Sakiko fell heavily to the ground.
The sensation of pain instantly spread throughout her entire body via her nerves.
It hurt...
It hurt so much...
Her arms, ankles, back...
The pain caused tears to well up in Sakiko's eyes.
Then she struggled to look up at the person who had pushed her down.
She looked familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before.
Ah...?
Why am I crying?
She hadn't cried since then.
She had clearly told herself that the weak self of the past was dead.
But why, now, could she not stop her tears from falling?
"You can't!"
"I'm sorry I pushed you."
"But you can't try to die!"
Urgency, concern, gentleness, apology...
Worry appeared on the handsome face before her.
Her voice was also mixed with various emotions.
Words of concern constantly entered Sakiko's ears.
However, Sakiko did not respond.
Instead, she suddenly reached out and pressed her chest.
Her chest also throbbed faintly now.
Cunning, cunning, too cunning...
The words spoken by the girl in front of her were so familiar.
She had once said the same thing to Tomori.
Sakiko's thoughts drifted back to that day.
It was on this overpass, in this very spot.
She smiled and extended her hand to the other person, saying, "Let's form a band together!"
This was where Crychic began.
It was also where her dream began.