The room was dim except for the restless flicker of light spilling through the half-closed curtains. Beyond them, the summer sky pulsed and bloomed — red, gold, and silver arcs unfolding into sparks that drifted away like fireflies. Each burst came with a muffled, chest-deep thump, as though the night itself had a heartbeat.
Renji Aisaka sat at the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees, chin cradled in one palm. His gaze wasn't on the fireworks. It was fixed somewhere on the floor, where shadow and color kept shifting with each distant explosion.
"I can't forget that night," he murmured to the empty room. "I was only ten… but… who was she?"
He closed his eyes, trying to summon her face, but the harder he reached for it, the more it dissolved — a pale outline, hair swaying in the wind, eyes that might have been smiling… or crying.
The faint scent of smoke outside tugged at him, pulling him into the memory whether he wanted it or not.
–––
It had been a clear spring day at school. Ten years old, smaller than most of his classmates, Renji kept to the far edge of the yard with his back against the chain-link fence. The chatter and laughter of other kids reached him as if from a faraway festival — too loud, too bright to belong to him.
A shadow fell over him.
"Hey."
He looked up.
A girl stood there, tilting her head with an almost mischievous curiosity. Her hair caught the sunlight, glowing amber at the edges. Her smile was soft but certain.
"You're Renji Aisaka, right? Wanna play?"
His first instinct was to shake his head, to retreat into silence like always. But she held out her hand — open, waiting. Against all habit, he placed his in hers.
They ran until the air burned in their lungs. They lay on the grass pointing out cloud shapes. She laughed easily, without reservation. For Renji, her laughter was something new — it felt like it reached straight into the hollow space inside him.
Between breaths, she asked, "Why do you always look so serious?"
He hesitated, then told her what no one at school knew. "Because I'm sick. They say I might not live past sixteen."
Her expression faltered — but not for long. "Then we don't waste a single day. I'll teach you how to live."
That day became the first of many.
–––
One summer evening, she appeared at his house without warning.
"There's a fireworks festival tonight," she said, eyes bright. "Come with me."
He wanted to refuse. Crowds weren't his thing. But her smile left no room for escape.
The streets were alive — lanterns swaying from stalls, the scent of grilled food curling through the humid air. She bought him skewers, then candy, teasing him into trying ring toss. He missed every time until the last, when the ring landed perfectly and she clapped as though he'd won a championship.
The first firework thundered above the river, scattering gold across the sky. He turned to comment — but her hand was no longer in his.
Panic surged. He pushed through the crowd, calling her name. Then he heard it — faint, muffled, from a dark side alley.
Three older boys had her cornered. One held her wrist hard enough to bruise; another struck her, leaving a crimson trail down her forehead. She tried to call him again, but her voice was weak, trembling.
Something inside him snapped.
He grabbed a knife from an unattended stall and lunged. One boy yelped as the blade caught his side. Another twisted Renji's arm until white-hot pain tore through him. Voices from the street drew nearer; the boys fled, leaving her against the wall, shaking.
–––
The hospital smelled of antiseptic and faintly of rain. She was alive, but her family kept her behind a closed door. His parents forbade him from seeing her. "It's best to forget," his father said, the words like a cold slap.
Soon after, his treatment changed. Stronger medication — with side effects. Forgetfulness. Her name faded. Her voice blurred. The last clear image of her face dissolved into a shadow.
–––
Four years later, at fourteen, Renji sat in class when the door slid open.
She was there. Older. Different. But those same eyes.
"It's you… You remember me, right? We used to play together."
He stared. "I… don't know you."
She tried — small details only he could know. A festival charm. A promise in the park. But the wall in his mind stayed shut.
Finally, she smiled faintly. "It's okay. I don't have much time either. Just one year."
–––
A year passed. On the evening of the fireworks festival, she sent for him from the hospital.
The riverbank was alive with light and laughter, just as before. She stood waiting in a pale summer yukata, her hair moving gently in the night breeze.
"Will you watch with me? One last time?"
The fireworks rose, one after another. And with each burst, something loosened in him — until a golden firework lit her face and it all came back.
Her laughter. Her warmth. Her promise.
Tears blurred the lights. He pulled her close, holding her as though the world might tear her away again.
"I remember now. I don't want you to die. I want… to live with you."
The final firework bloomed an
d faded, leaving the night in silence.
This concludes the story. Thank you for reading.
Author note
I don't know why I write this story but this story is very short I know already but can you feel the pain inside the story and don't forget to waiting this the just one shot light novel