It was a very chilly evening. A boy is walking out of a jewelry store, holding a Violet box in his hands. There's a huge smile on his face and a ring inside of the box.
"Thank you for visiting! Have a great evening!" said the person at the counter politely.
The boy is Koyo Ishikawa, 23 years old, dropped out student, currently doing a part time job at a local restaurant.
He gazes at the violet box passionately as he murmured, "I hope she accepts it." Today is the 5th anniversary of his relationship with his Girlfriend as he was going to propose to her today.
"Will she?"Koyo asked himself with confusion. He doesn't have a stable job that's why he was nervous and not sure about it. He knows he's not ready yet but still he's going to propose to her girlfriend today. He takes a heavy breath, he exhaled heavily "I want her to be closer to me, as much as possible, I don't want to lose her" His gaze dropped to his hand as he slowly unclenched his fist "Cause she's the only one I have left". He quickly sees the time and realized he's late "Oh gosh, I'm late! she's going to kill me, if I make her wait for too long".
He starts running toward his destination, Odawara Castle Park, where they had begun their journey together as a couple. With every step he takes, old memories flood back. They had met for the first time eight years ago.
[Past Event]
In the year 2014, it was January, Koyo was sitting on his desk, waiting for the class to start. The class teacher walked in with a new transfer student and said, "Class, this is Tsukiko Hosokawa, your new classmate. Please make her feel welcome. Tsukiko, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?"
She looked nervous, yet she said, "Hi, everyone. I'm Tsukiko Hosokawa. I like singing and drawing. I'm looking forward to studying with you all."
As the class murmured in curiosity about the new girl, Kazuki leaned toward Koyo with a smirk.
"Yo, bro, don't you think this new girl is kinda your type?" he whispered teasingly.
Koyo shot him a glare. "What are you talking about, man?" he muttered, but the moment he glanced back at Tsukiko, their eyes met.
A faint blush crept onto his face, and he quickly looked away.
Kazuki chuckled. "Oh? What's this? Blushing already?"
"Shut up,"Koyo grumbled, turning his head toward the window, trying to shake off the strange feeling in his chest, he never had any feeling toward anyone.
The class teacher assigned her a seat beside Koyo.
"Now, I need one of you to show Tsukiko around the school campus," the teacher announced, scanning the room. "Let's see… who's going to do it?"
Before anyone could volunteer, Kazuki shot his hand up with a mischievous grin.
"Teacher, I have the perfect candidate for that duty! It should be Koyo," he declared.
Koyo's head snapped toward him. "Hey, hold on a second!" he protested, his brows furrowing.
Kazuki leaned towards Koyo and whispered, "C'mon, bro. It's fate."
Koyo groaned, rubbing his temple. "Why me…?"
But then his eyes met Tsukiko's again--- her deep, brown, marble-like eyes held a quiet charm that caught him off guard he felt like something he never experienced before. He hesitated, then let out a reluctant sigh. "All right, fine… I'll do it," he muttered, his tone softer than before. After class, Koyo led Tsukiko around the school campus. They talked as they walked, and Koyo quickly picked up on her mannerisms. She spoke with a gentle, thoughtful rhythm, neither too reserved nor too outgoing—an ambivert, balanced between solitude and companionship. There was kindness in her voice, warmth in her words.
She smiled often, laughed at little things, and seemed genuinely happy. But Koyo wasn't so easily fooled.
There was something in her eyes—something distant, like a shadow behind the light of her smile.
She wasn't really fine. And Koyo could tell.
.
In just a few days, Tsukiko started to become popular. Her cheerful and gentle personality naturally drew people toward her, and soon, she was surrounded by classmates eager to befriend her. She laughed more, talked more, and blended into the flow of school life with ease.
Meanwhile, Koyo's life slowly returned to normal. He went about his usual routine
Koyo's daily routine used to be pretty average. He would wake up early, do some basic exercise, get ready for school, and leave for school. After classes, he would return home, no extra activities. In the evening, after having his meal, he would go out for a jog.
One evening, after finishing his meal, Koyo set out for his usual walk. Lost in thought, he wandered aimlessly, and before he knew it, he found himself standing by the river once again.it was a full moon, the full moon shone brightly in the night sky, its soft silver light reflecting on the water. The gentle waves sparkled, almost like tiny stars dancing on the surface.
Exhausted, he sank onto a nearby bench. He didn't even notice that someone else was already sitting there. Rubbing his arms against the evening chill, he muttered to himself, "Hah… it's getting colder."
He turned to his right and, to his surprise, saw a girl sitting beside him. His heart skipped a beat as he quickly stood up, flustered.
"S-Sorry! I didn't see you there. I'll leave—"
But before he could take a step, she looked up at him. The moment their eyes met, his body froze, as if time itself had stopped.
In that instant, two things became clear to him.
First, she was Tsukiko Hosokawa.
And second… she was crying.
Those tears in her eyes sparkled like stars, their soft glow catching the light of the moon. Despite the fact that the bright moonlight usually drowned out the stars, here, in her eyes, it was different. It was as if those tears were stars in their own right, casting a light that outshone the moon itself.
In that moment, it felt like Koyo was no longer standing by a river, no longer bound by the world around him. It was as if he had stepped into another realm entirely—a place where time froze, where nothing existed but the depth of her gaze.
He couldn't stop himself from asking, his voice almost a whisper, "Hosokawa? are you… crying?"
She quickly turned away, her face hidden behind her hands, and stood up to leave.
But before she could take a step, Koyo reached out and gently grasped the sleeve of her jacket.
"Hosokawa, are you alright?" he asked, his voice soft yet filled with concern. "I've been noticing it lately… in class, during sports periods, and always. There's this sadness in your eyes."
He paused, taking a breath, still holding onto her sleeve, unwilling to let go. "It's been a while now, and I've been wanting to ask… Are you really, okay? If something is bothering you, you can tell me I promise, I'll keep it a secret. No one else will know."
She slowly turned around, her gaze meeting his. For a moment, she hesitated, but as she looked into his eyes, she saw something she hadn't expected—kindness.
There was no pity, no judgment, just a quiet understanding, as if he could see right through her carefully built walls. His eyes weren't just looking at her—they were reaching into the depths of her heart, searching for the pain she had been hiding for so long.
And in that moment, she knew.
He could tell.
He knew she was hurting.
That she wasn't okay.
That she was barely holding on.
Even though they hadn't talked much before, something about Koyo's kind eyes made her feel safe—so safe that, without thinking, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
A quiet sob escaped her lips as she buried her face in his chest, her body trembling as fresh tears fell freely.
It was, without a doubt, an awkward situation. Koyo stiffened for a second, unsure of what to do. But in the end, none of that mattered. Not the awkwardness, not the unexpected closeness—only the fact that she was hurting.
And if this was what she needed to let it all out, then he wasn't going to push her away.
So, without a word, he simply stood there, letting her cry in the safety of his arms. Then she started to talk and that was the first time they truly talked.
Between some quiet sobs, Tsukiko finally opened up to him.
She told him how much she missed her old friends, how every time she started to feel at home somewhere, she had to leave. Because of her constant school transfers, she had stopped trying to make friends—afraid that if she got too close to someone, she'd just end up losing them again.
Koyo listened carefully, taking in every word. He understood her pain—the fear of getting attached only to be forced to say goodbye again.
Without thinking twice, he gently patted her head and said, "Right now I can't imagine how are you feeling now, but don't worry everything will be all right I'm sure about it."
The words left his mouth naturally, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. And before he could stop himself, he added, "And if you want, I can be your friend."
Tsukiko lifted her head slightly, her teary eyes widening in surprise. For a moment, there was silence between them, only the sound of the river flowing beside them. Then, slowly, a small, genuine smile formed on her lips—the first real smile he had ever seen from her.
[Current Time]
Koyo finally reached Odawara Castle Park, the place where they had planned to meet on this special day. As he caught his breath, he checked his watch and frowned—it was already past the time they had agreed on.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "She's taking too long today, isn't she?" he muttered to himself, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling creeping up his spine.
His gaze drifted toward the cherry trees, their delicate pink petals swaying gently in the evening breeze. A nostalgic smile tugged at his lips. "These cherry blossoms… they take me back. Back to the time I proposed to her."
Lost in the memory for a moment, he suddenly snapped back to reality. His smile faded as a sense of impatience and worry settled in.
"What's taking her so long? Tsukiko… just come here already."
He waited, Minutes turned into hours, yet there was still no sign of her. Koyo's heart slowly twisted into unease.
He pulled out his phone and dialled her number. The line rang… once, twice… but no response. He tried again—still nothing.
His fingers tightened around his phone as he stared at the screen, willing it to light up with her name. But the silence stretched on, deafening and unforgiving.
Even as doubt crept into his mind, he refused to leave. He stood there, beneath the cherry blossoms, waiting and hoping.
But no matter how long he waited, she never showed up.
Worried, Koyo returned to his apartment. His mind was in chaos, filled with nothing but questions. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't sleep a bit.
"Where is she? Is she okay?"
The thoughts twirled in his head, refusing to give him a moment of peace. The hours dragged on, each second stretching unbearably long.
As soon as the first light of morning broke through his window, he didn't waste a moment. He rushed to Tsukiko's apartment, his heart pounding with unease. But when he arrived, his stomach dropped by seeing the door of her apartment was locked.
He knocked. No response. He called her name. Silence.
All day, he tried to contact her, calling over and over again, but it was useless. No texts, no calls, nothing.
For Koyo, every minute without an answer felt like an eternity.
Days passed, and with each one, the weight on Koyo's chest grew heavier. At first, he tried to distract himself, telling himself that maybe she just needed space, that she would call him back soon. But as time dragged on with no sign of her, hope slowly began to fade.
Koyo locked himself in a room. He stopped going out unless necessary, his once energetic routine reduced to nothing but staring at his phone, waiting for a message that never came.
Sleep became rare, food tasteless, and the world around him dull. The loneliness crept in like a silent shadow, wrapping around him tightly.
And somehow, without even realizing it, he was slowly sinking—falling into a darkness he couldn't escape.
He couldn't eat, sleep all he could thing about is her, no matter how hard he tried, his mind was consumed by one thought, "Where did she go? Is she okay?"
Days passed in a blur of restless nights and empty stares, until one evening, as he was leaving a convenience store, his heart nearly stopped.
There she was, Tsukiko.
For a moment, he froze, afraid as if he blinked, she would disappear like an illusion. But this was real. Without thinking, he rushed forward, his hand instinctively reaching out.
"Tsukiko… Tsukiko, where have you been all this time?" He asked her with a trembled voice. He continued "I called you; I texted you, but you never responded. I couldn't take it anymore… I even went to your apartment to check on you but it was locked?" He took a shaky breath, searching her face for answers. "Are you alright, Tsukiko?"
"Let me go, Koyo" she said in a low, cold, almost distant voice. Her tone was so cold as if he were nothing more than a stranger.
"Wha-?"Koyo replied with a confused voice, still, he wasn't willing to let her go. Not after all these days of silence. Not without answers.
"I said, let me go," she repeated, her voice sharper this time. Then, her gaze darkened as she added, "Or should I call the cops?".
Koyo stepped back; his mind was filling up with confusion. He couldn't understand—why was she acting like this?
His voice was hesitant, almost pleading, "What happened to you, Tsukiko? Why are you acting like this?"
"Koyo I'm happy that you never proposed to me for marriage" she said, her tone almost amused.
He stood there, Koyo felt his chest tighten, his breath caught somewhere between disbelief and heartbreak.
He had already sensed it, the words she was about to say.
His hands clenched into fists, not out of anger, but to stop them from trembling.
"All I want to say is… this relationship isn't working out anymore," Tsukiko continued, her voice steady, as if she had rehearsed this moment a thousand times. "We have no future together. And even if we did… I don't want to be a part of it."
She took a deep breath, as if letting go of some invisible weight.
"It's because I never loved you enough, Koyo..." Her eyes met his, unwavering. "Enough to end up with you."
With those words, she turned and walked away, leaving Koyo frozen in place, his world shattering around him.
She was gone.
And all he could do was watch.
Koyo felt something inside him crack. A hollow, sinking feeling spread through his chest. He stood frozen, his mind blank, his heart heavy.
The world he had tried to build, the future he had imagined with her, was crumbling right in front of him.
It was all ruined.
Everything he had held onto, every dream, every moment he thought was precious, it meant nothing now.
Koyo could barely breathe. His chest felt tight, his vision blurred with unshed tears, and his body felt heavier.
Somehow, he managed to drag himself home. The moment he stepped inside, the weight of everything crashed down on him. His knees buckled, and he broke down, sobs wracking his body.
He was drowning, sinking into the endless depths of sorrow.
His mind screamed for an escape. Any escape.
With trembling hands, he stumbled into the kitchen, grabbing a knife. The cold steel pressed against his skin as he held it near his neck. His breathing grew ragged, his throat dry as he swallowed hard.
His hands shook violently.
Just as he was about to push the blade forward—
RING! RING!
The sudden sound of his phone echoed through the silent room.
Koyo stopped and asked himself why would he stop?
A part of him wanted to ignore it, to let it ring out and continue what he had started. But another part—one he couldn't quite understand—told him to answer.
His hands trembling, he slowly reached for the phone.
Koyo held the phone to his ear
"Hey dude, what's up? It's been a while since we last talked. How's everything?"
The voice on the other end was familiar and warm.
With a wavering voice Koyo replied "Yeah… Kazuki, everything is fine…" his voice barely holding together, cracked and strained, as if the words were trapped in his throat.
"Don't try to fool me. I've known you since childhood—Are you truly, okay?" Kazuki replied, his tone firm yet filled with concern.
Till that moment, Koyo had been holding back his tears, forcing himself to not let everything out. But Kazuki's words shattered the last bit of restraint he had left.
His grip on the phone tightened as his shoulders trembled he dropped the knife and finally the dam broke, and tears streamed down his face.
With a shaky breath, he finally spoke.
He told Kazuki everything.
About Tsukiko. About the proposal that never happened. Kazuki listened. He didn't interrupt, he simply listened, letting Koyo pour out every ounce of pain he had buried inside.
"Yeah, I know everything, and I called you regarding this topic, if we don't hurry up… Tsukiko might die" with an urgent tone Kazuki said.
Koyo's breath hitched. His tears stopped mid-flow as his mind struggled to process Kazuki's words.
"…What?" His voice came out as a whisper, barely audible.
"I said,"Kazuki repeated, "if we don't hurry up… Tsukiko might die."
Koyo felt his heart drop. His fingers trembled around the phone.
"What the hell are you talking about, Kazuki?!" he nearly shouted, his sorrow instantly replaced by sheer panic. "What do you mean she might die? Where is she?!"
Kazuki took a deep breath. "There's no time to explain over the phone. Just trust me. Meet me at the old train station in twenty minutes. My men will pick you up there."
Koyo didn't hesitate.
Without a second thought, grabbed his jacket, and ran out the door.