Takumi lay on his bed, staring at the darkness above him. The dim light of his phone screen illuminated his face as he scrolled through his gallery. His fingers stopped on a picture—Amira.
Her gentle smile, those sharp yet kind eyes, the strands of hair that danced with the wind… Takumi felt his chest tighten. He let out a shaky breath and muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.
"If I was never meant to be with you… then why did fate make me meet you in the first place?"
He clenched his jaw, his fingers trembling as they hovered over the screen. "I know… I never spoke to you much. I was afraid… afraid that if I got too close, even the little connection we had as classmates would disappear."
Takumi shut his eyes, taking in a deep breath. A bitter smile formed on his lips. "People say… we only fall in love with those who are never meant for us… and forgetting them is never in our control."
He locked his phone and turned to the side, pulling his blanket over his head, trying to sleep. But deep down, something stirred within him—an unshakable restlessness.
---
[Flashback – Year 2014]
The scene shifted.
Takumi, a small boy of six, stood beside his parents, gripping his mother's hand tightly as they entered the grand gates of Yamaboshi Academy. The school was massive—tall buildings, playgrounds stretching far, and students moving around in neat uniforms.
"Takumi," his father said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "This will be your new school. Be a good student and study hard."
Takumi gulped, nodding nervously. His eyes wandered across the field, where kids his age ran around laughing. His gaze landed on a particular girl sitting alone under a tree, flipping through a book.
She had long black hair tied in a ponytail, her big brown eyes focused intently on the pages in front of her. Even from a distance, Takumi could feel something strange about her—as if she existed in a world separate from everyone else.
For reasons he couldn't explain, he took a small step forward, wanting to approach her. But before he could, a voice interrupted.
"Takumi!" His mother gently tugged his arm. "Let's go meet your teacher."
He hesitated for a moment before following his parents inside.
If only he had taken that step that day… maybe his story with Amira would have been different.
---
Back to Present
Takumi tossed and turned in bed, his body feeling heavier than usual. His heart pounded against his chest, and his mind felt like it was sinking into a bottomless pit. His breath grew uneven.
Something was changing.
The air around him felt dense, charged with an invisible energy. His vision blurred for a moment, and a ringing noise filled his ears.
"Ngh…" He gripped his sheets, sweat forming on his forehead.
Then, a voice—
"You are not the same anymore, Takumi."
His eyes snapped open. The room was the same, but he was not.