I immediately rushed to the public library, heart pounding with anticipation. That black notebook... it had to be here! Our usual corner, where we spent the most time outside of school.
Arriving at the library, I made a beeline for our familiar spot by the window, scanning the area quickly... but it was empty. No black notebook, no sign Lumine had been here recently. Disappointment washed over me.
"No... something's wrong," I muttered, beginning a thorough search. The physics and astronomy shelves she frequented, under every table, in every nook and cranny... nothing. I asked the librarian, but she shook her head – no forgotten notebooks.
Nearly an hour passed. Hope dwindled. I sank onto the chair we used to share, feeling defeated. Was the notebook gone too, like everyone's memories?
I closed my eyes, trying to gather my thoughts, picturing Lumine's face, hearing her words... "Dreams might be windows..." "Thank you for being by my side..." The voice calling my name in the dream... "Leo... help me..."
No! I couldn't give up! If the notebook wasn't here, maybe there was another trace... something she dropped on the way! I recalled the route she usually took to and from school, the path I'd sometimes discreetly followed to make sure she got home safe.
I quickly left the library, heading towards that route. Starting near her house (as best I could remember), I meticulously scanned everything. The sidewalks, bushes, under benches, even trash cans. I passed the convenience store where she often bought fruit tea, the small park where she sometimes read... still nothing.
My heart grew heavier as I approached the school. Hope was fading fast. "Maybe near the school gates... where it's crowded... maybe she was distracted or in a hurry..." I muttered, trying not to lose hope.
And then, near the school entrance, by the garden where rose bushes were beginning to bloom for spring, my eyes caught a glint of silver reflecting the afternoon sun, hidden beneath the dense foliage.
My heart skipped a beat. I carefully parted the thorny branches...
It was a small wristwatch! Brown leather strap... a simple face with a small crack on the glass... I recognized it instantly! It was Lumine's! The one she always wore!
I snatched it up, hands trembling. Relief surged through me, but then I noticed... the hands had stopped! The hour hand was just past 6, the minute hand slightly past the 9, and the second hand was frozen. The time... was approximately 6:47 AM!
"6:47 AM..." I murmured. What did this time mean? I remembered the morning she disappeared... presentation day... the time most students arrived... Could this be... the exact moment she vanished? I recalled her pressure, her wish to "disappear"... Could her intense desire have manifested at this very moment?
The crucial evidence was in my hand! It wasn't a direct clue, but it was the first tangible "trace" confirming her existence and possibly pinpointing the "time" of the critical event!
I clutched the watch tightly. Determination returned. I needed help interpreting this... someone unconventional... Zeno!
I sprinted back to the Science Club room, the smell of burnt metal and strange noises guiding me. I found Zeno tinkering with... what looked like a toaster with wires attached.
"Zeno! I found it! I found evidence!" I burst out, holding up the watch.
Zeno's eyes widened. "Whoa! The Watch of Frozen Time! Could this be an artifact from another dimension! Awesome, Leo! What does it tell us?"
I explained about the watch stopping at 6:47 AM and my hypothesis.
Zeno stroked his chin, thinking seriously. "6:47 AM... Such a precise time must mean something! In quantum theory, buddy, intense thought or observation can affect reality! Or maybe... at that moment, Lumine's intense desire to 'disappear' caused her 'reality state' to abnormally 'collapse'! Making her 'slip' out of our timeline or dimension! Like a particle changing state!"
"So how do I get her back?" I asked urgently, heart pounding.
"Energy!" Zeno snapped his fingers, eyes gleaming. "We need another kind of 'energy' strong enough to 'pull' her state back! Energy linking her to our dimension! Energy from 'feelings'! Your bond with her! The feelings maybe lingering within her! It's like an invisible magnet, stronger than a black hole! You have to 'shout' for her! Not just with sound, but with all your feelings! Break the dimensional barrier with the power of your love and connection! Make her 'particle' 'perceive' that someone needs her here! Someone is waiting!"
Zeno's wild words ignited fierce hope and courage in me. "Energy of feelings... Shout for her..." Yes! That's what I had to do! I had to tell her my feelings! Loud enough for her to hear, wherever she was!
"Thanks so much, Zeno! You helped a lot!" I clapped his shoulder hard in gratitude and bolted out again, leaving Zeno scratching his head. "Well... off he goes again. Guess his love energy is overflowing and needs to release some waves, hahaha!"
The next morning...
I woke before dawn, heart pounding with excitement, nervousness, and hope. I clutched Lumine's watch in my pocket, my crucial reminder.
I stood waiting at the school gates from 6:45 AM. The air was calm, students starting to trickle in. I took a deep breath, gathering all my courage. Zeno's words echoed, "Shout for her... with all your feelings..."
"LUMINE!!!" I yelled her name at the top of my lungs, the sound startling even myself. It echoed across the entrance. Passing students stopped, staring in shock and confusion. Some started whispering.
"LUMINE! CAN YOU HEAR ME! I KNOW YOU'RE SOMEWHERE!" I ignored the stares, shouting again, voice trembling but filled with raw emotion. "I'M HERE TO FIND YOU! COME BACK! EVERYONE MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN YOU, BUT I... I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU!" The wind picked up. I panted, but continued.
"LUMINE! YOU SAID I MADE YOU FEEL NOT ALONE, RIGHT! YOU'RE THE SAME FOR ME! HAVING YOU AROUND MEANS SO MUCH! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!" Tears started streaming unconsciously.
"LUMINE!! CAN YOU HEAR ME!!!" I paused, took a deep breath, gathered all my strength, and yelled the words I'd held back for so long, words I should have told her long ago...
"I… I LIKE YOU!! I LIKE YOU A LOT!! I LIKE YOU MORE THAN ANYONE IN THE WORLD, LUMINE KOMORI!!!"
After the shout faded, it felt like time stopped for a moment. Everything fell silent... the wind died down... the whispers ceased...
Then, suddenly... from the corner of the school gate that had been empty... I saw a figure slowly emerge... like an image solidifying from mist... A girl... long, flowing golden-brown hair swaying gently... those beautiful dark brown eyes I missed so desperately... staring right at me, wide with shock, shyness, and... brimming with tears.
She slowly stepped out from the corner, standing before me, face flushed crimson, lips pressed tightly, before speaking in a trembling but clear voice...
"Y-you're shouting so loud... Leo..."
I stood frozen, mouth agape, heart seemingly stopped. Tears burst forth uncontrollably. "Lumine..." my voice was raspy. "Is... is that really you... really...?"
Lumine nodded slightly, tears streaming down her own cheeks, but a faint smile of immense relief graced her face. "Mm... it's me." She stepped closer, the familiar faint lavender scent reaching me, confirming her presence. "Hey... what you shouted just now... everyone in school heard... it's embarrassing, you know?" She looked down, wiping her tears shyly with the back of her hand.
But then she quickly looked up, grabbing my wrist tightly. "Let's find somewhere private to talk. Too many people here... I can't..." Her grip was warm, so real. I let her pull me away, running towards the secluded spot behind the school building where we sometimes sat.
Once hidden from view, Lumine let go of my wrist, turned to face me fully, and then threw herself into my arms, hugging me tightly, her slender body trembling slightly.
"I was scared... I was so scared, Leo," her voice trembled as she buried her face in my chest, her voice filled with the lingering terror she had endured.
I hugged her back tightly, feeling her tremors, her fragility. I gently stroked her back, comforting her. Relief and overwhelming emotion washed over me, tears flowing freely.
"It's okay now, Lumine... It's okay... I'm here... You're safe," my voice was as shaky as hers.
Lumine pressed her face against my chest, letting out choked sobs.
"Sniff... I... I don't know what happened... Suddenly, everything went dark... like I was in an empty place... no one... nothing... It was cold... and silent... I tried calling out, no one heard... I thought I'd be stuck there forever... I missed everyone... missed Iris-chan, Himari-chan... and... sniff... missed you the most..." She hugged me even tighter, as if afraid I'd disappear.
"Then I heard your voice..." she continued, voice still shaky but hopeful. "Your voice was like the only light in that darkness... At first, it was faint... like from far away... I wasn't sure if it was real... But then it got louder... clearer... especially just now..."
Her face turned an even deeper shade of red remembering my confession. She pulled back slightly, still close, looking up at my face with tear-filled eyes, yet shining with something new.
"What you shouted... all of it... I heard it so clearly... It was like... like an invisible rope pulling me out of that emptiness... pulling me back here... back to you..."
I gazed deep into those dark brown eyes I'd longed for. "I meant every word, Lumine... every single word," I said, gently wiping the tears from her smooth cheeks. The warm touch conveyed all my feelings. "Your watch... I found it in the garden. It stopped around 6:47 AM... What happened then?"
Lumine looked down slightly, painful memories surfacing. "That day... that moment... I... I felt like I couldn't bear it anymore. Dad's expectations... feeling I wasn't good enough... fear of disappointing everyone with the presentation... I just... I just wanted to disappear... escape everything... wished the world didn't have me..." Her voice laced with pain and shame. "And then... it was like that wish came true... Suddenly, everything went black... and I was in that horrible place..."
"Maybe... the power of your intense wish then... affected reality like Zeno theorized," I said, thinking his wild idea now seemed plausible. "Maybe it caused you to slip into another dimension or state... And maybe... the feelings I have for you... what I shouted... was another kind of 'energy'... strong enough to pull you back to our reality."
Lumine looked up at me again, understanding and a deep emotion filling her eyes. "Thank you, Leo... Thank you for not forgetting me... Thank you for searching... Thank you for pulling me back..." She paused, looking at me earnestly, her eyes shimmering slightly, yet holding a newfound resolve. "What you said this morning... that you like me... Did you... did you really mean it?"
The question made me pause. I looked deep into her eyes, seeing hope, uncertainty, and vulnerability. I understood how much those words meant to someone who felt so alone and burdened.
"More real than anything, Lumine," I replied, my voice firm and sincere. "I might not have said it, might not be good at showing it, but my feelings for you... they've always been clear in my heart. I like you... like you for who you are. Like your intelligence, your intriguing reservedness, your rare but most beautiful smile... And even when you're sad, or seem fragile... I still like you and want to be by your side."
Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks, but this time, they seemed tears of overwhelming joy and relief.
"I..." She took a deep breath, trying to control her trembling voice. "...Thank you, Leo. For everything... for your feelings too." She looked him in the eyes, resolute, before biting her lip slightly, looking hesitant yet serious. "But... about your confession... I... Can I have some time?"
I was slightly surprised but tried to understand. "Time? What do you mean?"
Lumine bit her lip harder before continuing, her tone serious yet tinged with uncertainty. "I... I have good feelings for you too, Leo... more than you might think... really." Her cheeks flushed. "But... what happened... being gone and brought back by your voice... it made me think about a lot of things... especially my own feelings... my own worth... I want to be sure... want to sort out the chaos in my heart first... want to be stronger in my own way... before we start anything really serious." She looked at him with a slightly pleading gaze. "Another... two weeks... just two weeks. Could you... could you please say those words to me again when third year starts? By then... I... I should be ready with a clear answer."
I looked at Lumine steadily. I understood. Relationships shouldn't be rushed, and giving herself time to reflect and grow was right. I might feel a twinge of disappointment, but my respect for her and desire for her genuine happiness were stronger.
I smiled gently, understandingly. "Of course, Lumine... Two weeks... or even longer, I can wait." I held out my pinky finger. "Promise me you'll really give me an answer when school starts."
Lumine beamed, her first full, bright, liberated smile in days, a smile so radiant it lit up the world. She linked her small pinky with mine tightly.
"Promise." She replied clearly, then playfully narrowed her eyes with a mischievous glint. "But while you're waiting... don't go running off with some other girl! Or I'll be really mad!"
The unexpected remark made me chuckle softly at this adorable, playful side of her. "Haha, no way. You're the only one for me."
They both laughed softly, the tension and tears replaced by warmth, understanding, and shining hope...