š« Evening ā University Rooftop
KentarÅ and Sarah sat beneath the stars, backs against the old water tank.The city below was glowingāpeaceful, humming, unaware of how many times it had been rewritten.
Sarah rested her head on KentarÅ's shoulder.
"I've been here before," she said softly.
"Many times," KentarÅ replied.
"But it always ends."
He looked at her faceācalm, distant.
And for the first time, he noticedā¦
She didn't cast a shadow.
š A Familiar Memory
They shared an appleāsomething they'd done since that first encounter, long ago in another life.
"Do you ever miss it?" Sarah asked."The first version of me?"
KentarÅ thought for a moment.
"I don't miss who you were.I miss who we used to beānaĆÆve, hopeful, unbroken."
"But I love who we are now more."
Sarah smiled, but there was sadness in her eyes.
šŖ A Small, Scary Discovery
Later, in the university restroom, Sarah washed her face.
She glanced up at the mirrorā
Her reflection wasn't there.
She gasped.Touched the mirror.Nothing.
The door creaked.
Reika entered.
"Hey, you okay?"
Sarah turned quickly. "Can you see me?"
Reika paused. "Of course Iā"
She froze.
"Waitā¦"
"I hear youā¦ but your face... I can'tā¦ focus on it."
Sarah backed away, heart pounding.
"It's starting, isn't it?"
"The fade."
š Reika Confronts KentarÅ
Back on the rooftop, Reika found KentarÅ alone.
"She's disappearing again."
He shook his head. "No. We burned Timeline 107. We closed the loops."
Reika held up her sketchpad.
She flipped to the last drawing:KentarÅ, sitting under the stars.
Sarah was missing from the sketch.
"I didn't mean to leave her out," Reika whispered. "My hands justā¦ forgot."
š Sarah's Confession
Later, Sarah returned, breathless.
"It's happening to me. I can feel it.Likeā¦ the world is trying to forget I belong."
KentarÅ grabbed her hand, squeezing it tight.
"I'll remember for both of us."
"That won't be enough."
She pointed to the stars.
"When I vanish, not even the sky will know what it's missing."
"That's what scares me."
KentarÅ leaned closer.
"Then tonightāthis momentābecomes the anchor. I will write it down. Paint it. Burn it into the bones of time."
š The Moonlight Promise
Under the moonlight, they kissed again.
But even as their lips touched, Sarah's body flickeredālike she was made of smoke, trying to hold herself together.
"If I vanish," she whispered, "don't chase me blindly again."
"Promise meā¦ if the timeline needs to be rewritten againāchoose the one where you live."
KentarÅ stared at her, torn.
"Only if that timeline has you in it."