A/N: Again, I was listening to the "Secret Base" Anohana ED while writing this. Maybe reading this while listening to that song would help make this feel a bit more emotional? Not sure.
...
"Eh? Why are you crying?" Haruya was stunned.
Menma raised her hand and wiped her eyes, "I didn't realize I was crying. Sorry about that, Haru. I must've been too excited."
Haru. It's been a while since someone used that.
Haruya stepped forward and patted her head. "Seems like you're still a crybaby after all this time," he teased. "Don't worry, I'll be staying here for a while so we can spend as much time together."
Menma puffed her cheeks slightly, but her smile never faded. "Mouu… I'm not a crybaby! You're just mean, Haru."
Haruya chuckled softly. "If I'm mean, then why are you smiling like that?"
Menma blinked before giggling, covering her mouth with her hands. "Because... I'm happy. I thought maybe you forgot about this place… or about me."
"After all... who would remember a dead girl like me..?"
...
Just kidding.
"Idiot," Haruya said bluntly, though his voice was gentle. He sat down at the base of the tree and patted the space beside him. "How could I forget you? Or this spot? It's ours."
Menma skipped over barefoot, plopping down beside him, her dress fluttering as she sat. "Ehehe… that's true. Only we know about it. SBSS, remember?"
"Yeah, SBSS. Our secret base's secret spot, only known to me and you." Haruya repeated, leaning back against the tree trunk. He glanced at her and laughed. "You really haven't changed at all. Still cheerful, still emotional, still… Menma."
Menma tilted her head, swinging her legs. "And you... You've grown a little taller. But it also seems like nothing has changed."
"More handsome, too?" Haruya grinned.
Menma avoided his gaze and looked away. "Mhm..." she mumbled.
Even though Haruya couldn't see her face, he saw that her ears had turned red.
"Hahaha!"
"Haru! You're teasing me again!"
Menma repeatedly hit the laughing Haruya's chest in "poka-poka" style.
Haruya watched Menma's actions with a playful smile on his face.
Meiko Honma.
Also called "Menma" as a nickname used by Haruya and her close friends. She was someone he had known for as long as he could remember.
It all started back when Haruya was just a small kid tagging along with his parents to Chichibu.
He didn't know anyone in town at the time, and his first visit felt lonely—until he stumbled across a barefoot girl by the riverside, trying to catch fish with her bare hands.
That was Meiko Honma.
Thinking of their first encounter, Haruya felt a little silly. How could anyone catch a fish with their bare hands?
But despite this, he held no hesitation at the time and joined the girl.
Her smile was the brightest thing Haruya had ever seen. Without hesitation, she had dragged him over and shoved a bucket into his hands. "Help me! If we catch a lot, we can cook them later!" she had said with such energy that Haruya couldn't refuse.
It was also the same day that he discovered her crybaby personality... and the first time he had an interest in a girl.
Seeing her tearful face, he subconsciously reached his hand out to wipe the tears away.
He still could remember the exact words he told her that day.
"Let's meet here again tomorrow. I'll help you catch tons of fish."
And that was exactly what he did. After arriving back home, he talked to his parents about the situation, who immediately promised to help him.
The very next day, his dad organized a group of professional fishermen who came all the way from Yokohama to come and teach him and Menma how to catch fish "on their own," via traps, of course.
A slightly over-the-top solution from his dad, but it got the job done.
When it was time to go home, Haruya saw the innocent and happy smile plastered on Menma's face.
Deep in his heart, he had sworn on that day that he would protect her precious smile.
From that day forward, Menma became the very first friend he made in this countryside town.
But she wasn't the only one.
Through Menma, he was introduced to others.
Kids around their age who seemed drawn together like magnets.
There was Jinta Yadomi, Jintan for short, the fearless one who always wanted to play with everyone every day.
Naruko Anjou, or Anaru for short, was a shy but cheerful girl. She seemingly idolizes Menma and always tags along with her.
Atsumu Matsuyuki, also known as Yukiatsu, who often liked to clashed with Jinta.
Chiriko Tsurumi, Tsukuro, who was quiet but dependable, watching over everyone with patient eyes.
And the final member, Tetsudo Hisakawa, matched with the fitting nickname of Poppo, a slightly awkward but kind-hearted boy. He held great admiration for Haruya and was thankful to be always included by them.
Despite only being someone that only visited during vacation, Haruya easily integrated himself with the rest of them.
Somehow, the seven of them fit together perfectly, and in their childish ambition, together, with Haruya as the leader, they formed a group.
The Super Peace Busters.
Don't call him out for that weird group name.
No one could originally decide what to call their group, and they drew lots instead.
Obviously, it was the action hero-loving Jinta that had won and got the naming rights.
A silly, grand name that only kids could come up with—yet to them, it meant everything.
Their "secret base" was just an abandoned shack hidden in the woods, but to the Super Peace Busters, it was their fortress, their kingdom, their home.
That was where they laughed, gathered, made plans for adventures, and swore they would always be together.
Even now, sitting under that same tree with Menma, Haruya could still hear the echoes of their voices ringing in the air, as if time itself had frozen to preserve those memories.
Reminiscing about old memories, Haruya stared blankly at the open space.
"Haru?" Menma peeked at his face, "Are you alright?"
Haru blinked, snapping back from his daze. He gave a small nod and smiled.
"Yeah… just got lost in the past for a second."
Menma leaned closer, her face just inches from his, as if trying to peek straight into his heart. "Ehehe, Haru always spaces out like that when he's thinking hard. You look funny."
"Oi," Haruya grumbled, flicking her forehead lightly. "You're too close."
Menma puffed her cheeks again and hugged her knees, pretending to sulk. "Mouu, Haru's mean again."
But even as she said that, the corner of her lips curled upward, betraying her amusement.
The two of them sat quietly for a while, listening to the cicadas cry in the distance. In such a short time, the sun was finally beginning to dip lower, painting the sky in soft shades of orange and pink.
The gentle breeze carried the faint smell of grass and the coming of spring in the countryside.
Menma broke the silence first. "You know... sometimes I wonder. If we hadn't met by the river that day... what would've happened?"
Haruya tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
Menma's eyes softened, her smile turning nostalgic. "If you hadn't come to Chichibu, if you hadn't joined me that day… maybe I wouldn't have laughed as much. Maybe the Super Peace Busters wouldn't have even existed."
Haruya looked at her for a long moment. Her words carried a weight that, for some unknown reason, made his chest tighten.
"…Maybe. But I did meet you and the rest. And that's enough for me."
Menma blinked at him, then laughed gently, covering her mouth again. "Fufu… Haru, you say cheesy things sometimes."
"Oi. I was being serious."
"I know," Menma said softly, lowering her hands. Her smile this time was more tender, fragile even. "That's why... it makes me happy."
"Don't worry, I'll always have your back."
Menma's cheeks flushed pink as she fiddled with the hem of her dress, looking down shyly. "Ehehe... Haru always knows what to say to make me smile..."
"You've always been the cheerful one," Haruya said, nudging her shoulder gently. "And since I'm back for a while, I'll make sure you enjoy our time together too."
Hearing this, Menma leaned back against him lightly, her expression serene. "Promise we'll always stay like this?"
Haruya chuckled softly, putting his hand on her head for a light pat. "I promise. But for now... It's getting late. We should head back before it gets dark."
Menma pouted slightly, but nodded. "Un... okay. But... tomorrow?"
Haruya's grin widened. "Tomorrow, we'll gather the others. Everyone should know I'm back, and then we can all spend the day together, just like we usually do."
Menma's cute face lit up like sunshine. "Ehehe! I can't wait!"
Haruya stood, offering Menma his hand to help her up. "Then it's settled. Let's go home, Menma. We've got a full day ahead of us tomorrow."
She took his hand, squeezing it gently, and said softly, "Okay... together, right?"
"Together," Haruya confirmed, smiling as they walked back down the hillside, seemingly hearing the echoes of laughter from their younger selves every time they met here in the past.