Mizuki suddenly stopped walking and turned around, facing both of them.
"Arashi. Ayane," she said casually, "you should come with me."
Arashi immediately shook his head.
"N-No, no. It's fine," he replied quickly. "You go ahead."
But Mizuki didn't even listen.
She folded her arms and looked straight at him. "Nope. You're coming."
Ayane, who had been quietly observing Mizuki all day, had started to understand her a little by now—her confidence, her stubbornness, the way she never backed down once she decided something.
She glanced at Arashi and spoke softly.
"Arashi… let's just go," she said. "She's insisting this much."
Mizuki's face instantly lit up.
"Yay!" she said cheerfully. "See? Ayane said it. That means you have to come now."
She turned around and started walking again without waiting for an answer.
"Come on. Both of you."
Left with no escape, Arashi and Ayane exchanged a brief look before following her.
As they walked, Arashi slowly began to notice something strange.
The streets were… familiar.
And then he realized why.
When they stopped, his eyes widened slightly.
Mizuki's house was only two houses behind his own.
"So close…?" Arashi muttered.
Mizuki pointed proudly at the building.
"See?" she said. "Our houses are really close. So come on, it's not a big deal."
She walked up to the door and opened it.
"Welcome."
They stepped inside.
The moment Arashi crossed the entrance, his heart started beating faster.
I'm actually meeting her parents…
His thoughts began racing uncontrollably.
What if they're strict?What if they hate me?What if they say—'Is this the boy you like? How pathetic.'Or worse—'Stay away from my daughter, you little punk.'
His face stiffened.
Please… please don't let it be anything like that, he silently prayed.
He bent down and removed his shoes.
Just then—
A kid suddenly appeared from inside the house.
The boy was holding a ball in his hands.
He looked up.
And the moment his eyes landed on Arashi—
He froze.
The ball slipped from his fingers and rolled onto the floor.
For a second, the boy just stared.
Then his face lit up.
"Arashi bro!"
Before Arashi could react, the boy ran toward him and wrapped his arms tightly around his waist.
"You're here!" the child exclaimed happily. "It's been so long! I finally met you again, bro!"
Arashi stood there, completely stunned.
"…Huh?"
His brain went blank.
Again?Met… me before?
He had no idea how to respond.
Mizuki sighed lightly.
"Hey, let go of him," she said. "Let them come inside first. You can talk later."
The boy hesitated but slowly loosened his grip.
Ayane, watching the scene in confusion, turned toward Arashi.
"…Arashi," she asked carefully, "have you been here before?"
Arashi shook his head.
"No," he replied honestly. "I haven't."
Then he paused.
"But somehow…" he added quietly, "…this place feels a little familiar."
He frowned slightly.
"I don't know why."
With that, the three of them stepped further inside the house.
And somewhere deep in Arashi's chest—
A faint, unsettling feeling stirred.
As if something he had forgotten…Was slowly beginning to surface.
As Arashi stepped further inside, his eyes drifted toward the living room.
A man was sitting on the couch, watching television calmly.
"Mizuki's dad…?" Arashi thought instinctively.
Mizuki walked ahead without hesitation.
"Dad," she said brightly, pointing behind her, "look who's here."
The man turned his head.
And the moment his eyes landed on Arashi—
He froze.
The remote slipped slightly in his hand.
For a brief second, he simply stared, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Then he stood up abruptly.
"Arashi…?" he said slowly.
"Arashi—Is that really you?"
Before Arashi could even respond, the man walked straight toward him and pulled him into a powerful hug.
A very powerful hug.
"Ah—!" Arashi stiffened as the grip tightened.
"That hurts—" he barely managed.
But the man was already emotional, his voice trembling.
"Look at you," he said, almost laughing through tears. "You've grown so much. I don't even remember the last time I saw you—and now you're as tall as me."
He pulled back slightly, holding Arashi by the shoulders and examining him proudly.
"It makes me so happy to see you like this. Come on, sit, beta."
Arashi nodded stiffly and sat down, his mind spinning.
This is… completely unexpected.
He glanced at the man's face again.
Why don't I remember meeting him?Why don't I remember any of this?
Yet everyone here was acting as if they knew him well.
As if he belonged here.
"I'm… glad to see you too," Arashi said politely, choosing his words carefully.
Mizuki's father smiled warmly and then turned his attention to Ayane.
"And who might you be?" he asked kindly.
Ayane straightened immediately, panic flashing across her face.
"I-I— I'm A-Ayane," she said, her voice shaking. "M-Mizuki's… f-friend."
He nodded approvingly.
"Make yourself at home," he said. "And don't be so scared. I might look a little intimidating, but I'm not scary."
Before Ayane could respond, Arashi spoke without thinking.
"She's just very shy," he said naturally. "She has trouble talking sometimes."
The words left his mouth effortlessly.
And the moment they did—
Arashi froze internally.
…Wait.
Why did that come out so easily?
He blinked.
I used to be shy too. I would've never said something like that out loud before.
His chest felt strange.
Why do I feel so comfortable here?Why do these people feel familiar?And this place… too.
Just then, the little boy appeared again, bouncing slightly with excitement.
"Arashi! Arashi bro!" he said eagerly. "Do you remember this place?"
The moment he said that—
Mizuki's expression changed.
"Hey!" she snapped sharply. "You—Dad—come here."
She pointed toward the kitchen.
"Both of you. Now."
The boy flinched.
"Oh—okay," he muttered.
Mizuki's father raised an eyebrow but followed her anyway.
As the two of them—and the child—disappeared into the kitchen, their voices faded behind the walls.
The living room fell quiet.
Only Arashi and Ayane remained.
Sitting side by side.
And in that silence—
The feeling returned.
That strange sense that something important was being hidden.
Something he was not supposed to remember.
Yet.
After a moment, Mizuki's father and the little boy came back out of the kitchen.
The boy looked slightly sulky, while Mizuki's father had an amused expression on his face. He walked over and sat down near Arashi, letting out a small sigh.
"Arashi," he said, shaking his head with a half-smile, "try to understand this kid, will you? Look at her—she just gave me a full-on lecture in the kitchen."
He glanced toward the kitchen, clearly referring to Mizuki.
"Seriously," he continued, pretending to complain, "Who gives their own father such a long lecture?"
Arashi didn't really know how to respond to that.
So he did the only thing he could—
He nodded quietly.
Mizuki's father chuckled, then his expression softened.
"But on the other hand," he said slowly, "I actually like that about her."
He leaned back slightly.
"That's exactly how her mother used to be. Whenever I look at Mizuki, I can see her mom in her."
His voice lowered.
"But… sadly, she passed away."
The room grew still.
"After that," he continued, "I completely broke down. If Mizuki hadn't been there for me, I honestly don't know what would've happened."
He looked toward the kitchen again, a faint smile appearing.
"I'm grateful. Truly. I'm thankful I was given a daughter like her."
Arashi felt a tightness in his chest.
"I'm really sorry to hear about your wife," he said sincerely.
Mizuki's father shook his head.
"No, don't be sorry," he replied calmly. "What happened… happened."
Then, as if realizing the mood had become too heavy, he waved his hand lightly.
"Ah, look at me. I'm ruining the atmosphere," he said. "Enough of that."
He clapped his hands once.
"Mizuki cooked today. You two are eating here before you leave. No arguments, okay?"
Arashi blinked, surprised.
"T-thank you," he said. "We really appreciate it."
A moment later, Mizuki walked in carrying the food and placed it neatly on the table. Everyone gathered around and began eating.
Arashi took his first bite.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Wow…" he said without thinking. "This is really good."
The words slipped out naturally.
Ayane took a bite as well.
Her eyes softened.
"…Yummy," she said quietly.
Mizuki smiled faintly, clearly pleased.
They continued eating together, the atmosphere warm and strangely comfortable—like a family dinner Arashi didn't remember being part of, yet somehow felt natural sitting in.
After finishing, Arashi and Ayane stood up and prepared to leave.
"Thank you for the meal," Arashi said politely.
Mizuki's father nodded.
"Come again, Arashi," he said firmly. "Make sure you do."
Arashi smiled lightly. "I will."
With that, Arashi and Ayane stepped out of the house and headed back toward their own home.
Behind them, the door closed softly.
And as they walked away, Arashi couldn't shake the feeling that—
This wasn't the first time he had been here.
Even if his memories refused to admit it.