My vision blurred, my chest heaving as though invisible chains were crushing my lungs. Souta's arms stretched toward me in that casual, playful way he always used to but the moment his hand touched my shoulder, a memory slammed into me like a blade through the ribs.
That night.
That laughter.
That kick.
The searing pain of his foot driving into my back, the way I crumpled on the floor like a discarded rag. My wife's mocking smile. My mother's cold eyes, as though she were watching something worthless crawl at her feet.
The humiliation scorched me so deeply that my legs trembled, and my vision filled with static.
"Haruto? Hey, what's wrong?" Souta's voice carried that false concern. The same mask he always wore before stabbing me in the back.
I staggered, clutching my head.
"Ah"
The pain ripped through me, burning white-hot behind my eyes. I collapsed against my desk.
Gasps filled the classroom. Chairs scraped back, feet shuffled, voices rose.
"Someone get the teacher!"
"Haruto-kun!"
"Is he okay?"
Through the haze, I glimpsed Souta's expression concern painted across his face, but his eyes… those eyes. They didn't hold warmth. They held something darker, something he thought no one could see.
My world went black.
__________
When I opened my eyes again, the ceiling above was white, sterile, humming with fluorescent light. The faint scent of antiseptic stung my nose.
The infirmary.
I tried to sit up, but a gentle hand pressed my shoulder.
"Don't push yourself, Haruto."
It was my homeroom teacher. Her brows furrowed in worry, her voice soft but firm. She sat beside the bed, watching me like she had since middle school someone who cared too much.
"You fainted. The nurse said it might be exhaustion."
Exhaustion? No. This was something far worse. The memories… they weren't just returning. They were carving themselves into me with every passing hour.
"I'm fine," I muttered.
"Fine?" She gave me a pointed look, the kind only a teacher who knew you too well could give. "You've always said that, even in middle school. Haruto, if something's wrong, you can tell me."
Her words dug deeper than I wanted. Could I trust her? If I told her the truth, would she even believe me? That I had died, betrayed by everyone I loved, only to wake up nine years in the past?
No. Not yet. This wasn't something anyone else could carry.
I turned my face away. "'ll manage."
Her silence was heavy, but she didn't press further. Instead, she placed a hand on my desk and smiled faintly.
"Then promise me at least one thing: don't carry everything alone."
I didn't answer. I couldn't.
_______
After she left, the room was quiet. Too quiet.
The memories returned. The kick. The laughter. My mother's mocking words.
My lips trembled, and I bit down hard until I tasted blood.
"Never again…"
My fists clenched so tightly my nail dug into my palms.
"I'll crush you all."
Classes were over by the time I stepped outside. I didn't want to face Souta. Or Miyuki. Or anyone else.
Instead, my feet carried me upward, one step at a time, until I pushed open the metal door to the rooftop.
The evening air hit me, cool and sharp. The city stretched out below, and the sky burned with twilight half bathed in orange light, half swallowed by creeping shadows.
I griped the railing, staring into the horizon.
This world looked peaceful. Ordinary. But beneath it, betrayal waited like rot under polished wood.
Smile. Pretend. Wait.
That was the role I had to play. If I wanted revenge, I couldn't move recklessly. I had to let them believe in me again, love me again, before I shattered them the way they shattered me.
I was still lost in thought when footsteps echoed behind me.
"Haruto?"
I froze. That voice.
Turning, I saw her.
Miyuki.
Her long black hair swayed gently in the wind, and her bright eyes shone with hesitation. She clutched her bag to her chest, shifting nervously from one foot to the other.
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
She was the girl who once held my heart, who swore to love me forever. The same girl who later betrayed me in the arms of my best friend.
My stomach twisted with rage and sorrow all at once.
"Ah, you are here," she said softly, stepping closer. "I… I wanted to say something, but… maybe tomorrow is better."
Tomorrow. I already knew what tomorrow was the day she would confess to me, the start of everything.
I forced a smile onto my lips, though every muscle in my body screamed at me to sneer, to accuse, to demand why.
"Tomorrow, huh?" My voice was calm, steady.
"Then let's see how fate plays out this time."
But inside, my thoughts were clouded, boiling. The hatred for her didn't stop, but if I made a mistake now, I didn't know how that would affect the future. That's why I silenced myself.
"By the way, Haruto, how are you feeling? I got scared when you suddenly collapsed in the classroom."
"Oh… sorry. I don't really know what happened myself."
"I think you should rest," she said, her voice trembling with sincerity. "You always give your best to everything studies, sports, helping others. Don't overdo it, please."
Her worried words struck me like bullets from a gun. Each syllable pierced deeper, because I already knew how she would end. I wondered, Why? Why did you become like that? What did Souta do to you that you turned that way?
But then her face from the future came to mind looking at me like I was an insect beneath her heel. I laughed bitterly inside.
"Don't worry, I'll rest today. But… you should go now. Others might be worried."
"What about you, Haruto?"
"I want to clear my mind. So I'll stay here a little longer."
"Okay then. Take care. And… don't you dare skip school tomorrow!" She forced a laugh, her cheeks pink. "I have something very important to tell you."
Important matter? Of course. Tomorrow was the day when everything changed.
Be prepared, Miyuki. I'll make you pay for your betrayal.
I lowered my gaze, replying in a quiet voice, "Yeah… I'll be here."
Her smile brightened. "See you tomorrow."
She turned, walking toward the door. The metal creaked as it closed behind her, leaving me alone under the twilight sky.
I exhaled slowly, my chest heavy. Tomorrow…
A sudden chill ran down my spine, as though the world itself was whispering: Be careful. One wrong move, and everything shatters again.
I clenched the railing tighter, my knuckles white.
"Tomorrow… will decide everything."