Riku wasn't expecting anything extraordinary on what seemed like the most ordinary day of his life.
After school, his parents had planned to take him to a small festival. The streets of the bazaar were adorned with colorful lanterns, and little stalls sold sweets and toys. Laughter and the soft hum of music filled the air, yet Riku felt an inexplicable emptiness inside.
"This day will probably be normal…" he thought to himself, "but somehow… it feels like something different is about to happen."
Holding a small shopping bag in his hand, Riku walked alongside his parents. Suddenly, the crowd surged ahead, and he realized that his parents had vanished from sight.
"Mom… Dad?" Riku called out, but only the festival noise answered him.
His heart began racing. Every time he moved further into the crowd, everything seemed unfamiliar, almost alien. The bright lights of the bazaar and the colorful stalls looked even stranger through his eyes.
Then, a sudden breeze blew, and the temperature seemed to drop. Riku noticed the surroundings blur slightly, and snowflakes began to fall gently around him.
"Winter…? How… here?" he wondered. Everything felt like a dream, yet painfully real. Each snowflake seemed to hover over the tips of his fingers before falling with a soft shimmer.
And then… he saw her. A girl stood there—snow-white skin, long black hair, faint rosy blush on her cheeks, chest-height, and a smile so gentle that it made Riku's heart skip a beat.
"Riku… you're here," the girl said softly.
Riku froze. This girl… she looked so real, as if he had known her all his life. There was a strange familiarity in her eyes, and the smile on her lips brought an immediate sense of comfort.
"Wh… who are you?" Riku finally managed to ask, his voice trembling.
"I'm Xiochi," she replied, her smile growing even softer. "And I'm here… just for you."
Riku felt his heart pound wildly. This girl… she wasn't just a dream. The loneliness, the pain, and the emotional gaps inside him seemed to suddenly fill. He couldn't tell if this was real or just imagination, yet it felt like the perfect blend of both.
He looked around at the people laughing and walking through the crowd, the festive lights reflecting in his eyes. Yet Xiochi's presence created a calm aura amidst it all. Tears welled up in Riku's eyes. She had become a symbol of comfort for him.
"Riku… why do you look so lonely?" Xiochi asked gently.
Riku managed a small smile, but sadness still lingered in his eyes.
"I… I just…" he couldn't finish his words. The betrayals, the lost friends, and the broken trust of his family flashed through his mind all at once.
Xiochi lightly touched his hand. "You're safe… here," she said.
The emotions inside Riku exploded. He tried to hold them back, but the tears wouldn't stop.
"I… I just want someone to understand me," Riku whispered weakly.
Xiochi smiled softly. "And I'm here… just for you."
Riku felt a warmth fill his heart. He realized that, imaginary or not, this girl had become an emotional anchor for him.
The festival lights, the snowflakes, and Xiochi's gentle smile etched themselves into Riku's mind as a vivid memory.
And then, suddenly, he blinked and found himself back in his room. The festival and the snowy scene had faded away.
Riku opened his journal and began to write:
"Today I saw a girl… a perfect girl, just for me. Xiochi. If someday she comes into my real life, maybe I'll finally learn to live without pain."
His heart was still racing. He knew she was just a product of his imagination, yet a spark had been lit inside him—a spark that could become hope for the future and the foundation of his story.
Riku decided that whether she was real or just a dream,
he would remember this story, write it down, and never forget it.
With Xiochi, he felt safe—and that feeling was priceless.