Morning came quietly.
Too quietly.
---
Haruki stood at the sink, water running over his hands.
Clear. Steady.
---
He watched it longer than needed.
---
Yesterday stayed in his mind.
Not blurred.
Not fading.
---
That itself felt strange.
---
"…I remember it."
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The race.
The rooftop.
Aoi walking beside him.
---
All of it—clear.
---
"…that's new."
---
Usually, things slipped away.
Not completely.
But enough to feel distant.
---
He turned off the tap.
---
For a moment—
he didn't move.
---
Something felt… off.
---
Not outside.
Inside.
---
Like a small gap.
---
"…what was I thinking just now…"
---
He tried to trace it back.
---
Nothing.
---
The thought was already gone.
---
He frowned slightly.
---
"…again?"
---
But this time—
it bothered him.
---
---
The classroom was loud as usual.
---
"Oi, Haruki."
---
Daichi waved.
"You look serious today."
---
"…do I?"
---
"Yeah. Yesterday you looked like a different person."
---
"…maybe I was."
---
"That's not a good answer."
---
Riku added without looking up—
"…he's thinking again."
---
"…about what?"
---
"…something he can't explain."
---
Daichi blinked.
"…that sounds worse."
---
"…it probably is."
---
Haruki sat down.
---
The noise continued around him.
---
But his mind didn't settle.
---
That small gap—
still there.
---
---
"…Haruki."
---
He looked up.
---
Aoi stood beside his desk.
---
"…what?"
---
She hesitated.
Just a little.
---
"…do you remember yesterday clearly?"
---
The question came unexpectedly.
---
"…yeah."
---
"…everything?"
---
"…I think so."
---
A small pause.
---
Her eyes studied him quietly.
---
"…that's good."
---
But something in her expression—
didn't match.
---
---
Before he could ask—
---
"Hey! Listen up!"
---
A classmate shouted from the front.
---
"Teacher said we need volunteers after school!"
---
"For what?"
---
"Cleaning the storage room."
---
Instant complaints.
---
"No way."
"Too much work."
"Pick someone else."
---
Daichi leaned back dramatically.
"…we're definitely getting dragged into this."
---
"…probably."
---
Riku sighed.
"…stop resisting. It won't help."
---
"…it might."
---
"…it won't."
---
---
In the end—
it didn't.
---
---
After school.
---
The hallway felt quieter.
---
"…why is it always us…"
---
Daichi dragged his feet.
---
"…you raised your hand."
---
"I didn't mean to."
---
"…you said 'I'll do it.'"
---
"…I panicked."
---
Riku opened the storage room door.
---
"…just come inside."
---
---
The room was old.
Dust settled everywhere.
---
Boxes stacked unevenly.
Sports equipment pushed into corners.
---
"…this place smells like history."
---
"…that's not a good thing."
---
"…it kind of is."
---
Sunlight slipped through a small window.
Cutting through the dust in thin lines.
---
Haruki stepped inside.
---
And stopped.
---
Not because of the mess.
---
Because of the feeling.
---
"…what…"
---
It came suddenly.
---
Not strong.
---
But clear.
---
He looked around slowly.
---
The shelves.
The walls.
The stacked boxes.
---
Nothing special.
---
But—
---
"…why does this feel…"
---
Familiar.
---
---
"Haruki, move those boxes."
---
Daichi called out.
---
"…yeah."
---
His voice felt slightly distant.
---
He walked forward.
---
Each step—
felt heavier than it should.
---
---
He crouched near a stack.
---
Old labels.
Faded writing.
---
His fingers brushed against one box.
---
Dust lifted slightly.
---
"…old stuff."
---
He picked it up.
---
Light.
---
Too light.
---
He opened it.
---
Papers.
Old records.
---
Then—
something slipped.
---
A photograph.
---
It fell onto the floor.
---
---
"…what's that?"
---
Riku glanced over.
---
"…just photos."
---
Haruki bent down.
---
Picked it up.
---
At first—
nothing special.
---
Students.
A group.
Standing together.
---
Then—
---
His fingers stopped.
---
His breath slowed.
---
"…wait…"
---
He looked closer.
---
The field.
---
The same field.
---
Years ago.
---
Children.
Laughing.
---
Normal.
---
But—
---
"…this…"
---
His eyes fixed on one figure.
---
A boy.
---
Standing near the front.
---
Smiling.
---
Carefree.
---
---
"…that's…"
---
His voice barely came out.
---
"…me?"
---
---
The room faded.
---
Not completely—
but enough.
---
---
"…that's not possible…"
---
---
"Haruki?"
---
Aoi's voice.
Closer.
---
He didn't respond.
---
Still staring.
---
"…why am I here…"
---
---
She stepped beside him.
---
Looked at the photo.
---
A long silence.
---
Then—
quietly—
---
"…you found it."
---
---
He turned.
Fast.
---
"…what do you mean?"
---
---
Her expression didn't change.
---
"…you really don't remember."
---
---
"…remember what?"
---
This time—
his voice wasn't calm.
---
---
"…you've been here before."
---
---
Everything stopped.
---
"…no."
---
Immediate.
---
"…that's not possible."
---
---
"…it is."
---
---
His grip tightened on the photo.
---
"…then why don't I remember it?"
---
---
No answer.
---
Not from her.
---
Not from anyone.
---
---
Only silence.
---
---
His eyes returned to the photo.
---
The boy—
him—
---
laughing.
---
Next to him—
---
another figure.
---
Taller.
---
A hand resting lightly on his shoulder.
---
---
"…Shin…"
---
The name came naturally.
---
Without thought.
---
---
His chest tightened.
---
---
"…why do I remember that…"
---
But not—
everything else?
---
---
"…this doesn't make sense…"
---
---
His thoughts didn't connect.
---
Didn't stay in place.
---
---
"…I never came here…"
---
"…then why am I in this?"
---
---
The room felt smaller.
---
The air heavier.
---
---
"…Haruki."
---
Aoi's voice softened.
---
"…don't force it."
---
---
"…how am I not supposed to?"
---
---
His voice rose—
just slightly.
---
---
"…this isn't small."
---
---
She didn't argue.
---
Didn't stop him.
---
---
"…then don't understand it all at once."
---
---
A pause.
---
"…just don't ignore it."
---
---
The same words.
---
But now—
they carried weight.
---
---
Haruki looked at the photo again.
---
Longer.
---
Deeper.
---
---
"…I was here…"
---
---
Not a question.
---
A truth.
---
---
---
Cut Scene
Outside the school.
---
Shin stood near the gate.
---
Hands in his pockets.
---
Silent.
---
---
"…he found it."
---
The terrace girl stood beside him.
---
---
"…yeah."
---
---
"…earlier than you expected?"
---
---
A small pause.
---
"…a little."
---
---
"…is that a problem?"
---
---
Shin shook his head.
---
"…no."
---
---
His gaze stayed forward.
---
---
"…it was going to happen anyway."
---
---
A quiet breath.
---
---
"…now he'll start asking properly."
---
---
The terrace girl looked ahead.
---
"…and you?"
---
---
Shin didn't answer immediately.
---
---
"…I'll wait."
---
---
---
Final Scene
Evening.
---
The road stretched ahead.
---
Haruki walked slowly.
---
The photo still in his hand.
---
He looked at it again.
---
Then forward.
---
---
"…I was here…"
---
---
The words didn't feel distant anymore.
---
---
They felt—
real.
---
---
"…then what else…"
---
---
His steps slowed.
---
---
"…what else did I forget?"
---
---
The wind passed.
---
But this time—
---
it didn't calm him.
---
---
It unsettled him.
---
---
Final Line:
"…what happened to me?"