That afternoon, Arou and Airi walked through the park again. The fresh breeze made the atmosphere feel calm and comfortable.
As they passed a narrow pathway, a tiny kitten suddenly jumped out of the bushes and started chasing the small ball Arou was carrying.
"Huh? That kitten—" Arou laughed.
Airi's eyes sparkled as she giggled softly.
"So cute… let's watch!"
The kitten bounced around wildly, nearly crashing into Arou several times. Both of them laughed while trying to calm the energetic little creature down.
Nearby, a young man carrying a camera bag smiled at the scene.
"Hey, playing with that kitten?" he asked casually. "It shows up here pretty often."
Arou smiled back.
"Yeah, it suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It's really adorable."
Airi lowered her head slightly, laughing softly.
"You say it appears often… but I think it's unbelievably cute."
The young man introduced himself with an easygoing smile.
"My name's Leo. I usually take photos around this park. If you want, I could take a picture of you two playing with the kitten. It'd make a nice memory."
Arou and Airi exchanged glances before smiling.
"Sure, that sounds nice," Arou replied.
---
The next morning, Arou and Airi returned to the park. The warm sunlight and cool air made the whole place feel peaceful.
They walked side by side, occasionally laughing together. Arou pointed toward some wildflowers blooming near the path.
"Look at those flowers… the colors are beautiful, huh?"
Airi smiled gently.
"Yeah… I like bright colors like that. They feel calming."
Suddenly, the same little kitten from before came running toward them, chasing a leaf drifting through the air.
Arou laughed.
"Hey, careful there, little guy!"
Airi giggled happily.
"This kitten is seriously mischievous…"
Then, from behind a bush, an excited voice shouted—
"Arou!!!"
Arou turned around in surprise.
"Huh? Tomo? Haru?!"
Tomo and Haru ran over, waving enthusiastically.
"We've been looking everywhere for you! So you really were here?" Haru said with a grin.
Arou smiled, clearly surprised but happy.
"Yeah… I'm here. How've you guys been?"
Tomo laughed lightly.
"We're doing great! And wait… who's this?"
Arou glanced at Airi, who stood quietly beside him.
"Oh… this is Airi. We just met recently," he explained quickly.
Haru smiled warmly at her.
"Nice to meet you, Airi."
Arou scratched the back of his head awkwardly before turning back to Tomo and Haru.
"It's really good seeing you guys again. Feels like forever."
"Yeah… it really has," Tomo replied.
Arou kept chatting with his old friends, almost as if he was trying to reconnect with the time they had lost.
Meanwhile, Airi stayed beside them with a small smile. She felt a little left out, but still enjoyed the warm atmosphere around them.
---
That afternoon, Arou was still talking and laughing with Tomo and Haru in the park, reminiscing about old memories.
Airi stood slightly apart from them, smiling softly but looking a little awkward. After a moment, she quietly took out her phone and pretended to check it.
"Um… sorry, Arou," she said gently. "My dad just called me."
"Oh… really? That's okay," Arou replied, still partly focused on the conversation with his friends.
Airi lowered her gaze briefly before continuing.
"I should probably head home now… so I'll see you later."
Arou glanced back at her.
"Alright. Be careful on your way home."
Airi smiled softly and walked away, leaving Arou chatting with Tomo and Haru.
Behind her smile, though, she felt relieved. A little time alone sounded nice.
---
Airi wandered along the park's pathway, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere by herself.
Then suddenly—
From the distance, she noticed a small child nearly running into the path of a speeding truck near the main road.
Without hesitation, Airi sprinted forward.
"Hey! Watch out!" she shouted.
In one swift movement, she grabbed the child's hand and pulled them safely back onto the sidewalk.
The child stumbled slightly before looking up at her with wide, frightened eyes.
"Thank you, miss!" the child said shakily.
Airi smiled gently and patted the child's shoulder.
"You should always watch the road carefully, okay? Don't play too close to the street."
The truck kept driving without stopping, but thankfully, the child was safe.
Airi let out a slow breath.
"That was close…" she murmured.
---
Meanwhile, Arou had noticed everything from farther away.
He froze for a moment after seeing Airi rush in to save the child.
"Airi… you saved them…" he whispered quietly.
Airi smiled shyly.
"It's nothing. The child's safe, right?"
Tomo and Haru walked over as well.
"Wow… that was amazing, Airi," Tomo said honestly.
Haru patted Arou on the shoulder.
"You should pay more attention too, Arou. Airi reacted instantly."
Arou laughed awkwardly, slightly embarrassed.
"Yeah… she really is amazing."
Airi lowered her head bashfully before glancing up at him.
"Um… why do you keep staring at me, Arou?"
Arou immediately looked away toward Tomo and Haru.
"Ah— no, I mean… I was just impressed."
---
The following day, Arou and Airi returned to the park once again. Warm sunlight filtered gently through the trees, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
Ever since the incident with the child, Arou found himself looking at Airi more often. Each time he did, Airi would smile softly and lower her gaze shyly.
Then suddenly—
"Arou! Arou!"
Arou turned around and saw Tomo, Haru, and several old friends waving at him from a distance.
"Oh, you guys came again?" Arou laughed.
Tomo grinned.
"We just wanted to hang out for a bit."
Airi quietly clasped her hands together and nodded timidly.
"U-um… I'll come too," she said softly.
As they walked together, Haru pointed toward a small ice cream stand nearby.
"Hey, who wants ice cream?" he asked cheerfully.
Arou looked at Airi with a warm smile.
"Want some ice cream, Airi?"
Airi smiled shyly, lowering her gaze for a second before nodding.
"S-sure… but just one," she replied quietly.
They sat together on a park bench, enjoying their ice cream while soft laughter filled the air.
Arou felt strangely warm inside—not because of the weather or the ice cream, but because he could spend time like this with Airi and his friends.
In the middle of their conversation, Arou glanced at Airi and smiled gently.
"You really are always cheerful, huh, Airi?"
Airi lowered her head, her cheeks faintly red as she smiled shyly.
"Ah… you are too, Arou… spending time together like this feels really nice."