The city pulsed with life, a vibrant contrast to the quiet ache in her chest. She walked the crowded streets, the winter air biting at her cheeks, the storefront lights mocking her solitude. Her headphones hummed a familiar tune, wrapping her in memories she wished to forget.

It had been months since she left Tokyo—and Rin. She had sworn not to look back, yet every corner of this city reminded her of him. She didn’t need photographs; his image was etched in her mind—the way his raven hair caught the light, the intensity in his eyes, the faint smirk that hinted at mischief.

His passion for soccer had consumed everything, including her. She had tried to keep pace but was left behind, her place in his orbit slowly fading.

Lost in thought, her steps slowed. The golden glow of streetlights blurred as memories overtook her. She saw them again, side by side on his apartment rooftop, the city stretching endlessly below. Back then, the silence between them had felt safe. Now it felt like the weight of unspoken words.

In her mind, he turned to her, voice soft yet resolute. “I never meant to lose you.” But it was just another daydream, one of many she let herself believe when the ache became too much.

A sudden jolt pulled her back—a collision on the crowded street. She staggered, heart racing as she looked up.

Rin stood before her, intense and unmistakable. The years hadn’t softened him; he was just as sharp, just as unreachable.

The noise of the city faded, leaving only the pounding of her heart. Her lips parted, but no sound came.

This wasn’t a dream.