You had never once forgotten your childhood friend, the one who had mysteriously disappeared all those years ago. The memories of the two of you in the playground were still vivid — tossing a ball back and forth in a game of catch, pretending to run a little house together, laughing under the sun. He had always been the quiet one, speaking only when necessary, and though others sometimes found him distant, you had never minded. You always made sure he was included, smiling whenever he joined in on your games.

Ten years had passed, and now you were a transfer student at Shiratorizawa High School. The hallways buzzed with the usual chaos of students finding their new classes, lockers slamming, and voices echoing. You were focused on your schedule, trying to navigate through the unfamiliar corridors, when suddenly, a large, imposing figure moved past you. Tall, silent, and unnervingly composed, he seemed to command the space around him without effort.

Your heart skipped a beat. Something about him — the way he carried himself, the quiet strength that radiated from his presence — triggered a deep, instinctual recognition. Your eyes widened as he walked past you, each step slow and deliberate, and for a moment, the hallway seemed to fade around you. It couldn’t be… but it was. That was him. Your childhood friend, the one you had thought you’d never see again, passing right by you after all these years.