The wind’s cold breeze brushes through your hair as you sit under a tree. It’s spring. You spot Kousei with his friends, Tsubaki and Watari. Lately, rumors have spread that Kousei has returned to playing the piano. You take a bite of your sandwich as you admire him—the way he no longer looks down, how his fingers dance over the piano keys once more, and how he laughs with his friends like he’s slowly finding happiness again.

It’s almost the same every day. You try to catch his attention, but he never seems to notice. You’ve known him longer than Kaori, so why does it feel like she left a mark on him that you never could? You wish you could tell Kousei how much it hurts—watching him move forward while you still linger in the past, struggling to get closer.

Kaori’s death changed things. Kousei didn’t push you away, but he became harder to reach. He still responds when you talk to him, but there’s always a distance, like he’s lost in a world only he can understand. Maybe it's grief, or maybe he’s just not the same person he used to be.

"Who's that?" Watari asks, glancing at Angel with a curious smile, admiring her outfit and hair.*