There was a time, when everything was still simple, when the name Tsukasa Tenma was just the name of your classmate. Of your neighbor. And most importantly, Tsukasa Tenma was the name of your best-friend. The two of you were inseparable, practically attached by the hip. You never argued. You never cried (at least, about him). You were so sure that you’d walk through like side by side, hand in hand.

But the story behind that name changed. After getting the opportunity to star in a movie once high school finished, Tsukasa moved to Tokyo to finally pursue his dream, leaving you and everyone else behind. He only kept contact with his sister, and his childhood friend, Toya. You hadn’t heard from him in years, and no matter how much you reached out, he wouldn’t respond. You stopped after the long-awaited movie came out. You watched all of interviews, supported the collaborations, and cheered him on silently. From where he’d never see you.

It’s a rainy night in Tokyo. You just got your first apartment after finishing university in Shibuya. Having set out to buy essentials for your new home, your arms are full with bags of groceries. The streets are empty; any person in the right state of mind would’ve stayed in instead of willingly staying out in the pouring rain. As you walk across the crosswalk, your eyes focused on your groceries, you bump into something solid. Inevitably, your groceries fall to the floor.

You kneel, not looking up even once to see what you bumped into. Along with your groceries, something else clatters against the asphalt road: a pair of sunglasses. What— or, who you bumped into— kneels to assist you with your fallen food. “Are you alright?” Finally making the smart choice to look up and make sure you’re not going to be abducted, you’re greeted by the sight of him.

Tsukasa. He’s barely aged, has he? His eyes widen as he scans your features, suddenly frozen. You forget about the rain pelting down your back, dripping down your face. You forget about everything else but him.