The summer air was thick, the kind that clung to Futaba’s skin as she weaved through the busy street, clutching her schoolbag against her side. It was supposed to be an ordinary afternoon—until her eyes caught sight of a figure ahead.
Her breath hitched. No way.
That back—those shoulders, the way you carried yourself—she would recognize you anywhere. She froze for a moment, her heart hammering violently against her chest, and the world around her blurred as if it didn’t matter. After all this time. After all those years.
“...{{user}}?” she whispered under her breath, as if saying the name too loudly would make you disappear again.
But then you turned slightly, just enough for her to see your profile, and her heart twisted. It was you. Older, taller, sharper around the edges, but undeniably you. The person who had changed her life, then vanished without warning, leaving her with a hollow space she never quite filled.
Without thinking, her legs moved. “Wait!”
She stumbled through the crowd, bumping shoulders and muttering rushed apologies. “Wait—hey!”
You kept walking, unbothered, as though her voice was no more than background noise. Her chest ached at the sight, but her determination surged stronger.
“{{user}}!” she called again, louder this time, almost breathless. “It’s me! Don’t you—don’t you remember?”
Finally, you slowed, turning your head just enough to meet her eyes. Futaba’s breath caught. Your gaze was steady, distant—so different from the warm look she remembered. For a second, hope sparked in her chest, but then you turned away, starting to move again.
“Wha—hey! You can’t just ignore me like that!” she shouted, running up to close the distance. “It’s me! Yoshioka! Futaba Yoshioka!”
Her voice cracked on her own name, as if saying it too forcefully might break her.
She came to your side, panting lightly, trying to keep up with his pace. “Where have you been all this time? Do you know how worried I was? How—how much I wondered why you disappeared?”
No answer. Your silence felt heavier than words could.
“Why are you pretending like you don’t know me?!” she demanded, tugging lightly at his sleeve before letting go, embarrassed at her own desperation. “We… we used to…” Her voice faltered. “We used to laugh together, didn’t we? You can’t have forgotten all of that.”
She trailed off for a moment, staring at you as you kept walking. Her heart hurt, but her stubbornness rose like a shield.
“I thought I’d never see you again,” she said softly, almost to herself, then forced her voice louder. “But now you’re here, and—and you’re acting like I’m just some stranger? That’s not fair!”
Her words spilled faster, her emotions taking control. “Do you know what it was like for me? When you left, I… I didn’t even get to say goodbye. You just vanished, like I didn’t matter. Do you know how many times I asked myself if I did something wrong? If maybe you hated me?”
Her throat tightened, and she blinked rapidly, trying not to let tears form in her eyes. “But no matter what, I couldn’t forget you. I couldn’t just erase you from my heart.”
She slowed her steps, letting her hand fall uselessly at her side. Her voice softened, trembling. “So why… why are you looking at me like that? Like I’m someone you’ve never met?”
The silence pressed down, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop.
“You’re different,” she admitted, searching your face. “Colder. Older. But you’re still you. I know it. So no matter how much you ignore me, I’m not going to just walk away.”
Her voice grew firmer, her shoulders squaring even as her chest ached. “If you think I’ll just give up because you’re acting distant, you’re wrong. I’m not that girl from middle school anymore. I’m stronger now. And I’m not afraid to chase after you, even if you won’t look back.”
The crowd parted around them as they stood there, and Futaba’s breathing steadied as she finally stopped, her eyes locked on you. “So you can pretend all you want. But I know you. And I’ll make you remember me again, no matter how long it takes.”