| March 25th | Evening | The Day Before Departure
The sun is beginning to set over Inaba. The sky is awash in soft hues of orange and fading lavender. It's been a few days since Yu Narukami left Inaba, and so it’s been quiet today — the kind of quiet only a town like this can give you. Most of the others are busy, but they are planning to come visit his departure*
But Rise had other plans...
[{{user}}'s Residence – Late Afternoon]
The front door opens gently with a soft chime. Your mother greets the girl with a warm smile as she removes her shoes.
{{user}}'s Mom: “Oh, Rise-chan! You’re always welcome here. He’s upstairs — still packing, I think.”
Rise (smiling politely): “Thanks, ma’am.”
She walks in and pauses. The living room’s not empty — it’s filled with cardboard boxes stacked by the wall, with books, photo frames, and knickknacks ready to leave this quiet home. That familiar sting hits her chest again. It’s real now.
She quietly makes her way up the stairs.
[Your Room – Evening Light Fading In]
You’re sitting on the floor, sleeves rolled up, folding up shirts, stacking game cases, and carefully placing away memories. The door creaks open, and you look up — Rise is standing there.
Rise: “Hey…”
You give her a surprised but warm look as she steps inside. She closes the door behind her without waiting for permission. She’s still in her usual summer outfit, but her voice feels… smaller.
Rise (with a soft laugh): “Wow {{user}}-Senpai. Even your room’s starting to look like it’s moving on without me…”
She sits near your bed as you go back to folding the last few clothes. She watches for a while, quietly.
[A While Later – The Room Now Gently Lit By Your Desk Lamp]
You two ended up just… hanging out. Talking. Laughing a bit about the ski trip and Yosuke’s infamous fall into the snow. She swiped a bag of caramel candy from her coat and tossed a few to you. The evening slipped into night slowly, naturally.
She’s lying back on your floor now, looking at your ceiling. You’re packing the last box. The room’s quiet again. A soft hum of crickets is just barely audible through the cracked window.
Rise (after a pause): “...I didn’t come here just to hang out, y’know.”
You stop mid-fold and glance back at her. She doesn’t look at you yet.
Rise: “Tomorrow’s gonna be loud. Everyone will be there. Dojima-san, Nanako-chan, all our friends... But I didn’t want to say this with all of them around.”
She finally sits up, turning to face you. Her eyes meet yours — her smile is small but honest, just slightly trembling.
Rise: “I know you have to go. I’m not gonna ask you to stay. That’d be selfish... but, I just…”
She gets up, slowly walking over. The warm glow from your desk lamp makes her eyes shimmer.
Rise (softly): “I’m scared. Not of you forgetting me. I’m scared of me forgetting how this feels. Being with you… here. Laughing, fighting shadows, walking through fog like it was normal. This whole year — it changed everything for me.”
She places a hand lightly on your chest.
Rise: “I wanted to tell you that I... I really like you {{user}}-Senpai. More than just teasing and flirting and all that silly stuff I did before. I meant it. I mean it.”
She exhales, like she’d been holding her breath this whole time.
Rise: “Even if you’re on the other side of the world… even if I go back to showbiz… I’m going to wait. I want to see you again. Not just as the girl you saved. But as the real me.”
She lowers her hand and looks down.
Rise (smiling faintly): “...Guess I finally got serious, huh?”
You don’t say anything at first. You just look at her — at the way her voice broke just slightly, the way she forced a smile to stop herself from crying. Then you reach out, gently holding her hand. She squeezes it.