When memorise were touch

After that dream, I grabbed my phone and tried calling, but there was no use. So I took the train to Seoul. While I was on the train, I started to doze off, and then I had a dream.

——— A Memory from Kaito’s Past with Rin ———

Middle school days:

Rin: "Ah, look at that boy. He’s been sulking since morning. What’s wrong with him today?

Hey, Kaito, right? I’m Rin."

Kaito: "Oh, hi."

Rin: "What are you doing?"

Kaito: "I’m just making sure I brought my sports uniform."

Rin: "Why? We don’t have P.E. today."

Kaito: "I want to beat a friend who always beats me. I hate losing, so I’m going to train hard."

Rin: "That’s what’s bothering you?

Boys really are competitive. (smiles)

Okay then, meet me after school. I’ll help you."

Kaito: "You? You can’t even beat me. How are you going to help?"

Rin: (angrily) "What did you say?! You think you’re better than me?

Let’s make a simple bet—whoever loses buys the winner noodles from the shop next door, deal?"

Kaito: "Even though this feels like a waste of time… fine."

——— Kaito Narrates ———

Yeah, I remember that. We raced, and she was way ahead. I couldn’t catch up. That’s when I realized I had made a bet I couldn’t win.

I bought her the noodles, only to find she had also bought me a bowl.

She said, “Delicious food can lift your spirits and help you focus on what’s next. So focus on improving.”

After we ate, she started running and told me to chase her. I tried and tried, but I was exhausted. Then she said, “Just try to touch my hand, and you’ll win.”

Suddenly, I found myself in darkness. A single light was in front of me. I kept trying to reach it, to grab it, until I nearly gave up. But then, when I looked up, I realized I was so close to her hand. If I had just moved a bit more, I could’ve touched it. But I gave up.

Then, in that moment of despair, she grabbed my hand and pulled me as she ran.

Rin: "You’re never going to leave me, right?"

Kaito: "...I’ll never leave you."

——— Kaito wakes up and goes to Misaki ———

I woke up on the train, thinking about that dream. But back in reality, I had no idea where Misaki’s house was.

Ah, I left without even knowing... but wait, isn’t she at Hanyang University for engineering?

Alright, I guess I’ll go there.

After some time, I arrived.

Kaito: "Excuse me, is there a student named Misaki Yujiro here?"

Security Guard: "Misaki Yujiro? Hmm… is she a first-year?"

Kaito: "Yes, that’s her."

Security Guard: "She’s not here."

Kaito: "What? But you just said—"

Security Guard: "Go on now, haven’t you all caused her and me enough trouble? She’s not dating anyone, now leave."

Kaito: "Who said I came here to date her?! I’m her friend from high school."

Security Guard: "Sure, and I’m her childhood friend. Move along, kid."

(Kaito speaks loudly.)

Student: "Hey everyone, did you hear? Some guy is looking for Misaki, says he’s her high school friend."

Students: "Again? Aren’t they tired of trying? The Ice Queen will never date anyone."

(A girl nearby overhears while reading, closes her book, and walks up the stairs.)

Girl: "Hey, Misaki. Some idiot is here again.

He says he’s from your high school. I think his name was Kato… Carter… Kaito! Yeah, Kaito! Isn’t that a funny name?"

(Misaki goes silent, then suddenly stands up.)

Girl: "Wait, Misaki, where are you going?!"

——— Misaki goes to meet Kaito ———

(Back to the security guard.)

Security Guard: "How many times do I have to tell you to leave before I use force?"

Kaito: "Alright, alright, I’ll just wait here."

Security Guard: "Who said the gate was a waiting area? Move it along."

Kaito: "I just want to tell her something important."

Security Guard: "And who cares? Go."

Kaito: "I said—"

Misaki: "Kaito."

Kaito (thinking): "She’s changed so much...

Well, not really. Still the smart, beautiful girl with silky black hair and icy blue eyes."

Security Guard: "Do you know this fool?"

Kaito: "Who are you calling a fool?"

Misaki: "Yes, I know him. He’s my high school friend."

Kaito: "See?! I told you."

Security Guard: "Yeah, yeah, beauty needs some ugliness around to shine."

Kaito: "Did you just call me ugly?!"

Misaki: "Calm down, Kaito. I’m sorry, sir, for the trouble."

Security Guard: "No need to apologize."

Kaito: "Shouldn’t he be apologizing to me?"

Misaki: "He was just doing his job… because of all the annoying students."

Kaito: "Fine, fine… you’re right. I’m sorry, sincerely."

Security Guard: (smiling) "Yeah, be grateful too."

Misaki: "Alright, wait here with the guard until I finish my lecture."

Kaito: "What? Seriously?"

Misaki: "You know I have to keep my perfect record."

Kaito: "Fine..."

Security Guard: "My day was already bad, now it’s worse."

Kaito: "Are you reading my mind?"

Security Guard: "I don’t need to read the minds of airheads."

Kaito: "Hey! I got into an engineering university, you know!"

Security Guard: "Must’ve been a mistake."

Kaito: "What?!"

——— After class, at a nearby café ———

Misaki: "It’s good to see you, but why did you come to Seoul? And… where’s Rin?"

Kaito (sadly): "That’s actually why I came… Rin passed away two days ago."

(Misaki is shocked.)

(After explaining what happened, she stays silent, staring into her coffee. She’s overwhelmed with sadness. Then she says she has to go say goodbye. We agree to visit Rin’s grave tomorrow.)

——— That night at Misaki’s place ———

That night, I stayed at Misaki’s place. It was quiet.

Kaito: "So this is where you live?"

Misaki: "Yeah. Make yourself at home. You can sleep in the other room."

Kaito: "Yeah, I’ll do that."

Misaki: "Want something to eat?"

Kaito: "No, I—" (his stomach growls)

"Actually… anything’s fine."

Misaki: "I’ll make rice."

Kaito (while eating): "So how’s university life?"

Misaki: "It’s fine. You?"

Kaito: "It’s good… Have you made any new friends?"

Misaki: "The whole university knows me. It’s kind of annoying… I can’t even sit alone."

Kaito: "You were always like that—with Rin."

Misaki (sadly): "Yeah… we were."

——— Visiting Rin’s grave ———

The next morning, we visited Rin’s grave.

Misaki hugged the grave and screamed in pain, crying non-stop.

Then she reached into her bag, pulled out a flower, and we planted it beside the grave.

Misaki: "Maybe you’re surrounded by a garden now, but I hope you’ll accept this red spider lily.

Goodbye, Rin."

(With those words, we left and went to Rin’s family.

Afterward, we went to my apartment, since Misaki said she would stay over before heading back to Seoul.)

Kaito: "Sorry, my room’s a mess… But are you okay staying here?"

Misaki: "It’s fine. But if you try anything, I might break your arm or leg."

Kaito: "Mm… good thing I won’t."

(I couldn’t sleep until midnight. Then I woke up and saw Misaki awake too.)

Misaki: "Do you still have that house?"

Kaito: "What house?"

Misaki: "The one we built together."

Kaito: "Yeah… I still have it."

(We took out the little house we built during our first year of high school.)

Misaki: "That house… you remember?"

Kaito: "Yeah, we built it together, and Rin placed a flag on top, calling herself queen."

Misaki: "She made me her right hand, and you were her servant."

Kaito: "That was humiliating. When I objected, you hit me."

Misaki: "I had no choice—I was her right hand."

Kaito: "No, you wanted to hit me, didn’t you?"

Kaito: “Wasn’t it? That time, Rin said she would punish me…”

Rin: “Since you rebelled against your queen, your punishment is to bring us three delicious pies.”

Kaito: “Seriously?”

Rin: “Is there a problem? Misaki?”

Kaito: “Alright, alright, I’ll bring them…”

Rin: “You’re late, servant. Here, Misaki, let’s eat.”

Kaito: “Give me my slices!”

Rin: “Isn’t it proper that the queen and her assistant eat first, and then the servant?”

Kaito: “I’m not your servant!”

Rin: “You’re my servant only.”

Kaito: “Your servant only? What does that even mean?”

Rin: “You. Take this.”

Kaito: “Wait, let me just clarify what you meant—”

Misaki: “Those were beautiful days…”

Kaito: “Yeah… Oh, look! That’s the electric breaker spot. Remember?”

Misaki: “Yeah… when you tried to light up the house and it tripped everything.”

Kaito: “Right… that really hurt back then.”

Misaki: “Those were beautiful days. I can’t hold back my feelings. Can I hold the little house and sleep with it?”

Kaito: “Sure…”

—— Kaito escorts Misaki to the train ——

(We fell asleep until morning, then I took Misaki to the train station.)

Misaki: “Well, this is goodbye. I hope we meet again, Kaito.”

Kaito: “Yeah… But make sure you focus on your studies.”

Misaki: “I will. You’re not the one who should be worrying.”

Kaito: “Hey, I’m actually top of the class now!”

Misaki: “Really? That’s great. I hope you keep it up.”

(I said goodbye to Misaki, visited Rin’s grave for a while, then returned home to sleep. From that day on… everything changed.)

—— Kaito travels back in time briefly and meets Rin again ——

Someone: “Wake up! Wake up! Hey, you! Finally, you’re awake!”

Kaito: “Huh? Who’s talking…? Ah… R-Rin?! Is that really you?! Rin! You’re in my dream again!”

Rin (slaps him): “What are you doing?! I don’t even know you! I was just trying to wake you up after you slammed into a pole!”

Kaito: “A pole? Wait… is this… Eima High School? What is going on?”

Rin: “You were totally zoned out, walked into a pole, and collapsed!”

Kaito: “Rin, can you slap—”

Rin: “What?”

Kaito: “Just do it!”

Rin: “Fine…” (slaps him hard)

Kaito: “Rin… I’m sorry… but can you take me to the infirmary? I don’t feel good…”

Rin: “What? But it’s the day of the new student welcome ceremony!”

Kaito: “Please… I really don’t feel well.”

Rin: “Hmm… fine…”

(She took me to the nurse’s office. I sat on the bed and told Rin to go. Moments later, tears burst from my eyes. That was when I realized… I had returned to the past. I could change the future...)

(I finished my day and went home. Then I went to sleep…)

—— The next morning ——

(Alarm ringing)

Kaito: “Ugh… What time is it? I need to go to school—Wait… 8:30?! I’m late! I’m late! I’m la—”

(pauses)

“Wait a second… I’m… grown up? This is my room… But yesterday… I returned to the past? Was it only for a short while? Or… was it just another dream?”