The Date That Changed It All

Today was going to be the big day. 

That's the mantra that Itsuki kept repeating in his mind as he buttoned up his shirt and examined his appearance in the mirror. This day had been a long time in the making. He was a twenty-year-old man now, not just some teenage nerd who always needed to be awkward around girls. It was time for him to act the part, and take the leap of faith. 

"Wow, look at you, big bro!" he heard from behind him. "I see we're going all out today! Are you finally going to make your move?"

Itsuki sighed as his little brother, Shin, skipped into their room and plopped down on his own bed. Itsuki could see from the mirror that Shin's eyes were locked onto him - intent on getting an answer.

"Don't be silly; of course not," Itsuki lied. "Today's just going to be like any other weekend that the three of us go out. Trust me, I wouldn't confess anything while you're there."

Itsuki wasn't particularly fond of lying to his brother - they only really had each other, after all. Their parents had died nearly five years ago, and so he treasured his bond with Shin more than anything. Still, Shin was too truthful and pragmatic to share his plans with. If Shin knew, then he would most certainly blurt it out before Itsuki ever got the chance to.

"Whatever you say," Shin retorted, visibily rolling his eyes. "Oh! Can we go to that arcade in downtown? We haven't been there in forever!"

"I'll see what I can do."

With that, Shin cheered and ran out the bedroom in excitement. Itsuki shook his head in disbelief - that boy was going to be the death of him. It was a shock to him that Shin's childish energy and too-blunt attitude hadn't gotten them in more trouble. Shin was only eleven, though, so hopefully he would gain some restraint and wisdom before he reached adulthood. 

Finished prepping himself for the adventure ahead, Itsuki grabbed his belongings and double-checked that Shin had what he needed. Once he was certain nothing had been left behind, they departed their house and headed for the main section of downtown. Already, the roads were packed with traffic and the walkways were filling up with people. Itsuki wished he could have a more private residence, but their one-bedroom apartment was barely within their budget as it was. Still, it was nice to have everything in walking distance. 

"So, you never told me the plan for today!" Shin blurted out as they walked. "Sounds like the arcade to me!"

"Give it a rest."

Itsuki looked up towards the sky. It wasn't raining as of yet, but the clouds were a bit foreboding. The smell of rain was in the air and a colder-than-usual breeze was passing through the town. While he was certain it would rain, he didn't think it wise to risk a lengthy outdoor activity. 

"We'll leave it up to Amane," he finally replied, to which Shin cheered in excitement. 

With Shin satisfied, Itsuki focused on quelling his nerves. It had been a long time since he had confessed his feelings for anyone, and it had never gone well in the past. He was no longer in high school, though, and Amane had always been really kind to them both. Surely, there must be some feelings on her side for her to agree with hanging out with them as often as she does, right?

"Amane!" Shin exclaimed, darting ahead as he broke Itsuki out of his thoughts. 

Sure enough, there she was. Her stunning blonde hair moved gently with the wind as she turned towards them. Even in casual attire like a hooded sweatshirt and jeans, she looked amazing. She smiled as they approached, only solidifying his determination further. 

"Hey, Shin!" she exclaimed as the young boy slammed into her with a hug. "Someone's energetic today."

"Big Bro said we could go to the arcade, but only if you say yes."

"Why would i say no to that?" Amane questioned, a bit too innocently. "I love games."

They both looked at Itsuki expectantly, both pretending to pout as if he was the big bad guy. This was typical of them - team up to pick on the 'big mean older brother'. How could he not appreciate Amane's attempts to bond with Shin, though? Especially as kind and beautiful as she was. 

"Fine, fine," he held his hands up, admitting defeat. "Food first, though. I don't want anyone complaining about an empty stomach once we get to the arcade."

Shin cheered and Amane smiled. With that, the three of them began their adventure on today's activity. 

Trying to calm his nerves, Itsuki did his best to immerse himself in the moment. At this point, it was tradition for the three of them to spend a weekend day together at least once a month. They always visited the same cafe to start, getting lunch and immersing themselves in manga for at least a couple of hours. That was one of the things Itsuki really admired about Amane. Despite her appearance and popularity, she had no problem admitting to enjoying the nerdier things. 

From there, they went on to the arcade. It was expensive, which is why Itsuki tried to limit their visits, but today was a special day. The three of them spent a handful of hours playing games and competing for prizes. Itsuki won a small ruby hairpin for Amane, which she blushed upon receiving. Itsuki couldn't help but feel a small sense of victory at her response - there's no way that today could go bad at this rate. 

Finally, the opportunity came. Amane and Itsuki had retreated to the arcade's sitting area, eating a small snack and allowing Shin to run amok with his boundless energy. The two sat there, staring out over the small river that passed through the town. In Itsuki's mind, this was it. It was now or never. 

"Hey, Amane?"

"What's up?" her hair brushed him as she turned to meet his gaze. 

His heart skipped a beat as he fully realized that the moment was here. He tried to hide his shivers. He was terrified of rejection, but he couldn't continue pretending he didn't feel how he did. Ever since they had met, she had always made a point to make time for them, and always seemed to genuinely have fun. There must've been a reason - she must've felt similar feelings towards him, right? With that at the forefront of his mind, he pushed forward before he could chicken out. 

"Would you be interested in going out with me?"

It was not at all what he rehearsed, but it's what he managed to get out. He quickly shut himself up before he stammered his way through anything creepy - it seemed like the wisest choice. He watched Amane's expression as she registered his words. First processing, then surprise, then blushing...

And then sorrow. 

Itsuki's heart immediately sank. He could see it already - her gaze had averted his and her eyes were filled with a mixture of guilt and shame. He held back his trembling and kept any emotions he had at bay. He needed to know what came next. 

"I'm flattered, really," Amane began, her eyes firmly locked towards the ground as she searched for her words. "You and your brother are both great, and I think you'll make a wonderful partner for someone, but I just don't..."

Her words were interrupted by what could only be described as a loud screeching alarm, as if someone had tested all of the city's fire alarms at once. Both Amane and Itsuki instinctively covered their ears as they recoiled from the noise. Itsuki's eyes scanned about trying to determine what had just happened. He couldn't find an origin for the noise, but his attention quickly shifted to the screens above the seating area. The programming that had been running had ceased. It had been replaced with the "National Emergency" insignia. 

The alarm blurted again, although this time Itsuki had mentally braced for it. He looked to Amane, who seemed just as confused about the situation as he was. Looking around, it seemed everybody was having a similar thought process. Something bad was happening, and nobody knew what was going on. 

"Shin!" Itsuki immediately stood from his bench and yelled out over the alarm, "Shin, where are you?"

"Over here!"

Itsuki turned and found Shin had squeezed his way through the crowd and was making his way over. Itsuki let out a sigh of relief - if nothing else, his brother was serious when it mattered. 

"What's going on?" Shin questioned in a panic, stating what everyone around was thinking. 

"I'm not sure," Itsuki admitted. "Just stay close, and will get this all figured out."

"Itsuki, look!"

The next few moments passed in a frenzied blur. Itsuki turned towards Amane, who was pointing out towards the sky beyond the river. He turned and noticed that it had grown significantly brighter in the last few moments, and was only continuing to brighten. Was it a meteor? A missile? Some divine wrath? Itsuki didn't know, but he reacted anyway. 

"Get down!"

He immediately grabbed both Shin and Amane, pulled them close, and dove to the floor. He instinctively did his best to cover their bodies. Moments later, the light and heat erupted over them.