Chapter 27: A World Without the Moon’s Refrain

Chapter 27: A World Without the Moon’s Refrain

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“I can't live without the moonlight.”

“Welcome back, Sun,” Kazuaki whispered, a soft, weary smile gracing his lips as they hovered amidst the fading starlight.

“Kazu... I—no, we did it!”

The world was bathed in light once more. The warmth that had been stolen by the darkness now flooded into every corner of the earth, as if breathing new hope into every living soul. The silhouette of the comets still lingered in the sky, and the song of the summer flowers continued to echo—a hauntingly beautiful anthem that drew tears of joy from everyone watching. Yet, in the middle of this blinding brilliance, I—Chinatsu—felt a sudden, jarring dissonance.

Slowly, my vision began to blur. As the sunlight enveloped me, the world around me seemed to fracture, shattering like a mirror struck by a heavy blow. Everything faded into a stark, clinical white. Then, suddenly, I gasped, feeling the softness of a mattress beneath my body.

“A... dream?”

My eyes snapped open, meeting the familiar patterns of a bedroom ceiling that stirred a deep sense of nostalgia. This room... when was the last time I stood within these walls? Why was I here? I was no longer among the comets, no longer in that celestial void where Kazuaki and I had merged our lights. Now, I was awake in my own bed, in a room that felt intimately familiar yet hauntingly alien.

I reached for my phone, my fingers trembling. I found a digital diary entry notifying me that today was the day of my date with Miharu. Why Miharu? My memories of Kazuaki were still vivid, pulsating with a reality that couldn't be denied. Without a second thought, I sprinted to the living room where my parents were calmly talking.

“Dad! Mom! Where is Kazuaki?”

“Hey, slow down! Don't run in the house!”

“I'm looking for Kazuaki!” I cried out, my voice laced with panic.

They looked at me with genuine confusion, their brows furrowed. “Kazuaki? Who is that?” my mother asked, her voice tilting with sincere curiosity.

“Minato Kazuaki! The boy from the Minato family!” I shouted, frustration boiling over. “He... He’s...”

My parents exchanged a worried glance. “We only know Minato Akiho, your classmate. By the way, today is the Tsukimi festival, so we’re going to the shrine as usual, okay?”

As those words pierced my ears, my heart shuddered. It felt as if I had been pushed into a bottomless abyss. Minato... Akiho? No, that wasn't right! I didn't wait for another word. I bolted out of the house, stunned and breathless, ignoring my parents' confused shouts echoing behind me.

Under a morning sun that looked disturbingly normal, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. My hands shook as I pulled up the internet on my phone, searching for any news of the world going dark, or the sun vanishing—but there was nothing. Not a single article mentioned the cosmic event. There was only the ancient mythology of Kougei—my other self—who had destroyed the nine suns, and advertisements for tonight's Tsukimi festival. But where was Kazuaki?

I sent a frantic message to Akiho. “Akiho-chan, is Kazuaki at home?”

In less than a minute, she replied. “Kazuaki? Who’s that?”

The pain in my chest intensified. Fortunately, I had memorized Kazuaki’s number. I dialed it immediately, my heart hammering against my ribs. Disconnected. The number you have dialed is not in service.

This isn't fair. Why—why does no one recognize him? I thought the world had finally forgiven me.

For a moment, my eyes caught the calendar on my phone screen. The numbers trapped me in a chilling reality: it was ten years ago. Thursday, October 1, 2020. That meant I was only twenty-six years old again. No wonder my body felt lighter and my face looked younger in the reflection of the shop windows.

Breathing in the crisp air, I tried to force myself through the motions of being Chinatsu again. I went to the cafe, greeted customers, and served coffee with a practiced smile. But the ghost of Kazuaki haunted every thought.

While I was working, a familiar little girl tripped and fell near the cafe door. I rushed to help her. “Are you alright? What's your name...” I asked.

She looked up at me with large, innocent eyes. “I'm okay, thank you! My name is Yukifuyu.”

“Hayashi Yukifuyu? Yuki-chan?”

The girl's mother arrived to pick her up, and Yukifuyu waved goodbye. At that moment, my heart vibrated. It felt as if there was a thread connecting me to a past that shouldn't exist. If Kazuaki were here, he’d call it a Storyboard. Yes... this wasn't in my storyboard. But in that same moment, the longing for him became an unbearable weight.

Hours later, during a tense dinner with Miharu, the silence between us became deafening. After we finished eating, I couldn't hold it back anymore. “Miharu, do you know where Kazuaki is?”

He stared at me, bewildered. “Who is Kazuaki?”

A surge of anger flared up. “You're the Goddess Giwa, for heaven's sake! Just tell me!”

Miharu let out a forced, awkward laugh, which only fueled my frustration. People in the restaurant began to stare at us, their gazes heavy with judgment and pity.

“C-Chinatsu, please, calm down.”

“How can I be calm?!”

I felt the world drifting further away, leaving only disappointment in its wake. This wasn't Giwa—what was actually happening? Outside the restaurant, I looked up at the moon, imagining Kazuaki was up there, hiding just out of sight.

The day had been exhausting and soul-crushing. “Chinatsu, go home. You need to rest,” Miharu said before leaving.

I walked home alone, my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. I scrolled through the photo gallery on my phone, searching for even a glimpse of him, only to find that every trace of Kazuaki had been erased. No photos, no messages, no memories.

My steps felt like lead. Why did everything feel so wrong? Why was there no one who remembered him? Why was there no echo of his existence at all?

Then, I saw them—a group of middle schoolers who looked painfully familiar. They were Kazuaki’s friends—Yorishiro, Konoha, Jiro, and Momiji. Without thinking, I ran toward them. “Have you seen Kazuaki? Or Mitsuki?”

They exchanged confused looks.

“We don't even know who Kazuaki or Mitsuki are,” Jiro replied, his voice flat and indifferent, stabbing my heart. “Don't you know? Kazuaki, and Mitsuki the Getsurou? Please, tell me what happened to this world!” But their faces remained blank slates of confusion. 

“Kazuaki? Mitsuki? Who are they?” Yorishiro asked, and despair finally took hold of my soul.

“Minato Kazuaki! He was right here! Please, tell me!” I gripped Jiro’s shoulders, hoping he would suddenly remember.

Jiro simply shook his head, and like a passing breeze, they walked away.

Despair was about to consume me when, from behind, a man appeared with a faint, mocking chuckle. “Looking for me?”

It was Getsurou. My heart leaped into my throat.

“You... Please tell me, Getsurou, why is this happening?” I cried out, struggling to hold back my tears.

He looked down at my pinky finger, where an invisible red thread was pulsing—a tether only he could see. “In a situation like this, the thread of your fate remains remarkably strong, doesn't it?”

“If this thread still exists, then why isn't Kazuaki here?” My tears finally began to fall freely. “Tell me, Getsurou! I need to know!”

“Kazuaki, huh? A figure who was never supposed to exist... much like myself, and that fool Enji.”

“What do you mean by that?!”

Getsurou sat down under the pale moonlight, and I knew he was about to reveal the truth behind the curtain. Was this the end of everything? Or was it the beginning of a new journey that would rewrite my destiny? Kazuaki, wherever you are... I will find you.