Memory of 6 years ago

“BOO!”

Satou nearly jumped out of his skin.

His body reacted before his thoughts could catch up—he spun around instantly, heart slamming against his chest.

For a split second, he thought something was wrong.

Then he saw her.

A girl was laughing so hard she was holding her stomach.

“Got you!” she shouted proudly.

Satou froze.

“…You actually scared me.”

“Really?” The girl leaned forward, eyes bright with mischief. “I didn’t think it’d work.”

“It did,” Satou replied flatly, still trying to steady his breathing.

She wiped a tear from laughing too much and finally caught her breath.

“I win,” she said with absolute confidence.

Satou gave her a tired look.

“Don’t do that again.”

“No promises.”

That grin returned immediately—like she had never been serious in the first place.

Then, her expression changed.

Not completely… but enough.

“So,” she asked, tilting her head slightly, “did you decide?”

Something in Satou’s expression shifted.

The air between them felt slightly heavier now.

“…Yeah,” he said quietly.

Her eyes lit up instantly.

“Oh? Who is it? Tell me!”

Satou smiled.

But it wasn’t the same smile as hers.

It was careful.

Guarded.

“You’ll know soon enough.”

“Come on! That’s not fair!” she groaned, stamping her foot in fake frustration.

Satou chuckled softly—but didn’t answer.

Because the truth was simple.

He already knew the answer.

And it wasn’t her.

Six Years Ago

The sky burned orange that evening.

A sunset too calm for what it would become.

Satou stood by the roadside, hands tense at his sides.

Next to him was Miyu.

She held a small travel bag tightly in both hands, gripping it like letting go would make everything unreal.

Not far away, the bus waited—engine running, impatient.

“So you’re really leaving?” Satou asked quietly.

Miyu nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Where are you going again?”

“Tokyo,” she said softly. “It’s my hometown.”

The word hometown felt distant to Satou.

Like it belonged to someone else.

“…Will you come back someday?” he asked.

Too quickly.

Miyu looked at him.

And for the first time, her usual brightness softened.

“Of course,” she said.

Satou’s shoulders eased slightly.

“Really?”

“Yep.”

Then she smiled.

But this time, it wasn’t just a smile.

It felt like a secret she wasn’t sharing.

“And when I come back,” she added, “I’ll introduce you to someone.”

Satou blinked.

“…Someone?”

Miyu didn’t answer.

She just smiled again.

That was all.

That smile ended the conversation.

“That’s not an answer,” Satou muttered.

Miyu laughed lightly.

Then a voice called from the bus.

“Last passengers!”

The moment broke.

Reality moved again.

Miyu adjusted her bag strap and stepped back.

“…I have to go now.”

“Oh…” Satou’s voice softened.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

The silence between them felt heavier than anything said before it.

Then Miyu waved.

“Bye, Satou!”

Satou raised his hand slowly.

“…Bye, Miyu.”

The bus doors closed with a soft hiss.

And then it left.

Satou didn’t move.

Not until it disappeared completely into the distance.

That was the last time he saw her.

Or so he thought.

Next Chapter Preview 
Six years have passed, and Satou is finally climbing the steep stone steps of the hidden shrine to find Miyu. But the moment he reaches the top, his reality is going to fracture.

--- The Flight: Who is the mysterious girl who takes one look at his face, screams in terror, and bolts away like a track star?

--- The Stand-Off: A second identical face appears in the courtyard, wearing traditional robes and glaring with absolute hostility.

--- The Trap: Before Satou can even utter Miyu's name, he realizes he is completely surrounded by a reality that makes no sense.

[Click Next Chapter to read Chapter 2!]