...Or so i thought

*Phone buzzing

Takahashi: … it’s my alarm. Should get up and turn it off.

There… turned off

Takahashi: oh yeah, first day of third year. What time is it? Huh… my phone’s wallpaper is different from what I had set it to before… whatever, must be a glitch. It’s 07: 33. I should get ready.

I want to take a bath too. Then I’ll get ready for school… the room looks a little different than what I remember yesterday… I’m still sleepy. I should get my cloths and take a bath, that will wake me up. Where did I put my school cloths last time? Hmmm… where did I put them… WHAT’S MY JACKET DOING HERE? I gave it to Aoi didn’t I… OH WAIT… What day it is.

2nd April… 2018… WHAT THE HELL… I went back to my first year… before I go through my third year… that’s… OH, Sachi is still alive. SACHI IS STILL ALIVEEEEE. AAAAAA MAN, I am feeling so happy right now… we weren’t sure that if I go back to first year or not… but I did. And before third year. I will be able to see Sachi again...

Wait, she doesn’t attend school until second year… and I have to go meet her this year. She doesn’t know me yet… Come to think of it. Nobody knows me right now… that’s kind of sad. But I shouldn’t be. Since it’s just this year. When I’m done with this year, who knows. Maybe I go through my second year again… maybe.

Oh… I should be leaving by now, it’s getting late

08: 10, I’m on bike today. Will get there soon.

(After reaching at school)

Yeah, the first day crowd. I guess I’ll wait, just like before.

(After 10 minutes)

Let’s see, Takahashi Tanjiro… there! 1 – A. It’s actually 1 – A this time. I wonder if Eiji and Hina were in the same class too.

It’s 08: 30 right now. And since I have spent a year at this school, I know exactly where 1 – A is. Oh… that’s Aoi going into the class. Wonder if Eiji and Hina are there yet. Hina must be late.

Yeah, Eiji’s here, but not Hina. Wow looks like everyone is here. Not that many free chairs are left. Maybe I should go sit behind Aoi…

(Takahashi as he walks towards his seat and gets near Aoi and Eiji) “Goo…”

Takahashi: what am I doing, they don’t know me yet… out of habit, I almost said good morning… though it won’t hurt if I talk to them… why did I stop, I look like an idiot now…

“You were going to say something?” (Eiji)

“Good morning…” (Takahashi)

Takahashi: aaaaaaaa… why am I acting so weird… they are my friends… or will be but right now they aren’t… so it’s feeling a little weird

“Good morning!” (Aoi said with a bright smile)

Takahashi: So this is the Aoi that I became friends with… I can’t imagine how much pain she went through to become that…

“What’s your name?” (Aoi)

Takahashi: it’s obvious she wouldn’t know my name. but it still hurts… I don’t know why

“I’m Takahashi Tanjiro”

“I’m Aoi Sakamoto”

Takahashi: I already know that…

“You’re that kid that got the highest marks in the entry test, right?” (Eiji)

“Yeah, that’s me”

“Wow, your looks tell off too, you look tired” (Eiji)

“What do you mean tired?”

“You look stressed, study too much I guess”

Takahashi: maybe because of last year… but I feel fine right now

“No… I’m fine though”

“Oh… I see” (Eiji)

Takahashi: Hina is here too…

“Good morning Aoi, Eiji” (Hina)

Takahashi: she didn’t mention me… of course she wouldn’t. what am I thinking…

“Hina, I found you a tutor” (Aoi)

“Huh… who?”

“Meet Takahashi Tanjiro, he’s the one that got the highest score in the test”

Takahashi: what is she doing…

“So? Why would he tutor me?”

“Just thought that maybe someone smarter than me might be able to get your grades up”

“I got into this high school; my grades are fine. And why would I let a stranger tutor me in the first place?”

Takahashi: that hurt…

“Yeah, you’re right…”

Takahashi: I wanted to tell you guys that I made it, I made it back to first year. and maybe I can come up with a way to save Sachi but… You don’t even know me… acting like strangers. I understand that it was going to happen but… now that it actually is happening. It hurts a lot. Will have to wait till I can talk to them about Sachi. Right now, they would just think I am crazy or something.

It’s better if I stay away for some time. Them, treating me like a stranger… it hurts… but I have to become friends with them otherwise things probably won’t be the same way when I go back… Nothing can be done right now. Slowly maybe I’ll be able to talk to them… though today was really weird, I shouldn’t have started talking like that…

(A week later)

It’s recess right now… I’m here alone, on the roof, eating my lunch… like I was supposed to before… but it doesn’t feel right now. I still haven’t been able to talk to them much. This is what it feels like to be the forgotten one… what they felt at the start of second year, I’m sorry everyone…

But our seating arrangements were made. And I sit behind Aoi now. So maybe I can become friends with her. last year, Eiji and Hina said that I always looked sad and didn’t talk much… but I don’t feel like that. Did something happen? I will have to wait see what happens.

(Weeks later)

Today’s 11th June, exams are coming in a month. And I still haven’t gotten anywhere close to being friends with them. We rarely talk. I don’t understand… why is this different than what they told me? Could it be like Sachi’s date changed, there are changes in first year too? I can’t be sure. I’m getting worried a lot. I’m alone now and it feels really bad. And I can’t do anything about it. Also, I don’t understand how I became friends… if I don’t become friends and go back to third year… maybe these guys won’t know me. This thought is killing me.

I’m in class right now, it’s almost 15: 30, time to go home. I have been studying like I used to. So, my grades are still better than everyone.

Just as the last period ends, Aoi looks back and asks

“Hey, would you want to study with us? I thought having someone like you would be beneficial for us. Of course, if you want to that is. I’m not going to force you”

Takahashi: just now, I felt my heart lighten a little. Aoi asking for studying with us… maybe things aren’t completely stuck. Just have patience, I don’t need to get worried yet. There’s a lot of time till December comes. If I remember correctly, we went to meet her in winter vacations.

“Yeah, I don’t mind. And I can help you guys with topics you feel are difficult”

“Yeah, that too. Main reason was that you are always alone. I thought that maybe you are shy or maybe you are going through something. Thought I could try being friends with you, you don’t seem like a bad person. Eiji felt the same too”

Takahashi: this isn’t what I expected but it’s better than something… and they exaggerated the story I think… this is probably what happened…I was getting worried for nothing

“Well… I just don’t like being around people, so I try to avoid them…”

“Oh… So___”

“No, it’s fine… if it’s you guys its fine.”

“I’m glad you are fine being around us”

Takahashi: I want to tell you guys so much… but for now, this is ok. Step by step I will get closer.

“When are you going to study and where?”

“Exams are in a month; we go to school library every day after school. we were going to the library right now so I thought I should invite you”

“Okay”

(Week before the exams)

Today’s 29th June. And I have gotten a lot closer to them in the past weeks. Aoi and Eiji were already nice, so they didn’t have a problem with me at all. But Hina wasn’t friendly at first… ignoring me and stuff. Because I was someone new for her… that hurt me a lot but now, she’s fine with me. Treats me like her friends. Honestly, I didn’t know Hina had this side. but it’s fine now, I don’t need to worry about anything. Just exams and then summer vacation, then second term then winter vacations… it’s still a lot of time. I hope nothing goes wrong in this time.

(Months later)

Ok… I’m nowhere depressed or anything like that. And I don’t know how I will tell them about Sachi. Exams and vacations went by fine. Nothing happened. I mostly watched anime, there were 2 series I was watching in second year and their second season isn’t even released yet… it released next year in April… this is annoying.

Aoi invited me to hang out with them in vacations. But still… how did I even talk to them about Sachi? Should I just tell? Will they believe me? Of course, they will laugh at first… but maybe they’ll listen… to a story that sounds complete from an anime or something. Yeah, there’s no way they’ll believe me.

Today’s 3rd September, first day after summer vacation. I’m on my way to school on foot. The way everything is going, I’ll just pass first year without doing anything. I think I should try telling just Aoi. Maybe she’ll believe me… but if she doesn’t, it’s going to be so embarrassing…

(After school that day)

Hina, Aoi and my house is almost in the same direction, so we walk home together. I will have some time to talk with Aoi when Hina turns on the way to her home. Maybe I should try talking about it today.

(After 10 minutes)

Ok… she’s gone, it’s only me and Aoi now… Man, I’m getting nervous. How should I even start…

“Aoi…” (Takahashi)

“Yes?”

Takahashi: I just called her without even thinking anything… what now?

“Nothing…”

“You look troubled… something on your mind?”

Takahashi: I am making this so awkward… I think I should just say it…

“This is going to be so weird…”

“What?”

“There’s a friend I want to meet…”

“And…? What’s weird about that?”

“She’s someone I knew from middle school”

Takahashi: I can’t say second year yet…

“And?”

“She’s in Kyoto right now”

“Oh… you are missing her?”

“You could say that… yes”

“It’s not weird, you can miss a friend. Why do you think it’s weird?”

“Because… she has never met me…”

“Huh…? How’s she your friend then…”

“This is the weird part… and I was planning on meeting her in winter vacations”

“I don’t understand… meeting her is weird?”

Takahashi: this is getting nowhere… I should just say it

“The reason meeting her is weird because she hasn’t met me yet… but I have… in second year of high school”

“Hmm… I see”

“Huh… really?”

“You watch too much anime…”

“That’s why I said it’s weird, and I knew you wouldn’t believe me”

“Because… you are talking as if you are from the future or something”

“Exactly! But no one would believe me so I was thinking whether I should talk about it or not”

“This isn’t funny though…”

Takahashi: I thought maybe she might… this is awkward… aaaaaaaahhh she thinks I’m some weird otaku kid

“Ah… sorry forget I ever said anything”

“Why do you want to meet her anyways… IF… you met her in second year, just wait till second year”

“It’s more complicated than that… and talking like this won’t solve anything. I think it’s better if we stop”

“Okay…”

MANNNN! I wonder what she thinks of me now… this just made things worse than before… what if she tells Eiji and Hina… they’ll laugh.

Oh… I remember now, I never mentioned her the situation until we were going to Kyoto… something like this Aoi told me, and that Eiji and Hina never knew about it. I just told her that I have been through my second year… I seriously act like a complete idiot sometimes. I should have gone with what happened before. What now… I should just go home and relax for now. I will come up with something later.

(At home, around 18: 44, Takahashi is studying right now)

*Phone buzzes

Aoi messaged

To Takahashi: I was thinking, why didn’t you talk to Eiji or Hina, and why just me alone?
To Aoi: I would have told you everything, but you didn’t seem to believe it. So I thought it’s better if I stop
To Takahashi: Then tell me everything. I will listen, no matter how absurd your story sounds
To Aoi: Ok… but promise you won’t tell Eiji or Hina about it
To Takahashi: I won’t, I promise
To Aoi: After I completed my middle school, instead of starting first year, I woke up a year later. And it was second year. There I met you guys and made a friend named ‘Sachi’. And that Sachi… she dies at the end of next year. So, I thought If I ever go back to first year, I will go warn her about everything. That is why I wanted to go meet her in Kyoto
To Takahashi: Ok… but where do I come in? why just me?
To Aoi: because in second year, when I met you. You told me that you went with me to Kyoto to meet Sachi. And Eiji and Hina said that they never found out about this until second year. So I don’t want to tell them now, in second year, they will find out.
To Takahashi: You knew about us from the first day?
To Aoi: Yeah
To Takahashi: then you also know what the questions in exams will be?
To Aoi: if you had told me in Second year… I would have told you right now
To Takahashi: Hmm… makes sense but still unbelievable
To Aoi: That’s why I thought it was better to not talk about it
To Takahashi: I’ll go with you
To Aoi: to Kyoto? Really?
To Takahashi: Yeah, it will be in vacations. It will be like a trip. And you can go meet this Sachi friend of yours.
To Aoi: You believe me?
To Takahashi: Nope, but just saying that a single trip to Kyoto won’t hurt. I’ll go with you
To Aoi: then please don’t share this with anyone else
To Takahashi: I won’t

She agreed… even though she doesn’t believe me. And a trip to Kyoto is Really long. I don’t know what she is thinking. Well, it’s better that everything is now set. Now I just have to wait, till December. Then I can go see Sachi… After a complete year… thinking about it is making me nervous, anxious and happy at the same time. I will be able to talk to Sachi, but she won’t know me. And she said herself that she never believed me. So, if I try to tell her about the plane crash… she’ll make fun of me no doubt, that’s the type of person she is. Well. Anyone would… now I know since even Aoi was looking disappointed when I told her about meeting Sachi in second year. Why am I even thinking about it right now. I’ll think about it when the time comes. Right now, I should focus on my books.