A Reunion That Spelled Trouble

 At Home
“Oh, oh! Someone seems to be pretty popular lately, doesn’t he?”

Sara’s voice rang through the living room, dripping with a sweetness that immediately made me suspicious.

Even more suspicious was the rather peculiar smile plastered across her face.

I slowly turned toward her.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, nothing.” She tilted her head innocently. “I was just wondering who that girl was.”

That girl?

I blinked.

“Which girl?”

Sara’s smile widened.

“Miyu Fujimoto-san.”

I stared at her for a moment, trying to recall the name.

“Who’s Miyu Fujimoto-san?”

For a brief moment, Sara’s expression went blank.

Then—

“You forgot the transfer student who sits beside you?! The girl your teacher introduced to the class?!”

“Ohhh, that girl!”

I snapped my fingers as the memory finally returned.

“Yeah, I remember her now. I just forgot her name.”

Sara stared at me as though I had just confessed to committing an unforgivable crime.

“You forgot her name already?”

“Well, it’s not like we’re particularly close.”

“And what’s your relationship with her?”

I looked at Sara, genuinely confused.

“I didn’t even remember her name a few seconds ago. How am I supposed to know what my relationship with her is?”

Sara’s smile disappeared.

“Then what did you two talk about?”

I scratched my cheek, trying to remember.

“Hmm… I don’t really remember. Something about how I’ve changed, I think?”

Sara narrowed her eyes.

“She said you’ve changed? That means she must know you from somewhere, doesn’t it?”

“Maybe?”

I shrugged.

“Anyway, I’ll ask her tomorrow.”

Sara continued staring at me.

For some reason, I had the uncomfortable feeling that I was being interrogated by a detective who had already decided I was guilty.

And the worst part?

I had absolutely no idea what my crime was.

Seriously, what’s with that expression?

---

 At School

The next day, lunch break finally arrived.

I opened my lunchbox, looking forward to enjoying a peaceful meal.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

“Aoto-kun, would you like to have lunch together?”

I looked up.

Miyu Fujimoto was standing beside my desk, smiling brightly.

*Huh?*

*Aoto-kun?*

*Why is she calling me by my first name?*

I glanced around the classroom.

There were plenty of other students she could have eaten with. Some were chatting with their friends, while others were already opening their lunchboxes.

So why me?

“Um… there are plenty of people here, you know. Are you sure you want to eat lunch with me?”

Miyu nodded without the slightest hesitation.

“Of course! I want to eat with you.”

Before I could come up with another excuse, she pulled a chair over and placed it beside my desk.

Then she opened her lunchbox as if this arrangement were the most natural thing in the world.

And just like that, my peaceful lunch break was over.
I could practically feel the eyes of my classmates boring into the back of my head.

Whispers began spreading throughout the classroom.

“Hey, why is Fujimoto eating with Kagawa?”

“Wait, isn't she the transfer student who became popular recently?”

“First, he gets perfect scores in the finals, and now this?”

“Seriously, what does Kagawa have that we don't?”

I lowered my head and focused on my lunch.

*Please, just let me eat in peace.*

First, I had scored exceptionally well in the final exams. That alone had attracted more attention than I wanted.

And now, Miyu Fujimoto—a girl who had quickly become popular because of her appearance—was having lunch with me.

Wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.

At this rate, I would need to submit a formal request to the school to change my identity.

Perhaps I could transfer to another class and introduce myself as someone else.

*No, wait. That would probably make things worse.*

I sighed quietly.

Beside me, Miyu seemed completely oblivious to the commotion she had caused.

She simply continued eating with a cheerful smile.

After a few minutes, I finally decided to ask the question that had been bothering me since yesterday.

“Fujimoto-san, can I ask you something?”

“Hmm? Sure! Go ahead.”

I hesitated briefly before speaking.

“Um… do we actually know each other?”

Miyu stopped eating.

She slowly turned toward me, looking as though she couldn't believe what she had just heard.

Then she smiled.

“Of course we do! We've known each other for a very long time.”

I stared at her.

“Eh?”

She pointed at herself.

“I'm Miyu Fujimoto! Try to remember!”

I scratched my head.

“Um… I can't.”

For several seconds, she said nothing.

Then she let out a long, disappointed sigh.

“Good grief. You should eat more almonds to improve your memory. 

Are you still a little kid?”

“Hey! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!”

“Really? Because your memory says otherwise.”

“That's a completely different matter!”

Miyu giggled.

I couldn't help noticing how comfortable she seemed around me. She spoke as though we had known each other for years.
Which, according to her, we apparently had.

But if that was true, why couldn't I remember her?

I was beginning to suspect that my brain had decided to erase an entire portion of my childhood without consulting me first.

*What a terribly inconvenient brain I have.*

“Anyway,” Miyu said, resting her chin on her hand, “don't worry. I'll tell you everything after school.”

“Everything?”

“Everything!”

She gave me an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

For some reason, I wasn't particularly reassured.

Still, I nodded.

“Okay, then.”

We returned to our lunch.

However, I soon noticed something strange.

Every now and then, Miyu would glance toward the classroom entrance.

And whenever I followed her gaze, she would quickly look away.

I wondered what she was looking at.

More importantly, why did I have the feeling that I was about to become involved in something troublesome?

---

### After School

The final bell rang, and the classroom quickly filled with the familiar sounds of students packing their bags and making plans for the afternoon.

I approached Miyu before she could leave.

“Hey, Fujimoto-san. You said you'd tell me everything after school, right?”

She looked up from her bag.

“Oh, right!”

Then she smiled brightly.

“Why don't we walk home together? I'll explain everything on the way.”

“Walk home together?”

“Yep!”

I considered it for a moment.

It wasn't as though I had anything particularly important to do.
“Um… okay.”

Miyu clapped her hands together happily.

“Great! Let's go!”

And so, we left the classroom together.

As we walked through the school gates, Miyu began speaking.

“Well, as I remember it, we used to be childhood friends, right?”

I stopped walking for half a second.

*Childhood friends?*

But my childhood friend was Sara.

At least, she was the first person who came to mind whenever I thought about those days.

So who exactly was Miyu?

“Um… childhood friends?”

“Yep!”

“We were?”

Miyu puffed out her cheeks.

“Don't tell me you've forgotten everything!”

“I mean, I haven't exactly forgotten everything. I just don't remember you.”

“That is literally the same thing!”

“Is it?”

She gave me a look that could have frozen boiling water.

Then she sighed.

“We even became best friends!”

“Best friends?”

“That's right!”

I tilted my head.

*How is this possible?*

I couldn't remember her face, her name, or even a single conversation we'd supposedly shared.

And yet, she seemed completely certain that we had once been close.

“Do you remember anything at all?” she asked hopefully.

I thought hard.

Nothing came to mind.

“Sorry. Nothing.”

Miyu's shoulders slumped.

“You really should eat more almonds. Your brain needs all the help it can get.”

“Why do you keep recommending almonds?!”

“Because I'm worried about you!”

“That doesn't make any sense!”

Despite her complaints, she eventually smiled again.
“Well, I'll explain everything from the beginning.”

“Please do.”

She glanced at the road ahead.

“Your parents came to my hometown once, remember? You visited your grandparents there.”

That made me pause.

“Wait… I remember visiting my grandparents!”

Miyu's face lit up.

“Really?!”

“Yeah. My parents and I used to visit them.”

I began searching through the dusty corners of my memory.

My grandparents' house.

The familiar countryside.

The quiet roads.

The afternoons spent playing outside.

And then—

*Wait a minute.*

*Wait… wait…*

Fragments of forgotten memories began to surface.

A little girl running down a country road.

A familiar laugh.

Tears streaming down someone's face over something that had seemed incredibly important at the time.
And a nickname.

A particularly ridiculous nickname.

My eyes widened.

I finally remembered.

Miyu Fujimoto had been my neighbour when I stayed at my grandparents' house. We had become close friends during those visits, spending our days playing together.

She had been my second-best friend from childhood, after Sara.

However, after about two years, I stopped visiting my grandparents as often and eventually moved on with my life in the city.
And somewhere along the way, those memories had faded.
But now, standing beside me, was the very same girl I had once known.

And there was one thing about her I could never forget.

She had been the actual definition of a crybaby.
Whenever something upset her, she would burst into tears so dramatically that it felt as though the heavens themselves had opened.

That was precisely why I had given her a nickname.

A nickname that had followed her throughout our childhood.

**The Walking Waterfall.**

A grin slowly spread across my face.

“Ohhhhh! So you're the Walking Waterfall!”

**PUNCH!**

“OW!”

Pain exploded across my cheek.

I stumbled backward, clutching my face as Miyu glared at me.

“Don't you dare call me that stupid nickname!”

“W-Wait! Why did you punch me?!”

“Because you called me that!”

“But I gave you that nickname!”

“EXACTLY!”

A couple of people walking nearby turned to look at us.

I straightened up immediately, rubbing my cheek.

“Ah… I'm sorry about that.”

Miyu crossed her arms.

“You'd better be!”

Then she suddenly paused.

Her expression changed.

“You remembered my nickname…”

I looked at her.

“Yeah?”

She stared at me for another moment before her eyes began to sparkle.

“Then you remembered everything?”

“Of course I did!”

I answered confidently.

And then, without warning—

Miyu threw her arms around me.

“Hug—?!”

“Aoto! I missed you so much!”

I froze.

She held me tightly, burying her face against my shoulder.
“I was so surprised when the teacher told me to sit beside Aoto Kagawa! I couldn't believe it was really you!”

Her voice was filled with genuine happiness.

For a moment, I didn't know what to say.

It had been years since we had last seen each other. To her, perhaps, it felt as though an old part of her childhood had suddenly returned.

I understood that feeling.

Even so…

“Um… Miyu?”

“Hmm?”

“Could you please not hug me in public?”

She immediately released me.

“Oh! Sorry!”

I let out a relieved breath.

“It's just… a little embarrassing, you know?”

Miyu tilted her head, then smiled mischievously.

“Oh? So you're embarrassed to be seen with me?”

“That's not what I said!”

“Then what's the problem?”

“The problem is that everyone is staring at us!”

She glanced around.

Sure enough, a few passersby were watching us with curious expressions.

Miyu simply giggled.

“You haven changedvery much, Aoto.”

I wasn't sure whether that was supposed to be a compliment.

Still, I couldn't help smiling a little.

It was strange.

Only a few minutes ago, she had been a complete stranger to me.Now, memories of our childhood were returning one after another.Perhaps some friendships really could survive years of separation.Even when one of the friends had the memory of a goldfish.

“Come on,” Miyu said, starting to walk again. “Let's head home.”

“Right.”

I followed her.

And that was when she suddenly leaned closer and whispered into my ear.

“Hey, Aoto…”

“Hmm?”

“Why is that girl following us?”

My entire body went rigid.

Slowly, very slowly, I turned my head.

And there she was.

Sara.

Walking several steps behind us.

Her face was terrifyingly calm.

Too calm.

Her eyes were fixed on me with an expression that seemed to say she had already sentenced me to death and was merely deciding how to carry out the punishment.

*Oh, no.*

*Oh, absolutely not.*

My blood ran cold.

For one brief moment, I could practically imagine my entire life flashing before my eyes.

*What did I do?!*

*I was just walking home!*

*I haven't even done anything wrong!*

Well…

Technically, I had hugged another girl.

Actually, she had hugged me.

And I had asked her to stop.

That should count for something, right?

I turned back toward Miyu, forcing myself to remain calm.
“Um… don't worry, Miyu. She isn't following us.”

Miyu raised an eyebrow.

“Then why is she walking behind us?”

“Because… her home is along the same route as ours.”

“Both of your homes?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.”

Miyu studied my face.

“Then why are you shaking?”

I immediately straightened my back.

“Sh-Shaking? I'm not shaking! I'm completely normal!”

*I'm going to die.*

*I'm definitely going to die.*

Miyu stared at me suspiciously, but thankfully decided not to press the matter.

We continued walking.

Thirty minutes later, we finally reached our apartment building.

I let out a sigh of relief.

“Ah, Miyu, I guess we have to separate here. Bye-bye! See you tomorrow!”

“Yeah, I know.”

I turned toward the entrance.

“Then I'll see you—”

“Oh! Wait!”

Miyu suddenly pointed toward the building.

“Look! That's my building!”

I followed her finger.

Then I froze.

She was pointing at the very same building I lived in.

For a moment, my mind went completely blank.

*No.*

*No, no, no.*

*Please tell me I'm misunderstanding something.*

I slowly turned toward her.

“Um… you live in this building?”

“Yep!”

Miyu smiled brightly.

“I moved here recently!”

I stared at her.

“I… I live here too.”

“WHAT?!”

Her eyes widened.

Then, before I could react, she threw her arms around me again.

“Aoto! That's amazing! We can talk together every day now!”

“M-Miyu! Not in public!”

“Oh, sorry!”

She released me, though her smile didn't fade.

Then she leaned closer, looking genuinely delighted.
“By the way, I live in Room 207. What about you?”

I stared at her for a long, silent moment.

Room 207.

The number echoed inside my head.

And suddenly, I realised something far more terrifying than the fact that my childhood friend had returned.

Something that would undoubtedly change my peaceful life forever.

Because, standing right in front of me, smiling as though the world had just granted her greatest wish, was Miyu Fujimoto.

My long-lost childhood friend.

My former best friend.

**And my new neighbour.**

I slowly lowered my head.

*Sara is going to kill me.*

I could already imagine the disaster waiting for me inside that apartment.

And for the first time in a long while, I found myself wondering whether a person could somehow be declared legally dead from stress alone.

*Well…*

*I guess today is going to be my last day on Earth.*

**To be continued…**