The morning bell rang across campus, sharp and cold in the spring air. Haru stood frozen at the school gate, his hair damp from the sudden drizzle that fell on his way to school. Students streamed past him, laughing and chatting, oblivious to the storm raging inside his chest.
Every step he took down the hallway felt like walking into a world that had moved on without him. Desks scraped across the floor, chairs squeaked, and someone called his name in passing — but it was all a blur.
Shoji spotted him first, waving frantically from their classroom door.
"Haru! Over here!" he called, his grin wide but tinged with relief.
Haru managed a small nod, but as he stepped into the room, he froze. Sitting by the window, bathed in pale morning light, was a girl with long black hair — the exact same shade, the same soft waves as Mei's. Her hand rested on her desk, and around her wrist glinted a delicate bracelet.
His bracelet.
His vision swam. Was he seeing things again?
The girl turned slightly at his entrance — not enough for him to see her face — and a rush of heat and terror surged through him.
No. No, it wasn't her. He was just seeing things again. He couldn't make a scene. He promised his mom he'd be normal.
He forced himself to look away, but the bracelet kept flashing in his mind, each glimpse pounding in his head like a drum. He clenched his jaw, trying to steady his breathing. A hand tapped his arm, snapping him back. Shoji stood there, frowning. "Haru, were you listening? I was asking if you wanted to copy my notes…" Shoji paused, eyes narrowing as he took in Haru's pale, sweaty face.
"Dude, are you okay? Why are you sweating?". Haru wiped his forehead, startled by the cold sweat soaking him.
"I'm fine. It's just… a bit hot," he lied.
Shoji raised an eyebrow. "Hot? It's freezing out." He smirked teasingly, then followed Haru's gaze to the girl by the window. "Ohhh… curious about her, huh, Haru?"
Haru snapped his eyes back to Shoji, his face frozen in panic.
If Shoji could see her, that meant she was real. But how? She was dead. How could she be here? Unless… it was someone else. But no — that bracelet. His bracelet.
"You're acting like you've seen a ghost," Shoji said, his grin fading. "Do you know her or something?"
Haru swallowed hard. "No… I-I don't," he whispered, eyes dropping to his desk.
Shoji shrugged. "Well, she's a fresher, actually. I heard she did so well on her SATs they put her straight into our college class. Crazy, right?" He chuckled, glancing back at the girl.
None of that mattered to Haru. He only cared about one thing:
Was she really Mei?
"What's her name?" Haru asked, voice low.
Shoji scratched his head. "Dunno. Never talked to her. She just showed up last week — when you weren't here." He handed Haru a stack of notes.
Haru slumped into his chair, closing his eyes as the pain behind them pulsed with every thought of that bracelet. Why did seeing it make his head pound? Why did it feel like every memory of her was clawing its way back into his mind?
The rest of the lesson crawled by, every tick of the clock stabbing into Haru's skull. He barely heard the teacher's voice. His eyes kept drifting to the girl by the window — the way her hair shifted when she tilted her head, the bracelet glinting in the gray light.
As soon as the bell rang, Haru jerked upright. He shoved his notebooks into his bag, ignoring Shoji's surprised look, and slipped out the door, eyes locked on the girl's back as she moved into the hallway.
He kept his distance at first, weaving through the crowd as he followed her down the stairs, his heart pounding with every step.
Is it really her? he thought desperately. Or am I going insane?
She walked calmly, unaware of the boy trailing her like a ghost. But as she reached the school courtyard, she slowed. Her head turned slightly, then fully — and their eyes met.
Haru stopped dead. His breath caught painfully in his chest.
The face looking back at him wasn't Mei's. It was similar — almost heartbreakingly so — but not quite the same. Softer features, unfamiliar eyes. Yet around her wrist, the same bracelet gleamed. His bracelet.
They stared at each other for a long, tense moment, raindrops beginning to patter around them as a new drizzle started.
She spoke first.
"Um… are you following me?" Her voice was gentle, curious — almost playful.
Haru couldn't find his voice at first.
"I… I thought you were someone else," he finally managed, his words shaking.
She tilted her head, studying him with a puzzled expression. "Well… I'm not. But…" Her eyes flicked down to his wrist, then to his face again. "Have we met before?"
He swallowed hard.
"No. I… I don't think so."
A small, soft smile curved her lips. The kind that made his chest clench painfully, because it was just like Mei's.
Suddenly, images crashed through his mind: Mei laughing under cherry blossoms; Mei turning to call his name; Mei reaching for his hand. The memories hit him like a wave, overwhelming, relentless. The bracelet flashed in his mind's eye, spinning faster and faster until —
Haru's head exploded in agony. He staggered back, clutching his temples as a sharp, searing pain sliced through his skull. A strangled whimper escaped his lips.
"Heyy?!" the girl called, stepping forward in alarm. But he barely heard her — his vision went white with pain as he sank to his knees.
* * *
It was one hell of a day. They'd had the best time of their lives — a day so perfect it felt almost unreal, like it could be their last. Dates like this always felt special, moments they'd remember forever.
As the night wore on, Haru returned with ice cream, a playful grin on his face. Mei beamed up at him.
"Haru-kun… today was so much fun. Thank you," she said softly, her smile so bright and golden it made his heart pound louder with every beat.
Haru squeezed her hand, his own smile wide as they started walking down the road together, laughing and talking about everything they'd done that day. The night was theirs — the stars sparkled above them, the air was cool and sweet, and Mei was perfect. He knew he never wanted to lose her.
They passed through their usual quiet alley — the shortcut to Mei's house — when a strange noise came from the trash bins nearby.
"What was that?" Mei asked, glancing around.
The noise grew louder, rattling the metal bins. Haru stepped in front of her protectively, fists clenched, ready for anything. The alley fell silent for a breath, then something leaped out.
Haru screamed.
It was just a kitten.
Mei burst into laughter, squatting down to scoop up the tiny creature.
"Aww… you're so cute," she cooed, petting the kitten's soft fur.
Haru crossed his arms, muttering darkly, "Bloody cat… scaring me like that…"
Mei giggled, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, come on, it's just a sweet kitten."
The kitten nuzzled her wrist, eyes locked on her bracelet — the bracelet Haru had given her. It batted at the charms, purring, then… the bracelet started to glow faintly. A sharp pain stabbed through Haru's head.
"Argh—my head… why is that bracelet glowing?" Haru gasped, clutching his temples.
Mei's smile faded. "Glowing? What are you talking about, Haru? Nothing's glowing. Are you okay?" She stood and hurried to him, eyes wide with worry.
"I… I'm fine…" he lied through gritted teeth. Why can't she see it? he thought desperately. Am I going crazy?
Suddenly, the kitten lunged at Mei's wrist, snagging the bracelet and darting down the alley.
"Hey?!" Mei shouted, sprinting after the kitten.
"Mei, wait!" Haru yelled, tearing after her.
The kitten skidded into the street, the bracelet slipping from its mouth and clattering onto the pavement. It sat beside it, staring at Mei with unsettling stillness. Mei rushed forward, reaching for her bracelet.
But Haru heard it before she did — the roar of an engine, a horn blaring, tires screeching against wet asphalt.
"Mei! Get out of the way!!!" Haru screamed, heart pounding like a war drum.
Mei froze. She turned, eyes wide with terror, as headlights flooded the alley with blinding white light. Haru's feet slammed the ground, pushing himself harder than he ever had. He reached for her hand — but he was too late.
The car's impact sent a sickening sound through the night, a deafening crunch that swallowed every other noise.
Time slowed. Haru tumbled to the pavement, the world spinning. When he looked up, Mei lay crumpled in the street just feet away, blood seeping beneath her head. The car's horn still blared in the distance, echoing like a funeral bell.
"Mei!!!" Haru's voice shattered in the cold night air, raw and broken as he scrambled toward her, his body shaking uncontrollably. Haru scrambled across the wet asphalt, falling to his knees beside Mei. Blood seeped into his clothes as he cradled her limp body in his arms. Her eyes were half-open, glassy, unseeing.
"Mei… please… wake up," he whispered, his voice shaking. His hands were slick with her blood as he pressed them against her cheeks, desperate to feel warmth. "Mei, don't do this… open your eyes… please…"
Around him, horrified voices rose.
"Oh my god…"
"Somebody call 911!"
"Is she breathing?"
But all Haru could hear was his own ragged breathing and the pounding of his heart. He bent closer, tears dripping onto her pale face.
"Mei… please… I need you… I can't do this without you…"
Her head lolled in his hands. No response. No sign of life. The world around him blurred as hot tears streamed down his face.
"Mei!!!" he screamed, a raw, broken sound that cut through the night. "WAKE UP!!!" His cry echoed down the empty street, a sound of pure agony.
Suddenly — darkness.
Haru gasped awake, his body jerking upright. His heart still thundered, his clothes drenched in sweat. Rain tapped softly on his window, the room dim with early morning light.
His breaths came ragged, each inhale stabbing his chest.He wiped his face with shaking hands. Blood still felt fresh on his skin even though it wasn't there. He could still hear her last breath echoing in his ears, the metallic tang of blood lingering in his memory. His hands trembled as they reached for the glass of water on his nightstand, but he knocked it over, the glass clattering to the floor, water spreading across the wooden boards like the blood he couldn't forget.
He looked around, eyes darting wildly. He was home — in his room. The smell of coffee drifted from downstairs, and hushed voices reached his ears. His mom's voice. Shoji's voice. It was just a memory. The nightmare of the night he lost everything. The night Mei died replaying over and over again.
Outside his room, his mother's voice cracked, brittle with fear.
"He's not okay, Shoji… I don't know what to do anymore."
Shoji's usually bright tone was low, worried.
"I've never seen him like this, ma'am. He's… he's completely lost."
Haru pulled the blanket tighter around himself, rocking slightly. The air felt heavy, suffocating, as memories of the crash replayed over and over in his head. The sight of her lifeless eyes. The warmth fading from her body. The sound of his own screams splitting the night.
He wanted to tear the images from his mind, but they wouldn't leave. They twisted deeper, cutting fresh wounds into his heart with every replay. He pressed his palms against his temples, as if he could crush the memories out.
His breath quickened, his chest tightening like iron bands were wrapped around his ribs. He stumbled out of bed, needing air, needing anything but this. His feet barely felt the floor as he pushed his window open. The cold breeze slapped his face, but it couldn't chase away the heat of his grief.
"Why?" he rasped into the empty morning sky. His voice broke on the word. "Why did you leave me? Mei… why…?"
His knees buckled, and he sank to the floor, his head resting on the window ledge. His tears dripped onto his hands, silent and endless.
Behind his door, he heard his mother begin to cry softly. Shoji's voice came again, muffled but insistent.
"He needs help. Real help. He can't keep living like this."
"I know," his mother whispered. "I know. But I don't know how to save him…"
Those words stabbed deeper than any nightmare. He was breaking her — the last person he had left. He knew he couldn't keep going like this, couldn't keep drowning in ghosts. But how was he supposed to let go of the only person who ever made him feel alive?
He pressed his forehead against the cool glass of the window. The morning sun was rising, timid rays piercing the heavy clouds. But to Haru, the world felt frozen in the darkness of that night.
He closed his eyes, whispering her name one last time.
"Mei…"
The warmth of the morning never reached him.