[Past
Year: 2012
Time: 10:45
Date: 24th April
Scene: School In Yokohama]

I was walking through the usual chaos of the hallway, people pushing past each other, chatter bouncing off the walls, and the clatter of lockers all around. It was the kind of noise that usually faded into the background after a while, so I didn't think much of it until I heard my name.

"Kavei-san."

I turned to see Aroshi walking toward me. "Ah, Aroshi," I said, offering a quick nod as she caught up.

She matched my pace without any effort, like we'd done this a hundred times. "How are you doing today?" she asked, her voice calm, almost like she was really trying to check in.

"Fine," I replied. It wasn't much, but it was all I felt like saying. I wasn't feeling particularly bad or good, so I kept it simple.

We kept walking side by side, the noise of the hallway blending into the background. Our footsteps synced, and for a few moments, there was nothing but the sound of that and the hum of people around us. It wasn't uncomfortable. The silence between us had always been easy.

I didn't need to say more. Aroshi and I had spent enough time together to know that sometimes, you didn't need to fill every moment with words. A look or a simple answer was enough. That understanding had come naturally over time, no effort required. It was just... us, and that was how we worked.

[Past
2012
School in Yokohama
Before Kavei and Aroshi became friends]

It was just another normal day at recess, kids running around the playground, laughing, and the usual squeaking of sneakers on the asphalt. I was messing around with a basketball, shooting random hoops, not paying much attention to anything else. But then I heard it.

A scream. A sharp, panicked cry that cut through the noise.

I froze for a second, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach. It didn't take long to figure out where it was coming from. A girl, probably the same grade as me, was crying, her sobs loud and desperate. I wasn't sure what was going on, but something about it didn't sit right with me.

Without thinking too much about it, I walked toward the noise, my footsteps heavy on the pavement. I didn't really know why I was doing it—I just couldn't ignore it.

When I got closer, I saw the fourth-grader. He was standing there, laughing, looking down at the girl, who was crying and trying to back away from him. Something in me snapped. I didn't like bullies. Never had. I'd been pushed around a bit myself, but seeing that... it made something rise in me.

"Stop it," I said, my voice louder than I expected, but it came out firm. I didn't think about what would happen next. I just wanted him to stop.

The fourth-grader turned to me, his face twisted with annoyance. He didn't like being interrupted, especially not by someone younger than him. He stepped toward me, and in one fast motion, grabbed me by the collar.

I felt his fingers digging into my shirt, but it didn't scare me. Without even really thinking about it, I grabbed his wrist and twisted it hard, using the bit of martial arts stuff I'd picked up over the months. He yelped and lost his grip on me. I pushed him away, and he tripped, falling backward to the ground in a heap.

For a second, it was quiet. The playground felt like it had frozen in time.

I looked down at the girl who'd been crying. She was still sniffling, but her wide eyes were locked on me now. Then another girl appeared beside her. This girl glanced between me and the boy on the ground, as her eyes widened.

"Hey! Stop hitting him!" the second girl shouted, her voice trembling with something between anger and worry. She stepped closer, eyes on me, like she wasn't sure what to think of me.

I glanced at her, confused by the outburst. "What? Hah... this guy was bullying her," I muttered, gesturing toward the girl beside her.

The girl on the ground nodded silently, her eyes full of gratitude.

"O-oh. So you helped her..." The girl who'd spoken, Aroshi, paused and then bowed slightly. "Thank you so much. But... I guess this much is enough."

I didn't know what to say to that. I wasn't looking for thanks or anything. I just didn't like bullies. I shrugged, turning away, feeling a little awkward despite trying to act like I wasn't. "Yeah, whatever."

As I walked off, I heard her voice again, "You are a good person," she had said, but I didn't turn around. For some reason, her words stuck with me, though. They made me think about what I'd done, and how it felt. I didn't really dwell on it, not at the time. But something was different.

After that, Aroshi would look for me at lunch breaks. She wasn't like the other kids—quiet, curious, like she was trying to figure me out. I never really knew what she was thinking, but she kept showing up, always there with that look on her face like she wanted to ask me something, but didn't quite know how.

And me? I just let it happen, like it wasn't a big deal. But maybe, deep down, I knew that something had started, something I couldn't ignore anymore.

[Past
Year: 2012
Continuing 
Date: 24th April
Scene: School In Yokohama]

The rooftop had always been my escape.

It was quiet, high above all the chaos of the school, and just out of reach enough that most people didn't bother coming up. The sun was brutal that day, considering it was still spring, casting long shadows across the concrete, but I didn't mind it. I'd taken my usual spot near the railing, bento on my lap, breeze teasing at my hair.

It was nice. Peaceful. For a few minutes, at least.

"Niram-kun!"

I didn't even need to look up to know who it was. My shoulders tensed anyway.

"You again?" I muttered, glancing up. "What do you want?"

Aroshi was making her way over with that same look she always wore—half unbothered, half like she'd made up her mind three hours ago and nothing I said was going to change it.

"My friend didn't come to class," she said, voice casual.

I blinked. "Okay... and?"

She shrugged, then dropped down right next to me like it was the most natural thing in the world. "So, I'm sitting here today."

I stared at her. "You do realize this is my spot."

"And you do realize this is a school, not your living room," she shot back, already leaning against the railing like she owned the place.

I scoffed. "You're so childish."

"Says the guy crying over his rooftop seat. Now scoot," she said, nudging me with her shoulder, way too pleased with herself.

I could've argued, but what was the point? She wasn't going anywhere. With a quiet sigh, I shifted over just enough to avoid her elbow.

And then, as if the universe wasn't done testing me, I heard more footsteps.

"Hey, Kavei. Can we sit here too?"

I looked up to see three guys approaching. Familiar faces, but none of them had ever spoken to me directly before.

"Who are you?" I asked, squinting.

The one in front raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? We're in your class."

He pointed at each of them in turn. "Kenma. Ojiro. Narito."

Kenma... that name clicked. "Oh right. You sit behind me."

"Yeah," he said. "Mind if we join you guys?"

I hesitated for half a second—mostly out of disbelief—before giving a firm, "Yes. Absolutely yes."

Kenma looked at Aroshi. "But she's here."

"She's leaving," I said flatly.

Aroshi stood up with an annoyed huff. "You're impossible!" And then she actually left, stomping off like I'd ruined her entire day.

I went back to eating, finally alone again. "What the heck," I muttered, shaking my head.

I thought that'd be the end of it. But of course, it wasn't.

The next day, she came back. And the next. Sometimes alone, sometimes with Kenma and the other two trailing behind like a pack of overfed strays. They brought their lunches, talked way too loud, laughed at stupid jokes.

And I let them.

I didn't make it easy. I stayed cold. Distant. I rolled my eyes a lot. But at some point, I stopped trying to drive them away.

I never really noticed the shift when it happened. It was small. Quiet. But one day, I realized I was waiting for them. That maybe, the silence I used to enjoy so much... didn't feel quite the same without them.

A few weeks later, I was walking my bike home—flat tire, of course—when Kenma spotted me.

"Well, well," he grinned. "Kavei walking with us? You good?"

"Don't get excited," I muttered. "Tire's flat."

He laughed. "Still counts. You live this way, huh?"

I just nodded, not really in the mood to explain more.

When we reached the corner, I turned off toward my street and gave them a short wave without looking back.

The sun was lower now, casting that golden glow on everything. The air was still warm, but soft. Familiar. I walked the rest of the way home with my bike beside me and that quiet warmth in my chest—subtle, but real.

I didn't ask for any of it.

But somehow... I didn't mind that it found me anyway.

So after that random run-in on the rooftop and us walking home, I found myself hanging out with Kenma, Aroshi, Ojiro, and Narito more and more. At first, it didn't seem like anything. But, over time, we just kept gravitating toward each other. The whole 'group of friends' thing happened slowly. We didn't plan it. One day it was just... there. It wasn't forced or anything.

We'd chat about random stuff, sometimes laugh over dumb jokes, sometimes just be quiet but still feel like it was enough. I started noticing parts of myself that I didn't even know were there. Like I could be around people and not get all weird about it. I found comfort in it. Something I never really had before.

Eventually, they became my first real group of friends. It wasn't like a big moment where we declared it or anything, but they just were. And I didn't feel alone anymore.

But, of course, it wasn't always perfect. We argued, misunderstood each other. It wasn't just smooth sailing. And there are a couple of those that stands out. But what happened that day shouldn't have happened. I can still see it so clearly in my head. It feels like it happened yesterday, even though it was a long time ago. And even though I try my best to keep it buried, it just resurfaced every chance it gets as if mocking me, telling me that it was my fault.