Kanade shared the story of Ayumi Fujiwara, a childhood friend of theirs back then. Keita was slowly recalling the memories where she was present, yet it was blurry.
"I can't remember, yet the name Ayumi was oddly familiar." Keita said.
"It's fine, Kei-kun. I don't expect that you would feel this way too." Kanade replied. The mood changed into a gloomy one, they did not talk on their way home. Keita and Kanade part ways when they reached their house gates.
"See you again tomorrow, Kana-nee." Keita said before he went in.
"Wait... What did you just said?" Kanade asked in disbelief.
"See you again tomorrow?" Keita responded.
"You never said this to me before... I'm so happy!" Kanade said joyously.
"Uh, alright, alright. Just go home already." Keita said as he opens his door and went in.
"Let's walk home again tomorrow as well!" Kanade said to herself. For some reason, she feels warm in her chest. Wondering what it was, she, too entered her house.
Keita went into the bathroom and cleans himself. He took a long bath, thinking about what happened today.
"Today is sure a long day..." Keita commented.
"First, it was about Mio-senpai... She's been through a hard time... Constantly blaming herself of something that has nothing to do with her..."
"Then she mentioned about the accident I met years ago. In fact, I don't even remember how it happened..."
"Then I changed... Is what they said about me. I don't even remember how I behaved back then. It's also hard to imagine myself being different than how I act now."
"The cause of it... Is that the constant yearning to avoid reality...?"
"Augh... Wait... Something is going on...!" Keita's head suddenly hurts, he somehow remembered something, yet it was blurry.
"Avoiding... Reality...? What was I avoiding back then...?" Keita presses his hands against his head, he's enduring the pain.
"Kana-nee? No, it's impossible... Mio-senpai? She did nothing wrong... At least that's how I understood the situation... The other friend? I don't remember her..."
"Could it be...!" Keita figured it out, although the pain were intense, as he gradually relaxes his body, the pain slowly fades, he lies in the bathtub, feeling fatigued.
"Gonna finish this up..." Keita thought as he prepares to leave the bathtub.
"Ah, Keita. You were in the bath just now?" A woman's voice is heard through the door.
"Yes mom, I just finished." Keita responded. The woman is Keita's mother, Aoi. Aoi is a teacher in a kindergarten in the community area, where she works alongside the headmaster, who also happens to be his father, Yamato.
Keita returns to his room and changes his clothes.
"Guess I need to figure out who this person is." Keita thought to himself. His parents came home from work, which is usually in the evenings, but they were early today.
"Keita, are you hungry?" Aoi asked.
"No, I just ate in a cafe Kana-nee dragged me into." Keita replied.
"It seems like you're getting along fine with Kanade-chan next door recently. It's a relief to hear." Aoi teases.
"Stop it, mom." Keita said.
"Alright, just some lunch for two then." Aoi said to herself and continues preparing lunch for both her and her husband.
"Mom, I have something I want to know." Keita asked.
"Yes, anything about your homework?" Aoi asked in return.
"No, I want to know who were my friends before that day." Keita said. Aoi were slicing onions, as she heard that, she stopped.
"Goodness, what's going on?" Aoi asked, she's concerned about her son suddenly bringing up his old self.
"I just get the weird feeling when I met with people from my childhood. They gets overly familiar with me, but I have no idea who they are. Also, a name that is familiar, yet I couldn't remember who it is." Keita said in a worried face.
"It's alright, I'll tell you after lunch, is it okay?" Aoi said as she wiped her hands on her apron and caressed Keita's face.
"Ugh... It's still stimulating mom!" Keita said as his tears flows out uncontrollably.
"Ahaha! I'm sorry, go wash your face then." Aoi urges Keita to wash his face.
"Ayumi-chan, I wonder how you've been throughout all these years..." Aoi thought to herself as she continues to prepare her ingredients.
Lunch is finally ready, Yamato comes to the dining table and waits for Aoi.
"Aoi, I heard from Yuuki, that there's a new cafe opened last week. Kanade-chan even said the interior is very welcoming." Yamato shared the conversation topic he had with aunt Yuuki next door.
"Ah, Keita. I've heard you went to the new cafe with Kanade-chan as well eh? Good way to go on dates." Yamato jokingly said.
"Kana-nee and me aren't like that." Keita dismisses.
"Kana-nee, huh. Guess this part of you never changed." Yamato said.
"Alright, could you tell me about my friends before the accident took place?" Keita sits down and prepares for a serious conversation.
"To think that you would be interested in this, guess we will try to help you with that." Yamato was surprised, and turns serious in the moment after.
"Uh... Why do I hear boss music?" Keita thought to himself.
"You were repulsive to whatever happens in the past. That's why we were told to not bring up too much of the past." Yamato said.
"I'm not sure about which friend might reminds you of the past, but Kanade-chan and Mio-chan were the closest with you, as well as..." Aoi paused as she was about to tell the name of another kid.
"Ayumi Fujiwara. Is it?" Keita asked.
"Where did you find out the name? Are you still fine?" Yamato was surprised, his face looked concerned.
"It took a bit of headaches, but I'm kind of fine for now." Keita said.
"Don't force yourself, Keita. Take it slow." Aoi said.
"I've heard that she had Kujou's disease is that right?" Keita asked.
"Yes, she was unfortunate." Aoi said.
"Then how is she now?" Keita asked. His parents shook their heads, implying that they, too do not know Ayumi's fate.
"Alright, I'll heading back to my room." Keita said, leaving his concerned parents sitting in the dining room.
"I promise I'm fine, dad, mom." Keita reassures as he walked upstairs. The lunch tasted delicious as a result of Aoi's good cooking, as well as bittersweet... As they witnessed Keita's growth to accept the past.