"Is it strange? If a man wants to die instead of live.The destination of those people always end up with loss and sadness ..... "
A lone teen think of someone's speech. As if the word is something that is always haunting him...no matter how much he tried, he couldn't forget about it.
He choose not to pay attention to the speech in this head. And continue to walking through hundreds of people in the commercial area.
This commercial district is "Shibuya" a huge commercial district that's full of many people, both foreigners and Japanese people. He is looking for a clock shop. Until he found one on the roadside. A place filled with a chilling atmosphere, decorated with old models clocks
"Welcome!" The young woman's voice who seem to be the owner says to him .
"Is there anything i can help you with ?, or are you looking for a new clock? " She asked with a smile.
" I want to repair my watch. " He said to her and brought out his orange patterns watch before she could ask anything else.
" Alright, can you fill your name in the repair slip please. " She said to him while giving him a slip. He write his name on it before give it back to her.
" Oh! So your name is 'Ake' are you a foreigner?" Ake look at her face after hearing her question.
"...I got transferred here for a high school until next year, although I've been living here before." He said to her.
"No wonder why you are so fluent in Japanese... alright!! It will be done in three days" she told him with a smile again.
"Thank you very much..." Ake give her a small bow before he turned his back and walked away from her, but before he can walk pass the door of the shop, he notice a group of high school students are crossing the road, something stand out to him though is the girl with the necklace that are looking familiar to him.
At the same time the girl that Ake are looking at, stop walking all of the sudden and turn to look at him dead in the eyes. The sudden rush of emotion overwhelmed her, all the memories in the past have come back to her.
"...A..a..Ake..??" She recall the name of the boy who stand on the opposite side of her
Her friends that are way ahead of her looking back to her sudden stop.
" REI !! WATCH OUT !!! "
One of her friend shouted at her before pulling her out of the way of the car that coming straight to her.
" OI !! Watch it you damn kids !! " A guy in the car yelling at the two of them
" We really sorry sir ! We'll be more careful ! " A friend that come to rescue her apologize on her behalf until the car have move on.
" What the hell is wrong with you !? Why are you just standing there !?" Her friend ask her with frustration.
" I...I see someone across... " Rei try to explain to her's friend but when she look back to where she see the boy that she recognized, it seems that there are no one left standing there.
" He's...gone ?... "
When the commotion is happening. Ake use this opportunity to separate himself from the scene, he didn't really like to get in trouble, when he look back he can clearly see the students starting to gather around the girl early, some with questions and some with pure concern.
When the students began to move on to some other places.
Ake decided to walk back to the same spot early, because he has to go that way in other to make it to his destination. But when he arrives to said point, his head start to feel foggy all of a sudden, it's feel like he forgetting something, he begins to walk around to find the source of his curiosity. But no matter how much he tried to find it, it's not really successful at all. Then it's suddenly come to his mind
" What the hell is happening ? ... that clock shop... where did it go ? "
The boy is full of confusion, he can't think of any reason to how it's happening, his body is like falling into a trance for a moment. He has this odd feeling that something wrong is happening to him
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt
The sound of the phone in his pocket bringing Ake out of his trance, he walk to the more secluded area before he answer the phone
" Ake speaking... "
( Hi there Ake ! ) A voice of middle aged woman that soothing his ear response to him.
" Hello auntie, it's there anything you want calling me ? " He asking her.
( I just wanna check up on you... where are you right now by the way ? ) She said.
" I'm going to the train station, it won't take long...oh ! by the way I just went to clock shop a moment ago and.... !? "
At the moment Ake trying to tell his aunt a story, there's a sudden feeling in his head that meddling with his memories, he can't fathom what it is and no matter how hard he tried to recall his memories, it's like he can't even remember it.
( Umm...Ake... Are you okay ? ) She tried to called out to him.
" Sorry Auntie... I just kinda daydream... "
(It's that so... and what are you trying to tell me again ? ) She asked him
" Umm... I'm trying to remember... but it doesn't ring a bell... "
( That's too bad...Well don't forget to call back when you arrive then, Oh! and my daughter are really excited to see you again after all these years too.)
When his aunt talking about her daughter that he once friend with, he can't help but feel a little nostalgic.
" Yeah...I kinda miss it too... "
( Well see you later then.)
" see ya "
After the conversation end, Ake put his phone back in his pocket before he grab his backpack and take some book out and the content is about
' The rules and regulations of Maharaguchi high '
On the train travel off from the city, Passengers that are mainly high school students and a few teachers, Among the constantly chatting sounds or the sleeping students, there is one girl in particular that sit quietly and separate herself from the loud environment in her own little world stare out of the window, In her hand she holding a silver necklace that had a tiny silver cross attached to it.
" Are you really came back ... Ake ? "
A day later
Maharaguchi High, a high school located in the small countryside a far from city, a group of students are running to the building because of the rain
Inside one of the classroom full of chatting sounds before the homeroom start
" Mannn...yesterday school trip was the most exciting thing that happened in my life... " A good looking boy with messy black hair speak to a girl that are sitting in front of him with sarcasm
His name is Kawara Tanda, or what he likes others to call him " Fay "
" Can you stop picking on me for a second Fay ? " Rei look back at him with annoyance because she knew that her friend like to picking on others and cause the people headache but that doesn't effect his popularity among other girls at all.
" How about you repay me with ice cream then ! " He said with enthusiastic.
" in your dreams. "
" Awwwww ~~~~~ " Fay seems to be disappointed that he wouldn't get his ice cream.
Not long after the conversation, a teacher has walking in, everyone in the class are either walking back to their seats or just quite down.
" Good morning everyone, today I have a news, even though it's kinda sudden...we will have a new transfer student to join our class today... " The teacher said.
After the announcement everyone in the class begins to talking about the said 'transfer student'
" Hey ! What do you think is going to be? A boy or a girl? "
" i really want some cute boy... "
" A new kid ? I hope it's a girl ..."
So many questions and comments about the transfer student are floating around in the classroom nonstop
" A transfer student ?.... What do you think Rei ? " Fey ask her quietly from the backseat
" I'm not interested..." Rei answer without a care but before she could go further, she come to a sudden stop when she look back to the front of the class.
The person who step pass the front door is the same one she saw the other day !!
" Hello everyone...my name is Ake... please to make your acquaintance. "
He introduced himself with a straight face and a raspy voice that sent chill down everyone backs, making him give off unfriendly vibes.
And Rei still couldn't believe her own eyes and just starring at him.
" Uhhm... anything else you want to tell the class ? No full name ? No hobbies?...."
A teacher ask him nervously, feeling a bit intimidated by his attitude
" Just call me 'Ake' "
Ake once again answer with a same attitude as before, the teacher see no need to pursue Ake any further decided to end this awkwardness before things go south.
" A.. Alright ! How about you have a seat.... right there !! " The teacher point to the vacant seat on the right side of Rei, this got a surprise reaction from the girl who done nothing but starring at Ake from entire time.
Ake walk up to the seat and just sitting down without making any noise or eye contacts, making the class more nervous.
Rei take a deep breath and decided to break the silence
" A...Uhm..h..Hi...na... nice to meet you... " She introduced herself to him with a shaky voice, but it seems to not get any attention from him.
" Do you... remember me ? "
" ..... "
" We already met...at shibuya "
Rei try to ask him again, try to jog his memories then suddenly Ake facing back to her with a face that show some confusion.
" Have we met before ? I don't recall knowing you. " He ask her with confusion and frustration before turning back to focus on the teacher, unlike Rei who's right now feeling disappointed that her assumption was wrong, this simply couldn't be the person she waiting for...
" ... sorry...i might confused you with another person i know... " She apologize to him quietly before she turn her head around and try to forget about this exchange. She looking out the window with a sadden face, try to look far beyond what she see. In hopes of seeing the one she wants to meet....
After school
The rain now is gone leave only the small puddle across the field. A late afternoon sun shown through a small mount that stood behind the school. A bunch of students is seen walking back home, some go as a group or some just walking alone.
Rei who's about to walk pass the main gate come to a sudden stop when she heard someone calling her from behind with a sounds of footsteps that are coming closer to her.
" Rei-Chan wait for me !!! " A familiar sound that brought a smile to her face
" Chihiro-Chan !! " Rei calling out to the person that running up to her. When her friend catch up to her, she seems to be out of breath and Rei didn't waste anytime and go over to her friend to assist her.
" Chihiro-Chan, are you done with your students council works ? "
" Yeah !....'gasp'... i already...'gasp'... finished it.... " Chihiro telling her while she tries to take some breath. Chihiro Yabanashi is the president of students council. She has a remarkable score on every subjects. Though she seem to not interact with others that much she's still sociable. She and Rei are bestfriend, the two of them like to walking home together almost everyday if either one are available.
" Alright ! Let's go ! "
" Yeah ! "
The two girls begins their journey home like always. A conversation spark with these two girls during their walk home, various topics that the girls could think of until one topic in particular that makes Rei change her whole mood.
" So how's the new transfer student "
"Ummh....i'm not really sure, he's kinda creepy though... "
Before the conversation could get any further, they are already arrived at Rei's house
" welp ! Looks like we're here, see you tomorrow then ! "
" Yeah Bye ~~~ " Both say goodbye to each other before they go their separate ways. Rei continue to smile while looking at her friend that slowly out of her sight. When Chihiro are completely gone, a smile that once adore her face have left her, she move her hand to the silver necklace that she wear. She think back to the moment that still stuck in her head.
' Have we met before ? I don't recall knowing you. '
" Maybe he's not really him...no...he use 'That' name, there's no way it's not him... Or maybe he already forgot about me... " She tries to analyze the situation that she currently in. But it seems to course her a headache so she simply stop thinking about it for now.
" 'sigh' .... what a day... " She decided to walk through the door of her house
" I'm back mom ! " Rei call for her mom before she takes her shoes off but something catch her interest, there seems to be another set of shoes that she not recognize.
" there a guest in our house ? ... " Rei decided to walk to the guest room looking for her mom.
" Mom ! Are you here...??!! " At the moment she calling for her mom she come to a sudden stop when she laid eyes upon the owner of the strange shoes . It's 'Ake' !! And here he is, sitting in her own house talking to her mom all casually.
" Wha...Why are you here !? "
She asked him loudly
Ake who sitting there talking to her mom, turn his attention to her. He seems a little surprised to see her again. He turn his face back to Rei mom again and the lady give him a knowing smile. Ake who looks like he's come to a conclusion of some sort begins to standing up and slowly walking up to her. His eyes full of surprise and sadness before a single tear fall down his face
" Y...you really are Rei-Chan? "