Time flowed like a steady river in both Eri's village and Shu's, carrying the days forward while they continued their lives unaware of the destiny that tied them together.
Eri's longing deepened as the weeks passed. She often found herself sitting by the river near the village, watching the water flow, trying to make sense of the pull she felt within. It was becoming harder to ignore. Her parents noticed her quiet detachment but didn't press her. They simply let her be, trusting that whatever was troubling her would resolve in time.
Eri still helped around the village, but her heart wasn't in it. She took longer walks alone, venturing deeper into the forests surrounding the village, as if searching for something she didn't even know how to find. Her heart ached with a loneliness she couldn't understand, even when she was surrounded by family and friends.
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Shu, in his own village, found his days growing heavier too. He'd never questioned the life laid out for him, content with the work in the fields, the quiet moments with his sister, and the simple joys of living. But something was changing. His heart began to stir with a sense of incompletion, a feeling that something—or someone—was missing.
Like Eri, Shu wasn't haunted by vivid dreams or memories, but he began noticing small things. The sound of the wind seemed different, sometimes filled with a strange melancholy. The sight of the stars at night stirred something in his chest, an unshakable feeling that he should be somewhere else, doing something greater than this simple life.
He had always been close to his sister, Shuna, who often teased him for his serious nature. But even she noticed his growing distance.
"You've been staring off into space a lot more lately," Shuna said one morning as they gathered water from the well. "Are you thinking about leaving the village?"
Shu blinked in surprise. "Leaving?"
Shuna nodded, her expression softening. "You seem restless, like there's something pulling you away from here."
Shu didn't respond right away. It wasn't that he wanted to leave, exactly. But he couldn't deny the truth in her words. There was something pulling at him, something invisible and constant, like a thread tugging him in an unknown direction.
"I don't know," Shu finally said, his voice quiet. "It's like… there's something I'm missing, but I don't know what."
Shuna gave him a long look, her teasing tone gone. "Maybe you'll figure it out someday."
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Back in Eri's village, a festival was approaching, a rare occasion that brought joy and celebration to the small community. It was the annual harvest festival, a time when the entire village came together to celebrate the end of the growing season with music, dancing, and food. Despite her growing restlessness, Eri was expected to help prepare, and so she threw herself into the work.
The festival was a welcome distraction, but as the night of celebration wore on, the sense of emptiness only grew stronger. Surrounded by the laughter and cheer of her fellow villagers, Eri felt more alone than ever. She couldn't understand why—there was nothing wrong with her life, nothing that should make her feel this way. And yet, the feeling remained, a quiet ache in her chest that no amount of distraction could soothe.
At one point, as the music swirled around her, Eri slipped away from the festival, seeking the solitude of the forest once more. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver light over the trees, and the air was cool against her skin. She walked slowly, her thoughts swirling like the leaves in the wind.
She stopped by the river, the same spot she often found herself drawn to, and sat down on the bank. The water rippled gently, and Eri stared at the reflection of the moon, her mind heavy with thoughts of the life she felt she was meant to live—whatever that was.
"What are you trying to tell me?" she whispered to no one in particular. Her voice was barely a breath, lost in the wind.
The trees rustled softly, and for a brief moment, she thought she heard a distant voice carried on the breeze. It was faint, almost inaudible, but it sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn't make out the words, but it was as if the wind itself was trying to speak to her, to guide her toward something.
But what? What was she supposed to find?
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In Shu's village, the harvest season had also ended, and life had settled into its usual rhythm. But Shu's restlessness only grew. His thoughts were consumed with questions he couldn't answer, and the feeling that something was missing in his life became unbearable.
One afternoon, while working in the fields, Shu felt the wind shift suddenly, sweeping across the plains with an unusual force. He paused, straightening up and looking around, sensing something in the air—something different. The wind felt… alive, as if it carried more than just air. It carried a weight, a sense of longing that matched his own.
Without thinking, Shu stepped away from his work and walked toward the edge of the fields, where the land sloped down toward the forest. The wind followed him, swirling around him in soft gusts, and for a moment, Shu felt a strange connection to it, as though it was leading him somewhere.
He didn't know why, but something deep inside told him to keep walking, to follow the wind. It was an irrational impulse, and yet it felt right.
His sister's voice called out to him from behind. "Shu! Where are you going?"
Shu stopped, glancing back at her. Shuna stood at the edge of the field, a concerned look on her face. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came. How could he explain it? He didn't understand it himself.
"I'll be back," he said finally, though he wasn't sure where he was going or when he would return.
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Neither Shu nor Eri knew it, but the wind was carrying the echoes of their past lives, whispering of a connection that spanned time itself. Though they were separated by distance, their hearts were drawn to the same unseen force, each of them unknowingly searching for the other.
As the days passed, the pull within them both grew stronger. Eri continued to spend her evenings by the river, while Shu found himself wandering the forests near his village more often, as though the answers to his questions lay just beyond the horizon.
But for now, their paths remained separate. They would not meet, not yet. The wind had not yet carried them to the moment when their lives would cross once more.
And so, they continued to live their lives, each feeling the invisible pull of destiny, waiting for the day when the universe would finally bring them together.
To be continued...
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Authors Note:Thank you for reading this chapter.
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