Kaede stood outside the small café, the same one where she and Mirei had celebrated her birthday not too long ago. The streets were alive tonight, vibrant with laughter and movement, people bustling to celebrate New Year's Eve with loved ones. She checked her watch—9:00 p.m., the time Mirei had promised to meet her. Without a second thought, Kaede had rushed to the spot, her heart racing in anticipation. Now, she waited, her eyes sweeping over the passing faces, letting the minutes crawl by.
The air was cold, and Kaede tucked her hands into her coat pockets, her breath visible in little clouds. The snow was light, gentle flakes dusting her shoulders as she watched the endless movement of people on the busy street. She checked her phone again—9:20 p.m. Nothing. She bit her lip, staring at the empty screen. She told herself that Mirei would be here soon, that maybe she'd just been caught up in something last-minute.
By 9:30, Kaede's heart started to sink. She glanced up at the large digital billboard across the street, flashing images of celebrations and countdowns to midnight. It felt like a cruel reminder, stirring up memories she had pushed to the back of her mind, memories of the night she'd been pulled into this world. Her heart gave a painful throb. That had been New Year's Eve too. On that night, she'd watched, horrified, as news of Mirei Nakamura's death lit up a screen just like this one. It was the night her world had turned upside down.
Her breathing quickened as those dark thoughts crept closer. She shivered, more from the chill settling in her bones than the actual cold. In this world, they have a bit different of situatuon. Mirei was different. She was Kaede's classmate, her friend, her girlfriend. Here, they were the same age. They had shared so many memories, each one grounding Kaede in a reality she could scarcely believe was hers. But tonight, with Mirei running late, those painful memories twisted into fears that she couldn't shake.
Kaede glanced at her phone again—10:00 p.m. She sighed, biting down on the wave of anxiety. She wanted to think that everything would be fine, that Mirei was simply held up somewhere, maybe laughing about being fashionably late. But the creeping worry gnawed at her. What if fate had somehow found a way to repeat itself? What if she lost Mirei all over again?
Suddenly, a loud, shattering noise jerked her from her thoughts. She whipped her head to the street where she saw flashing headlights and heard the sound of crunching metal. A car had skidded into the sidewalk across the road, hitting the streetlamp with a metallic groan. Kaede's heart dropped as she stared, her body frozen in place, a single thought pounding through her mind—Please don't let it be her.
Slowly, her gaze settled on the scene, taking in the flashing lights and people rushing to help. Relief washed over her as she realized that it wasn't Mirei. Still, the weight of everything bore down on her, filling her with an unease that wouldn't go away. She checked her watch—10:30 p.m. She hadn't heard from Mirei, and there were only ninety minutes left before midnight. Her hands trembled, clutching her phone as if somehow it would deliver a message that would calm the storm within her.
Then, in the midst of her thoughts, she heard a familiar voice call her name.
"Kaede?"
She spun around, her heart pounding, and there was Mirei, standing a few steps away, smiling at her, looking as perfect as ever despite the cold and snow. All the tension, the worry, and the dread Kaede had felt melted away, replaced by overwhelming relief. Tears welled up in her eyes, slipping down her cheeks as Mirei looked at her, puzzled but gentle.
"Kaede…why are you crying?" Mirei asked softly, stepping closer.
Kaede shook her head, managing a soft, shaky laugh. "It's…it's nothing," she mumbled, trying to brush away the tears. She was just so grateful Mirei was here, right in front of her, safe and sound.
Mirei tilted her head, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Did you miss me that much?" she asked, an amused glint in her eye, though her tone was laced with an apology. "Or…are you mad at me for being late?"
Before Mirei could finish, Kaede moved forward, wrapping her arms tightly around her, pulling her close. She didn't care if people were watching. All she wanted was to feel the warmth of Mirei in her arms, to ground herself in the reality that her girlfriend was here, not a memory or a dream. Mirei's gentle laugh faded as she hugged Kaede back, sensing her girlfriend's unspoken worry.
After a moment, Mirei leaned back, noticing how Kaede's body was shivering from the cold. She frowned. "Kaede, you're freezing." She grabbed Kaede's hand, squeezing it to warm her. "Come on, let's go inside."
They stepped into the café, finding a small, quiet booth near the window. The warmth inside was a relief, Kaede's frozen fingers beginning to thaw. Mirei ordered them warm drinks, her touch lingering on Kaede's hand across the table. She looked at Kaede with a softness in her gaze, her apology clear without needing words. Kaede held her hand tighter, a silent promise to herself to savor every moment, every shared look, every laugh.
Time seemed to slip away as they laughed and talked, falling back into the ease that they always shared. As midnight approached, the sound of people counting down the seconds filled the café. Kaede glanced at Mirei, who was looking out the window at the falling snow, her eyes bright with a quiet joy.
The crowd reached the final seconds, and when they counted down to zero, cheers erupted outside and inside the café. Kaede and Mirei glanced at each other, both smiling. "Happy New Year!" It felt like the promise of a new beginning, full of hope and light. For a moment, all of Kaede's worries faded.
Kaede held Mirei's hand tightly, her heart full. She didn't know what the future held or how long they could keep meeting like this. But tonight, she held on to the hope that this new year would be kind to them, that they would have many more nights like this to share.
And as they sat together, watching the snow fall outside, Kaede whispered a silent wish—that this wouldn't be the last time. That somehow, they would find a way to be together, no matter what awaited them in the days to come.