Kazuki wandered through the familiar streets of the city, feeling the strange mix of nostalgia and alienation settling over him like a mist. Even though he was surrounded by familiar sights, each step seemed to echo with memories from the world he had left behind. It was hard to reconcile the two worlds—the life he'd known and the life he'd fought for.
"Excuse me, sir… are you okay?" A middle-aged woman who had just stepped out of a bakery looked at him with concern, clutching a bag filled with warm bread.
Kazuki blinked, realizing he'd been standing still for a while, lost in thought. He managed a faint smile. "I… yes. Just trying to remember where I was headed, I guess."
She nodded sympathetically. "Happens to the best of us. You take care, alright?"
As she walked away, Kazuki's thoughts returned to the others—Lira, Seraphine, Daelan. Each of them had left an indelible mark on him. Even Daelan, his greatest rival, had forced him to confront parts of himself he hadn't known were there. A strange ache settled in his chest as he wondered if he'd ever see them again, or if they had somehow moved on without him.
He continued down the street, the sights and sounds blurring together as he slipped deeper into his thoughts. Eventually, he found himself standing by a small park, its benches arranged around a cluster of trees. He sat down, letting the quiet lull of the park pull him further into his memories.
Suddenly, a soft voice interrupted his reverie.
"Did you lose something?"
Kazuki looked up, startled. A girl about his age stood nearby, watching him with curious eyes. She had dark hair that fell in loose waves around her shoulders and wore a simple dress that seemed to flutter with the breeze.
"No, I—" Kazuki hesitated, feeling an odd familiarity in her presence. "I guess I lost… a place. People."
She tilted her head, her expression softening. "It sounds like you've been through something heavy."
He nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "You could say that."
She stepped closer, taking a seat on the edge of the bench. "Sometimes it helps to talk about it. Even if you feel like no one would understand."
Kazuki hesitated, the weight of his experiences pressing down on him. Could he even begin to explain what he'd been through? How could he put into words the world he'd left behind, the battles he'd fought, the lives he'd tried to save?
"I… was in a place that felt like a dream," he began slowly, his gaze fixed on the ground. "But it was more real than anything I'd ever known. And the people I met there… they changed me. They made me stronger, but now… I'm here, and it's like none of it even happened."
The girl listened quietly, her eyes never leaving his face. She didn't interrupt or press him for details, simply allowing him to speak.
"I left them behind," he continued, his voice barely a whisper. "They're still there, fighting, living… and I'm here. I don't know if they even remember me."
A soft breeze stirred the leaves around them, carrying a sense of stillness and quiet. The girl finally spoke, her voice gentle yet firm.
"Maybe… maybe they do remember. And maybe you're not as alone as you think."
Kazuki looked up, meeting her gaze. There was something in her eyes—a wisdom, a depth—that made him feel as though she could see right through him. He wasn't sure why, but he felt a strange sense of calm in her presence, as though she was a reminder of something he'd lost.
"Thank you," he murmured, a genuine warmth in his voice. "I didn't catch your name…?"
She smiled, a soft, knowing smile. "Names aren't always as important as we think they are. But if you ever need someone to talk to again… you'll find me here."
Kazuki nodded, a faint sense of gratitude welling up inside him. As she stood to leave, he watched her disappear into the crowd, her presence lingering like a whisper in the back of his mind.