The neon lights of the izakaya blurred into streaks of red and yellow as rain drizzled onto the empty streets. Inside, amidst the scent of grilled skewers and the murmur of drunken patrons, a young man sat alone at the counter, fingers clenched around a half-empty bottle of sake. His tie was loosened, his dark hair a mess, and his eyes—clouded with alcohol and regret—stared blankly at the reflection in his glass.

Kurose Ren was not just drinking. He was drowning.

"Damn it…" He muttered, tipping the sake into his mouth. The burn was sharp, but it wasn't enough to erase the words still echoing in his head.

"Ren, I don't get you at all. It's exhausting."

The words of his ex-girlfriend, Sakuragi Mayu, replayed over and over in his mind like a broken record. He had been too much for her—too intense, too philosophical, too obsessed with the idea of love. She wanted someone "normal", someone who wouldn't talk about soulmates and fate as if they were written laws.

"You don't love me, Ren. You love the idea of love."

The memory of their final date hit him like a blow to the chest.

Flashback – Their Last Date

The café was perfect. Dim lighting, soft jazz playing in the background, the scent of fresh pastries in the air. Ren had planned everything—down to the seat where she would get the best view of the city lights outside.

"Mayu, have you ever thought about fate?" he had asked, resting his chin on his hand. "Like… what if we were always meant to meet here, at this exact moment?"

Mayu sighed, stirring her coffee. "Ren, why do you always talk like we're in some kind of romance novel?"

He grinned. "Because love is a story. And every great story has a destined meeting."

"Maybe," she said, hesitating. "But not everything has to be so… dramatic. Not everything is written in the stars."

He chuckled. "But if it were, wouldn't it be beautiful?"

That was when she had looked at him—not with love, but with tiredness.

"Ren," she said softly, "I think we're different people. I don't… I don't think I can keep up with the way you love."

The rest of the evening had been silent. The breakup had been inevitable.

Back to the Present

Ren let out a bitter laugh, slamming his empty glass onto the counter. "I was too much, huh?"

Staggering out of the izakaya, he wandered the rain-soaked streets. The moon, full and luminescent, loomed above, indifferent to the heartbreak of a single human.

"Oi, Kami-sama," he called out, wobbling slightly as he pointed at the sky. "If you're really out there… prove it! Give me someone who gets me! Someone who thinks like me, loves like me…" He laughed, shaking his head. "No, that's impossible. There's no way someone like that exists."

A gust of wind howled through the streets. The world around him flickered—just for a second. He didn't notice. He was already falling into the embrace of sleep, collapsing onto his bed the moment he stumbled home.

Meanwhile, in Another World…

Under a different sky, another figure stood before the same moon.

Kurose Rika held a bottle of plum wine, her silver-white hair damp from the rain. Her kimono sleeves fluttered in the wind as she wiped her lips and stared up at the glowing celestial body above.

"You know what, Kami-sama?" she whispered. "I give up. No one understands me. No one thinks the way I do. So…" She raised her bottle, mirroring a boy she had never met. "Give me someone like me."

The wind howled.

She blinked. The world flickered—just for a second. Then, darkness.

The Awakening

Morning light filtered through the blinds of Ren's apartment. He groaned, shielding his eyes as the hangover pounded against his skull. He shifted—

And felt something shift beside him.

His breath hitched. Slowly, cautiously, he turned his head.

A girl was lying next to him.

She was wearing the exact same disheveled suit as him, her tie undone just like his. In her hand? The same brand of sake he had been drinking last night. Her silver hair spilled across his pillow, her lips slightly parted as she exhaled softly.

Ren's mind stopped working.

The girl's eyes fluttered open. As soon as they locked gazes, their mouths moved at the same time—

"Who the hell are you?!"

A pause.

"Why are you talking at the same time as me?!"

Silence. Then, as if compelled by something beyond themselves, they both sat up. They were mirroring each other perfectly. The way they rubbed their temples. The way they blinked rapidly in confusion. Even the way they ran a hand through their hair.

"Okay," Ren finally said. "What the actual hell is going on?"

The girl furrowed her brows. "I should be asking you that."

Then, she looked down at herself, realizing the similarity in their outfits. She grabbed the sake bottle in her hand and compared it to his.

"No way…" she muttered. "This is insane."

They both exhaled sharply at the same time, looking at each other with growing horror.

"…You're just like me," Ren whispered.

She nodded slowly. "I… think I'm you. But a girl."

The room was silent for a long moment before they both spoke at once:

"Explain your world first."

Another pause.

Ren groaned. "Okay, this is gonna take all day."

They sat facing each other, taking turns sharing their stories. As expected, their lives were eerily similar—yet different in small, strange ways.

Ren grew up in Tokyo, Rika in Kyoto. He worked at a publishing firm; she managed a traditional inn. His world had electric trains; hers still used steam-powered ones. Their breakups? Identical. Their last words to their exes? Exactly the same.

Finally, after what felt like hours of talking, Ren leaned back against the wall and let out a deep sigh. He stared at Rika, who stared right back at him.

A slow grin formed on his lips.

"…I love me."

Rika blinked, then smirked.

"…I love me too."

Their laughter filled the room, loud and unrestrained. For the first time in a long time, Ren didn't feel alone.

End of Chapter.