(note:Here the "girl" refers to Sakiya mizuno)
Ryu lay on his bed, his hands folded behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. The morning light filtered through the window, casting soft shadows across his room. His mind, however, was far from calm. It kept returning to the image of the girl he had met during his jog earlier this week.
That scene felt strangely familiar, like something he had experienced before—déjà vu. There was something about her, something that tugged at him, as if their meeting had happened in another time or place. His mind kept replaying it, trying to place her face, but it remained blurred. The sensation that he should know her, that there was something important about her, only grew stronger with each passing thought. Why did it feel like their meeting was a memory from a dream?
Ryu shifted uncomfortably on his bed, closing his eyes, but the thoughts wouldn't leave. He rubbed his face in frustration. It wasn't like him to get stuck on something so trivial. He had bigger problems to deal with. Yet, the image of the girl kept intruding into his thoughts, her absence in his memories somehow making her more real.
Just as his thoughts began to wander again, his phone buzzed beside him on the bed. He glanced at the screen—Shun.
"Ryu! Come down fast! We're waiting for you!" Shun's voice crackled through the phone, excited.
Ryu groaned, knowing exactly what this meant. His friends had planned an outing to the amusement park, something they'd been talking about for weeks. It was supposed to be fun, a break from everything. But Ryu, still distracted by the strange girl and his thoughts, couldn't help feeling out of place. He threw his phone aside and dragged himself off the bed. Maybe a change of scenery would help him clear his mind.
He hurried downstairs, and as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw his two friends already standing near the door, ready to go. They were chatting excitedly, but Ryu's mind was elsewhere. He tried to smile, but it felt stiff, unnatural.
"Come on, Ryu! You look like you just woke up!" Shun laughed, slinging an arm around his shoulder. "You're gonna have a blast today! Just let go of all that stress."
Ryu forced a chuckle, nodding. "Yeah, yeah, let's go."
---
Later, at the amusement park, Ryu's friends pulled him from one ride to the next, trying to get him involved in the fun. Roller coasters, games, food stands—it all seemed like a blur. Ryu went through the motions, offering a half-hearted smile when his friends laughed or teased him. But his thoughts kept wandering back to the girl he had met. He couldn't shake the sensation that he had seen her before, like she had appeared in his dreams. And yet, every time he tried to picture her face, it remained blurred, slipping away like a fleeting memory.
Shun and Daiki had noticed his lack of enthusiasm. They tried to get him excited about the rides, but Ryu just wasn't feeling it. He offered a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm fine," he muttered, trying to brush off their concern.
"Hey, Ryu, you okay?" Daiki asked, nudging him as they waited in line for another ride. "You seem... off today."
Ryu forced himself to snap out of his thoughts. "Yeah, just tired. I'll be fine."
"Alright, man. We're having fun, aren't we?" Shun added, grinning.
Ryu nodded, but it felt like an empty gesture. His heart wasn't in it. The noise and laughter of the park seemed distant, like he was watching it all through a foggy lens. His mind kept drifting back to the girl. There was something about her eyes—those empty, haunting eyes—that wouldn't let him go. Every time he thought he had a grip on the situation, her face appeared again, as if trying to remind him of something.
"Hey, come on! It's the last ride! You don't want to miss it!" Shun shouted, pulling Ryu along.
Ryu followed, but the excitement felt hollow. He let himself be swept up in the moment, pretending to enjoy it, but the thoughts of the girl stayed with him, gnawing at him in the back of his mind. His friends were right to be worried about him. He was distracted, lost in his own thoughts. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu that clung to him.
---
Meanwhile, miles away, Sakiya Mizuno was making her way back home. She had spent the afternoon at a nearby park, trying to escape the heavy atmosphere that surrounded her aunt's constant watchfulness. The park was peaceful, a quiet retreat where she could forget the weight of everything. But she knew she couldn't stay there forever.
When she reached the front door, she hesitated for a moment. As soon as she stepped inside, she was greeted by the stern voice of her aunt.
"Sakiya!" her aunt called sharply from the living room. "Where have you been? I told you to stay close."
Sakiya winced, already knowing what was coming. She sighed, rolling her eyes. "I just went to the park, Aunt. It's not like I'm going to disappear."
Her aunt stood in the doorway, arms crossed, her expression hard. "You can't just leave without telling me! You know how worried I get."
Sakiya's frustration bubbled up. "Why do you always do this? I also have a life, you know!" she snapped, the words slipping out before she could stop them.
Her aunt's eyes softened for a moment, but the strictness in her voice didn't change. "I do it because I care about you, Sakiya. I don't want you out there alone, especially after everything that's happened."
Sakiya clenched her fists. She understood her aunt's concern, but sometimes it felt like she was suffocating. "I'm fine. I can take care of myself," she muttered under her breath.
Her aunt sighed, stepping forward. "I know you're strong, but that doesn't mean you should be reckless." She softened her tone. "Just... let me know next time, alright?"
Sakiya didn't answer right away. She just nodded, not wanting to start another argument. But deep down, the frustration remained. Her aunt's overprotectiveness was smothering, and sometimes, it felt like she was trapped.
As Sakiya trudged up the stairs to her room, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, of being held back by invisible chains. She just wanted a moment to breathe, to feel free. But the weight of her aunt's expectations was always there, lurking in the background.
---
Back at the amusement park, Ryu's friends had gathered for one last ride before the day ended. But Ryu was distant, his thoughts far from the spinning roller coasters and the laughter around him. He felt like he was watching his life unfold from a distance, detached and numb. The moment the ride ended, he took a step back, letting his friends rush ahead to find the next thrill.
As he wandered off to the side, Ryu leaned against the railing, taking a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment, but no matter how hard he tried, the image of the girl—the one with the haunting eyes—wouldn't leave him. Her face lingered in his mind, blurred yet so vivid. He couldn't explain it. Was it just a random encounter? A fleeting moment? Or was there something deeper? A connection he couldn't remember?
---
The day ended, and Ryu made his way back home, his friends waving goodbye as they went their separate ways. The quietness of his empty house greeted him. His uncle was probably still at work, as usual.
Ryu dropped his bag by the door and collapsed onto the couch. He closed his eyes, but the image of the girl—the one who felt so familiar—wouldn't leave him. The feeling of déjà vu gnawed at him. It was as if their connection had existed long before this moment. And despite everything, he couldn't shake the sense that she was important, that their paths were somehow intertwined.
Ryu sighed, rubbing his eyes. Tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow would bring answers.