Arata stood there, frozen for a moment, as her smile lingered in the air between them.
Nozomi's gaze softened,
Arata didn't say anything at first. Instead, he walked over and sat beside her on the swing, the wood creaking under his weight.
The moment was quiet, yet serene. The gentle hum of the evening wrapped around them, a whisper of wind weaving through the trees.
Above them, the moon cast its soft glow.
It was as if they were destined to meet there, aligning the stars and pulling the moon into its perfect place just for them.
Arata broke the silence,
"Nozomi…" He hesitated for a moment, as if testing the weight of his words before letting them go. "I want to tell you something important."
Nozomi turned to him, her gaze steady, patient. The moonlight traced the contours of her face, highlighting the quiet curiosity in her eyes.
"My aunt and uncle, they talked to me about something earlier over dinner."
his expression softened, like a quiet relief settling over him. Finally saying it out loud.
He glanced at her, searching for a reaction, but Nozomi simply watched him, her gaze steady, waiting.
"They invited me to move with them… to Osaka."
Nozomi's face was filled with surprise and joy at the same time.
"Wait… what? You're… moving to Osaka too?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, her brows knitting together in disbelief.
For a moment, she just stared at him, searching his face as if making sure he wasn't joking.
"Wait… you're actually serious?"
Arata nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah."
She suddenly reached out and lightly smacked his arm. "And here I was, being all dramatic about never seeing you again." Shaking her head, she let out another quiet laugh.
They both stood, the park now feeling brighter than before, even under the quiet moonlight.
"Do you think we'll ever come back here?" Arata asked softly.,
Nozomi turned to him, her smile faint but genuine. "Maybe. But... even if we don't, this place will always be part of us."
Arata and Nozomi parted ways in front of the park, their footsteps quiet as they walked in opposite directions.
The evening had left them both with a sense of calm and peace of mind.
As he walked home, Arata couldn't help but replay the night's conversation in his mind, over and over again. It all felt like a distant dream.
He had spent so many years bracing for disappointment, expecting the worst, unable to shake the feeling that happiness was just out of his reach. And yet, in that moment, with Nozomi beside him, everything seemed... different.
It was as if the pieces of his life were finally falling into place, the shadows of his past life slowly fading.
Morning came, and as usual, Arata prepared himself for school. But this time, there was something different. He moved through his routine with an unhurried calm, no longer rushing through the motions with the usual sense of dread.
He arrived at school earlier than usual, the quiet hallways still and empty, offering a moment Arata rarely sees, peace before the day began.
He walked to his classroom and sat down in his seat, he let out a sigh of relief.
Arata stared out the window, watching the first light of day spread across the sky, the sun's rays casting soft shadows in the empty classrooms. He let out a slow breath, his thoughts drifting in the quiet.
_What does the future hold?_ he wondered. The question lingered in his mind, heavy yet filled with a new kind of weight. For the first time in a long time, it wasn't a question that terrified him. It wasn't an empty abyss or a dark cloud that he needed to avoid. It was something else...
His thoughts returned to Nozomi, to the plans that had begun to take shape. They would both be moving to Osaka, starting over in a new city, a new life.
Could this really be the beginning of something better?
"Hey, it's rare to see you here early," she said with a soft laugh, her voice cutting through the stillness of the room.
Arata turned to find her standing by the door, her expression light and teasing. Nozomi had a small smile on her face.
He blinked, a little surprised to see her. "Yeah, I guess I'm just... trying to get used to things. I want to change you know, for the better."
His voice was calm, but there was something in the way he said it like he wasn't just talking about school, but about everything else, too.
Nozomi grinned, walking over to her desk and sitting down.
As more students filled the classroom, Arata glanced around, feeling a strange sense of disconnect. He'd been so absorbed in the thought of moving away, to a new place where he could start again.
The thought of everything that was changing, that the familiar faces and sounds of school felt oddly distant now. But at the same time, he felt a quiet reassurance in the presence of Nozomi beside him.
The bell rang, signaling the start of class.
The teacher entered the classroom, glancing around as he made his way to the front of the room. His eyes landed on Arata, who was still sitting at his desk, quietly staring out the window.
"Well, well, Arata, you're here early today. Guess I'll have to adjust to this new side of you," the teacher remarked, his voice light with amusement.
Arata gave him a small, almost embarrassed smile, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.
Nozomi let out a smile noticing that Arata is finally doing well.
With a nod, he started the class, the usual rhythm of school taking over as Arata and Nozomi settled into their seats.
The session passed by in a blur notes were taken, questions answered, thus ending the first chapter of Arata's dark past behind.
The day of their move arrived quickly. Arata could hardly contain the excitement bubbling inside him.
The last few days had felt like a blur, and now, everything was finally happening. He finally ready, the boxes packed, and his Uncle, Aunt, and Cousin was in the car was waiting outside.
For so long, he had been afraid of change, but now that it was here, he was surprised to find that he felt a sense of hope, like a new chapter was just beginning.
His heart raced as he thought about Osaka what it would be like, what he would find there, and how things would be.
Nozomi and her family were already on their way to Osaka. Arata had gotten a text from her earlier in the morning, telling him they were heading to the station. Her excitement was contagious, and even though they were going on separate paths for a while, knowing they were both making this leap together brought him a sense of comfort and warmth.
As Arata finished loading the last of his things into the car, he paused for a moment. The familiar sights of his hometown were still fresh in his mind all the bad memories, and suffering that had clung him was no longer holding him back.
His uncle glanced at him from the driver's seat, a knowing smile on his face. "You ready?" he asked,
Arata nodded, though he wasn't entirely sure he was ready. But he knew this was the right thing to do, that he couldn't let fear take control of him anymore.
"Yeah, I think I am," Arata replied. He turned to look out the window, watching the familiar sights of his hometown slowly fade away as they drove farther from it. As they continued on their way, Arata couldn't help but feel a spark of hope.
"So," his cousin said, leaning forward slightly, "how are you feeling about all this? Ready for the big move?"
Arata hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words. "I don't know. It still feels kind of unreal in a good way, you know?
His cousin chuckled, nodding in understanding. "Yeah, I get it. It's a lot to take in. But hey, we're all in this together, right? You're not alone in this."
Arata glanced over at his cousin, the comforting warmth of the words sinking in. "Yeah. I guess it helps knowing you're here, too. It's... less scary that way."
His cousin smiled, ruffling Arata's hair in a teasing way. "You're not a kid anymore, Arata. But I get what you mean. You've been through a lot, but you've got this. And besides, it's not like we're going to let you get lost in Osaka. We'll make sure you find your way."
After a few more minutes of quiet chatter and some peaceful naps in the car, they finally arrived outside the train station. The busy atmosphere of travelers, the sound of train announcements over the loudspeakers, and the steady hum of people moving about suddenly felt real—this was it. The beginning of everything changing.
Arata's eyes scanned the station, feeling a mix of nervous energy and excitement. He hadn't been this far from home before.
They walked toward the entrance, the train platform looming ahead, and Arata couldn't help but admire Nozomi from afar, like the sun distant yet within feel. She looked almost perfect, a pure and innocent figure, standing there in a white sundress , her suitcase beside her.
For a moment, he simply watched her, his heart racing with disbelief. Nozomi, with her bright smile and carefree demeanor, looked so effortlessly beautiful. It was hard to believe someone like her had been a part of his life.
As they got closer, Nozomi turned to face them, her eyes immediately locking onto Arata.
"Hey!" she called out, her bright smile lighting up her face, as if the sun itself had come down to meet them.
Arata stood there, completely lost in thought, his eyes still fixed on Nozomi. She looked almost like something out of a dream.
Nozomi, however, quickly caught on to his lingering gaze
She playfully hits Arata's arm, "Hey, stop staring too much. Do I look weird or something?" she said, her voice playful yet sharp enough to snap Arata back to reality.
Arata blinked, caught off guard, and his cheeks turned bright red. "N-No, I wasn't—uh, I mean, I wasn't staring!" He immediately looked away, flustered.
Nozomi couldn't help but laugh at his flustered response, crossing her arms with a teasing grin. "Well then... how does it look? Does it look good on me?"
Arata's face turned even redder, and he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, avoiding eye contact. "Y-yeah... it looks great. You look... really cute." His voice was quiet, almost a whisper, as he tried to hide his embarrassment by looking anywhere but at her.
Nozomi blinked, caught off guard by his words. She hadn't expected him to say something like that. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink, and for a moment, she just stood there, unsure of how to respond.
"Uhm… t-thanks, I guess…" she mumbled, her heart racing, still surprised by the unexpected compliment.
She quickly glanced away, her thoughts momentarily scrambled. It wasn't often that Arata said something like that, and she wasn't sure how to react.
Her usual calm and collected demeanor seemed to falter just slightly.
"W-well… I'll meet you later inside the train," Nozomi said, trying to regain some composure. "I'm going to go catch up with my family now." She quickly turned, avoiding eye contact, her hands fiddling nervously as she tried to brush off the moment.
Arata nodded, still feeling a little flustered, but he managed to return a small, shy smile. "O-okay. See you later," he said, his voice soft and quieter than usual.
As Nozomi walked away, she couldn't help but glance over her shoulder at Arata one more time, her heart still fluttering from the unexpected words he had said. She hoped he hadn't noticed how flustered she was... but she wasn't so sure.
his cousin Hikari, who had been watching from a distance, couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face.
"Man, I didn't know you had a girlfriend," Hikari said, grinning.
Arata's face went redder, and he quickly shook his head, flustered by the comment. "W-what?! No, it's not like that!" he stuttered, clearly caught off guard by his cousin's teasing.
Hikari just laughed even harder, shaking his head. "You sure? Because it definitely looked like something's going on between you two. You're acting like a love-struck idiot, man."
Arata groaned, trying to hide his embarrassment by looking away, but the teasing didn't stop. "I-I'm not... I wasn't... just shut up."
Hikari gave him a playful pat on the back. "Relax, I'm just messing with you. But seriously, you two have some serious chemistry. Maybe you should make a move before someone else does."
Arata shook his head, still flustered from his conversation with Hikari. "There's no way she likes me, we're just friends, yeah friends..." he muttered to himself, glancing back toward Nozomi. The idea felt impossible, like something that only happened in movies, not in his life.
Just as he thought that, the train's announcement rang through the station, signaling the beginning of boarding.
From a distance, Nozomi waved at him, her smile bright as ever. Arata waved back . But then, as if reading his mind, his phone buzzed.
It was a text from Nozomi.
"I'll see you in a bit inside, okay?" she had written.
Arata stared at the message for a moment, a small, nervous smile creeping onto his face. His heart skipped a beat, but he quickly pushed the feeling aside. but for now, all he could do was meet her inside the train, like she asked.