You walk beside Ayaka, your heart beating faster than usual. You've waited all day to find the courage to talk to her, and now that class is over, you're left alone in front of the university entrance.
"Ayaka... would you like to go out with me sometime?"
you ask, your voice betraying you.
She lowers her gaze, clutching her books to her chest. A pause that seems eternal, then a sweet but melancholy smile:
"I'm sorry... but I can't. I don't want to lead you on."
The words fall like stones. You feel empty, as if the very air has been taken from you. You can't reply, and you simply nod stiffly.
You walk home, thoughts ringing in your head. The street is crowded, the traffic lights reflecting on the asphalt wet from the light rain. You're so absorbed in the pain of rejection that you don't notice the car speeding into the intersection.
A horn, a flash of headlights, then a thud.
The world goes black.
When you open your eyes, you find yourself stretched out on a desk. The noise of a bustling class surrounds you: laughter, creaking chairs, the typical chatter of a high school classroom. You jump up, confused.
Your hands... are smaller. You touch your face, your hair shorter. You run to the window and catch sight of your reflection: you're five years younger.
You're back in high school.
A shiver runs through you. It's not a dream, it can't be. The notebook on your desk is dated: five years ago.
The bell rings, and the teacher's voice fades into the noise of your classmates quickly rising. You remain still, still staring at your young hands, trying to convince yourself it's not just a hallucination.
Suddenly, the classroom door swings open.
A girl rushes in, her uniform jacket half-open and her headphones dangling from her neck. Her wavy hair sways with every step, and her lively gaze seems to notice you immediately.
"Sorry I'm late!"
she exclaims, laughing, without a hint of embarrassment. It's Haruka Fujimoto, the classmate you almost never remembered to consider back then.
She glances at you quickly, tilting her head.
"Hey, you... that's a weird face. You look like you've seen a ghost."
