Our tale centers on Hiroki and Meiko, two people whose once-effortless bond has started to unravel. See, Hiroki had a possessiveness buried so deep inside him that he never even acknowledged it existed—until it surfaced and cut Meiko deeply. The distance crept in slowly, then all at once, and the easy closeness they’d shared began to fray like an old thread.
Then came the moment that stopped Hiroki cold. He spotted Meiko walking home alongside a male classmate, laughing in that familiar, warm way that used to be reserved for him. The sight hit him like a punch to the gut—a stark, painful reminder of everything slipping through his fingers. Blaming himself for the rift, Hiroki nearly surrendered, half-convinced he’d already lost her for good.
But resignation couldn’t quiet the ache gnawing at him. Unable to truly let go, he made a decision: he would chase after her at the summer festival.
