We were allowed to go outside today as well for the same time period of 4 pm to 7 pm and of course, we had to follow the same rules. The student identity card I was carrying around my neck was swinging here and there in random directions as I walked around the streets of Kyoto in search of Hayami. I went to different bars and hotels and other shady places while keeping my identity hidden. I didn’t want to leave a single place unexplored. Even then, I still had no results to name. I didn’t even have any leads to work with.I continued my search for about an hour. When the clock hit 5 pm, I stopped my search for the day.Today, I had some other plans in store.I took out my phone and checked the location I had been sent in advance.“Oh, it’s not that far from here.”I walked for five minutes down the narrow street and took a right turn to a dark alleyway with barely any light even though it wasn’t night yet. As I walked, I could see light up ahead. Leaving the alleyway behind, I was led

After making sure that the three of them had gone from the small opening in the window, I stepped out.The middle-aged man along with some young staff was standing there wide-eyed.“Um…what just happened…?”“Ah, nothing. Just a small quarrel.”They didn’t look convinced. One of the female employees looked over my shoulder to our booth where things were a bit messy. Chunks of wood had come off and drinks and food were sprawled on the table and on the floor. It was easy to guess that what had happened was not a small quarrel by any stretch.“Sorry for this ruckus. And don’t worry, I will pay for the loss.” I tried to comfort them with a smile on my face.“You have an online payment system here?” I asked.The female employee who had been looking at the scene turned her attention to me and answered. “Ah, yes.”She led me to the counter and I paid 50,000 yen as compensation. She tried to argue that the amount was more than required.“Think of it as extra payment for disturbing the atmosphe

TANAKA'S POV:After the encounter with Kageyama, Tanaka was unstable. The truth that he had stumbled upon was something he should never have heard. It was something he didn’t want to hear. If he hadn’t, then he wouldn’t have suffered like he is now. With unstable steps, he walked down the halls. Up ahead, on the right side was a single-person room belonging to someone he knew and someone he was close with.Instead of going to his room, he decided to go to her room.He knocked on the door twice and the door opened shortly revealing a small girl with green hair on the other side.“Tanaka?” She asked. Tanaka looked at her and noticed that she didn’t have her usual braid but her hair today was done in a half down half-up hairstyle. “Let me stay here for a while.”He went past her and sat on the bed.Matsushita closed the door and then sat on the table beside the bed without saying anything else.Tanaka peeked at her from behind.“You are writing a novel again?”“Hmmm.” Matsushita just g

We were in the dining area having our last breakfast in this luxurious hotel.With me were Yamamoto and some other students from our class. Over the course of one week, I would say we have gotten close enough to be called acquaintances.“So my dream is to become a pilot.” Said Kei with dreamy eyes.We were currently talking about our future dreams. Hattori had said that he wanted to become an astronomer. We were going in turns and I knew the baton was going to be passed on to me soon after Yamamoto’s turn.“What about you, Kageyama?” Asked Kei. I was surprised. Wasn’t it supposed to be Yamamoto’s turn!? I screamed internally but the baton was now in my hands so I had to answer.I gave it some thought. Future dreams, eh? I haven’t thought of anything of sorts. I didn’t want to become a doctor nor a pilot or an engineer. I had no dreams and no ambitions. I didn’t need to, after all. But there was one thing that I want. Maybe that might count as a dream. Since I had nothing else to say,

I was in my room.The windows were open. Outside, the rain had started getting heavier by the moment. Occasional winds hit the windows hard causing them to produce a creaking sound as they vibrated. Trinkets of rain made their way inside the room and made contact with my face after which they disappeared to nowhere. The rain that formed after so many efforts and processes for a long time disappeared so easily that it reminded me of a flame in a candle; extinguished with a single puff of breath. It reminded me of how fragile life can be and how easily and effortlessly a life can be ruined despite the painstaking efforts that led to that life.A mechanical ringing sound reached my ears and I turned around to face the small speaker-like device attached to the wall above the door. An announcement was about to be made.“To all the students, due to heavy rain and bad weather conditions, the roads have been blocked and declared unsafe for use. Thus, traveling back home is not possible under