Chapter 1 — The Girl I Never Saw
The afternoon felt too quiet.
Aki stepped outside just to breathe. Not because she had somewhere to go… but because staying inside felt heavier than usual.
The air was warm. A soft summer wind brushed against her face.She walked without thinking.And then— she saw her.A girl standing a few houses away.Long hair. Too long… it covered her face completely.The color was strange. Not fully brown. Not fully red.Something in between.Aki stopped walking.She didn’t know why.She couldn’t see the girl’s face. She didn’t know her name. She didn’t even know if she went to the same school.But still—Her chest felt… tight.Why am I staring…?The girl moved slightly, talking to someone—probably her mother. They must have just moved in.Aki looked away quickly.“…What am I doing?”She let out a small breath and kept walking.But that feeling didn’t leave.The next day, Aki didn’t go to school.Her uniform was still hanging untouched.Instead, she sat in her room, a game running on her computer. Bright colors, loud sounds—but her mind wasn’t there.Her eyes kept drifting to the window.Again. And again.“…This is stupid.”Still— she stood up and walked toward it.She looked outside.And there—She was there again.Walking.The same long hair. The same hidden face.Aki leaned slightly closer to the glass.Just… a little closer…But the girl passed by.Without looking up.Without stopping.Without letting Aki see her face.Aki slowly stepped back.“…Why do I care so much?”No answer came.A few days later.School.“Aki!”A voice called out behind her.Aki turned.“A-chan…”A-chan walked up with a grin. “Where were you for a whole week? Skipping already?”“I just didn’t feel like going.”A-chan laughed. “You say that so casually…”Aki shrugged. “Let’s go to the cafeteria.”“Already? You just got here.”“I’m bored.”A-chan sighed. “Fine, fine…”They started walking.Students passed by, voices blending together.And then—Aki stopped.“…Huh?”A girl walked past them.Long hair.That same color.That same presence.Aki’s eyes widened slightly.It was her.Without thinking—“Hey!”The girl stopped.Slowly… she turned.For a second, Aki thought— This is it.But—Her hair still covered most of her face.Only a small part was visible.Not enough.Still not enough.Aki forced a small smile and waved.“…Hi.”The girl hesitated.Then—gently— she raised her hand and waved back.“…Hi.”Her voice was soft.Almost too soft.Aki’s heart skipped.Just a little.Why does it feel like I’ve been looking for her…?A-chan leaned closer. “Do you know her?”“…No.”“Then why did you call her?”Aki didn’t answer.She just kept looking at the girl.At the face she still couldn’t see.At the feeling she couldn’t explain.I don’t even know her name.So why……do I feel like I want to?The bell rang.But Aki didn’t move.Her eyes were still on the girl walking away.Slowly.Quietly.Like she had always been there.And at the same time—Like she might disappear at any moment.A girl I couldn’t see.But somehow…I couldn’t look away.
