Rukawa Sakura walked under the setting sun as cherry blossoms fluttered in the wind.
She lifted her hand to brush her bangs as she looked up at the sky.
Ever since she was in elementary school, she had always used her bangs to cover herself and a smile to decorate herself.
She originally lived like this because she didn't want anyone to see through her.
She wanted to be strong because she didn't feel safe.
That was why she learned not to rely on anyone or anything. She wanted to be able to do everything perfectly by herself.
Because she didn't want … to be sad again …
She didn't want anyone or anything to hurt her …
That was why she rarely cried.
'We shouldn't cry.'
To her heart, that was the same as her body being defeated.
From the first time she saw this sentence.
From her previous life to this life.
She couldn't forget it.
She had never forgotten it.
She felt a deep emotion.
It was as if it had reached the depths of her soul.
From then on, it was engraved on her soul. She would never forget it, nor would she ever abandon it.
Perhaps she was also someone who didn't have a heart.
From a certain perspective.
She didn't want to let anyone or anything affect her heart.
She couldn't bear that kind of burden.
But she had also cried in her older brother's arms.
She never tried to predict the future, but she was still affected by her friends.
She told herself that she was also needed in this world.
Sure enough, after all the coldness and alienation, all the gentleness and kindness were broken, even she herself forgot what kind of person she used to be.
She had her true self from her previous life.
But in this life, she felt like she had always been acting — no matter how she looked at it, it seemed like she had always been acting. Compared to her true self.
Pain was always deeper than joy.
No wonder her previous life felt more real than her current life.
But, was she not truly living her life?
No.
She had lived a fulfilling life since she was young.
She treated everything seriously and learned so many things.
That was because she knew that the teenagers here were all passionate and would do anything to chase their dreams and win. She was moved.
How could she not treat such a kind and passionate group of people with sincerity?
'I've always been looking for freedom.
All of my happiness.
I have no passion. I have no awareness.
But, I don't need them.
'My life is very simple, but it's very satisfying.
As long as I'm free, I'll live happily. '
Rukawa Sakura's hand that was brushing her bangs paused.
He smiled and took off his headband, allowing his black hair to dance in the wind.
She had to be willful once in a while, right?
I'm still young, aren't I?
Fifteen years old was just right.
Let's start over then.
In his previous life, he had started to die at this age. In this life, he had to live well.
This was not a turning point, but a beginning.
Pain is deeper than pleasure, but pleasure should last longer than pain.
The hair band was taken away from her fingers by the wind, together with the cherry blossoms.
They were taken to an unknown place.
She raised the corner of her mouth and revealed a gentle smile.
Then, facing the slope under the setting sun, he began to run.
Walking freely in the wind.
On the other side of the street, violet-blue hair fluttered in the wind.
He ran after the footsteps of the wind.
A purple hair ribbon was dancing in the wind.
He kept running.
Because once he stopped, he would be out of reach.
All these years, he had never stopped for even a moment. He ran with all his might, chasing after that beautiful figure.
Finally, he reached it.
Yukimura was panting. His forehead was covered in sweat.
Looking at the hair ribbon in his hand, he began to smile.
The hair ribbon fluttered. The moment his long hair danced, he was dazzled.
This was a scene that no one had seen for so many years.
At this moment, he was glad.
For so many years, she had always been covered in a veil of mystery.
He was so close to her, but he never felt like he could touch her.
She always smiled so gently at everyone.
But when she was serious, she was fiercer than anything else.
He had to admit that even after so many years, he still could not see through her.
It was not that he had never been disappointed.
From the most innocent and pure childhood to the most beautiful flower season of his life.
Along the way, they had never separated.
He knew her strength, her intelligence, her beauty, and her seriousness, but he still did not know her heart.
Was it his failure, or was she just too unpredictable?
He could probably tell that she did not like others peeping into her heart.
So, whether it was him or Shinichiro, they both had a tacit understanding.
She also did not like to look into other people's hearts.
So, they quietly got along with each other and lived in tacit understanding.
There had never been any conflicts or estrangement.
When he was in the first grade of elementary school, he transferred to the First Elementary School to study and met her as if it was fate.
His deskmate was a delicate little girl. From the first time she saw him, she smiled at him gently like the falling cherry blossoms in April. There was a unique beauty to her.
Her name was Sakura.
She used to think that this name was too vulgar.
But he felt that it was just right.
He had been outstanding since he was young, and both men and women liked to stick to him.
But he did not like it.
But this time, the deskmate closest to him only smiled faintly at him and said a few words gently. She was so considerate that she did not get close to him.
So he began to observe her carefully.
It seemed that she treated everyone with the same attitude, the same gentleness, the same smile.
But upon closer inspection, he found that she was also clingy.
Her best friend in class was a cold and serious little boy who always lowered his baseball cap.
He eventually became good friends with the two of them.
From then on, they were almost inseparable.
Eight years had passed since then.
Yukimura clenched the hair tie in his hand and looked up at the cherry blossoms on the street corner.
Sakura, beautiful and strong, so fragile that it was a little ethereal, so pliable that it was intoxicating …