All content in this novel is for fictional and entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. This story may include emotionally heavy or distressing themes. Reader discretion is advised.
Her expression shifts slightly. "Yes, I did. But how do you know that?"
For a brief moment, I hesitate, my fingers tightening around the strap of my bag. Then I answer honestly.
"I was in the school library today," I say. "There was this old yearbook sitting on the shelf. It looked really dusty, so I got curious and took a look inside."
Her eyes remain on me, attentive.
"I saw some group photos from that year… 2014 to 2015," I continue. "And you were in them."
Her eyebrows lift in quiet surprise.
"That old yearbook?" she repeats softly. "I didn't think there would be any copies left."
I tilt my head slightly. "Why not?"
She gently rocks the stroller beside her, the small wheels creaking faintly against the polished floor.
"Back then, the school didn't print many copies," she explains. "The supply was limited, so not every student who wanted one was able to get it."
Her gaze sharpens just a little. "But why are you curious about that year?"
I shift my weight, glancing briefly at the floor before looking back at her.
"The group photos felt… off," I admit. "Like something was altered." My fingers curl slightly into my sleeve. "I wanted to see if it was the same in other copies."
I hesitate for a second before asking, "Do you still have yours?"
She hums softly, thinking.
"I do remember getting one," she says slowly. "But I honestly don't know where it is now. I'd have to look for it."
"Oh…" My shoulders drop slightly, and my gaze falls to the floor. I didn't realize how much I was hoping she still had it.
She notices immediately. A gentle smile spreads across her face, softening her expression.
"You said your name was Mio, right?" she asks.
I nod.
"Are you free right now?" she continues warmly. "Would you like to get a cool drink with me? We could talk more there."
I blink, caught off guard.
"…Sure," I say quickly, before I can overthink it.
----------
We leave the boutique together and step out onto the street. The city greets us with the sound of car engines passing by, distant chatter, and the faint hum of life continuing all around us. Warm light reflects off the glass windows of nearby buildings, and the late afternoon sun stretches long shadows across the pavement.
The café she leads me to stands out immediately.
Tall glass windows reflect the golden light outside, giving the place a soft glow. Inside, everything looks polished. Marble counters, clean surfaces, and neatly arranged displays. It's the kind of place where every drink has too many ingredients and probably costs more than it should.
As we step inside, the scent of fresh fruit and roasted coffee beans wraps around me.
We approach the counter, and the cashier greets us with a polite smile. "Hi, what can I get you today?"
I scan the menu quickly. "I'll have a strawberry smoothie," I say. "With strawberry sauce and whipped cream."
"And I'll have the fresh mint mango smoothie," the woman adds calmly. "With whipped cream and banana breadcrumbs."
"Of course," the cashier replies as he taps the screen. "Anything else?"
She glances at me. "Do you want anything else?"
I shake my head. "No, I'm fine with just a smoothie, thank you."
"Very well."
When the total appears, I instinctively reach for my wallet. But she gently raises her hand, stopping me.
"Don't worry it's on me," she says with a small smile.
"Oh—but I have money—"
She shakes her head lightly. "I can't have someone younger than me pay. That would be unpleasant."
There's a playful glint in her eyes as she winks.
I hesitate for a second, then nod. "Thank you."
After some time, they finished making our drinks and we take them to sit by the window. Sunlight filters through the glass, casting soft reflections across the table. For a moment, we just sip quietly. Then she lets out a small laugh.
"We've been talking this whole time, but I never introduced myself."
She sets her drink down. "My name is Himari Nishikawa. I'm an English teacher at Hikari Hoikuen preschool."
A preschool teacher? My eyes flick briefly to the expensive white bag beside her chair. The dress inside looks high-end, definitely not cheap. Preschool teachers don't usually make enough to shop like that.
I keep that thought to myself.
She gestures toward the stroller with a fond smile. "And this is my little Hikaru."
The baby stirs slightly, letting out a small yawn as her tiny hands curl near her face. Soft strands of hair stick lightly to her forehead. The woman gently pulls the built-in shade of the stroller forward, shielding the baby from the sunlight streaming through the window.
"Isn't she cute?" she asks softly.
"Yes," I reply, my voice quieter than before. "She is."
"I got married last summer," she adds casually.
You even have a whole kid already… that's a lot to handle.
She looks back at me, smiling. "But enough about me. You go to Kurokawa High, right?"
I nod, taking a small sip of my smoothie. "Yes. I'm a freshman there."
Her eyes widen slightly.
"A freshman?" she repeats. "The way you talk, I thought you were already in your second or third year." She smiles warmly. "You're very mature for your age."
Heat rushes to my face instantly. I look down at the table, avoiding her gaze. "Th-thanks…"
No one's ever said that to me before. It feels… strange.
She chuckles softly. "What's with that reaction? Your cheeks are bright red."
"I'm not blushing," I mumble, still looking down.
She laughs again, clearly amused.
After a moment, she takes another sip of her drink and continues casually, "Do you know what you plan to study in the future?"
"I'm still figuring that out," I admit. "But I want to do something related to web design."
She nods slowly. "It's difficult for everyone when it comes to knowing what you want to do. You're in no rush, so take your time." Her gaze drifts toward the window. "Unless you want to end up like me, that is."
For a brief moment, something in her expression changes. Her eyes are still, almost empty, as if she's looking at something far beyond the glass.
I pause, unsure how to respond. I don't fully understand what she means, but the words come out anyway. "I think you're fine just the way you are."
She looks back at me, clearly surprised.
"You don't need to belittle yourself," I continue, fumbling slightly. "I mean… there's still time. You're still breathing, right? It's proof that you haven't given up on life yet."
What am I even saying…? Look at me giving advice to someone I barely know.
She suddenly bursts into laughter.
It's loud enough that a few people nearby glance over.
I freeze, my face burning. "W-wait—did I say something wrong?!"
"No, no," she says between laughs. "You didn't. I just wasn't expecting that."
She tries to calm down, but a few more laughs slip out.
I sink further into my seat, cheeks burning even more.
After a moment, she finally settles, smiling at me, this time much more gently.
"I have to say," she says, "you're really one of a kind, Mio."
Then she takes another sip of her drink.
"I didn't realize they changed the uniform," she continues. "I'm glad they did, though. The old one was so plain."
I glance up slightly. "Was there anything special about it?"
She tilts her head, thinking.
"Well… it was designed by one of the students," she says. "She really loved lilies and wanted to add a lily-shaped crest to the shirts."
My hand freezes mid-motion, the straw still between my lips.
"But nobody liked the design," Nishikawa-sama continues lightly. "So her shirt ended up being the only one with the design."
A lily crest? My heart stutters. The girl in my dreams, standing in white light, wearing that same simple uniform. And on her chest—a lily.
My grip tightens around the cup.
"…Mio?"
"Huh—?" I blink and snap back to reality.
"Is something wrong?" Nishikawa-sama is watching me carefully now, with concern in her eyes.
I swallow, forcing myself to stay calm.
"No… I'm okay," I say quickly. Then I hesitate. "But… do you know who designed it? What did she look like?"
Nishikawa-sama taps her chin lightly. "I don't remember her name," she admits. "But I do remember that she had long brown hair. She took really good care of it. A lot of girls were obsessed with her hair."
I bite my lip. The girl in my dreams also has long brown hair. So she wasn't just something my mind made up. She was a real person? Did she go to Kurokawa High too? The same year? Then why… why do I keep seeing her in my dreams?
Nishikawa-sama leans forward slightly. "Speaking of which, you said that—"
But before she can continue—
"MIO!" The voice cuts sharply through the air. Both of us turn looking towards the door of the café
Hiro stands near the door and walks to our table, bent forward with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily like he ran all the way here.
"There you are," he pants. "I was so worried."
I stare at him. "…Were you running?"
He straightens, clearly irritated. "Of course I was running! Any older brother would be worried if his little sister just disappeared without saying anything!"
Nishikawa-sama covers her mouth with a small laugh. "Oh, so he's your brother? I thought he was your boyfriend."
I snap my head toward her. "OH HELL NO."
"Ugh your so rude!!" Hiro look dejected.
She laughs lightly. "Oh my, I was only joking. You're quite the handsome young man."
Hiro blushes instantly and bows several times. "Thank you very much ma'am! But I'm really sorry if my sister was bothering you."
"Hah?! Bothering, what do you mean by that?!" I snap.
"I meant what I said," he replies quickly. "Now let's go. Mom is going to chew both of us out if we're not home on time. We still have packing to do."
Nishikawa-sama smiles, clearly amused. "She sounds like quite the character."
Hiro bows again. "I'm sorry, but we really have to get going."
She glances at her watch and lets out a small breath. "Ah… your right, it's getting late, isn't it? I should be heading out soon as well."
I stand and bow. "Thank you for the smoothie… and I'm sorry for bothering you."
She waves her hand lightly. "You don't need to be so formal and no you were not a bother at all."
Then she pauses.
"Mio," she says, "why don't we exchange contact information? I'll let you know if I remember anything about the yearbook."
My eyes light up instantly. "Really? I'd appreciate that a lot!"
I quickly pull out my phone, and we exchange contacts.
Hiro holds the café door open.
"Oh, thank you," Nishikawa-sama says. "But I'll stay a bit longer. My husband is picking me up."
"Oh, I see. Then take care," Hiro replies, bowing again.
We both say goodbye and step outside.
----------
The evening air feels cooler now.
As we walk toward the motorcycle, Hiro stretches his arms behind his head.
"So," he says casually, "what were you two talking about?"
I glance down at my phone. Himari Nishikawa. Her profile picture is a white cat.
I stop walking.
"Mio?" Hiro turns around immediately. "What's wrong?"
Slowly, I lift my head. My eyes lock onto his.
"You went to Kurokawa High too, right?"
"…Yeah."
My grip tightens around my phone.
"Then tell me something," I say quietly. "What was the name of the person that designed the lily crest on the uniforms?"
Hiro's expression changes and for the first time, he doesn't answer right away.
----------Chapter #6 Ends----------
(Next chapter will be released on May 1 2026!!)