Volume 3: Chapter 2 – The Girl Who Wasn't Seen
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[Scene: Class 2A - First Day of New Semester]
(The classroom buzzes with energy. New faces. New seats. New beginnings.)
Sui: (squeezing Kenta's hand) "Kenta-kun! We're really in the same class!"
Yui: (squeezing his other hand) "All three of us!"
Kenta: (looking around) "Class 2A. Advanced curriculum. Interesting."
Takahashi Kenji: (appearing) "KENTA! We're in the same class AGAIN!"
Kenta: "I see that."
Takahashi Kenji: (grinning) "The dream team reunites!"
(Students filter in. New faces. Old faces. And then—)
(The door opens. A girl enters. Long dark hair. Big eyes. Quiet. She doesn't look up.)
Kenta: (freezing) "..."
Sui: (noticing) "Kenta-kun? What's wrong?"
Kenta: (staring) "It's her."
Yui: (eyes widening) "The girl?!"
Sui: "From the beach?! From the festival?!"
Kenta: (nodding slowly) "She's here. In our class."
(The girl sits in the back corner. Alone. No one talks to her. She doesn't talk to anyone.)
Takahashi Kenji: (whispering) "Who's that? New transfer?"
Student 1: "I think her name is Tachibana? Tachibana Akari?"
Student 2: "She's quiet. Like, really quiet."
Kenta: (thinking) "Tachibana Akari. She's real. She's here."
(He watches her. She never looks up.)
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[Scene: Class 2A - First Period]
(The teacher drones on. Kenta can't focus. He keeps glancing at the back corner.)
Sui: (whispering) "Kenta-kun, you're staring."
Yui: (whispering) "She hasn't looked up once."
Kenta: "She's... different."
Sui: "We know."
Yui: "She's the one."
(At the back, Akari writes in a notebook. Never looks at anyone. Never speaks.)
Kenta: (thinking) "Why won't you look up? Why won't you see me?"
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[Scene: Lunch Break]
(Kenta, Sui, and Yui eat together. Kenta keeps looking toward the back.)
Sui: "Kenta-kun, go talk to her."
Kenta: "What?"
Yui: "Yeah! You've been waiting for this!"
Kenta: "I can't just... walk up to her."
Sui: "Why not?!"
Kenta: "What do I say? 'Hi, I think I knew you when we were seven?'"
Yui: "That's EXACTLY what you say!"
(He looks back. Her seat is empty.)
Kenta: (standing) "Where did she go?"
Sui: "Maybe she went somewhere quiet."
Yui: "The rooftop? The library?"
Kenta: (thinking) "I need to find her."
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[Scene: School Hallway - After School]
(The day ends. Students rush out. Kenta, Sui, and Yui walk together.)
Sui: "Kenta-kun, you've been distracted all day."
Kenta: "I know."
Yui: "She's in our class. You'll have time."
Kenta: "I've waited ten years. I don't want to wait anymore."
(They turn a corner. And—)
Akari: (walking, not looking) "—"
(CRASH. Books fly everywhere. Papers scatter. Akari stumbles back, falling hard.)
Kenta: (reaching out) "I'm sorry—I wasn't—"
(He catches her arm. Pulls her toward him to stop the fall. She crashes into his chest.)
But in the chaos—
Her skirt flips up. Just enough.
Kenta: (eyes widening) (looking away instantly) "..."
Akari: (frozen against his chest) "..."
(Her underwear is visible. Simple. White. Plain.)
Akari: (processing) "..."
Akari: (realizing) "..."
Akari: (face EXPLODING red) "KYAAA—!"
(She pushes away. Stumbles. Falls again. Kenta catches her again. This time, his hand slips. Lands on her chest.)
Kenta: (freezing) "..."
Akari: (freezing) "..."
(Sui and Yui watch. Mouths open.)
Sui: (whispering) "Did he just—"
Yui: (whispering) "Accidentally—"
Akari: (shoving him) "PERVERT!"
Kenta: (stumbling back) "It was an accident! You fell—I caught you—twice—"
Akari: (covering her chest) "TWICE?!"
Kenta: "The first time was skirt! The second was—accidental—I didn't mean—"
Akari: (face redder than ever) "YOU SAW MY—AND THEN YOU—"
Sui: (stepping in) "He really didn't mean to! Kenta-kun is clumsy like that!"
Yui: (nodding) "He's accident-prone! Especially with girls!"
Akari: (staring at them) "You... you're his..."
Sui: (proudly) "Girlfriends! Both of us!"
Yui: (also proudly) "Together!"
Akari: (confused) "Both? Together? That's... possible?"
Kenta: (still red) "It's... complicated."
Akari: (looking at him) (thinking) "Kenta Morik. The genius. The one I've been watching. The one who saw me when no one else did."
(She touches her chest where his hand landed.)
Akari: (thinking) "He touched me. After all these years... he finally touched me."
Kenta: (using his ability) (hearing her thoughts) (freezing) "She's been watching me. She remembers."
Akari: (aloud) "I... I have to go."
Kenta: "Wait."
(She stops. Doesn't turn.)
Kenta: "What's your name?"
Akari: (quietly) "Tachibana. Tachibana Akari."
Kenta: (heart pounding) "Akari."
(Her name in his mouth. She shivers.)
Akari: (turning slightly) "How do you know me?"
Kenta: "I don't. Not yet. But I'd like to."
Akari: (long pause) "..."
(She runs. Disappears around the corner.)
Sui: (grabbing Kenta) "KENTA-KUN! THAT WAS—"
Yui: (also grabbing) "YOU TALKED TO HER!"
Kenta: (touching his chest) "She remembered me. Her thoughts... she remembered."
Sui: "What did she think?!"
Kenta: (ears red) "That I touched her. After all these years."
Yui: (gasping) "She's been waiting?!"
Kenta: "I think so."
Sui: (determined) "Then we find her tomorrow. And we talk. Properly."
Yui: (nodding) "Together."
Kenta: (looking at them) "Together."
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[Scene: Kenta's Room - Night]
(Kenta sits at his desk. Twenty-five items now. He adds a new sketch. Akari's face. From memory.)
Kenta: (looking at them) "Twenty-five."
(He touches his locket.)
Kenta: (whispering) "Father... I found her. She's real. She's here."
(He picks up the astrolabe.)
Kenta: "Tomorrow, I'll talk to her. Really talk."
(The astrolabe gleams.)
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[Scene: Bedtime - Three Together]
Sui: "Kenta-kun... tomorrow, when you talk to her... we'll be there."
Yui: "Not to interfere. To support."
Kenta: (holding them) "I know."
Sui: (kissing his cheek) "For courage."
Yui: (kissing his other cheek) "For Akari."
Kenta: (kissing both) "For us."
(They sleep. Three together. Ready for tomorrow.)
Kenta: (thinking, last thought) "Akari Tachibana. Tomorrow, we really meet."
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End of Volume 3, Chapter 2
Ready for Chapter 3?