Spring drifts in with its familiar flurry of falling cherry blossoms, each petal carrying the weight of expectation. Yet, fate, ever restless, takes a different turn. Beneath the soft blush of fallen petals by the corner of a quiet building, a wandering soul stumbles upon a moment that will redefine what it means to love.

  As they cross paths, hearts pounding, their eyes meet—and in that fleeting gaze, something undeniable blooms. In an instant, they fall. A decision must be made—for fate to truly shift.

  A soft breeze carries petals through the air. Aya Miyagi, holding a small map and a school flyer, turns a corner near a quiet building. She looks a little lost, a little unsure. Then—

  AOTO (offscreen): “Hey!”

  Startled, Aya turns. A boy stands there—messy hair, bright eyes, the kind of smile that could break awkward silences.

  AYA (nervous): “H-Hello…”

  AOTO: “Are you from around here?”

  AYA: “Y-Yeah. I just moved here two weeks ago. My dad got relocated for work.”

  AOTO (nodding): “Ah, I see. So… have you decided which school you're going to?”

  AYA: “I’m planning to attend Nada High.”

  AOTO (grinning): “No way! That’s my school too. If you’d like, I can show you around sometime.”

  AYA (a little surprised): “O-Oh, that’d be nice.”

  AOTO: “We can exchange numbers—if you ever feel like taking a tour, just give me a call.”

  AYA: “All right… thank you.”

  They begin walking slowly under the falling petals.

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  AOTO: “By the way, I didn’t get your name. I’ll go first—I’m Aoto Sato, a junior at Hoyu-Gakuin.”

  AYA (softly): “I-I’m Aya Miyagi.”

  AOTO (laughing gently): “Not very talkative, huh? That’s okay!”

  Aya blushes, her hand brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. They continue walking, their conversation flowing more easily now—soft questions, quiet laughs, shared glances. Before either of them could name it, something gentle had already begun to form between them. A quiet bond. A rhythm.

  AOTO (glancing at her): “Hey, Aya… do you have any plans today? Maybe we could go to a café or something? I’d like to get to know you more.”

  AYA (a bit flustered, nodding): “M-Mhm… sure.”

  He smiles, and they turn the corner together, heading toward a nearby café. What began as a simple conversation now starts to feel like something else—something like a mini date. Aya doesn’t realize it yet, but her steps have already started to match his. She just keeps walking—letting the afternoon carry them forward.

  The low hum of conversations surrounds them. The sunlight filters through the window, casting a warm glow on their table. Two untouched drinks sit between them, forgotten in the warmth of a growing connection. By now, ten minutes had passed. Time, it seemed, had lost its usual pace. They spoke easily, softly—like they'd known each other longer than just today.

  AOTO (smiling mid-sip): “So, you like chickens because… they’re cute?”

  AYA (looking down, fiddling with her straw): “Y-Yes. Why? Is that weird to you?”

  AOTO (eyes widening): “No, no—sorry! I didn’t mean it like that.”

  He leans forward, sincerity clear in his tone.

  AOTO: “I actually think it’s adorable. I mean, I think chickens are cute too.”

  Aya blinks, then blushes—caught between surprise and quiet joy.

  AYA (smiling shyly): “Really? Or are you just saying that to make me feel better?”

  AOTO (chuckling, hand behind his head): “No, I’m serious.”

  He meets her gaze, his voice softening.

  AOTO: “Promise.”

  The light outside has begun to fade, casting long shadows across the sidewalk. Inside, Aoto and Aya sit across from one another—quiet now, but not awkward. Comfortable. Their drinks are mostly finished, a slow silence lingering between them like a shared secret.

  (Aya's thoughts):

  I didn’t expect this. Not today. Not from a stranger. But maybe… he’s not a stranger anymore.

  AYA (softly): “…Thank you.”

  AOTO (blinks): “Huh? For what?”

  AYA (avoiding his eyes): “For being kind. For talking to me like we’ve known each other longer than we have.”

  There’s a pause. Aoto tilts his head, watching her carefully.

  AOTO (gently): “Well… maybe we have.”

  AYA (confused): “Huh?”

  AOTO (smiling, thoughtful): “Don’t laugh, but… when I first saw you standing there, under the cherry blossoms—I felt like I’d seen you before. Not here. Somewhere else. Maybe a dream, maybe another life.”

  Aya’s eyes widen slightly. The moment hangs in the air—quiet, fragile, meaningful.

  And just like that, it happened.

  A stillness between two hearts.

  The world around them fading out,

  leaving only a shared silence,

  a flicker of something real.

  The first spark.

  They step outside. The sky is a soft blue fading into twilight, and the last petals of cherry blossoms drift on the breeze.

  AYA (smiling gently): “Thanks for today, Aoto. I really appreciated it.”

  AOTO (grinning, giving a playful salute): “No problemo! Just remember—if you ever need that school tour, I’m one call away.”

  AYA: “All right. I’ll be going now.”

  AOTO: “Yeah… me too.”

  They turn, heading in opposite directions. Their footsteps echo softly on the pavement. They don’t look back. They walked away, each carrying the same quiet feeling in their chest.

  Neither said it aloud.

  Neither needed to.

  But somewhere between that shared laugh, that fleeting glance,

  and the way their names sounded in each other’s voice—

  they had already begun to fall.

  Like the cherry blossoms before them.