Prettyinpinkgal: I had promised myself that I would finish all my current fanfiction stories before I began this one, but I couldn't resist. This idea has been nagging at me for ages (actually, only for about a couple of weeks, but that's not the point), so I decided to start it. I hope you enjoy! I have only seen the English Dub, and I'm not sure how different it is from the Japanese-sub version, so please forgive me for any discrepancies.

EDITED 3/23/13

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time".

BEFORE SHE LEAPT

PROLOGUE

Chiaki stood before the Council. They were reviewing footage of the time he had been in, showing the subject Makoto Konno from the moment she first encountered the time leap device to when Chiaki said farewell, following her point of view of the past. He watched in silence, not even blushing as he watched himself ask Makoto out several times. He could only watch, unsure of what the future would bring, but certain that it was the past that mattered-this past which he was blessed with to not only to have lived through, although he might not remember all of it, but was able to watch yet a second time. And that was a true miracle, for he knew he would never see them again.

Never play baseball with them again.

Never bike with them.

Never see Kousuke.

Never see Makoto.

Part of him wondered if he was only torturing himself more by staring at the past, yet he could not bear to turn away.

He could not turn away from her again.

He watched their final farewell, and while his face was composed, as it had been during that bittersweet last contact with her, he could distinctly feel his heart break as she sobbed like a child, knowing it was all his fault.

It was due to his selfishness that he had gone to that time in the first place, just to see one stupid painting, and consequentially it was his selfishness which broke her heart.

She might not have loved him quite like he had loved her, but he knew she kept both of her friends in a special place in her heart.

Finally, the visions of the past ended with Makoto talking with Kousuke, then looking up at the sky.

He found he could not speak.

But the council members could.

Murmurs, and not a few exclamations out of rage, filled the dark room, and Chiaki found he did not care. What would they do to him that would hurt more than the pain he was already engulfing him?

"He's disturbed the natural order of time!"

"Unforgivable!"

"But it was not intentional. We've had worse cases. Remember when that young woman stopped Benedict Arnold in the Former United States from joining the British? That was a mess to clean up."

The man in the center of the room raised his hand for silence, which was granted.

"Mamiya-san, what have you to say for yourself?" he then asked.

"Nothing, except it was not intentional and I would do anything to go back and change it." His steady voice surprised him.

The council leader eyed him, and then stated, "You would do anything to go back in general, I gather."

He did not hesitate to confirm this.

The council leader was not a cold man, despite how many thought of him. He asked, "Would you like to stay in the past, Chiaki?"

Gasps and more murmurs followed, and Chiaki felt himself affected by their words for the first time.

"Such a thing is unheard of!"

"He would disturb the natural order!"

"But he already has. It could actually seem less conspicuous if he stayed. Can you imagine the confusion of our ancestors when he suddenly disappeared?"

"That's no-!"

The hand was once again raised, and silence again fell on the room.

"Chiaki Mamiya, your punishment is to be banned from this time for two years. You must go back to the past and erase Makoto Konno's ever discovering time leap. Time traveling is a tricky business, as you well know-I must say I admire Konno's ability to be able to navigate so easily through time, although she may not be...graceful about it. Because navigating through time is so difficult, you may not be able to go to the exact moment she discovered the device, but if it is not used within twenty days, then the ability it gives her will disappear. You must keep her from discovering that she can do the time leap. Once that is accomplished and she is still ignorant of the device's power, you may enjoy the rest of your stay in that realm with an easy heart. But do not fail, Mamiya. You have disappointed the Council once already. You are very fortunate to have this second chance."

Chiaki had never believed in miracles.

Almost everything that had once been deemed impossible could now occur with a little science, and so believing in miracles seemed ridiculous.

However, as he stepped outside under the grey clouds with a large grin on his face and the new time leap device safely in his pocket, he found he now held a different opinion.

He went to take that fateful step, but then stopped.

Instead, he backed up a bit and then ran at full speed, his hair bouncing into a messy tangle, and then leapt.