The Future
The year is 2023, seventeen years ago a boy named Chiaki went back in time to find a painting that had been destroyed by a catastrophe that had happened around the year he had been born. He had arrived too early but something about the place made him stay and over time he made friends and enjoyed the world he never knew. Something also happened, he had lost his source of power but also, the girl in the group he had hung out with had also acted weird. Her name was Makoto, and he had been developing feelings for her which were bad for a time traveller. Chiaki had already broken the rules for staying so long in the time period.
Not seeming to understand it but one day while waiting for Makoto to arrive, she had brought his device and explained to him she had knew everything. He felt relieved, they talked for seemed like hours before it was almost time for him to leave. She said she would save the painting and find a way so it would never get harmed just for him to see. Makoto also mentioned something else he had said to her before, but all he got was blank looks and an angry face after a moment. Chiaki could only guess what he had told her before she had leapt back, it was probably because he had confessed to her a part of him really wanted to say it again but it would be in the best intrest if he didnt because it would make it that much harder for both of them for him to leave. In the middle of his thoughts he found himself being pushed away and told to leave already, he said he farewell and walked away to leap back to his own time.
Moments later all he could hear was Makotos sobs and he paused for a moment. It tore his heart apart hearing her cry like this, he turned around and walked back and whispered to her that he would wait for her in the future. Her tears had stopped and she replied that she would run towards the future. Chiaki turned around and smiled and disappeared into time.
The next thing Chiaki knows is that he is back in his own dead, wasteland of a world. People were scattered across the country living in conditions that seemed worse than poverty and disease. There was no sign of life or of happiness. He brought his arms up to his shoulders since the temperature was freezing and there was next to no sunlight in this world due to the clouds of dust that covered the skies. The world ended by nuclear explosions the year he was born, which caused other disasters such as tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The survivers have to suffer through the nuclear fallout and winter.
Chiaki walked through the city rubbles where he had spent the best three months of his life, with Kosuke and Makoto. Sadly walking down the street a part of his heart hoped the two of them had survived through the ordeal but the chances were next to none because the mass majority of the human race was wiped out. Sighing sadly he kept walking before a light bothered his eyes and he looked up. One of the buildings were only still half existing, a light was on in one of the rooms on the bottom floor which was odd because there was no electricity any more, he ran closer to the building. The light was shining down at a painting, his heart stopped for what seemed like forever. It was the most beautiful painting he had seen for his entire life, it was as though this painting was set up like this for him to see. At that moment he realized that it was set up for him, and Makoto kept her promise of preserving it. But who could have done this? Who knew about it?
"Chiaki...?" A womans voice said from behind him. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder, "I've been... waiting... running forward, wanting so bad for this day to arrive. It was painful watching you from a distance waiting for the day you would travel back in time to..."
Chiaki spun around and looked upon a thirty or so year old version of Makoto, she looked sad but at the same time happy. "M...Makoto?"
"I'm sorry Chiaki, I waited for you... but my body could not. I didn't want you to see me like this, it kills me... You probably think I look horrible now." Makoto said sadly, "I am just happy that I was able to get this painting for you... It's funny... after you had gone I thought I would never see you again because I would imagine just how far into the future you may have lived..."
"Idiot. You may look older but you're still the same bonehead on the inside." Chiaki said patting her head, messing up her hair. His smile got bigger before pulling her close to him and giving her a hug. "You wouldn't happen to have a baseball bat and a ball would you?"
Makoto blinked for a few moments before pushing out of his grip and jumping back, "What do you mean bonehead? That's all you can say? And you're the idiot, idiot! I haven't seen you in seventeen years!"
Tipping his head to the side he bluntly store at Makoto, "Well for me, it was technically seventeen minutes ago..." Chiaki said smartly with a dumb grin on his face, Makoto made a rather flustered and embarassed face as though she could clearly remember that exact moment like it was only twenty minutes ago as well. "So... what happened to our number three... is he..."
"-No. He is very much alive but we were seperated about two years after the world disaster... I don't know where he is, but I know he is alive." Makoto interrupted. "Do you want to help me find him?"
"Yeah. Let's go and find our Kosuke!" Chiaki said throwing a fist in the air happily while his other hand grabbed Makoto's arm and started walking forward taking one last glance at the painting making an imprint of it in his mind. He would be back for it, along with both his best friends.