"Hiroto! You are going to be late if you don't wake up soon!" A distant voice enters Suwa Hiroto's ears. What a noisy voice…

"HIROTO!"

Suwa suddenly jolts awake to the sight of his mother. Once awaken, Suwa rapidly chases his mother out of his room before she starts a long lecture about the importance of waking up early and causes him to be even more late for class.

Usually, Suwa wakes up early as he has soccer practice, but there wasn't any since today was the first day of the new school term. He needs to start adjusting back his biological clock to a non-holiday version, Suwa thought to himself.

Luckily, being a guy comes with advantages, such as being able to dress up at 1/10 of the time that girls need, if internet memes were to be believed. In about 10 minutes, Suwa was done. Carrying his bag, Suwa walks out from his room, down the staircase and finally reaching the breakfast table. His mother has already prepared the breakfast. It was the usual fare.

Checking his watch, Suwa realises that he has about 15 minutes to eat his breakfast if he wants to arrive at school on time. He quickly eats his breakfast of rice, miso soup and steam fish. In 15 minutes, Suwa manages to finish all of his breakfast.

"I'm leaving." Suwa said to his parents before walking out of the house. A letter was on the floor. It was addressed to him. Puzzled since he wasn't expecting any letter, he puts the letter into his bag. After all, he didn't have to pay any bills, water, electrical or otherwise. All letters in his house are usually addressed to his parents.

If he dilly dally anymore, he was going to be late. Throwing the thought about the letter out from his brain, Suwa takes out his bicycle and start to cycle quickly to school.


Somehow, Suwa managed to arrive slightly earlier than expected. "Well, it was better than arriving late", Suwa thought to himself. This year, he managed to end up in the same class as his friends, Hagita Saku, Takako Chino, Azusa and his crush, Takamiya Naho. Other than Naho, all of his friends had already arrived in the class.

After putting down his bag, he went over to greet his friends.

"Not early today?" asked Hagita

"There's no soccer practice today, and it seems that I overslept for the first time in a while. Ahaha. Must be the fault of the vacation period," Suwa answered.

"I see."

"Good morning, Suwa!" an overexcited voice suddenly spoke to Suwa. It was Azusa, with her usual bright and bubbly self.

"Good morning for Suwa only, but not any for me?" said Hagita

"You don't need any." answered Azusa.

"Well, I won't give you one either." said Hagita.

"Don't want one from you anyway." said Azusa.

"Good morning, Suwa. It seems that the two have started their usual argument." said Takako, who walked over to join the conversation.

"Good morning. It seems so." answered Suwa with a chuckle.

A girl rushes into the classroom. "Hi Naho!" said Azusa. The rest of them greets Naho who was panting. "It seems that she must have overslept." Suwa thought to himself.

They didn't have much time to chat more as their homeroom teacher walk in as soon as Naho entered the class. Suwa quickly returned to his place.

"Good morning class." said their homeroom teacher. The homeroom teacher was followed by a boy with black hair.

"I have an announcement to make. A transfer student will be joining us in this class. His name is Naruse Kakeru. Naruse-san is from Tokyo, and it's his first time living in Nagano."

"Good morning everyone. I'm Naruse Kakeru. Nice to meet all of you." the black-haired boy said.

Suwa thought that the new transfer student was quite the gloomy sort. His voice was rather weak, and his face lacks a smile. Maybe he missed the city? After all, Masumoto is just a small town. Being the ever-friendly sort, Suwa thought that he should make friends with this boy and show him the wonders of this place. It would be good if he could make that gloomy boy smile and laughed.

"There is an empty desk near Takamiya-san. You can take that place." the homeroom teacher continued.

After the introduction of the transfer student, their homeroom teacher continued on with the usual matters. The daily lessons soon followed. However, in Suwa brain, a plan to be friends with Kakeru was brewing.


"That's all for today." said their Mathematics teacher, thus announcing the end of their lesson. Since it was also the last class of the day, this statement from their Math teacher also meant that today's classes were over.

Just as usual, Suwa went over to Naho's table to wait for her to go home together. Of course, it was not them two alone only but also with the rest of the gang, though he wished it would be them two alone. Well, not today, since today's plan involve inviting Kakeru to join their group.

"What will be doing?" Naho asked.

"Well, we can go to my place and have some bread for lunch." Azusa answered.

Seeing Kakeru preparing to leave, Suwa called to him.

"Kakeru-kun, would you like to join us?"

"Err… Today… I…"

"Don't be shy! You can join us. Let's get along." said Suwa before putting an arm over Kakeru to prevent him from escaping.

"Yeah, Kakeru-kun, come over and have some bread." said Azusa.

"But…" said Kakeru

"We will take you exploring around Masumoto." said Suwa.

"Well, if it's only for a bit…" said Kakeru.

They end up managing to convince Kakeru to join them. Along the way, they all managed to introduce themselves.

After a while, they arrived at Azusa's family bakery. Since the weather was nice, they decided to stand and eat outside. It was only bread after all, which was rather easy to eat while standing. Azusa went into the bakery to get the bread.

"Here, it is. I got two for each person, so there's 12. There's pork buns, meat buns, curry buns, melon buns, apple cinnamon rolls and Nozawana buns." said Azusa

"Kakeru-kun, you can choose first. I recommend the Nozawana buns." said Suwa.

"Naho, how about you?" Suwa turned towards Naho.

"Anything will do." said Naho.

Well, Naho was always the considerate type. She has been such a person ever since Suwa knew her. That's part of why he had a crush on her. Though, he wishes that she could be more assertive at times.

"How about the others?" asked Suwa.

"I want the other Nozawana bun!" said Azusa.

"Don't joke. I want it too!" said Hagita

"I'll be taking the apple cinnamon." said Takako.

While Azusa and Hagita went into another long argument involving the Nozawana bun and the curry bun, Takako coolly starts eating her bread.

"I'll trade your melon bun with the curry bun." said Kakeru to Naho.

Somehow, it seems that Kakeru noticed that Naho wanted the curry bun actually. Kakeru must be a nice person, Suwa thought to himself. It was a good thing to ask Kakeru to join the group. Though, a missed opportunity. He should have taken the curry bun and offered to trade with Naho. Why didn't he think of that?

They spent the rest of their time bantering and chatting about various random topics, asking about Kakeru's former life in Tokyo. Of course, not without the usual argument between Azusa and Hagita, which prompted endless laughter and smiles from Kakeru. Of course, they also took Kakeru walking around the town. Well, just small parts of it. Masumoto City is too large for a few hours visit.

Soon, the time to part came about. Already, Azusa, Hagita and Takako had separated from them since they lived in a different part. It was just Suwa, Naho and Kakeru left.

They soon needed to part too.

"Bye Kakeru." said Suwa "Ah, Kakeru, can I call you that?" smiled Suwa sheepishly. He had dropped the honorific accidentally. Hopefully, Kakeru wasn't offended.

"Sure! Bye, see you!" said Kakeru.

"Bye!" said Naho

They parted their ways. Suwa was glad that he managed to make a new friend. He wondered if Kakeru played soccer? Maybe he could get him to join the soccer club.

It was a tiring day indeed. After showering, Suwa lay down on his bed thinking about the day's events. Kakeru was quite a fun person. Quiet at first sight maybe, but he turned out to be rather talkative. Suddenly, Suwa remembered about the letter addressed to him. He searched for the letter from his bag, and before long, he found it.

Turning around to check who the sender was, he saw something that made him rub his eyes.

Suwa Hiroto.

Was this letter from himself?

With his curiosity piqued, he swiftly opened the letter.

Hello, how are you? To myself 10 years in the past, please don't be alarmed and listen to what I have to say. If this letter reached you (which would be a miracle) at the correct time, today should be the day you met the new transfer student, Naruse Kakeru.

I want you to save Kakeru.

In our world, it has been 10 years since Kakeru died. For 10 years, all of us thought that his death was an accident, that he was killed by a truck while cycling in the night. However, we recently discovered that his death was actually a suicide.

Please befriend him, and make sure that he does not attempt to commit suicide this time in your world.

In short, that's the main purpose of this letter. Of course, I will furnish you with more details in the rest of the letter.

In this world, I am currently happily married to Naho, together with a son, living near Mt. Koubou. I bet you don't believe me at all, so I have attached a photo of us in this letter as a proof. But if you observe Naho and Kakeru over the following months, you will notice that they are meant to be together. I bet that they will have a happy future together if not for Kakeru's death.

If not for Kakeru death, I would never have possibly married Naho.

It was New Year's Eve, and Naho and Kakeru both went to the shrine. They end up having an argument. After the argument, Kakeru left Naho alone at the shrine crying. While Naho was crying at the shrine, I confessed to her. I wondered if instead of confessing to her, if I encouraged her to go find Kakeru, would he have been saved?

I feel like I'm such a horrible person. It seems that I have traded Kakeru's life for a happy marriage with Naho. I want to apologise to Kakeru. Probably my life greatest regret.

I have attached the events up to Kakeru suicide by date at the end of the letter, please read them carefully.

Please support Kakeru and Naho's relationship. Make sure they end up together. It will be hard for you to see someone you love end up with another person. But, you have soccer. Please make soccer the love of your life instead.

If I could go back in time, I would want to see a future where Kakeru and Naho are laughing together, looking as if though they're very happy.

I am so unfair to you, right? Forcing you to make a decision to let go of your feelings, threatening you with Kakeru's life.

I hope you will follow my advice. Well, you may still have a chance with Naho though? I don't know. I wonder if you will confess on New Year's Eve?

Lastly, I will let you determine how your life will be. Good luck.

Regards,

Yourself 10 years in the future, Suwa Hiroto.

Suwa checked the rest of the pages. There was one labelled with today's date.

April 6

Today was the day we met Kakeru. I invited him to spend time with us after school. I should not have done so. Please, do not invite Kakeru today.

There was nothing he could do about it. He had already invited Kakeru to spend time with them. He was happy to spend time with them though. What could possibly the reason behind the letter asking him not to invite Kakeru?

If anything, the letter was rather overwhelming for Suwa. Kakeru, suicide? How could that cheery, laughing boy from today end up killing himself? Notwithstanding the amount of suspension of belief he needed to have to believe this letter. It was truly a miracle that a letter from the future could have arrived in his hands.

The sacrifices that the letter requested him to make. He didn't know what he should do? Definitely, he already failed the first instruction. He wondered why though? It didn't make sense, especially since the rest of the letter asked him to befriend Kakeru. However, the request from the letter… He didn't know if he could ever undertake it.

It was a lot to digest, and he was getting sleepy. He would sleep on it. Maybe then, he will get the answer as to what to do.