Chapter 1

The bell sounded for lunch as the History teacher began to finish his lecture on the Heian period. He had droned on for another two agonizing minutes before Kaname was able to give the order for the class to rise and bow. Once excused for lunch, she opened her desk and brought out her laptop. Furiously typing, she hardly noticed Kyoko and Ren approaching. "Hey, Kaname?"

"Yeah, what's up Ky?" Kaname was still typing as she spoke. She had spent the last five days recalling every memory she could of how the world was before Leonard's Omni Sphere changed it all. It had been extremely difficult to do, mostly because she had no pictures or notes of any kind to provide her with an easy reference. Kaname had had to scour the internet for all of the weapons she knew still existed, but couldn't name for the life of her. She also had decided that she would rename everyone, just in case someone should ever find her laptop and start reading through it all. Needless to say, Kaname had been very busy the last couple of days.

"Well, Ren-chan and I were just wondering what you keep writing on that computer of yours. You've been at it for days, and it doesn't look like you're gonna finish anytime soon."

"Yes Kaname-san, we were just curious, but if you prefer not to say we don't mind." Ren always was one of the most patient and kind people Kaname had ever known. It was just like her to say something like that.

"Oh, well, u-um…"

"It's no big deal Kana-chan, if you don't wanna tell us that's fine," replied Kyoko with her usual bright smile. Kaname couldn't help but return her cheerful gaze. Kyoko and Ren had been more than worried about her since that morning last week, but had respectfully offered quiet support. For a moment, Kaname was amazed at just how much her friends cared about her. They had been trying to comfort her, but didn't even realize what they were offering it for. That first morning, she had been practically sobbing in a secluded corner of the school, having realized just what had happened to the fullest extent. Both of them had come over to hug her, and never once asked what the problem was. Sad as it was, Kaname wouldn't have been able to tell them anyway.

"Thanks guys. I'm still not quite ready for people to know yet. But when I am, I'll bring it to you guys first."

"Okay! Did you want to join us outside for lunch today? It's a really nice day out."

"Hm. No, not today. I will tomorrow though, okay?"

"Of course Kaname-san, see you later."

"Yeah, bye Ren, Kyoko."

"See-ya Kana-chan!" After waving to them from her seat, Kaname continued typing up every memory to the last detail. She would make sure that even if the rest of the world forgot, even if the people she came to care for didn't exist in this timeline, at least she would remember who they had been and what they had done for her.

Meanwhile, as Kyoko and Ren made their way toward the outside tables, Kyoko was nearly knocked over when a student came barreling around the corner. While Ren helped her regain her balance, the other student had lost his footing and ended up sitting in the dirt. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Kyoko finished fixing her glasses, finally getting a good look at who almost sent her back down the hallway. It was a boy with wild chestnut hair, and the strangest grey eyes she'd ever seen.

Kaname sat and stared daggers at the computer screen in front of her. Just because her memories were precious to her, didn't mean she was particularly fond of the tactics Tessa tried using on Sousuke. She was beginning to document the first time she had come to visit, using the time until Da Daanan had been repaired as a short vacation. Kaname had stopped short of the moment Tessa had attempted to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, on a certain sergeant who didn't need it. Squashing the urge to growl, Kaname once again reminded herself that in this timeline, she had no reason to be mad at Tessa. She still wasn't even sure if there even was a Tessa in this timeline to be mad at. 'Besides, even if there was, there's a chance that she and Sousuke would never have met,' she thought. 'If there even is a Sousuke anymore.' Her thoughts started turning on her again, replaying moments she could have told him how she felt, or at least could have been a bit more understanding. Without warning, her mind brought her back to the time he held her close, floating down from the high Cliffside mansion of a strange rich boy. So captivated by the memory of the fading sunlight being reflected in those enigmatic grey eyes, she hardly noticed the other students coming back into the classroom. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she turned to find Kyoko smiling back at her.

"Better put that laptop away Kana-chan, you know how Ms. Kagurazaka feels about electronics in the classroom."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll just save my place and close everything down. She'll probably let me do that much." While she saved and closed down her programs, Ms. Kagurazaka took her place at the teacher's podium.

"Alright class, today will be a free period so that I can grade yesterdays test. But first, we have a new student joining us today."

"This late in the day?" one student called out.

"Yes well, he's been living in the U.S. for the last few years, so I think we can cut him some slack with navigating to the school. It's hard enough being new, so take it upon yourselves to be friendly and open minded. You can come in now, Sagara-san." Kaname's blood froze in her veins. Did she hear right? Was it just another trick of the mind due to her regret? Slowly she put her desktop back down and lifted her gaze to the front of the room. The uniform was just like any other. 'No trick there,' she thought. Rising a little higher, she caught that the top of the uniform was left open. 'Not what he would have done, but still within normal mannerisms.' Higher still, and when she reached his jaw she stopped cold.

She'd recognize that scar anywhere.

Unable to look away, Kaname almost missed it when he finally spoke. "Hello. I'm Sagara Sousuke. Nice to meet you all." At that moment, his voice was the most beautiful sound Kaname had ever heard in her life.