It's worrying how an event could change the flow of your world, like how a hastily-made decision could alter your destiny, or how a little gesture could affect your lifetime. A hand shake that could seal a deal that could make you a millionaire. A brush of shoulders in a crowded sidewalk could led you to your lover. A flash of lust could break your heart forever.

A moment of consideration to a man who sits in front of you could change your week. Half hour of conversation could change your month. A second of tragedy could affect your year.

It's been a year since the accident and Akashi still hates riding trains. Not because he feels unsafe since it's not (his father have bought the transportation company and change their supplier for maintenance purposes and change their checking schedule from thrice a week to every day before the trains were used). He feel empty. Every time he looked in front of him and the one seated isn't the same brunette, the train boy, he feel haunted. Every time he realized it, it haunts him to know that people could disappear without a trace.

He did try to contact the hospital to know the condition of the boy. According to the person that he had talked to, the patient suffered from post-traumatic amnesia and had been monitored by their resident doctor. However, the family immediately decided to transfer the boy to another hospital after a day of stay. Besides that, the person didn't open up a new information due to confidentiality.

Days passed and the boy won't leave his mind. An idle glimpse on his identification card, a sick passenger, the whole train ride. Those would always bring the boy on his mind. It's not as if the thought would linger, but the constant memory of the train boy would always make him wonder.

What happened to him?

It is three days after a year since the incident (not that Akashi remembers the exact date, he just know that it is around this time, when the leaves starting to discolor and flower petals are starting to fall), that he saw the boy again.

It is strange, seeing the boy not on his usual seat more than actually seeing the boy again after a year. It feels like coming back to school after the vacation and everything goes back to normal. But with the boy not in his usual seat, it doesn't feel that normal, like when you got back from vacation and one of your friends suddenly cut their hair, like they are not the way they used to be, and it's affecting you more than it should.

Their eyes met for a second but the other boy looked away immediately. And Akashi, after a year of parting, was once again filled with the feeling of longing to talk to the other.

Tomorrow, he said to himself. Tomorrow, I'll talk to him.

The next day, the train boy was seated on his usual seat, as if not a day had passed since the incident, and Akashi fell into the routine and stood in front of him. Again, he bundled up all his confidence to talk (like he did a year before, when he wanted to ask the name of the boy).

Ah, that reminds him, he still need to ask for the train boy's name.

"Would you like to talk over a cup of tea?"
The train boy looked up at him, curiosity present in his eyes and proceed to look beside him. When he realized that Akashi was talking to him, confusion replaced curiosity.

"Eeh. D-do I know you?"

Of course, the boy won't remember him. Not only because a year had passed, but might also because of the trauma that he had suffered.

"Not generally. We've had conversations before the accident."

At that, the train boy's curiosity had peaked up again, and he agreed. They sat down at a café near the train boy's stop. Akashi's examination for that day had long been forgotten, his attention was focused on the boy he thought he'll never see again.

After the long silence as they sip their respective drinks, the train boy talked.

"I know you." He said, familiarization dawning unto him.

He rummage thru his belongings and pulled out a sketchbook. He flipped thru it, settled on a page and turned it to face the other.

On that page is Akashi, standing in the train, on the very spot that he always occupy.

"I-I got a post-traumatic amnesia from the accident." The train boy started to explain. "This past year, I've been under t-therapy for most times. Last month, the doctor finally let me home. Almost all the memories I've lost had come back but I always remember your face, but nobody could tell me who you are so I've come to the conclusion that maybe you're just a part of my imagination.

"But you're always on the memories on the train that I could recall so you must be someone important. Seconds before the accident. On the day I get sick. Even the talk about the books. I remembered it all. But I can't remember your name. That's why I looked at the train, where you're always in my memories. My family are against it, since they thought something might happen again, but I escaped. Haha." The boy smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, clearly embarrassed at his confession. A small smiled quirked behind the tea cup on Akashi's lips.

"When I finally gotten a good look on you, I knew you're someone I knew. That's why I would like to know." He inhaled deeply and looked at Akashi intently as he asked.

"Who are you?"

Akashi think. He is Akashi Seijuro, 21, and studying at a local college that his father doesn't approve. That's who he is. But for the train boy, Akashi Seijuro is a nobody. Akashi Seijuro is not someone that the train boy knows by name or by status. He is the boy who likes reading adventures and tragedies, likes his coffee black and is allergic to dogs; that is who Akashi Seijuro is to the boy.

"You don't know me. I'm just a stranger who happened to stand in front of you every day in the train, who talks to you until you got off your stop, and was there to help when the accident happen. I'm of no importance to your life." He said truthfully. The boy's face showed misperception, not understanding the situation.

"B-but if you're always in my memories then-"

"I'm just a stranger with a routine. That is all. You don't even know my name, as yours to me. It's because we only had that relationship. We're just nobody to each other." Akashi said.

Disappointment could be seen on the train boy's face. His eyes turned downcast as he plays on the stray thread of his shirt.

"Oh." He just whispered. Akashi studied the boy. It must be a disappointment to know that what you've been looking for isn't really what you thought it would be. But Akashi knew that he wanted to be a somebody to the boy who occupied his mind for a year.

"But we could start over again." Akashi said and the boy looked up, eyes questioning. "Since I never got your name, why don't we start over? This time I won't be just the boy who talks to you on the train. I'm Akashi Seijuro."

Akashi extended his hand and the boy looked at it, as if it was something that he'd been looking for.

Grasping Akashi's hand with two of his own and enclosing it in a tight grip, with a smile breathtakingly beautiful, the train boy answered.

"Furihata Kouki. It's very nice to finally know you!"

Journal,

A boy with red hair always stood at the same place every morning. His hair is really eye catching! Tomorrow I'll try to sit in front of him so I could study him. Maybe until I could draw him with eyes close. He'll make a good muse. I wish I knew him though, so I won't look creepy stealing glances at him. Haha!

I'll try looking at his ID first. Teehee :p

TTYT.
F. K.
04/25/XX

END