"Say, Mitsuha-San, were you around during the Tiamat Meteor Incident?"
"Huh?! Where'd that come from?"

As we headed towards the cafe where I almost bankrupted myself 5 years ago, my mind was still going though the events of the day. Things still didn't add up.

"I developed a interest in Itomori about 5 years back for some reason - I even visited the ruins 5 years ago. I didn't know it was the site of the meteor impact until I saw it with my own eyes."
"Well, yeah, but I was in high school back then… We were having an emergency drill since the meteor was starting to fragment."
"I remember reading about that, Mayor Miyamizu ordered it and saved the villagers. Isn't he your dad, by the way?"
"How did you know that?! Did you spend the entire day stalking me?!"
"Eh? Nonono! I just have a large list of references to the incident, and his name stuck for some reason…"
"Hmm… I believe you, but why visit Itomori? The incident was 8 years ago, you should have known it's nothing but ruins now."
"...I don't know… I was certain the town was still around when I left for it one day. In fact, I was about to finish building the cafe..!"
"Eh, we're here."

She didn't catch the last part. Thank goodness, me neither. I didn't have time to think about what I just said, because of who I just noticed.

Of course they were there.

"Damn it…"
"No way…"

4 familiar faces, sitting in pairs only one table apart. Neither Taki nor Mitsuha knew how to react, but it is evident that they were having serious thoughts turning around and running.

"Ahh, Taki!", called out Tsukasa.

That voice filled Taki with dread, and Mitsuha with fond memories of a time she could not recall.

"...Yo…"
"Y-yes!?"

Taki turned to stare at Mitsuha, who answered instinctively. She was already in shock, eyes wide open, hand covering her mouth. Why on earth would you respond to that idiot?

"Huh?"
"Eh?"

As if on cue, Sayaka and Takagi turned in response to the unexpected voice.

"Mitsuha?"
"Taki you bastard…"

Mitsuha was still in shock at her response. Taki didn't have time to process the information, largely because both his friends had started towards him and were about to put him into a vice grip. This was becoming a common phenomenon, he noticed.

"What's the big idea? I thought you were job hunting, not searching for a wife!"
"Hey, wait, that hurts!"
"Damn it, is your suit magical? Did all your points you lost from it come back in the form of her?"

While the boys were busy horsing around, Tessie sized up the situation. Sayaka and Mitsuha were already back at their table, heads bowed in discussion. Mitsuha was blushing furiously under Sayaka's relentless interrogation. He decided to rejoin the table, careful to avoid knocking over the delicate strawberry cream cake that just arrived. 3 kilos, my ass! Unlike your diet, my beard requires tremendous discipline!

"Boyfriend?!"
"What?! No, just a friend…"
"But you were answering for him!"
"That… I misheard…"

Tessie came to her rescue.

"Hey, he's not that bad looking, minus the suit. Guess you like younger guys, huh?"

Not helping, Tessie!

"Taki."

The voice belonged to Takagi. I'm in for it now…

Mitsuha watched in slight amusement as the three idiots smoothly transitioned from a deadlock back to their table, straightened their suits as if nothing had happened, and leaned forward ever so slightly into what she knew was high level boys only discussion. That reminds her of the time she visited the aquarium with those 2 and discussed Okudera-senpai's…!

Again, that peculiar sensation. An image of a beautiful senpai she was once very close to danced on the edge of her memory before vanishing completely. What didn't leave was a feeling of immense heartbreak.

"How long."
"12 hours?"
"...Can I punch you?"
"I'm being serious here!"
"Hey man, give me the address of the shop where you got the suit."
"It's not about the suit, dammit!"

Boys…

"Go on then, introduce us!" Sayaka chirped as she egged Mitsuha on. What a straightforward and aggressive girl she has become.

Defeated, I turned around, but not before I took a large bite of the cake Sayaka ordered as revenge. Mmh, strawberry… Ignoring her protests, I focused my attention on Taki, only to have 5 pairs of eyes trained on me.

"Eh…?"
"I see you like cakes, Miyamizu-San, just like Taki here."

So he has already introduced me to his friends.

"Yeah, she has the exact same expression Taki had when he pigged out on those cakes, guess they're that good, huh?"

Taki blushed a deep red, partially out of embarrassment, but also because he couldn't believe he ordered those ridiculous cakes in the first place, but his photo gallery and their testimonies proved otherwise. He couldn't bear to delete them for some reason, despite the cakes having burnt a hole in his budget for months.

Looking at Taki, Mitsuha felt a deep sense of regret she couldn't place. She started having second thoughts about having Taki pick up the tab for her when Tessie broke in.

"Taki-kun, huh? Guess you're her new boyfriend now? I'm Tessie, and this human black hole here pigging out is Sayaka-"

Tessie narrowly avoided Sayaka's elbow and continued, "-Chin. We're Mitsuha's oldest friends. I beg of you, if you can bring her happin-OW!"

Mitsuha outright stepped on his foot. The 3 boys laughed, Taki himself almost tearing up. Just like old times…

"Takagi and Tsukasa, both are really boring city boys."
"You're a jerk, Taki."
"Yeah, after all we've done for you, and this?"
"Like what?!"
"Your wild goose chase into the ghost town of Itomori? I had to work double shift for 3 days! And according to Tsukasa you were being all weird about visiting a town you never even knew was gone!"

Tessie and Sayaka exchanged a dark look. Mitsuha, for the umpteenth time, felt that strange feeling. He really did drop by Itomori 5 years ago then. He can't be the one 8 years ago then...

"Can I take your order?"

The waiter dropped by, having finally made it to their table amidst a busy dinner hour.

"Eh, a coffee, please." He shot Mitsuha a look.
"Um, I think I'll have the-"
"Order anything you want, Taki will be glad to pay for you!"
"Yeah, he never had any good reason or person to spend it on anyway!"

"Damn you both…" Taki murmured in a barely audible whisper.

"We got your back buddy!" Came the enthusiastic reply. I don't need a wingman now!

"Ahh, if that's the case, Okay!"

Upon hearing her order, Taki opted to forgo his monthly donation in lieu of a yearly donation.

The party of 6 decided to move to a larger table. Needless to say that with the help of 4 very enthusiastic wingmen, Taki and Mitsuha were seated right next to each other, far away from the exit to prevent any chance of a quick escape. Not that Mitsuha minded, she felt at ease with all of them... As if they were old friends, and judging by the way Taki opened up to her own friends, he was having a great time as well.

"Say, Taki-kun, what's your secret? All these years and I never got to find out Mitsuha's type."
"Tessie!"
"I'm curious too, why would someone as beautiful as you fall for someone like-Ahaha stop that you!"
"Maybe it's his adorable face in that terrible suit! Like contrasting colours!"
"I think so too, don't you, Mitsuha?"
"It's…"
"It's not that bad, come on man!"
"You gotta let it go dude, some things are just not meant to be."
"Like your beard?"
"Hey! And stop eating that cake already, you won't fit into that dress at this rate!"
"I'll start tomorrow."
"You're getting engaged? Me too! Hey, Western or Shinto?"
"Oooohh, you gotta go Shinto! It has all the formality of-"
"You just said Chapel yesterday!"
"The Lady decides, man. Tsukasa only needs to worry on the actual day."

They were among the last to leave the cafe. Mitsuha had never been very expressive, but Sayaka and Tessie realised that she was being much more open than usual, especially towards 3 guys she had never met. Was Tachibana Taki responsible for this sudden development?

"It's like her weird phase in high school", Tessie muttered to Sayaka as they bade farewell to the group at the station.
"You mean when she was all macho?"
"Yeah, she became much more expressive and friendly, and reverted after the comet hit."

Tessie watched as Mitsuha sent Taki off with a wave and a brilliant smile before turning towards the exit.

"I don't think the comet had anything to do with it, stop it with your nonsense already."
"I'm just saying, she's not acting normal again."
"Hah, well she's in love!"

"I think I like her."
"Me too."
"Oi!"
"Nah man, she's yours, and I've got Miki. I mean, I like her as a person, you know?"
"What a way to put it… She's a nice person, and she seems comfortable with us. I'm surprised she was so open and casual with us, normally when I see a girl like her they're all upright and polite, it's so awkward."
"She's really nice, but that's about all I know about her…"
"Don't worry man, here."

Takagi stuffed a small stack of money, about half the bill for today, into Taki's pocket.

"Yeah man, we got your back. Tomorrow's a great day for a walk for two, don't you think?" Tsukasa added as he passed Taki the remaining half. Taki had to fight back the tears. These guys…

"Thanks…" It was about all he could manage. The shrine will have to wait.