Chapter 3: The 10:50 PM Departure from Fujisawa to Kamakura
The next morning, April 10, Sakuta left the house with Mai, sitting in the passenger seat of her car as they headed to their first class. He watched the license plates on the cars in front, reading "Shonan" with four numbers beneath.
It was just the two of them in the car.
After a brief morning greeting, Sakuta had been talking non-stop.
He told Mai about all the strange things that had happened up to that day.
He told her about the shocking truths he'd heard from the rabbit last night.
Mai kept her eyes on the road, occasionally nodding with a quiet "I see." She didn't question any of it.
By the time he finished recounting everything, twenty minutes had passed since they'd left the house.
The red light turned green.
As she pressed the gas, Mai finally spoke.
"So, my belief that I was 'Touko Kirishima' and the reality shift that's happening now are two different things."
"I think it's the same as in high school."
"When everyone stopped seeing me?"
Sakuta nodded deeply at her question.
"Everyone at school ignored you, so you disappeared. Everyone believed you were 'Touko Kirishima,' so you became 'Touko Kirishima'…"
If something white is seen by everyone as black, then it might as well be black.
These things happen.
"Are you saying… this reality shift is caused by you, Sakuta?"
"According to the rabbit, yes."
"The rabbit said you 'believe too much in the Adolescence Syndrome,' right?"
Mai echoed the rabbit's words thoughtfully.
"…"
"I think I understand what it meant."
"…Do you?" Surprised, he looked over at her.
"Sakuta, you've experienced more instances of the Adolescence Syndrome than anyone else, haven't you?"
Mai continued to drive, glancing at him as she answered.
"When strange things happen in everyday life, you start to see them as normal."
She turned the wheel, guiding the car into a multi-story parking lot near the university. In the dim interior of the parking garage, Sakuta's thoughts returned to her words, wondering if they were true. Yet he felt no inclination to nod.
For someone who considered such things natural, there was no sense of any abnormality…
"But reality would go on to prove Mai's words correct...
Sakuta's steps felt heavy as he walked out of the parking lot toward the university. Even so, with Mai beside him, he couldn't just keep his head down and dwell on his worries.
Once the railroad crossing at the main gate opened, he and Mai walked together to the other side of the tracks. A sparse line of students gathered on the station side, coming in for the first class of the day.
Together, Sakuta and Mai entered the university campus through the main entrance. Walking along the tree-lined path, they couldn't avoid drawing stares from the people around them. It wasn't every day that people saw the famous actress "Mai Sakurajima" strolling openly with her boyfriend. But today, the impact wasn't merely because of her celebrity status; it was due to last night's live broadcast. The audience had seen not Mai, but the real "Touko Kirishima"...
"Miori must be having a rough time today," Sakuta murmured.
Mai nodded, "Yeah."
She would no doubt be surrounded by people all day.
The students around them turned right along the path toward the lecture buildings. Sakuta started to follow, but he noticed a lone figure standing still further down the tree-lined avenue.
It was Miori, dressed in her usual military jacket and dress, gazing blankly at the students heading toward the lecture buildings.
When their eyes met, she looked startled for a moment and then began walking toward him. Sakuta also veered away from the path toward the school buildings, continuing down the avenue toward Miori.
"Sakuta?" Mai asked, sounding puzzled. Despite her confusion, she followed him.
It felt strange.
Why was Miori standing there alone?
Why did she look so surprised to see him?
Why was no one else paying attention to Miori Mitou, who was known to be the true Touko Kirishima?
Sakuta recognized this situation. It was just like when Mai had disappeared in high school, becoming invisible to everyone but him.
He, too, had been through it himself, so his curiosity quickly turned into a sense of foreboding.
"Miori?" he called out, his voice tense.
"It seems Sakuta can see me," Miori replied, bluntly explaining her situation.
Her response dissolved his doubts, but it didn't ease his anxiety. One question had merely morphed into another, plunging him into even greater confusion.
"No one else can see you?"
Though he knew the answer would be pointless, he still couldn't stop himself from asking.
"Apparently not."
Miori's only response was a faint, puzzled smile.
Standing beside her, Sakuta watched the students heading toward the school buildings. Not one of them noticed Miori. She waved her hand, and still, no one responded.
"I thought today was going to be a big day for me," she said with a wry smile, trying to act casual.
"Hey, Sakuta?" Mai suddenly spoke up right after Miori finished.
"Is Miori there with you?"
Mai's expression was filled with surprise as she stood about three meters away, looking at Sakuta. Even as she scanned to his left and right, her eyes never landed on Miori.
This reaction made Sakuta freeze.
"Can't you see her, Mai?" he asked, unable to hide his shock.
Mai's expression remained unchanged, as if frozen in perplexity.
"Look, she's right here!" Sakuta pointed to Miori beside him, but Mai's gaze swept right past Miori, lingering for only a moment before returning to Sakuta.
"…"
"…"
Miori and Mai both remained silent, sharing in his confusion. Even as Sakuta began to understand the situation, words still wouldn't form in his mind.
Miori also pressed her lips together tightly.
Then, finally, it was Mai who broke the silence.
"This must be real," she murmured, as if coming to terms with something.
"What do you mean?" Sakuta asked.
Mai lifted her gaze from the ground to meet his.
"They say you're the observer, Sakuta."
Mai's voice carried the words he'd heard in the car just minutes ago, from that rabbit costume, words that had echoed in his mind.
"I can't see Miori anymore."
Her voice was tinged with sadness as she acknowledged the fact, with a hint of regret.
However, her eyes held not only sadness. There was a quiet warmth in their depths, like the gentle light of dawn.
In that moment, Sakuta couldn't understand why she had that expression.
What was Mai thinking in this moment? He couldn't comprehend it.
"…"
Before he could form any response, Mai spoke again.
"Remember when you were little, how the patterns on the ceiling looked like monsters?"
"…"
Sakuta wondered what she was trying to say.
"But as I grew up, they just became patterns again."
"For me, it was the shadow that looked like a woman with long hair… I'd try to avoid looking at it when I was in bed at night. And then, one day, I just stopped noticing it."
"Someday, it might become a fond memory of childhood, right?"
Mai looked straight at him.
"...Yeah."
"I think the Adolescence Syndrome is the same."
"…"
Mai's gaze never wavered from him.
"I want to see the same things you see, Sakuta."
"…"
She kept her steady gaze on him.
"To look at the same things, to live the rest of my life seeing the same view as you."
Her words were spoken plainly, without any attempt to hide or soften them, delivered directly to him.
"That's what I want."
The bell rang to signal that class was about to begin in five minutes.
"I'm going now," Mai said, flashing her usual gentle smile before she walked back into the crowd of students. She returned to the throng, shoulders straight and proud. Instinctively, she drew glances from everyone around her…
"…"
Sakuta could only watch as she walked away.
Before long, her figure disappeared in the direction of the school buildings, out of sight.
"She just told me to grow up," Miori said, watching Mai disappear as she spoke to the still-dazed Sakuta.
"...Yeah."
In summary, that was exactly what Mai had said. She'd delivered her message in her own unique way. His feelings were a jumble of happiness, resentment, and self-doubt. His emotions swirled in his mind, accompanied by a persistent discomfort that coursed through his entire body. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't find a release.
"Sakuta, I…"
Miori's voice was the only thing that brought his focus back to the present.
"Will you comfort me?"
Miori slowly shook her head.
"Do you have time tonight?"
Her question caught him off guard. It took him a moment to respond.
"When exactly?"
"At 10:50 p.m."
Such an oddly specific time.
"What's going on?"
"It's the last train from Fujisawa to Kamakura, the Enoden Line."
"And what about it?"
"I'm going to take that train… to another possible world."
Her tone was as casual as always, but her words were anything but ordinary.
"…"
Yet, Sakuta understood her immediately, even as he remained silent.
"Will you come see me off as a friend?"
"Did that rabbit costume guy put you up to this?"
"It was this morning at Ofuna Station. I was the only one who saw the rabbit costume, and it gave me this."
Miori pulled a crisp white envelope from her bag, taking out a few letters for him to see. They were written in a familiar hand: his own handwriting.
It was a story he'd heard from the rabbit costume just yesterday.
"So you know about everything?"
"Not entirely. I guess there's a world different from this one, and I used to be in all of them at the same time. But now, there's one world that needs me back. That's what it sounds like, right?"
"Are you sure about this?"
"I have to find Touko in another world, right? I can't leave Touko with Mai."
"But…"
"I know you've seen a lot of worlds and experienced a lot of good things."
Miori cut him off as he tried to speak.
"Good things?"
"Even if he ran away, he must be trying to figure out where Touko is, don't you think?"
Maybe that's true. Maybe it's not. There's no way to know the correct answer for certain, so Sakuta said:
"...Yeah, that's probably right."
He nodded to affirm her feelings.
"And you found him, didn't you?"
"Isn't it good to be noticed?"
"Yeah, I'm happy enough with that."
"There are more happy times ahead. It's a shame. We just became friends."
"Isn't that a good thing? It's not like it's goodbye forever."
"Whether we'll meet again, that depends on me, I suppose."
"If I overcome the monster on the ceiling, I'll be able to see you again, right? No matter which world I'm in, I'll still exist."
"Yes."
Though I replied affirmatively, I couldn't fully accept it in my heart.
I had no idea what would happen to me when the altered reality reverted to its original state. If things went as the rabbit plushie suggested, and adolescent syndrome ceased to exist… If I accepted that such a thing didn't exist, then perhaps every encounter that arose from it would vanish too.
There was no evidence that she would still remember meeting Miori.
So, I couldn't make a promise.
"I'll wait for you tonight."
Miori walked against the crowd toward the main gate. No one paid her any attention. No one looked. No one noticed.
Sakuta stood there, unmoving, watching her until her figure disappeared from sight.
2
After Miori left, Sakuta went into the school building to make it to his first class on time. He entered a classroom on the third floor, heading to the seat by the window that was still empty.
Only a few students were scattered around the classroom, about thirty percent of the desks were occupied.
A quick glance around revealed no familiar faces. Most were students from other faculties.
The first class of the day was about to start.
I looked out the window, trying to clear my muddled thoughts.
"Sakuta, you're aiming for a teaching license too?"
Someone spoke from beside me.
I turned my gaze in that direction.
Next to me was a laid-back silhouette.
"Toyohama, do you plan to become a teacher, or are you aiming to be an idol?"
From now on, he and I would be attending this class to earn a teaching license, meaning Nodoka's goal was the same as mine.
"Did you know, sister?"
She asked while pulling a notebook and pen case out of his bag.
"I was planning to tell you in a few days, keep it a secret."
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
She glanced at me sideways.
"Toyohama, why are you picking on me?"
"My sister seems to care."
"What?"
"She said, 'Sakuta, you seem to be planning to become a teacher, but you never mentioned it to me.'"
"That's my Mai, sharp as always."
And so, Nodoka just laughed, saying "I thought so."
"What are you concerned about, Sakuta?"
"It's nothing."
"Isn't there some reason you haven't told her?"
"No, I just wanted to get the license first before I considered telling her. That's all."
"Then you should just tell her that."
Her logic was irrefutable.
"...You're right."
Just as he quietly accepted that, a female staff member from the university entered the classroom.
"I'd like to begin the guidance on obtaining a teaching license. Please take your seats if you're interested."
The classroom, which had been a little noisy, fell silent at her words.
The guidance session on obtaining a teaching license wrapped up in about an hour, with another thirty minutes left in the class period.
Nodoka quickly gathered up the materials handed out, stuffing them into his bag, and was the first to leave his seat.
"Make sure you talk things over with Sis."
She glanced down at Sakuta, speaking to herself, and left the classroom in a hurry without waiting for an answer. Watching her disappear, several other students in the classroom, who also seemed relaxed, kept their eyes on her as well.
"She's cute in person, too."
"Are you a fan of Uzuki?"
"I wonder if Adou and I can join."
They continued having these kinds of lighthearted conversations.
From time to time, their gazes turned toward Sakuta, who was sitting next to Nodoka. Feeling somewhat annoyed, Sakuta pretended not to notice and quickly left the classroom.
Now wasn't the time to worry about them.
3
Before the second period statistics class began, the classroom looked familiar.
There were students laughing together in groups of four or five, some playing on their phones with silly grins, and others who had already fallen asleep on their desks. A student noticed me enter and raised a hand in greeting—it was Takumi.
For now, I sat down next to him.
Once again, I looked around the familiar classroom.
A group of boys sitting in front of me were discussing last night's episode of a reality dating show. Who was getting close with whom, who was cute, who they'd like to date, that sort of thing… chatting freely.
It was a genuine conversation.
But right now, it felt like a conversation from another world behind glass.
Though I was seated in the classroom, it didn't feel like I was really there.
The scenery before me didn't feel real.
I didn't feel real either.
Perhaps everything I was seeing was just a dream or a hallucination… The thought spiraled in my mind, swirling endlessly, consuming all rational thought.
How much of what I see in this classroom is real?
How much is an illusion?
If I can't believe what my eyes show me, then what can I believe?
"Hey, Fukuyama."
"What's up?"
"What does it mean to be an adult?"
"...What's wrong?"
Maybe because the question caught him off guard, Takumi took a moment to answer.
"Mai just told me to grow up."
"..."
Takumi froze, his mouth slightly open, clearly startled not only by the unexpected question but also by the deeper significance it seemed to carry.
"That sounds tough."
After a while, he gave a weary smile, trying to reassure me.
"If Nene said that to me, I'd probably cry."
"Well, maybe I wanted her to say it," I replied with a faint smile.
Takumi grinned again.
"Generally speaking, I guess it means being financially independent from your parents."
"That won't happen anytime soon."
There were still three years of university left.
"And doing all the housework on your own, too?"
"Cleaning and laundry… I started doing those back in high school."
"Then, how about going to a sushi restaurant where you can't see the prices on the menu?"
"I'll give that a try next time."
"Or maybe an old soba restaurant, or a street food stall where you can't see inside—those are pretty challenging, too."
Takumi continued, smiling with a mix of pride and amusement. But eventually, his expression grew serious again.
"In my experience, it's all about treasuring the people who matter to you."
Takumi smiled self-deprecatingly, probably because he hadn't always been able to cherish the people close to him. I knew that, too. There was a period when he had forgotten all about his girlfriend, Iwamizawa Nene, for months.
"Who do you mean? You forgot all about Nene; now you're giving me advice?"
Takumi laughed, breaking the heavy atmosphere.
"Experience speaks louder than words, doesn't it?"
And then, right there.
"What's got you two so chatty?"
Uzuki had arrived.
She turned around sharply from the seat in front of us.
"Where's Ms. Hirokawa?"
"Huh?"
"What if the solo concert at Budokan you've been dreaming of is actually a fantasy?"
Uzuki widened her eyes at Sakuta's question.
She was close enough to touch.
It was hard to believe this was a hallucination.
I didn't think this was the result of Sakuta rewriting reality.
"I think it's a wonderful dream."
Her response matched Uzuki's personality perfectly.
She seemed entirely real.
She was exactly the Uzuki I knew.
"No one can outshine you, Uzuki."
"This time, I'll make it happen for real!"
Uzuki clenched her fists with determination.
Even though it was a hypothetical, she was already fired up.
"Are you not disappointed?"
"Of course, I am. But if I want to stand in Budokan, I have to earn it myself."
Uzuki's inner strength was exactly what defined her.
"That's the best kind of luck."
I couldn't distinguish between what was real and what was a fantasy anymore.
But hearing Uzuki's words stirred something within me.
I packed the notebook and pen case on my desk into my bag.
"Azusagawa?"
Takumi looked up at me with a puzzled expression as I stood up.
I slung my bag over my shoulder.
"Big Brother, aren't you going to class?"
This time, Uzuki asked.
"I'm going to find myself."
"...Huh?"
"Want to join?"
Uzuki just laughed, ignoring the bewildered Takumi.
"No, I have to do this alone."
"Alright, then good luck!"
Uzuki stood up and patted my shoulder lightly. Giving them an encouraging smile, I told them, "Take care," then hurried out of the classroom.
4
The bell for the second class rang just as Sakuta exited the school building.
Several late students rushed by, saying:
"Come on, hurry up!"
"The professor said that being late counts as an absence."
"That's why I told you to hurry!"
They dashed into the building, looking flustered.
Sakuta walked down the tree-lined path toward the university's main gate, eventually stepping outside. The way to the station was sparsely populated with students—those who didn't have a second class, or those who had already given up, were no longer around.
As if something was chasing him, Sakuta hurried on ahead, almost alone.
Since it wasn't a peak commuting time, Kanazawa-Hakkei Station was quiet. As he descended to the platform, time seemed to move leisurely. Just then, a limited express train bound for Sengakuji pulled into the station.
Following the momentum from the stairs, Sakuta boarded the train, getting on behind a woman waiting at the door.
Like the station, the train car was nearly empty.
The long, red seats were open to choose from. But even as the train started, Sakuta remained by the door.
The scenery passing by the window was now quite familiar after a year at university.
Most of it was residential areas, with only a few commercial facilities around the station.
Sakuta turned his focus to the train window.
Then, suddenly,
"What? Skipping class?"
Startled by the voice, Sakuta's shoulders jerked.
It was a woman in a light blue coat who had spoken, the same woman who had boarded before him.
Upon closer look, her face seemed familiar.
It was Iwamizawa Nene, a fourth-year student from the same university.
Under her coat was a neat white blouse and a natural, translucent makeup look. This wasn't the mini-skirt outfit he was used to seeing her in, so he hadn't recognized her right away.
"Iwamizawa… Not out on a date?"
Her boyfriend, Takumi, was back at university attending a statistics class.
"I'm heading to Yokohama to take a photo for my job applications."
Nene answered in a bored tone, sitting on the edge of an empty seat.
"For work, huh?"
Sakuta replied while still standing.
"Is there anything else it could be?"
"So, are you applying to be a news announcer?"
With her clean clothes, styled hair, and makeup, Nene looked every bit the aspiring TV announcer.
"Someone woke me from my dreams and brought me back to reality. They told me I could be an announcer, or whatever else I wanted."
Nene laughed bitterly, crossing her legs.
"Do you think you'll make it?"
"Not with a major broadcaster, I'm sure."
Her tone was indifferent. However, she wasn't being dismissive. Most likely, it was her realistic assessment of the situation.
The train stopped at the next station, Kanazawa-Bunko. A few people got off, and a few others got on, but the car remained mostly empty.
As the train started moving again, more residential areas appeared outside the window. The quiet streets were lined with single-family homes.
"So, why are you skipping class?"
Nene looked up at Sakuta, who was standing nearby.
But Sakuta's gaze was on the route map above the door. The next stop was Kami-Ooka, where the Keikyu Line he was on connected with the Yokohama Municipal Subway.
His eyes traveled down to the final station of the route.
It read Shonandai.
"Thanks to you, Iwamizawa, I've decided on a destination."
Nene responded just as the train began to slow down.
Outside was the platform for Kami-Ooka Station.
"This is my stop."
The train came to a complete halt.
"Alright, then. Thanks."
Nene waved as Sakuta stepped off the train and onto the platform.
It wasn't a station he knew well. It was one he usually passed on his way to university. Following the signs, he made his way to the platform for the Yokohama Municipal Subway.
When he graduated from university, he hadn't decided where he wanted to go.
For now, sitting in a classroom wasn't what he wanted; he was simply following his impulses.
When he boarded the train, he hadn't known where he was headed.
But because of the mini-skirt Santa Nene and the route map on the train, his destination was almost unconsciously decided.
The endpoint for the Yokohama Municipal Subway Blue Line was Shonandai Station.
There was a library there, where he had once encountered a wild bunny girl.
Thirty minutes later, Sakuta got off at Shonandai Station and found himself on the streets of Shonandai.
It was a convenient city with not only the municipal subway but also the Odakyu Enoshima Line and the Sotetsu Izumino Line. The atmosphere of the town was similar to that of other areas along the Odakyu Line.
"It should be this way."
Relying on memory, he walked toward the library.
He used to come here often to borrow books to read with "Kaede." Back then, to save on train fare, he would come by bike, so he wasn't familiar with the route from the station.
Nonetheless, he used the landmarks that looked somewhat familiar and kept walking until he saw the spacious, renovated park. Here, the buildings were lower, and the streets had a peaceful feel. Absorbing the scenery, he soon spotted the library.
"…"
Standing at the entrance, he felt a sense of nostalgia.
At the same time, a slight, inexplicable tension arose within him.
To shake off these feelings, Sakuta opened the door and walked inside.
The distinct silence of the library greeted him at once.
Calm air and the smell of books.
While he could sense the presence of people, there was no sound of conversation, making it a place of complete quiet.
The arrangement of the bookshelves seemed unchanged.
As he walked through the floors, he circled around, as if checking something. Moving between the bookshelves, he searched as if looking for an answer.
He also paid attention to every patron in the library.
As though he were searching for a wild bunny girl.
Even though he knew she couldn't be here.
Mai was back at the university, attending class. Everyone saw her there. So there was no reason for her to be in a bunny suit. Meeting her here was impossible.
After making a round, Sakuta stopped between two bookshelves.
There was nowhere left to go.
He had come here in search of something, but had found nothing.
There was no answer.
There was no wild bunny girl, and to make things worse, Mai could no longer see Miori. For Sakuta, that was his reality.
So he didn't know whether to turn right or left.
He didn't know whether to go forward or back.
All he saw was the narrow corridor surrounded by bookshelves.
Just then, a red backpack passed by.
It was a girl in first grade.
She looked strikingly similar to a young, child-star version of Mai he had seen before.
She emerged from the shadow of the third bookshelf in front of him, then disappeared behind another.
"Wait!"
Sakuta reflexively shouted, chasing after her.
His first step landed with a loud thud.
If he hurried, he would catch up in no time.
But when he looked beyond the bookshelf, no one was there.
"…?"
Had he imagined it?
No, he had definitely seen her.
Just then, a voice came from behind him.
"Mister, are you lost again?"
Hearing the familiar voice, he turned around.
"…"
Behind him stood a young girl with a backpack, looking up at Sakuta with a curious expression.
"I guess I really am lost this time."
It seemed that only Sakuta could see this girl with the backpack.
Both the current situation and his past experiences made that clear.
"Are you really a mister?"
"It doesn't seem like I'm old enough to be called that. How about just 'Big Brother' instead?"
"Excuse me, is something wrong?"
Noticing the conversation, a nearby librarian looked over with a surprised expression.
Her gaze didn't fall on the little girl in front of Sakuta. She only saw him.
"Sorry, I was talking to myself."
"Please keep your voice down."
"Yes, ma'am."
The librarian pushed a cart full of books and moved away.
After confirming that,
"You're quite a cute ceiling monster."
Sakuta whispered to the girl with the backpack.
"I don't like monsters."
She hugged a book on fish close to her chest.
"Would you help me chase them away?"
He extended his hand to the girl as he spoke.
After a moment of thought, she took his hand with a smile.
"Alright."
5
The Odakyu Enoshima Line train from Shonandai Station was nearly empty as it headed for Fujisawa, making local stops along the way.
Sakuta sat right in the middle of a row of unoccupied seats. Next to him was the girl with the backpack from the library.
The train began to move, gently rocking with a comforting rhythm.
As he settled into the sway, Sakuta began to speak, his words coming in fits and starts.
"When I was in middle school, I could only believe in the adolescent syndrome. Kaede suddenly had cuts on her body… because no one else would believe it."
Sakuta looked at the empty seat across from him. Reflected in the window, he saw the little girl with the backpack gazing at him with a puzzled expression.
"I don't think it was wrong."
The wounds on Kaede were real. To Sakuta and Kaede, they were reality.
Both their minds and bodies bore deep, lasting memories.
"There were other strange events, too. In high school, I met Mai in the library, though only I could see her. I even helped Koga with a simulated future experiment. Futaba split into two, and then Toyohama and Mai swapped… And then, Makinohara and Shoko. All of it really happened."
Just like what was happening now.
The girl with the backpack was visible only to Sakuta.
No one had noticed the girl in the library, on the walk to the station, passing by the police box, or going through the ticket gate. No one other than Sakuta seemed aware of her existence.
But to Sakuta, she was undeniably real.
She sat beside him, holding his hand, her legs swinging as they couldn't reach the floor.
It was neither a dream nor an illusion.
To Sakuta, it was nothing but reality.
"I can't just deny everything."
"Why not?"
Sakuta glanced to the side to see the girl looking up at him.
"Because that would mean pretending that none of it happened."
"If you don't like it, why not just let it go?"
"If I could, it would be easier."
"Can't you?"
"A very important person, much like you, once said something to me."
Sakuta looked away from the girl and stared out the window ahead.
"What was it?"
"'I want to see the same things as you.'"
"That's hard."
"That's why it troubles me."
The train arrived at Fujisawa Station.
The doors opened, but Sakuta didn't get up.
He hadn't decided where to go next.
Just as he was unable to find a reason to stand, the girl with the backpack suddenly sprang up from her seat.
"Let's go!"
She grabbed Sakuta's hand, pulling him to his feet, and he followed her out of the train.
"Where are you going?"
"To a place with memories."
With that, she tugged Sakuta onto a silver Odakyu Enoshima Line train at the adjacent platform. The train's display read, "Bound for Katase-Enoshima," and an ad for the Enoshima Aquarium was pasted beside it.
Despite it being a Monday afternoon, the Enoshima Aquarium was bustling with visitors. A little boy exclaimed excitedly at the ticket counter, "I want to see the dolphins!" while a couple walked toward the entrance, saying, "Otters are so cute."
Sakuta bought tickets for himself and the girl with the backpack, then entered through the gate. Only Sakuta's ticket was acknowledged by the staff; the girl, holding her own ticket, followed behind, looking bewildered.
Inside, the first sight wasn't an aquarium tank but an ascending staircase that obscured what lay ahead. As they climbed, the mystery heightened their anticipation of what sea creatures awaited.
At the top of the stairs on the second floor, they were greeted by fish from different seas around the world, swimming contentedly in tanks organized by region. Past these, they encountered a tank showcasing the life cycle of white salmon.
The path then sloped gently downward. A tunnel appeared along the way, with an overhead tank full of stingrays. As they passed beneath the smiling faces of the rays, the view suddenly opened up. Looming in front of them was a massive tank filled with marine life from Sagami Bay.
In the towering tank, a school of eagles rays glided, their bodies shimmering like stars in the sky.
"Oh, Mai mentioned this before."
"…?"
The girl holding his hand looked up at him with a questioning expression.
"It was the day I came here alone, the first time I couldn't see him around."
"Your brother didn't come?"
"He did—on a date where we pretended to be lovers."
"…?"
The girl tilted her head in confusion.
"Some of the tanks haven't changed since then… although it seems they've added new creatures."
A little boy ran by, talking about wanting to see the capybaras, with his mother following, saying, "I won't run anymore."
When I came here with Tomoe, the capybaras weren't here yet.
"Should we see the capybaras too?"
"And the dolphin show."
"If you're here, you've got to watch it."
"Let's go!"
The girl happily took Sakuta's hand and led him away.
After watching the dolphin show, Sakuta and the girl left the aquarium. It was already about two in the afternoon.
The sun was beginning to set as they walked along the beach, its gentle light casting warmth over Sakuta and the girl with the backpack. They faced west, toward Kugenuma Beach.
Surfers could be seen in the ocean, floating like fallen leaves on the waves.
They would occasionally wash up on the shore, only to return to the sea in search of the next wave.
Away from the waves, a group of young men and women were playing beach volleyball on the sand. They looked like university students, similar to Sakuta's age. One of them stumbled in the sand and fell, only to be hit in the head by a stray ball, followed by laughter all around.
In this area, you could clearly see a small marsh protruding slightly from the sea. It looked exactly like the dorsal fin of a massive shark. If a shark that size truly existed, it would put even monsters from movies to shame.
Sakuta climbed up onto the concrete steps overlooking this view.
"I watched fireworks here once."
His gaze drifted toward Enoshima in the distance.
"Alone?"
"With Futaba and Kunimi, after Futaba became one person again."
"…"
The girl listened to Sakuta, her expression filled with wonder.
"I don't understand what you're talking about."
"Memories of my brother?"
"Yes, I think they're important memories."
"Then you should cherish them."
Sakuta could only smile bitterly.
He nodded, acknowledging her words. However, since the root of the strange circumstances lay in adolescent syndrome, Sakuta had to deny it. If Rio hadn't split into two people, that firework event might never have happened.
So Sakuta didn't respond directly, but instead told the girl something else.
"Will you come with me to another place? There's somewhere I want to go."
"Sure."
Even today, many people were walking along Benten Bridge, heading for Enoshima.
Sakuta stopped in front of the dragon lantern slightly ahead.
"Is this where you wanted to go?"
"Yes."
Even now, standing here caused a dull ache in his chest.
That winter of his second year in high school.
On a rare snowy Christmas Eve in Enoshima.
Reflecting on his life, he had never made a more painful decision.
To protect his future with Mai, he chose to let go of Shoko's future.
It was a memory full of anguish.
But he didn't want to forget it.
Sakuta believed that this experience was part of what shaped him.
For that reason, he didn't want to deny the adolescent syndrome and pretend that it had never happened.
He couldn't give up so many precious memories.
6
The sun had set, and Sakuta remained in front of the dragon lantern.
He kept thinking.
What was the right answer?
Where had things gone wrong?
What choice should he make?
But no matter how hard he thought, he found no answers.
When he came to, the girl with the backpack was gone.
"Where did she go?"
He looked around, but there was no sign of the girl.
"Hmm, I guess it's time for kids to head home…"
The sky had turned dark. The wind was getting a bit chilly.
The girl who only Sakuta could see.
Still, the warmth of her small hand lingered in his palm.
Her tiny hand could only hold two of Sakuta's fingers.
Grasping tightly, as if not wanting to let him go.
He checked his surroundings again.
Then, his stomach growled.
"Right, I forgot lunch."
Listening to his stomach rumble, Sakuta returned to Katase-Enoshima Station and boarded the train back to Fujisawa. It felt like his old hometown now, a city he had grown used to.
As he walked to the family restaurant where he worked, he noticed students and workers passing by on their way home.
The family restaurant was where he could eat comfortably.
He opened the door and stepped inside.
"Welcome!"
At that moment, Kaede came out, dressed in her waitress uniform.
"Oh, it's you, big brother."
Seeing his face, she dropped her customer-service smile.
"Are you working today?"
Kaede asked, as excited as if she were at home.
"No, I came to grab something to eat."
"Alone?"
Kaede looked a bit surprised.
"Is that table okay?"
Sakuta ignored her reaction and took a seat at an empty table near the entrance.
As he opened the menu and decided what to eat,
"I have a shift tomorrow, so I'll come home tomorrow."
"Today?"
"It's your birthday, right? I didn't want to disturb you and Mai. Aren't you eating with someone? No plans?"
"That's why I said I came to eat something. I missed lunch, so I'm hungry."
He pointed at "Traditional Chinese Noodles" on the menu and told Kaede, "This, please."
"That's not exactly light."
"Just take the order, please."
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
Kaede skillfully entered the order on the terminal, bowed deeply, and left the table.
Sakuta's gaze followed her as she walked away.
Tomorrow, Kaede would return from their parents' place in Yokohama.
Things couldn't stay like this forever.
If "Kaede" and "Kaede" met, who knew what might happen. So he had to find a way before that happened.
"Even without Miori, this can't go on forever."
It was almost 6:20 p.m. Miori's departure time was at 10:50 p.m. There wasn't much time left.
After finishing his noodles, Sakuta paid the bill and left early. The dinner rush was starting, so he didn't want to linger. Plus, he had no time to waste.
Sakuta had something he needed to do.
He walked from the family restaurant toward the station.
"Ah, senpai!"
A petite girl approaching him called out.
It was Tomoe, just back from university.
"Are you heading to work now?"
"What are you doing, senpai?"
"Are you searching for yourself?"
"Senpai?"
Tomoe tilted her head, her face filled with curiosity and a hint of confusion.
Sakuta didn't reply directly. Instead, he asked her, "Koga, do you have any other universities you want to go to?"
"I do. Why the sudden question?"
"Didn't I just say it? You're on a journey of self-discovery, and I'll be your point of reference."
"Hmm…"
Tomoe scrutinized Sakuta, trying to gauge his seriousness.
But today, Sakuta's words made little sense, so even if she dug deeper, she wouldn't uncover any clues. She seemed to realize this, her expression growing a bit frustrated.
"I was debating between a few women's universities in Tokyo until the last moment."
"And why's that?"
"It just didn't feel right to go to the same school as you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I thought it was time to graduate from my memories of you, senpai."
Tomoe pouted, looking dissatisfied.
"Like Nana, I want a boyfriend too… a normal one."
Tomoe glanced away.
"I see."
"Your reaction is irritating."
"Koga's grown up quite a bit."
"Huh? Are you looking down on me?"
Her irritation grew.
"Thanks for giving me something to think about."
"What?"
"Isn't your shift starting at seven?"
Tomoe checked her phone, then let out a small shriek.
"Oh no, there's only five minutes left! Goodbye, senpai!"
She ran off in a hurry.
Without lingering to watch, Sakuta turned in the opposite direction—toward the station.
But he wasn't heading there just yet.
He entered a nearby building along the way, where his tutoring job was located.
Standing by the elevator was a familiar face.
Rio noticed him and gave a slight nod.
Sakuta joined her, looking up at the floor indicator as it showed the elevator coming down from the fifth floor.
"Looks like things are complicated."
Rio was the first to speak.
"Mai-senpai is no longer Touko Kirishima, yet reality keeps shifting."
"Yeah."
The elevator doors opened on the first floor.
After confirming it was empty, they both stepped inside and pressed the button for the fifth floor.
"Futaba, you've figured it out."
"…"
The elevator shook slightly as it began to ascend.
"I misunderstood Miori's adolescent syndrome."
"…"
"I was the one rewriting reality."
"I suspected that might be the case, though I wasn't certain."
"Even so, I can't help you because there are things only you can do."
They both faced forward, neither exchanging glances.
"You're as clever as always, Azusagawa."
Rio gave a faint smile.
"Futaba, are you alright with things as they are?"
"I think so."
Her voice was steady and unwavering.
"Then, if reality does revert, any complaints should be directed at my past self."
"Have you found a way to restore things?"
"If I deny the existence of adolescent syndrome, won't that work?"
The elevator arrived at the fifth floor.
"I believe there's more than one way to solve this."
The doors slowly opened.
"…?"
"…."
Rio didn't answer Sakuta's questioning look.
Instead, she muttered to herself as she stepped into the tutoring center.
"I'm so scared of happiness, it seems."
Sakuta whispered to himself as he followed her in.
"Futaba's nature is too unfortunate."
And then,
"Ah, Sakuta-sensei."
Sara, in the open lounge, noticed him and came over.
"Is today Futaba-sensei's class?"
"Yes. And you?"
"I just happened to drop by."
"Oh, by the way, Sakuta-sensei, I have news!"
Sara leaned in with a mischievous grin, as if she were sharing a secret.
"Next week, we're getting a teaching intern in our class. Will you be joining us at our school next year?"
"Probably the year after that."
"Oh, that's too bad. I was hoping to attend your class, Sakuta-sensei."
"I doubt it'd be that exciting."
"But wouldn't you be pleased?"
"What?"
"At least one student is looking forward to Sakuta-sensei becoming a teacher."
Sara gave him a triumphant smile.
"Yeah, that's true."
Hearing it from Sara, he felt a little satisfaction.
"Himeji-san, class is starting."
Rio, wearing the tutoring center's white jacket, called out from the hallway.
"Alright, I'm on my way. See you later, Sakuta-sensei."
Sara waved, then ran over to Rio. As they walked into the classroom, they chatted, "No running in the tutoring center," and Sara replied, "Yes, sensei."
7
Sakuta left the tutoring center and took the elevator back down to the first floor, where a family waited for the doors to open. With them was Shoko, wearing the uniform of Minehara High School.
"Oh!"
Shoko exclaimed upon noticing him.
Sakuta stepped out of the elevator.
"Why, Miss Makinohara?"
He asked reflexively.
He bowed to the familiar parents.
"You two go ahead; I'll catch up."
Shoko urged her parents toward the elevator. They nodded, gave Sakuta another bow, and entered. The doors closed, and they went up.
"I'm attending our tutoring center."
"Since I want to go to medical school, I thought it best to start preparing early."
"I see."
He didn't need to ask why she was pursuing medicine.
For Shoko, who had undergone a heart transplant, the reason was evident.
"You may not want to be a doctor, but for anything related to helping those with rare illnesses, having medical knowledge is essential."
"If that's the case, I recommend Futaba-sensei for science subjects."
"That's my plan."
Shoko smiled faintly.
It was the same smile he remembered from that day… the same one that saved him.
A warm, cherished memory.
Something important that had always supported Sakuta.
"…"
"Sakuta?"
"Yes?"
"Were you reminiscing about your first love?"
"I was remembering something important. Something Shoko told me."
The kindness he'd received that day had shaped him into who he was.
And it would continue to shape his future self.
That feeling always warmed his heart.
She had reminded him once again of what truly mattered.
So he needed to carry it forward.
Into the future…
For that, Sakuta had something he needed to do.
"Sorry, thanks to Miss Makinohara, I have something to take care of."
"Helping Sakuta is my greatest pleasure!"
The elevator doors opened as they returned to the first floor.
Sakuta watched Shoko board and then briskly walked toward the station.
Skipping a step, he climbed the stairs of the pedestrian walkway in front of the station.
The clock in the plaza showed it was nearly 7:30 p.m.
The station bustled with commuters heading home. Here and there, high school students in uniforms mingled among them.
Sakuta moved through the crowd, heading straight for the electronics store.
The pedestrian walkway led directly to the second-floor entrance. The brightly lit store glowed from the outside. Someone unexpected emerged from the light, crossing paths with Sakuta.
Dressed in a different uniform.
"Kaede?"
"Oh, big brother!"
Kaede looked shocked to see Sakuta.
"Out late today, aren't you?"
"No, that's not it! I wasn't late because I couldn't decide on a birthday gift for you!"
Kaede hurriedly tried to hide the package behind her back.
"Oh, I see. So, you stayed out late to pick a birthday gift for me."
"It was supposed to be a surprise for you!"
"I'm honestly surprised to run into you at this hour."
"I'll go look for a more surprising gift!"
As she was about to return to the store, Sakuta stopped her.
"Wait, you don't have to go back."
She looked at him.
"Aren't you happy with the surprise I have for you? Do you have a moment to listen to me?"
"Is this about you, brother?"
Sakuta gave her a serious look and asked, "Suppose there's another world that's very similar to this one. If that world were your true world, what would you do?"
"…"
Kaede looked puzzled, clearly not understanding his question right away.
Of course, it was a pretty outlandish question. To truly understand what Sakuta was implying with just those words would probably require some form of superpower.
However, before Sakuta could dismiss it, Kaede responded.
"I'd want to go back."
She looked at him seriously, staring straight into his eyes, her intention clear. She wanted to go back.
Sakuta was startled by her response.
"Yesterday, I found this in my room."
She took out a journal from her bag. It was a notebook, different in color from the one he had given her back in middle school. The cover read "Azusagawa Kaede."
"It says here that in November of my third year in middle school, I recovered from dissociative identity disorder and regained my memories…"
"…"
"I want to recover from the dissociative disorder and set your mind at ease."
"…"
Sakuta found himself speechless. She had fully understood what he was getting at: healing from dissociative identity disorder meant that the current Kaede would disappear, replaced by the original one.
"So, I want to go back to where I belong, with my real brother."
Her words carried a tinge of fear, fear of her own disappearance. But her resolve didn't waver. Her eyes shone brightly with her decision to move forward.
Sakuta felt the weight of her decision, final and resolute, like a quiet but sure step.
"I understand. I'll make sure your gift is delivered."
"Thank you, big brother!"
"I still have something to do."
"I'll be waiting for you at home."
"Take care on your way back."
"Of course."
Carefully holding the gift he'd prepared, Sakuta said his goodbyes and walked into an electronics store alone. After locating the item he needed, he took the elevator down to the first floor.
Standing in front of the colorful smartphone display, he knew exactly what he wanted. After spending about an hour and a half finalizing the purchase, he finally held the smartphone he had chosen.
The saleswoman handed over the boxed smartphone, asking, "Shall I wrap this for you?"
"No need," he replied, taking the phone and feeling its weight in his palm. After receiving a paper bag with the empty box, he left the store.
The salespeople politely saw him off, and by the time he walked out, it was already 9 PM, just as the store was closing. Sakuta turned on the new phone, touched the screen, and confidently dialed an eleven-digit number.
"…"
He waited, but the call didn't connect. A few more rings and the call switched to voicemail.
"Mai, it's me, Sakuta. I just bought a new phone, so you're the first person I'm calling. I'm meeting Kaede first, but I'll come to see you afterward."
Leaving his message, he hung up and put the phone in his pocket. Almost immediately, he felt it vibrate. He took it out again and saw a message from Mai:
"I'll wait for you at Shichirigahama. Thank you."
Sakuta replied with a single sentence, put the phone back into his pocket, and walked toward the station.
After 9 PM, the number of people coming out of the station hadn't dwindled, and the air had grown cooler. Sakuta made his way to a coin locker, where he deposited his backpack and the empty smartphone box. Coincidentally, it was the same locker Mai had once used for her bunny girl costume. He smiled at the memory, feeling a bit lighter.
He went south to the Fujisawa Station on the Enoden line. After passing through the ticket gate, he found the platform almost deserted. As he waited, the quiet allowed him to hear his own footsteps echoing.
Kaede's meeting time was at 10:50 PM, and he had about an hour left. He sat on a bench and watched the trains come and go, each one gradually emptying the station.
By 10:40 PM, he was the only one there.
A few minutes later, a new train arrived, and among the few who got off, Sakuta noticed a person in a pink bunny costume, unmistakably Kaede. She noticed him and came over.
"Are you here to convince Mai to stay?"
"Actually, I came to send you off."
"Are you rejecting Adolescence Syndrome?"
"I'm not rejecting you."
The bunny costume figure remained silent, processing his words.
"I don't want to forget either."
"So what will you do? Will you let the world be rewritten?"
"I'm just turning Adolescence Syndrome into a memory."
"That's your answer?"
Sakuta locked eyes with Kaede, who took a few steps back and looked toward the ticket gate, where she saw Mai arriving.
"Right, Akagi?"
"...What?"
Kaede looked surprised at the unexpected question from Sakuta.
"Did you say what you needed to say to the other me?"
She glanced at the back of the bunny costume. "I told you I've always hated you."
"And?"
He grinned slightly.
"It was a relief."
Sakuta smiled back as Mai joined them.
"It looks like you're having fun," she commented.
"The train is leaving soon, isn't it?" he asked, glancing at the Enoden heading to Kamakura at 10:50 PM.
He didn't answer her, but he rose from the bench, ready to board the train.
"Are you coming, Sakuta?" she asked.
"I'll see you at Shichirigahama with Mai afterward."
He stepped onto the Enoden.
Sakuta and Kaede sat side by side on the train, with Kaede's bunny costume and her companion sitting in the next car, likely to give them some space. The train started its slow, gentle journey as they headed toward their final destination together.
The last train from Fujisawa Station bound for Kamakura made its next stop at Ishigami Station. No one boarded, and no one got off, and then it continued. The same happened at Yanagikōji, Kugenumakaigan, and Shōnan-Kaigan Park stations.
Soon, the train arrived at Enoshima Station.
"Miori, quickly, extend your hand."
"Why?"
Miori responded to the question while holding out his hand for "help." Sakuta took a black pen from his pocket and wrote a "0" on Miori's palm, then carefully filled in each of the remaining ten digits.
Miori watched as Sakuta wrote each number on his palm. Once Sakuta was done, the train started moving again. For a while, Miori's gaze stayed fixed on the numbers.
When the train transitioned to the street-level section, Miori finally looked up at Sakuta.
"I got a smartphone."
He pouted slightly, clearly displeased. Sakuta pulled out the smartphone he had just bought and showed it to Miori.
"It's the cheapest model."
"You didn't even want to buy one yesterday."
That was Miori's reason for being upset.
"Tell that to yesterday's me."
"You're so annoying," Miori said with a chuckle.
In the otherwise empty train car, the sound echoed, but it didn't seem to bother Miori.
After laughing, he said, "Then I'll tell you mine too."
Smiling, he took something from his tote bag—a square, palm-sized smartphone. It was the same model as Sakuta's.
"You bought one too, Miori?"
"It's the cheapest one," he said proudly, inputting Sakuta's number into his phone.
Sakuta's phone vibrated immediately. He opened the call log to see a new entry with an eleven-digit number starting with "0," which he saved under "Miori Miori."
"When you return, contact me right away."
"In all the worlds, who knows how long it might take to find Touko again?"
"No matter how long it takes, I'm still your friend, Miori."
"…Yeah."
Miori nodded firmly, biting his lip.
"Now we've exchanged numbers."
He grinned playfully, showing off his phone.
The train departed from Minehara Signal Station. A woman's voice announced, "Next stop, Shichirigahama."
With a metallic clatter, the train rolled onto the platform at Shichirigahama Station and came to a quiet stop.
"…"
Sakuta stood up without a word. He had said all he needed to say.
The door opened, and he was about to step off when Miori called out to him.
"Sakuta."
He turned silently to look back.
"I've uploaded the full version of that song on the website. Come listen if you ever want to see me."
Miori smiled, a bit sheepishly.
"I'll listen to it every day," Sakuta replied, feeling warmth in his heart.
He meant it wholeheartedly.
"I'm off."
Miori announced with calm resolve.
"Alright, I'll wait for you, a bit more grown up."
With that, Sakuta stepped off the train, and the doors closed behind him. He watched as the train slowly pulled away, tracking its departure with his eyes.
In the distance, the crossing alarm sounded—the same crossing near Minehara High School, a sound he'd heard throughout his three years there.
With the alarm ringing, the train gradually disappeared into the distance, its four short cars vanishing one by one. Finally, the last car disappeared, leaving only the alarm sounding in the distance. Eventually, it too fell silent as Sakuta stood on the deserted platform of Shichirigahama Station, watching toward Kamakura.
After a while, he came back to his senses.
"Let's go."
A voice came from beside him. The familiar touch of a small hand returned to his left hand.
Next to him stood a girl with a backpack.
The two of them, holding hands, stood together on the platform.
"That's fine. This is how it is."
"We might not see each other again, right?"
"It's alright."
"Why are you so sure?"
"When I was little, the monsters on the ceiling looked frightening. When I grew up, they didn't look like monsters anymore."
"…"
The girl listened intently, as if puzzled by Sakuta's words.
"So, the monsters disappeared?"
"Yeah."
"Everyone disappears eventually," she said with a downcast, lonely look.
"That's not it."
Sakuta shook his head firmly.
"Didn't I just say it was alright?"
"…?"
"Even if you can't see the monsters, the patterns on the ceiling will still be there. They won't disappear."
The way you look at things just changes. That's all.
"Even now, the ceiling patterns I once feared as monsters are still there, just as I remembered them. So, you should go back too."
The crossing alarm sounded in the distance—the same crossing he had crossed countless times during high school.
"Will you be okay alone?"
"I have Mai, Kaede, Dad, Mom, Futaba, Kunimi, Koga, Toyohama, Hirokawa, Fukuyama at university, students at the tutoring center, and even Akagi… and Makinohara came back too. It's pretty lively now."
A train bound for Fujisawa pulled into the station. The retro-style green and cream-colored Enoden train cars rolled in.
"Then you won't get lost."
The girl let go of Sakuta's hand.
The train stopped, and the doors opened. The girl bounded onto the train with a spring in her step, then turned to look back at Sakuta.
"Bye-bye!"
She waved with a smile.
"Bye-bye," he replied, waving back.
The doors closed, and the train started moving. She kept waving, and Sakuta waved back until the train was out of sight.
At Shichirigahama that night, there was the smell of the sea. He heard the wind's song.
Leaving the empty station, he walked alone toward the beach. The path sloped gently downwards, leading him to Route 134. At the traffic light near the same old convenience store, he waited briefly, but it soon turned green.
Crossing the road, he was greeted by the sight of the nighttime ocean.
Walking down the fan-shaped steps, he felt the sand under his feet, soft and welcoming.
The sky held a beautiful moon, illuminating the scene unexpectedly brightly. On a bridge bathed in moonlight, Sakuta soon spotted someone standing.
"Mai-san."
He spoke as he walked up beside her.
"It's strange, isn't it? This view feels so nostalgic."
Mai was looking out over the ocean, her gaze turned to the right, toward Enoshima.
"Yeah."
To Sakuta and Mai, students of Minehara High School, this scenery was deeply intertwined with memories of their youth. These memories had turned into the past, into something precious, now becoming nostalgic.
Just like Mai's feelings.
"Uh, Mai-san."
"Yes?"
"I want to get a teaching license and become a high school teacher."
"Oh?"
Mai responded gently, turning to look at him.
"What kind of teacher do you want to be?"
"A teacher who will listen to a student's worries about something only they can see, like a bunny girl, even if I can't see it myself anymore."
"You could do it, Sakuta."
"Really?"
"I guarantee it."
"With your guarantee, I'll have to work hard."
"…"
"…"
Their conversation trailed off naturally. Even in the silence, their eyes continued to speak.
"Sakuta."
"Yes?"
"Happy birthday!"
"Isn't that a bit late, Mai?"
"Next year, I'll make sure to say it earlier."
Mai took a step closer, gently touching Sakuta's hand.
Their hands naturally intertwined as they gazed at the same ocean, looking at the same sky, the same moon.
Together, they took their first step forward, side by side, leaving twin footprints in the sand.