The Missing Yume
Having made it through the morning and lunch without anything happening, Yuuki felt a deep sense of relief from the bottom of his heart.
That morning, he’d been able to eat breakfast at Kyousuke’s house more leisurely than usual and head to school together with Yume.
When Yuuki set off for school from Kyousuke’s house, Kyousuke watched him go, heard him say, “I’m heading out,” and that alone filled him with happiness from the bottom of his heart.
Yuuki and Yume watched Kyousuke like that with warm smiles, as an unhurried, peaceful time flowed by.
Even after arriving at school, that calm, uneventful day continued without change.
During lunch break, he ate at their usual spot, and since Shinjou Saya never showed up, he ate the bento he’d made together with Yume while absentmindedly recalling yesterday, feeling his heart grow a little warmer.
After finishing such a day, Yuuki was on his way home from school.
He walked toward the place where he was supposed to meet up with Yume.
He thought she’d surely be waiting like always, but on this day when nothing at all had happened, Yume hadn’t arrived first.
Thinking she was probably busy with university, Yuuki decided to wait for her.
But no matter how long he waited, there wasn’t the slightest sign of her coming.
Gradually starting to feel uneasy, Yuuki agonized over what to do and finally decided to head to the café where Kyousuke was waiting.
Since they’d exchanged contact information, he sent Yume a message just in case, so they wouldn’t miss each other.
[Have you already gone home?]
Even after sending it, maybe because it had just been sent, or maybe because something had happened and his anxiety was growing, there was no sign of a reply at all.
Maybe she’d already gone home ahead of him.
Maybe the café was busy because some kind of event was happening nearby, and Yume had gone back there first.
That had to be it.
Clinging to such an unlikely possibility, Yuuki’s view narrowed until he couldn’t think about anything else.
If that were really the case, Yume would’ve contacted him, and even if she hadn’t gone home, she could’ve just contacted Kyousuke in the first place.
His steps toward the café gradually quickened, turning into a jog, and finally into a full sprint.
When the café came into view, he felt a little calmer. He caught his breath, then opened the door.
Thinking that Yume had surely already come back here first.
He slowly, nervously opened the door, and beyond it, Yume was…
“Yuuki-kun, welcome back. What’s wrong? You look so flustered.”
She wasn’t there.
No matter where he looked, she was nowhere to be found.
Noticing Yuuki’s state and the fact that Yume, who should’ve been with him, wasn’t there, Kyousuke spoke up.
“What happened to Yume?”