The morning came like all the others, but this time, I was ready.
I stood by the school gate, waiting—not for anyone in particular, but because I knew she'd come. Hikari always did.
I didn't have to wait long. She came jogging up the path, her bag swinging at her side, the same playful energy in her steps.
As soon as she came close, I beat her to it.
"Good morning," I said flatly.
She froze mid-step, blinked, and then smiled wide.
"That's four times now," she said, holding up four fingers with exaggerated pride. "You're becoming suspiciously good at this, Kazuki."
I didn't say anything. I just kept walking, and she fell into step beside me.
"I told you, right? I promised a reward today."
She said it like she was giving me a treasure.
---
Class passed as usual. The quiet hum of lectures, the scratching of pens, and the occasional laugh from the back row. I kept my head low, listening closely, writing with my head down, always careful not to look up.
But the clock ticked on, and then break time came.
And with it—her.
I was still in my seat when she walked up to my desk, practically glowing with excitement. She didn't even ask if she could sit—just stood there, holding something.
Her phone.
"I thought a lot about what kind of reward to give you," she said. "And then I realized… I've never given a boy this before."
She held it out like it was a sacred item.
"My number," she said, smiling. "This is your reward."
I blinked, unsure of how to respond. I reached for my phone, but even as I pulled it from my pocket, I knew I couldn't see the screen well enough. The numbers would blur, unreadable. I hesitated.
"…Can you put it in for me?"
She tilted her head. "Can't do it yourself?"
"My vision's bad," I muttered.
She grinned and took the phone from my hand. "You really can't do anything without me, huh?"
She tapped the screen a few times, then paused.
"Wait. You only have… two contacts? Mom and Dad?"
She looked at me, lips parting slightly. "Wow. That's… kinda depressing."
I didn't answer. She didn't expect me to.
She finished typing and handed the phone back. "There. Now you have three."
I looked down at the screen. Her name was there, nestled between the only two people I'd ever considered close enough to save.
She turned and walked off, humming to herself like it was nothing.
But for some reason, the phone in my hand felt heavier than it ever had before.
The periods passed in a blur, but they were no longer ordinary. Each one felt heavier than the last. I couldn't escape the feeling that time was slipping through my fingers, even as I tried to ignore it and just go with the flow.
Every glance at Hikari made the weight of her countdown more unbearable. It wasn't just the timer above her head anymore — it was the way her laugh lit up the room, the way she seemed to touch everything around her with warmth. Every interaction felt precious, like it might be the last.
But I couldn't stop himself from getting closer to her.
That afternoon, I was waiting at the school gates, with my bag slung over my shoulder, when I spotted Hikari walking toward me, her usual cheerful smile in place. She was chatting animatedly with a friend, but when she saw me, her face brightened even more.
"Hey! You're here early," she called out, waving her hand.
I nodded, trying to keep my expression neutral. "Yeah, I guess I just wanted to get some fresh air before you came with your trouble."
"I'm glad you're here. I was hoping we could walk home together today." She said.
I agreed, so we walked home together. Though we always walked home a few times in the past week, but every step, every second with her felt like a gift that was slowly running out.
The sound of our footsteps blending with the distant chatter of other students heading home. Hikari was talking about the latest drama in class — something about a student council election — but I wasn't really listening. I was lost in his thoughts.
**89 days.**
It felt like the world was closing in on me.
"Hey, Kazuki?" Hikari's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts.
I turned to look at her, startled. She was watching me with a slightly puzzled expression. "You've been awfully quiet lately. Are you sure everything's okay?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat. Should I tell her? Should I finally break the silence and let her know the truth? Could I really carry this burden alone any longer?
Before I could answer, Hikari smiled brightly. "You're really are not much talker, are you?" she teased. "But that's fine, I like listening."
Her words were light, playful, but I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that clung to me. How could I continue this charade when every second with her felt like a countdown?
"Hikari, there's something I need to tell you," Kazuki started, but the words felt heavy, like they were trapped in my chest, refusing to leave.
Hikari stopped walking and turned to face me, her expression softer now. "What's wrong, Kazuki?"
The sincerity in her voice made my heart ache. She was so trusting, so unaware. I opened my mouth again, but nothing came out. The words were there, but they didn't feel right. I couldn't burden her with the truth. Not now, not when she was still so full of life.
"I—" I stopped myself. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
Hikari frowned, clearly not convinced. But then, with a small shrug, she smiled again. "Okay, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here, alright?"
I nodded, grateful for her kindness, though it only made my feelings more complicated.
We continued walking, the familiar silence between us more comfortable now. But as the minutes ticked by, I couldn't help but notice the way the sun was starting to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the road. Time was moving forward, whether I wanted it to or not.
And with each passing moment, Hikari's timer ticked down closer to zero.
---
Later that evening, I found myself staring at the ceiling in my room, unable to sleep. The quiet hum of the world outside filtered through the window, but in my mind, everything was chaotic. I couldn't escape my own thoughts.
I tried to push it away, to focus on anything other than Hikari's countdown, but every time we are together, I feel like I'm drowning in my own helplessness.
**What should I do?**
I didn't have an answer. All I knew was that time was slipping away, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.