Our Last Kiss

Chapter 1 - A New School Year Begins

The bell rang, signaling the start of a new school year. Students rushed into the classrooms, some excited, some nervous, and some simply exhausted from the summer break. Yuji Akira was one of them, but he felt a mix of emotions. He had been looking forward to this day, but he was also anxious about what the year might bring.

As he settled into his seat, he glanced around the room, taking in the familiar faces of his classmates. He noticed that some of them had changed over the summer, either physically or in their demeanor. However, one face caught his attention - a new student who had just walked in.

She was a petite girl with short hair, dressed in the school uniform. She looked around the classroom hesitantly, as if unsure where to sit. Yuji couldn't help but stare at her for a moment before looking away, feeling slightly embarrassed.

The teacher entered the classroom, and the students settled down. The teacher introduced the new student, explaining that she had transferred from another school. Her name was Kaori Nakamura, and she had just moved to Osaka with her family.

Kaori took a seat near the back of the classroom, and the class resumed. However, Yuji found himself distracted, stealing glances at her every now and then. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he had seen her somewhere before.

After class, Yuji went to the school courtyard, where he usually spent his breaks. He sat down on a bench and watched the other students chatting and playing games. He was lost in his thoughts when he heard someone approach him.

"Hey, mind if I sit here?" a voice said.

Yuji looked up and saw that it was Kaori. He nodded, and she sat down beside him.

"Hi, I'm Kaori," she said, smiling at him.

"Yuji," he replied, feeling a little nervous.

They sat in silence for a moment before Kaori spoke again.

"Is it always this busy during breaks?" she asked.

Yuji chuckled. "Yeah, it can get pretty crowded here. But it's nice to have a place to relax."

Kaori nodded. "I'm still getting used to this school. Do you know where the library is?"

Yuji grinned. "Yeah, I do. I practically live there. I can show you if you want."

Kaori smiled gratefully. "That would be great. Thanks, Yuji."

As they walked towards the library, Yuji felt a sense of excitement. He had made a new friend, and there was something about Kaori that intrigued him. He couldn't wait to get to know her better.

Little did he know that their meeting would be the start of a journey that would change both of their lives forever.

And so, the year 2010 began with the arrival of a new student, Kaori Nakamura, and the blossoming of a new friendship between her and Yuji Akira. Little did they know that their lives would soon be intertwined in ways they never expected.

Yuji Akira walked home with his best friend, Tatsuya, after school. They had been friends since they were kids and had grown up in the same neighborhood. As they walked down the street, they talked about the new school year and what they were looking forward to.

"I heard there's a new transfer student in our class," Tatsuya said. "Did you see her today?"

Yuji nodded. "Yeah, her name is Kaori Nakamura. She seems nice."

Tatsuya smirked. "Is that all you have to say? You were practically staring at her all day."

Yuji blushed. "What? No, I wasn't."

Tatsuya chuckled. "Relax, man. I'm just messing with you. But seriously, do you like her or something?"

Yuji shrugged. "I don't know. I just feel like I've seen her before. It's weird."

Tatsuya raised an eyebrow. "Seen her before? Like in a dream or something?"

Yuji nodded his head. "Yea, I just have this strange feeling, as I knew her in my dream."

Tatsuya chuckled. "You and your dreams, man. You've always been a bit of a dreamer."

Yuji shrugged. "Maybe. But there's something about her that feels familiar. I can't quite put my finger on it."

Tatsuya shook his head. "Well, you'll have plenty of time to figure it out. She's in our class, right? You'll see her every day."

Yuji nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I just hope she's nice."

Tatsuya grinned. "Of course she is. Why wouldn't she be?"

As they walked, Yuji couldn't help but think about Kaori. He wondered what kind of person she was, what her interests were, and whether they would become friends. He felt a sense of excitement and nervousness, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time.

As they arrived at Yuji's house, Tatsuya clapped his friend's shoulder. "I gotta go now, but remember what I said. Don't let your dreams get in the way of reality, man."

Yuji nodded, feeling a little uneasy at the thought. Tatsuya was right - he had always been a dreamer, but sometimes he had trouble separating his dreams from reality. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, and waved goodbye to Tatsuya before heading inside.

As he entered his room, he couldn't help but feel a little restless. He sat down at his desk and opened his laptop, searching for information on Kaori Nakamura. He didn't find much - just a few social media profiles with no substantial information.

He closed his laptop and leaned back in his chair, feeling frustrated. He didn't know why he was so fixated on Kaori, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something important about her.

As he lay in bed that night, Yuji tried to push Kaori out of his mind and focus on sleeping. However, he soon found himself drifting into a dream.

He was standing in a field of flowers, surrounded by a soft, golden light. He saw a figure walking towards him, and as it drew closer, he realized that it was Kaori. She smiled at him, and he felt a sense of warmth and comfort.

Then quickly the warmth and flowers burned, the sky in the color of flames, her expression changing into tears, asking Yuji to help her.

You remember me, don't you?" she said softly.

Yuji nodded, feeling a sense of familiarity.

"I've been waiting for you," she said, taking his hand. "Help me please."

As Yuji felt Kaori's hand in his, he suddenly woke up with a start, drenched in sweat. He sat up in bed, trying to catch his breath, feeling disoriented.

Looking around his darkened room, he realized it had all been a dream. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the strange feeling that lingered.

Shaking his head, he got up from bed and walked over to the window. He gazed out at the street below, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. Eventually, he realized that he had to let go of this fixation on Kaori and move on with his life.