Replay

2 Interlude

T/W for death, I guess.

"I'm going on a walk by myself. In the meanwhile, sort yourselves out." Takemichi's stoic detective friend briskly headed off before he could react, stranding him outside the car with his childhood girlfriend.

"Geez, Naoto..." Hina placed her hands on her hips and looked after her brother's retreating figure. She sighed but turned back to Takemichi with a small smile, her long chestnut hair flowing. "Since we're here, how about we walk together?"

"Uh, sure." There wasn't really anything else to do here at this time of the day, anyway.

The public park Naoto had brought them to had an expansive view over the bay, where the city skyline just beyond dazzled the water with an array of colors. A wide, stone path ran around the perimeter of the park, lampposts and benches lining the side that led to the undergrowth. It was a beautiful place, but Takemichi's mind was too distracted to fully appreciate the scenery.

He and Hina slowly strolled side-by-side along the path, a respectable distance away from each other. Takemichi hadn't initially noticed the clover-shaped necklace that now rested on her exposed collarbone above her dress, and he probably wouldn't have paid it any attention if it wasn't the gift he'd given her literally ten hours ago. Which was technically twelve years ago. And if she was still wearing it...Takemichi didn't want to get his hopes up.

"We haven't talked in a while, have we?" Hina broke the silence, although her gaze was kept on the path.

He had no clue. He wouldn't be able to know the events that transpired in this new timeline. "I guess."

"I'm glad to see you're doing well."

It was Hina, and yet, something about her felt a little...off. Since he'd stumbled upon her after the time-leap, she'd seemed sentimental. She was sweet and gentle, more mature than the 14-year-old girl he knew, but it was as if there was an underlying nuance to her that felt foreign. Perhaps it was how her older self normally acted—in fact, this was his first time meeting her in the present, where she was alive and well.

There was only the sound of their shoes on the path for a full minute, his scrapping sneakers and her clicking heels. It grew more awkward with each passing second of silence. Takemichi went out on a whim, as he had no idea what to say to his past girlfriend. "Um... Is there something bothering you?"

Hina suddenly came to a stop and stared over the bay. Takemichi halted as well, but he watched her instead as she played with the pendant on her necklace. From his position, he was unable to see her expression. "A little, but it's nothing too major." Her voice remained kind, but there was a touch of melancholy to it.

Was this his chance? The necklace he'd given clearly was important to her, and he just wanted to ascertain their relationship. But even if that wasn't the case, he still wanted to help her. "You can share it if you want to."

She continued to look at the skyline as she spoke. "That's sweet of you. Then I'll do so.

"I...fell in love with you twice in the past. Once in primary school, and the other around the time you gave me this necklace."

"Primary school?" he couldn't stop himself from asking.

"You probably don't remember. We didn't even talk then." Hina chuckled a bit as she reminisced, but she didn't elaborate.

But that time aside, it was their relationship that she was troubled over. Why, after twelve years? She'd been the one to break up with him in his original life. Perhaps those feelings had changed. He now dared to hope.

"But I waited for years," Hina continued, "and he never came back."

'He'? Takemichi noted the change in pronoun, but he ignored it. Had his past self again failed to maintain their love? And technically, he was that person. It was him who had failed to change. But the necklace, though. The fact she still wore it implied their relationship still did matter to her. Did it, or did it not? Her silhouetted figure gave little away.