The Barrier Between Us

All A Dream?

Sekai, 11:21 AM

As the radiant morning sunlight illuminated the city of Kyoto, the students of Mitsuho High School gathered for their final class before the upcoming month of exams.

Among them was Akio Takahashi, who eagerly responded with a loud "Here!" as their teacher, Miss Hanako, called out his name during attendance. With the attendance session completed, Miss Hanako took a moment to offer some words of advice to her students.

"As you all know, today marks your final class before the exams. I want to wish each and every one of you the best of luck. Make yourselves and those around you proud. Good luck!"

The sound of the last period bell reverberated through the school, causing a wave of excitement to sweep through the students. Amidst the emotional farewells exchanged by their classmates, Akio and his friend Toshiro remained unfazed by the emotional theatricals inside the classroom. They left the classroom early and met outside the school gate, as they had done countless times before.

"So, what time are we meeting?" Toshiro asked, seeking clarification for their trip to the Touhukaze Valley.

"6 o'clock tonight. I hope that works for you," Akio replied.

Toshiro nodded and said, "Not a problem. I'll be waiting here at the gate in two hours. Make sure you're on time."

"You bet," Akio replied, raising his fist for a friendly fist bump.With that, they parted ways, each filled with hope that their visit to the Touhukaze Valley would shed light on Akio's troubling nightmares and bring an end to his unease.

Meanwhile, the dimension shifted to Tekan, where Mayu reveled in the ecstatic embrace of the bright sunshine. As she strolled through the idyllic scenery, the gentle sound of the wind was the only thing that reached her ears. However, her joyful mood gradually shifted.

"Two days have passed, and still nothing," Mayu sighed disappointedly, feeling disheartened by the lack of any significant developments since discovering Akio's letter.

"But I can't lose hope," she whispered softly, clutching Akio's letter tightly.

"For seventeen years, I've held onto everything, waiting for something to happen. And now, after finding this letter possibly from someone in Sekai, it has to mean something. I'm getting closer to finding the answers I've been seeking my entire life. This has to be it. I know someone will come. I know the answers will come. I just have to be patient, because I don't know what else I can possibly do."

Mayu took a deep breath, reinvigorating her determination, and closed her eyes, momentarily finding solace.

5:54 PM

Akio pedaled his way to the school gate, where he spotted Toshiro waiting nearby.

"So, shall we go?" Toshiro asked, his voice filled with anticipation.

"More than ready," Akio replied, a genuine smile lighting up his face.

Together, they embarked on their journey to the Touhukaze Valley, fervently hoping to find the answers they sought. After half an hour of pedaling, they finally reached their destination.

Wasting no time, Akio and Toshiro began exploring the area, searching for any signs of the strange occurrences Akio had described. However, as minutes turned into hours, their efforts yielded no unusual findings that could support Akio's claims threatening to dampen their hopes.

"Well, I haven't found anything, Akio. Aren't you convinced now?" Toshiro asked, a hint of skepticism in his voice.

Akio's determination remained unwavering as he replied, "There has to be something, Shiro. We've only just arrived. We need to keep looking."