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It had been 7 years since Keiji and the others saw Akagai Mamoru. Everyone graduated from Fukurodani and pursued their dreams and passion.
They never found her. All she left was a text message and knowing her, it wasn't a dramatic and overly long one. Mamoru clearly said her intentions there.
From : ******* To : My Best Friend for 18 years Subject : Farewell
Don't come looking for me. Just don't. Focus on finishing your studies and graduate. Follow your dreams and keep your relationship with Hinami-san healthy. I don't regret a second of being your best friend. You gave me too much memories to even forget so I can't.
I don't know when I'll be back. But maybe in the future, we'll meet again. I love you Keiji. As a friend. And as a man. Take care.
- A. M.
Keiji didn't receive any more messages from her after that. It was hard not having her around for real. She was someone irreplaceable in his life and played a big role. Keiji would always stop by her empty room, just to reminisce about the times they spent together.
Even now, as an editor, he still visits the Akagai Residence just to sit inside Mamoru's former rooms. He even left unpublished versions of his edits there for her to read when she comes back. Keiji would always walk around the busy streets of Tokyo where they used to go out, trying his luck to meet the girl.
To meet his best friend. His best friend that he only realized that he loved when she was gone.
Maybe it was truly like that when it comes to things, people or even events. You never know how much it meant or how much it was a part of you until it was gone. The regret of not being able to give importance to something like that is probably the reason why we end up realizing how it was too valuable to us.
When she left, Keiji barely held himself together. The first weeks of her disappearance he would rarely come to school or to practice. His grades worsened and his temper got shorter. But sooner or later, Keiji found himself accepting the fact that she wasn't here and nor would she come back any minute.
He longed to see her smile again. To have her by his side again. To laugh again like idiots. To sleep beside each other during weekends. He wanted to relive every moment with her.
And that's when it hit him. The girl he treated as his little sister became the girl he loved most. It was only a line that's separating it. And only now that she was gone, was he able to go past it.
—
Walking around during his lunch break, Keiji sighed as he took a sip from his chocolate shake. It was the midst of summer and it was clearly hotter than it was before.
