The sun was beginning to set over the coast of Nagazora, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink. The sea breeze gently rustled the grass near the path as Takeru Arashi returned from the pier with a small wicker basket slung over his arm, filled with freshly caught fish.
When he reached the residential neighborhood where Mei lived, he stopped in front of a modern house with traditional details. He smoothed his unruly hair, which had been tousled by the wind, took a deep breath, and knocked softly on the door.
A few seconds later, the door opened and Raiden Mei appeared, still wearing her school uniform, though it was now rumpled from hours of playing and reading. She was seven years old, having just turned seven, but her serene expression and upright posture gave the impression that she was older.
"Takeru, you came?"
Mei asked with a soft, barely visible smile.
"Of course, I promised I'd teach you how to cook fish today."
Takeru lifted the basket proudly.
"Come in. Dad's not here, but he said we could use the kitchen if we wanted."
The interior of the house was warm, decorated in soft tones and discreet family mementos. Although it was large and elegant, there was something melancholic about its silence.
In the kitchen, Takeru began preparing the ingredients with expert movements. His small seven-year-old body seemed at odds with the precision and fluidity with which he handled the knife and seasonings. Mei, meanwhile, watched curiously, trying to imitate him clumsily but enthusiastically.
"Don't press the rice so hard, Mei. It has to be fluffy, not like a snowball."
"I'm trying!" she protested, though it was clear she was enjoying the moment.
As he clumsily peeled a carrot, Takeru glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, his mind filled with hazy memories and confused feelings. That strange feeling, that persistent déjà vu since the first day he saw her...
"It was two years ago... I was five when I met her. I was still getting used to this world, this new life... But when I saw her for the first time, her face, her name... I recognized her in memories that shouldn't exist. In a future that hasn't arrived yet.
I had no reason to approach her. She was just one girl among many. But something pushed me. Something beyond logic or memory. And the more I got to know her, the more she became irreplaceable to me."
"Takeru"
Mei's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Huh? Yeah, yeah. I was just thinking about something."
"Something important?"
Takeru hesitated for a second and then shook his head.
"Just... the taste of grilled fish from my childhood."
The aroma of fish began to fill the kitchen, mingling with the soft crackling of the skin roasting in the pan and the sizzling of the oil heated with ginger. Mei, sitting on a high chair, slowly stirred a small bowl of soy sauce, garlic, and spring onion with a wooden spoon, paying close attention to each step Takeru had explained to her.
"It's ready, you can sprinkle it on top."
Mei stood up carefully and poured the contents, trying not to spill a drop from the dish. Her fingers were stained with flour and a little rice was stuck to her left cheek.
Takeru laughed softly.
"You have rice on your face."
"Huh? Where?"
"Here."
Takeru gently wiped the white smudge away with his thumb, looking into her eyes for a moment.
There was a brief silence between them. It wasn't uncomfortable, but peaceful, as if at that moment the world had shrunk to that kitchen, that aroma, that moment.
"Do you like the necklace I gave you so much that you always wear it?"
Mei had long noticed the string necklace with a moon charm around Takeru's neck, and she was glad that he appreciated it so much.
As they sat in front of their finished meal, Takeru thought for a moment before answering.
"It's your first gift to me. Although, well... if it bothers you, I'll take it off."
Takeru was about to remove the necklace from his neck.
"No! That's not it!"
Mei responded quickly, almost jumping out of her chair.
"Besides... it suits you."
Mei looked away, pretending to be busy blowing on her hot fish, though she couldn't hide the slight blush that spread across her cheeks.