A voice called out behind him.
"Yo!"
Arashi turned sharply.
There she was — the Dream Girl. The same girl who had appeared in his visions before, standing casually beneath the Sakura trees as petals danced around her. Her hair swayed softly in the wind, and her calm smile felt almost unreal in this glowing, dreamlike place.
The moment he saw her, something inside Arashi broke. His knees gave way, and he fell to the ground, his chest tightening as tears began to blur his vision.
"Why…?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "Why did you do this to me? That horrible dream… all that pain — why would you make me see that?"
The girl tilted her head slightly, her expression turning confused, almost innocent. Then she sighed and walked closer, crouching down so that her eyes met his.
"I didn't do anything," she said softly. "That dream you saw — it wasn't because of me."
Arashi looked up, his eyes wide with disbelief.
She smiled a little, rubbing the back of her neck. "Actually, I slept late today. I was up all night finishing an anime series, so… I didn't fall asleep on time."
Arashi blinked, completely lost. "Wha—what does that even mean?"
"It means," she said with a small laugh, "that if I don't sleep, we can't meet in dreams. So tonight, I came late. That's all."
Her voice was light, almost teasing, but her eyes carried something deeper — something that made Arashi's heart ache without knowing why.
"Sorry," she added softly. "But it really wasn't my fault this time. The dream was yours… not mine."
The girl stood up, brushing off her dress as the Sakura petals swirled softly around her. Her eyes shimmered faintly under the golden light as she looked at Arashi with a calm smile.
"Alright," she said. "Let me explain this curse properly."
Arashi wiped his tears, still breathing unevenly, but nodded silently.
She folded her arms and began, her voice carrying a strange mix of warmth and sadness."You see, when it comes to time… we can't meet unless both of us want to. That's the first rule."
Arashi frowned slightly, listening closely.
"And there's another thing," she continued, her tone turning a little more serious. "As long as either one of us is awake… we can't see each other. Only when both of us are asleep — truly asleep — then we can meet."
She took a few steps forward, gazing at the horizon where the sunlight touched the mountains. The wind lifted her hair gently, and for a second, she looked almost unreal — like a memory that refused to fade.
"This place," she said softly, turning back to him, "isn't a normal dream. It was created long ago… by the ones who started this curse. A world built just so two people — bound by fate — could meet."
Her voice lowered, almost like she was speaking to herself now."It's strange, isn't it? A world born from something so tragic… yet it feels so beautiful."
Then she turned to him again, her smile gentle, the petals floating around her like tiny stars."So," she said with a playful tone, "how are you holding up so far, Arashi?"
Arashi stood there in silence for a moment. The wind blew gently, swaying the petals around them like rain made of light. The world was quiet — too quiet — and that silence made his heart ache even more.
He tried to speak, but his voice broke the first time. Then, somehow, he found the strength to begin.
"I…" he said, his throat tightening. "I saw things… terrible things."His hands trembled as he looked down at the ground, unable to meet her eyes."I saw my grandpa, my mom… Momi. They were all blaming me. They said it was my fault. Everything."
His voice cracked, and a tear slipped down his cheek."I tried to help them. I ran toward them… I tried." He pressed a hand against his chest. "But no matter what I do, I always end up losing someone. I'm… tired of it."
His shoulders started to shake. He tried to hide it, but the pain had been waiting too long to escape."I hate myself," he whispered. "I keep thinking that maybe if I hadn't been there, maybe if I were stronger—"
Before he could finish, a soft hand touched his shoulder.
The Dream Girl knelt down beside him, her eyes calm but full of empathy. Without saying a word, she reached out and gently lifted his face. Tears stained his cheeks, and his eyes looked lost — fragile, like glass about to break.
"Hey," she said softly. "Look at me."
Arashi hesitated but did.
Then she smiled faintly — not the kind of smile that hides pain, but one that understands it. Slowly, she placed a hand behind his head and guided him closer until his forehead rested against her lap.
Her fingers brushed through his hair, steady and warm, while the wind whispered through the Sakura trees above them.
"I know," she said quietly. "I know it hurts. The world can be cruel, Arashi. Sometimes it takes everything from you — your peace, your hope, even your reason to keep going. But…"
She looked up at the sky, where petals drifted like falling stars.
"…you're still here. That means you haven't lost everything."
Arashi's breath trembled as her words sank into him. He wanted to argue — to say that she didn't understand — but her voice was so gentle that it silenced every storm inside him.
"You think you're weak," she continued, her fingers still brushing his hair, "but weakness isn't what I see. You're standing here after everything you've been through. You still care. You still feel. That's strength, Arashi. Real strength."
He closed his eyes, and more tears escaped — but this time, they felt lighter, almost freeing.
"You know," she whispered, "pain doesn't disappear overnight. It lingers, just like the echo of a song you can't forget. But one day, you'll wake up and realize… it doesn't hurt the same way anymore. And that's when you'll know you've grown."
Her voice softened even more, almost like a lullaby.
"So stop blaming yourself for what wasn't your fault. The past is gone. But the person standing here right now — the one still breathing, still trying — he deserves peace, and stop blaming your self if something is written that it is going to happen it will happen, no matter what you do."
Arashi's hands clenched against the grass. He tried to speak, but no words came — only a quiet sob that trembled through the air.
The Dream Girl smiled and held him a little closer, her tone barely above a whisper."Sometimes," she said, "life will break you just to teach you how to rebuild yourself stronger. Don't be afraid of that pain. It's just the proof that your heart is still alive."
For a long while, neither of them spoke. The Sakura petals kept falling — slow, peaceful, endless. The world around them glowed softly, like even the wind was listening.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, Arashi didn't feel alone.
Arashi lay still, his head resting on her lap, eyes glistening with fading tears. The Dream Girl's fingers moved gently through his hair, untangling the storm that had built up inside him.
Then, in a soft voice, she began to speak again — not just to Arashi, but as if she were talking to every broken soul who might ever hear her words.
"Arashi," she whispered, "you know what the hardest part of life is?"
He blinked, slowly shaking his head.
"It's not losing people," she said, her voice steady and kind. "It's learning to live after they're gone. It's learning how to smile again when your heart still remembers the pain."
Her eyes softened as she looked at the horizon. "Most people think strength means never falling apart. But that's not true. Real strength is when you fall — and still find the courage to stand up again."
Arashi stayed silent, listening. Every word felt like a gentle hand reaching into the deepest corner of his soul.
"Pain changes people," she continued, "but that's not always a bad thing. Sometimes it teaches you how to understand others, how to listen, how to love deeper than before. You become softer… not weaker. You start to see beauty even in broken things."
The wind blew harder now, scattering petals all around them. Her hair fluttered in the breeze, glowing faintly in the sunlight.
She smiled faintly and looked down at him. "You see, Arashi, life isn't about never getting hurt. It's about learning why it hurt — and what it taught you. Every scar, every tear… it's a sign that you felt something real. You lived."
Her voice turned calm but carried a quiet fire."Never let your pain convince you that you're unworthy of peace. The world can make you believe you're not enough — that you failed. But as long as your heart beats, there's still time to change your story."
Arashi's eyes trembled. "But… what if I keep failing?"
"Then fail," she said softly, brushing his hair back. "Fail, fall, cry, break — as many times as you need. Because that's how you grow. Every time you stand again, even with trembling legs, you're becoming someone stronger than before."
Her gaze grew distant for a moment, as if remembering her own pain. "No one escapes sorrow, Arashi. Even the happiest souls have cried in silence. The world is built on both pain and beauty — they exist together. And maybe… maybe that's what makes life worth living."
He closed his eyes again, tears quietly sliding down his face.
The Dream Girl smiled gently and whispered, "When the world feels too heavy, don't carry it all at once. Just take one step. Breathe once more. Look at the sky, even when you feel you don't deserve to. The world doesn't stop shining just because you're hurting."
Her voice broke slightly at the end, her tone almost motherly now. "You don't need to be perfect. You just need to keep going."
The Sakura petals swirled around them, glowing brighter under the sunlight — like the world itself was listening to her words.
"Remember this," she said, placing a hand over his heart. "The pain you feel now… one day, it will become the reason someone else doesn't give up. And when that happens, you'll understand why you had to endure it."
Arashi looked up at her through tearful eyes. The light reflected in them — soft, alive, and peaceful.
And with that, the world around them glowed gently, as if time itself had paused to let her words sink into every corner of his soul.
She looked up at the sky, her eyes glimmering softly as she whispered,"Love… it's the most beautiful thing in the world for some," she paused, her smile fading slightly, "but for others… it's a curse."
Her words lingered in the air — gentle, honest, and painfully true.Because Arashi knew exactly which side of that sentence he belonged to.
Arashi slowly lifted his head from her lap, his eyes still red but calm."Thank you," he said softly. "For everything… for saying all that."
The Dream Girl smiled, tilting her head slightly. "You don't need to thank me. Sometimes, we just need someone to remind us of what we already know."
Arashi hesitated for a moment, his heartbeat picking up. Then he looked at her again — really looked at her — and whispered,"There's… one more thing I want to tell you."
She blinked, curious. "Hmm? What is it?"
Arashi took a deep breath. "I can only say this here… in this dream. Because in the real world, I don't have the courage."He paused, his voice trembling slightly as he finished,"I love you. So much."
For a second, the world went silent — even the wind seemed to stop.
The Dream Girl's eyes widened, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks.Then she laughed quietly, her tone warm and teasing."Oh my… that was fast," she said with a gentle smile. "I didn't expect you to fall for me this quickly."
Arashi scratched his neck awkwardly, looking away with a faint smile. "Well… I didn't expect it either."
She giggled, then after a brief pause, looked at him curiously and asked,"Tell me something… if I hadn't told you that I loved you, would you still have said it?"
Arashi looked up, his expression calm but confident. He replied. "Well, you know I'm a gentleman, so ladies first."
For a moment, she just stared at him — surprised, then her face softened into a bright, radiant smile.Her cheeks turned even redder as she covered her face with her hands, laughing softly."Wha— you really know how to say things that make a girl's heart skip," she said, her voice half-flustered, half-happy.Then she looked at him again, eyes sparkling like the petals floating around them."Fine, Mr. Gentleman… you win this round."
They both laughed, their laughter blending with the soft rustle of the Sakura petals dancing through the glowing dream field.
Arashi looked at her quietly for a moment, the petals drifting between them like soft fragments of light.Then he smiled faintly and said,"Do you… have a name? Or should I just call you mine?"
Her eyes widened slightly, caught off guard. For a heartbeat, she said nothing — then a soft, genuine laugh escaped her lips."Oh wow," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks glowing pink. "You really are getting bold, aren't you?"
Arashi chuckled softly. "Maybe it's the dream giving me courage."
She smiled, looking at him with a gentle warmth. "You know," she said quietly, "I told you before that I remember what happens here — even when I wake up."She paused for a moment, then added with a faint blush, "So I'll remember that line too."
Arashi blinked, his heart skipping. "You will?"
She nodded. "Mhm. And… since you asked, yes — I do have a name."Her tone softened, almost musical, as she whispered,"Mizuki."
The name floated between them, delicate as the falling petals.
Arashi repeated it softly, as if trying to carve it into memory. "Mizuki… it suits you."
She smiled, eyes glimmering in the dream light. "Then remember it well, Arashi — because we'll meet again soon."
Arashi hesitated, then looked at her with pleading eyes. "Can we… meet after just one day, please?"
Mizuki blinked, then laughed lightly. "You really don't have any patience, do you?" She leaned a little closer, her eyes glowing softly under the falling petals. "Fine. Two days — that's a deal."
Arashi smiled, a small blush on his face. "Deal."
Mizuki giggled. "Now come on, let's enjoy this dream a little longer before it ends."
They began walking side by side through the glowing field, the wind playing gently with their hair. The Sakura petals floated around them like snowflakes of light.
"Let's play something," Mizuki said suddenly.
They both laughed, their voices echoing across the endless meadow. For the first time in a long while, Arashi felt truly free — no pain, no guilt, just the quiet joy of being with someone who understood.
The petals around them began to glow brighter as the dream started to fade.
Mizuki looked up at the sky. "It's beautiful, isn't it?
Arashi replied. "Yeah it's just like you."
A warm breeze swept across the field, carrying their laughter through the Sakura trees. The light around them shimmered brighter and brighter until everything turned golden.
The light around them began to grow softer, the petals drifting more slowly through the air. Mizuki looked at him, a knowing smile touching her lips.
"Looks like the dream is ending," she said quietly.
Arashi frowned. "Already?"
"Mm-hmm," she nodded. "But don't worry. I'll see you soon — in the real world."
For a moment, they simply looked at each other, the air thick with unspoken warmth. Then Mizuki whispered, "Goodbye for now, Arashi."
"Goodbye, Mizuki."
The wind rose, carrying the falling petals higher, until they spun like tiny stars around them. Their laughter echoed once more through the valley, blending with the glow of the fading dream.
The world turned to golden light, and with that final smile — full of promise and peace — the dream gently dissolved, leaving Arashi with only one thought:
Two days.