-21 May 2008-
It was my birthday. I rember the day vaguely, like a photograph that's faded with ti. Keiko was my girlfriend back then—though it didn’t really feel like it. Ours wasn’t a relationship defined by fiery passion or sweet affection. It was...sothing else. Strange. Quiet. And yet, that day, there was sothing different about her.
“Ryusei!” I heard her call as I was heading toward the cafeteria. Keiko stood there, her usual blank expression intact, holding sothing wrapped neatly in her hands.
“What is it, Keiko?” I asked, smiling out of habit.
She walked closer and held the package out to . “Here. Your birthday gift.”
I blinked, surprised. I hadn’t told her my birthday. Heck, I doubted she even paid attention to those details. “Thank you,” I replied, taking the gift. “But…how did you know?”
She didn’t answer, of course. Keiko never gave more words than necessary. She just turned and walked away without another word, leaving standing there like an idiot with a wrapped present in my hands. I sighed, shaking my head as I returned to class.
When I opened the gift, I was t with sothing unexpected—a protection charm. Not exactly the most conventional birthday gift, but it wasn’t bad. It felt...thoughtful, in a way.
“That’s a unique gift,” Junpei said, leaning over my shoulder to inspect it.
I shrugged. “Yeah, but I appreciate it. It’s nice.”
Junpei gave one of his skeptical looks. “Ryusei, are you serious about that nerd now?”
“Of course not,” I said quickly. “You know . I don’t do serious.”
He chuckled, slapping on the back. “That’s the Ryusei I know.”
The rest of the school day passed uneventfully until I reached the gates to leave. There she was—Keiko, standing alone, waiting.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, genuinely confused.
“I was waiting for you,” she replied, her tone flat as ever.
“Okay…what do you want?”
“Let’s go on a date to celebrate your birthday,” she said, walking ahead before I could respond.
She didn’t wait for my agreent, just moved as if it were already decided. That was so Keiko. I jogged to catch up with her.
“Hey, wait up!”
We spent the afternoon doing the typical date things—arcades, walking around, and aimless chatter. It wasn’t particularly exciting, but there was sothing about her that kept my attention. She’d get lost in her thoughts, her eyes occasionally lighting up with curiosity, only to quickly dim again.
By the ti night fell, we decided to have dinner. Sitting across from her at a small diner, I watched her as she stared off at nothing in particular.
“So, why the sudden interest in a date?” I asked, breaking the silence.
“I just wanted to experience what it’s like,” she replied, adjusting her glasses. “It’s your birthday, so I thought it would be a good opportunity.”
I chuckled. “What am I to you? A trial run?”
She nodded. “Hm.”
Her honesty caught off guard, but what she said next hit harder.
“I’m sorry. I must have been really boring for you this whole ti,” she said plainly. “Let’s break up. I’ve experienced enough.”
Her words were like a slap in the face. A breakup? Just like that? Keiko, who barely showed interest in anything, was calling it quits first?
“Wait,” I said, my pride stinging. “You want an experience, right?”
She nodded again, her face unchanging. “Yes—”
“There’s one more thing I want you to experience,” I interrupted.
Without waiting for her reply, I led her back to my place.
---
The walk to my room was silent. Keiko followed without hesitation, her usual calm deanor intact. Once inside, I locked the door and turned to face her.
“You’re okay with this, right?” I asked, my voice quieter than before.
She simply nodded. No hesitation. No emotion.
I stepped closer, tilting her chin up to et my gaze. “Then I’ll teach you sothing you haven’t experienced yet,” I whispered.
When I kissed her, she didn’t pull away. She didn’t resist. She simply let it happen. At first, I thought it would feel empty, aningless. But there was sothing about her—the way her lips trembled slightly, the faint flush in her cheeks—that made hesitate.
“Keiko,” I murmured, my hand brushing her hair aside. Her glasses were askew, her eyes glassy as they t mine.
“Go ahead,” she said softly.
In that mont, I saw sothing I hadn’t before. Vulnerability. A hint of emotion breaking through her usually stoic facade. And for the first ti, I thought she was beautiful.
---
When it was over, we lay in silence. She stared at the ceiling, her expression unreadable once more.
“Keiko,” I said, my voice tinged with guilt. “Do you regret it?”
“No,” she replied simply.
Her answer was like a knife to my chest. It wasn’t the words—it was the way she said it. Detached. Indifferent. Like it didn’t matter to her either way.
The next day, we broke up. Just like she wanted.
---
Three months later, I walked into class and heard the news.
“Did you hear? Keiko dropped out of school,” one of the girls whispered.
“What? Why?” another asked.
“No one knows. She just disappeared.”
Keiko was gone, just like that. No goodbyes. No explanations.
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