Chapter Text
Deep in the countryside, three children lay on the grass, shaded by a big tree. This was the spot they often rested at when they met up every summer, when they were not busy running around the tiny cottage that belonged to the youngest of the children’s grandfather, or sneaking off unaccompanied to play in the nearby stream. It was in this spot they would often confide to each other, telling secrets that they swore to never tell another soul. However, they were all too afraid to admit the end of their summer break was soon approaching, and they would soon be on their separate ways.
Suddenly the youngest child of the group, the grandchild of the owner of the house, and the only girl, suddenly sat up. The other two were used to her hyperactivity and chose to still be in their current spots. Though, the girl had already decided she was bored of just laying down on the grass and she wanted to say something. She turned towards the boy who was a bit farther away from her.
“Hey ███████, do you think we’ll remain friends forever. That we’ll keep meeting up here every summer. Like twenty years from now.” she asked with a big smile. Although the girl had been expecting the boy to agree with her, it only took a few moments to realize she was sadly mistaken. Instead, the boy she had spoken to merely scoffed at her comment, looking as if what she had asked him was the last thing he wanted to hear right now.
“Me, remain friends with a commoner. You can’t be serious. The only reason I come here every summer is because my grandfather makes me.” He replied as if his comment was the most obvious answer. Still, if his attempts were to make the girl feel discouraged, he had failed. For, the girl had turned her attention over to the other boy, who had been lying next to her the entire time.
“What about you ███? I know you want to be friends with me.”
“Why are you even asking him that question, he doesn’t speak.”
The two were ready to fall into their familiar pattern of arguing with each other, that was until the other member of the group, the boy they had been arguing over, squeezed the girl’s hand and gave her a small smile.
“See that ███████, he said yes. I guess we’ll be friends forever without you.” The girl said with a smug look as she stuck out her tongue at the smug boy of their group. The smug boy, not happy with the girl’s comment, stood up and pointed at the girl who insulted him.
“Who wants to be friends with a commoner and someone who never speaks anyway.” He announced before walking away. The girl was happy with the development, which was until the quiet boy gave her a look.
“Fine, I’ll go apologize in a minute. It’s only a few days until you leave anyway.” She said, before she returned to her former position of lying next to him in the shade of the tree. She stayed in that position for a few moments until she adjusted herself, so she was looking at him. “Do you really have to go through. France is so far away.”
“…”
“I’m going to miss you. You better write to me every day.”
“…”
“Alright, alright I'll apologize now.” The girl stood up and extended her hand. “Shall we go together?” The boy reached for her hand and –
She awoke to the sound of her alarm.
It had been a long time since she last had that dream of a long-gone summer’s past. Back then when she was younger, she would look forward to spending time with her grandfather every August. Those happy summer days when she would play with those two boys, whose names she had long forgotten. They would get into all sorts of mischief together, often causing her grandfather and his friend to laugh at their antics.
Usually when she dreamed of the past, she would only remember the briefest of flashes. Except when she dreamed of the last day they spent together. Her younger self didn’t know when she woke up the next morning both of her friends would have already been gone. That she would never receive a single letter from France like she had been promised. Still, she had been hopeful she would see them that following summer. Only to arrive at her grandfather’s place and find out that both had chosen not to come back that summer or the summer after. It had been seven, or was it eight, years since she had seen them.
“Tsukushi, are you up?” A voice called outside her door, a voice that belonged to her mother.
“Yes, I’m up” Tsukushi replied as she began to bring herself back to reality. She shouldn’t be focusing on the past right now. She needed to focus on the present. That meant she needed to get ready for school. With her new goal in mind, Tsukushi climbed out of her bed and started to get ready for another ordinary day.