Emi's search for Haruto had become an obsession. Every day, she asked around quietly, hoping someone would know his whereabouts. Friends, colleagues, even distant acquaintances — she left no stone unturned.
"Have you seen him? Haruto… Haruto Sato?" she would ask, her voice tentative yet desperate.
Each answer was the same: a shake of the head, a polite shrug, or silence. It felt like the entire world had conspired to keep him from her. The months dragged on, each one heavier than the last, her hope flickering like a candle in the wind.
Sometimes, in the quiet of her apartment, she would replay memories of their time together — the moments she had ignored, the love she had failed to recognize, and the pain she had caused. She whispered his name into the night, wishing he could hear her, wishing she could undo the mistakes of the past.
Then, one evening, something changed. Emi sat on the edge of her bed, channel surfing absentmindedly, when a news report caught her attention. The anchor spoke with excitement and urgency:
"…in a groundbreaking discovery today, researcher Haruto Sato and his team have successfully synthesized a compound that could revolutionize energy storage technology…"
Her heart stopped. Haruto. Alive. And not just alive — thriving. On the screen, she saw his face, focused and serious, framed by the lab equipment she had only heard rumors of. Her eyes filled with tears as memories rushed back: the man who had loved her, the sacrifices he had made, and the distance he had kept from her all these years.
Emi sank to her knees, clutching the blanket around her. It had been months of searching, months of dead ends, and now, in one fleeting moment, she had proof that he still existed. Proof that she had a chance — however slim — to see him again.
But the news left her with a new dilemma. The broadcast showed the facility only briefly. She knew nothing of the exact location, the address, or how to reach him. All she had was a name, a face, and the burning desire to make things right.
Determined, Emi began planning her next steps. She would ask, search, and follow every possible lead until she found him. This time, she would not let him slip away.
Haruto, on the other hand, continued his work at the lab, unaware that Emi's eyes were searching for him, unaware that her regret and longing were slowly bringing her closer. Fate, it seemed, had begun to stir again.