As autumn took over the landscape, Kyoto became increasingly poetic. For Sayuri, it had always been her favorite season—not only because of the colors that painted the city, but also because of Halloween, one of the times that filled the streets with life and celebration.
She had always loved dressing up during this time of year. However, this time, Sayuri couldn't fully enjoy the magic of the season.
A shadow lingered over her: her parents.
Despite having achieved the best grades in her class that semester, the pressure at home never eased. Her parents, always relentless, dismissed anything that wasn't absolute perfection. And to make matters worse, they had now started blaming Yume, her best friend.
"Sayuri, your grades are still not good enough. You need to focus more on your studies and stop wasting time on irrelevant friendships," her father declared sternly, as he read the newspaper on the couch.
"But, Dad…" Sayuri tried to argue, but he raised a hand, cutting her off.
"No 'buts.' I heard that this Yume spends time with idle people, and she's not even a good student—always struggling to pass. How do you expect to succeed with that kind of influence?"
Sayuri took a deep breath and replied with a quiet, "Yes, sir."
She knew there was no point in arguing.
Back in her room, she tried to distract herself with a book, but her father's words kept echoing in her mind. It wasn't fair. Yume had always been there for her—through everything.
As she tried to calm down, her phone vibrated. A message from Yume appeared on the screen:
"Sayuri, I'll meet you at the mall tomorrow! Let's pick our Halloween outfits! It's going to be amazing!"
Sayuri hesitated. She knew her parents would never approve—especially after everything. Still, she decided to go. She needed that breath of freedom.
The next day, she waited until her parents left for the shop and rushed to the mall. When she arrived, Yume greeted her with a wide smile.
"Sayuri! I'm so glad you made it before the rain!" Yume said, hugging her and immediately pulling her through the mall corridors.
Sayuri tried to enjoy the moment, but something still weighed on her.
Yume crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine… just a little tired. You know… school… and my parents."
"They're pressuring you again, aren't they? I hate when they do that. But forget about it today. Let's have fun!"
They entered a clothing store, laughing as they picked outfits for the party.
As Sayuri passed by a rack, something caught her attention, a lilac dress, embroidered with delicate stars, without thinking twice, she picked it up.
"Yume, look at this! It's perfect!"
"It's so you! You're going to look beautiful in it!" Yume said excitedly.
Later, as they walked past the food court, the sky darkened and a heavy rain began to pour.
"Damn… I need to get home before my parents!" Sayuri said nervously.
"Are you sure? Look at this storm!" Yume asked, worried.
"I can't risk it—I have to go!"
Sayuri ran toward the train, facing the rain.
She arrived home soaked, but relieved to see that her parents hadn't returned yet, she placed the shopping bag on her bed and went to take a shower.
When she came back, her mother was standing in her room, holding the dress.
"Sayuri… what is this? You went out without telling us?"
Sayuri froze.
"I… I bought it for a college presentation. It's graded," she improvised, trying to stay calm.
Her mother frowned, but seemed convinced.
"I just hope that's true. We are investing too much in your future for you to waste time."
Relieved, Sayuri put the dress away and went to bed. The next morning, before leaving for college, her mother handed her a shopping list.
"Don't forget anything."
Sayuri tucked the paper into the back pocket of her jeans and left. It was cold, and she hurried down the street, until a car pulled up beside her.
"Good morning, Sayuri. Need a ride?"
She turned and saw Kenji.
"Oh… no, it's okay, I'm fine."
"I insist. It's really cold today," he said with a gentle smile.
Sayuri hesitated, then accepted.
During the ride, they talked about simple things, and she found herself relaxing in his presence. When they arrived at the university, he asked:
"I'll see you at the Halloween party tomorrow?"
"Yes… with Yume, of course," Sayuri replied quickly as she stepped out.
"Great. I'm looking forward to seeing you there."
She blushed, thanked him, and hurried into campus. During a break, Sayuri and Yume sat on a bench in the courtyard. Sayuri played absentmindedly with the sleeve of her sweater.
"Yume…"
Yume turned immediately.
"What about him?"
Sayuri hesitated.
"Is Kenji always like that?"
"Like what?" Yume tilted her head.
"Nice… I mean… is he like that with everyone?"
Yume smiled softly.
"That's just how Kenji is. He's amazing. Always kind to everyone… it's kind of impossible not to like him."
Sayuri nodded slowly.
"I see…"
Yume crossed her arms, watching her closely.
"Why?"
Sayuri blinked.
"What?"
"Why do you want to know?" Yume smirked. "Did you get interested in him?"
Sayuri's eyes widened.
"What? N-no! Of course not!"
She laughed nervously and looked away.
"I was just curious, that's all."
"Sure…" Yume said, unconvinced.
Sayuri cleared her throat.
"Did you finish the history assignment?"
Yume smiled.
"I did. But we're coming back to this later."
Sayuri felt her face grow warm. This time, she stayed quiet.
Later that afternoon, near the market, Sayuri realized she had lost the shopping list her mother gave her. Panic rose instantly. She searched her pockets, her bag but nothing.
With no other choice, she started walking home, already preparing herself for the scolding she would receive.
On the other side of the city, Kenji was leaving his English class. After saying goodbye to everyone with his usual charm, he got into his car. As he placed his backpack on the passenger seat, he noticed a small piece of paper, it was a shopping list.
Assuming it belonged to Sayuri, he decided to buy everything on it. He grabbed his keys and started the car, speeding off onto the asphalt.
After some time at the market, he headed to Sayuri's house and waited outside.
Suddenly, someone knocked on his car window.
"Can I help you?" her mother asked.
Kenji stepped out of the car politely.
"Good afternoon, ma'am. My name is Kenji. I'm a friend of your daughter."
Her mother looked him up and down, suspicious.
"A friend? From college? She never mentioned you—"
Before she could continue, Sayuri appeared.
"Mom? Kenji? What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.
"Hi," he said with a smile. "I brought your groceries."
He opened the trunk.
Her mother looked at Sayuri seriously.
"I can't believe you asked someone else to take care of your responsibilities."
Sensing the tension, Kenji quickly intervened.
"No, ma'am. She didn't ask me. I wanted to do this… I just wanted to help, so she could have more time to focus on her studies."
Her mother seemed touched by the gesture, though still slightly suspicious. She invited him inside, but he politely declined.
"Thank you very much, but I should get going. My mother is waiting for me. It was a pleasure meeting you."
Her mother nodded, almost impressed, and whispered:
"What a polite—and handsome—young man. How did you meet him? Is he from your college? What does he do? Does he work?"
"Oh my God, Mom, that's too many questions… he's just a friend, nothing more," Sayuri said, embarrassed.
When they entered the house, Sayuri looked like she wanted to disappear from embarrassment. She placed the bags on the table and quickly went to her room.
Later that night, the moon hung high in the sky, glowing with a soft, almost hypnotic light. Unable to sleep, Sayuri decided to go for a walk.
She headed to the park near her house and sat on her usual bench. In silence, she looked up at the sky, the moon seemed more beautiful that night… or maybe it was just the way she felt.
Her thoughts wandered, tangled and restless, when suddenly a scent surrounded her. But it wasn't just any scent. It was his, her heart skipped a beat.
Slowly, she turned her head and saw him, Jun.
He was on the other side of the path, but he wasn't alone. A tall, beautiful girl stood beside him, dressed elegantly, laughing at something he had said. They walked close together, as if they shared a world of their own.
Something tightened in Sayuri's chest, an uncomfortable, unfamiliar feeling, she quickly looked away.
Why did that bother her so much?
She didn't know.
Swallowing hard, she stood up and, without looking back, began to walk away, quickening her pace. Her heart was beating faster than it should and in her haste something slipped. Her necklace fell silently to the ground but she didn't notice.
Jun even from a distance, he recognized her the moment she stood up. For a brief second, their eyes almost met but he said nothing. He kept walking beside the girl, as if he hadn't noticed or as if he had chosen not to.
A few steps later, something beneath his foot made him stop. He frowned slightly and looked down and picked it up. It was a delicate necklace, with a heart-shaped pendant and a sakura ("cherry blossom" in Japanese, symbolizing ephemeral beauty, renewal, and the impermanence of life due to its short bloom) in the center. He observed it for a moment, but when he looked to where Sayuri was, she had already disappeared into the darkness.
He closed his hand around the necklace and, without saying a word, slipped it into his pocket.
"Coming?" the girl beside him called.
Jun snapped back to reality.
"Yeah."
He kept walking but this time…his thoughts were no longer there.