11th May 2026, Monday
Finally, the day had arrived.
The morning was different from the usual ones. There was something about this particular day that made Kentarou feel unusually conscious of every little thing.
He stood in front of the mirror, making sure he looked presentable.
Kentarou was wearing a black shirt, with a white T-shirt underneath. On his wrist was a black watch.
After making sure everything was ready, he left his room and went downstairs.
As he reached the living room, he saw his father, Kyoutarou Izumi, already sitting on the sofa.
His father was already prepared.
Kentarou looked at him for a moment before approaching.
Kyoutarou noticed him and asked,
"How much time does your mom need, Ken?"
"Dunno!"
"Yeah, come sit. Let's wait for them."
---
A few minutes later, Sayaka Izumi, Kentarou's mother, came out of the room with Kenta.
She looked at Kyoutarou and said,
"We're ready."
Kyoutarou nodded and got up from the sofa.
Kentarou and Kenta followed their parents as they walked outside. After everyone got into the car, Kyoutarou started the engine.
A few moments later, they left for the wedding.
________________________
Inside the car, Kentarou was thinking about Violet.
Only Violet.
As the car moved along the road, his mind went back to the memories he had made with her. He remembered the first time they had met and the moments they had spent together since then.
He quietly thought about how much time he had spent with Violet and how many memories they had created together.
---
21st April 2023.
It was Violet's birthday.
That evening, inside Mrs. Kubo's house, everything had already settled down. The house was quiet, and outside, the night sky stretched endlessly above the city.
Kentarou had stepped out onto the balcony.
He stood there alone, resting his arms against the railing as he looked up at the sky.
The moon was shining brightly above him, surrounded by countless stars scattered across the dark sky. A gentle night breeze passed through the balcony, making the quiet atmosphere feel even more peaceful.
Kentarou continued staring at the moon and stars without saying a word.
He was completely lost in his thoughts.
Then, without him noticing, someone quietly approached him from behind.
Violet.
She stopped just a few steps behind him.
She looked at Kentarou standing there alone and quietly smiled.
For a moment, she simply watched him.
Then she decided to surprise him.
She carefully moved closer.
And then—
"Boo!!"
"What?!"
Kentarou immediately turned around, startled by the sudden voice.
Violet burst into a smile after seeing his reaction.
"I got you!" she said happily.
Kentarou looked at her for a moment before realizing what she had done.
"You scared me!"
Violet laughed.
She then walked over and stood beside him, looking up at the same night sky he had been watching.
For a few moments, neither of them said anything.
They simply stood there together, looking at the moon.
Violet tried to copy the way Kentarou was standing, resting herself against the balcony railing as she looked up.
Then she tilted her head slightly.
"The moon looks beautiful, right?" she asked.
Kentarou looked up at the moon again.
"Yeah..."
His answer was quiet.
Violet remained beside him, continuing to look at the sky.
Then, with a playful smile, she glanced at Kentarou.
"Feeling lonely at this young age, huh?"
She lightly pushed him with her shoulder.
Kentarou looked at her.
"Talking like an elder all of a sudden?"
Violet smiled at him.
Kentarou couldn't help but smile back.
The bright moonlight fell gently across Violet's face, illuminating her features beneath the night sky.
For a moment, Kentarou simply looked at her.
The moon was beautiful.
The stars were beautiful.
But somehow, under that soft moonlight, Violet looked more beautiful than anything else around him.
Kentarou's smile grew a little wider.
He didn't say anything.
He simply stood there beside her, quietly looking at her beneath the moonlit sky.
It was a simple moment.
Just the two of them, standing together on the balcony on Violet's birthday.
But for Kentarou, it was a moment he would never forget.
-----
The car finally came to a stop.
Kentarou opened the door and stepped outside.
The first thing he saw was the enormous wedding hall standing in front of him.
The building was beautifully decorated for the occasion. Elegant flowers and wedding decorations surrounded the entrance, while several guests were already making their way inside.
Kentarou stood there for a moment.
So this was the place.
The place where he would finally see Violet.
He took a quiet breath before walking forward.
Meanwhile, Kenta had already gotten out of the car.
The moment he saw the entrance, he suddenly ran ahead.
"I'm going inside!"
Before anyone could stop him, Kenta disappeared through the entrance.
He had already spotted a small group of children around his age and quickly joined them.
Kentarou watched him for a moment.
"That was fast..."
His parents followed behind him, while Kentarou slowly entered the wedding hall.
Inside, the atmosphere was completely different.
The hall was spacious and beautifully decorated. Guests were talking among themselves, and the sound of gentle music filled the room.
Kentarou looked around.
Then his eyes landed on the buffet area.
There were several tables filled with different kinds of food, while waiters moved around the hall serving drinks to the guests.
Kentarou walked toward the buffet area.
He wasn't particularly hungry.
He was looking for someone.
And then—
He found him.
Senku was standing near the drinks, holding a plate of food.
The moment Senku noticed Kentarou, his face brightened.
"Kentarou!"
Kentarou looked toward him.
"Senku."
Senku walked over.
"You're finally here!"
Then he pointed toward his plate.
"The food is delicious. Want to try some?"
Kentarou glanced at the plate.
He wasn't really thinking about food.
Instead, he immediately asked,
"Has Violet arrived?"
Senku paused.
Then shook his head.
"Not yet."
Kentarou's expression fell slightly.
"...I see."
He looked toward the entrance.
Guests were still arriving.
Maybe she would come soon.
Kentarou then turned back to Senku.
"Then..."
He hesitated for a moment.
"I'd like something to drink."
Senku smiled.
"Sure."
The two of them walked toward the drinks being served by the waiters.
They each took a glass of juice.
Kentarou raised the glass to his lips.
A small sip.
Then another.
He looked toward the entrance again.
Still no Violet.
Senku noticed.
"You know, you don't have to stare at the entrance every second."
Kentarou took another sip.
"...I know."
A few seconds passed.
Another sip.
Then another glance toward the entrance.
Senku sighed.
"You're hopeless."
Kentarou ignored him.
He simply continued drinking his juice slowly.
Waiting.
Waiting for the one person he had come here to see.
And with every passing minute—
His heart beat a little faster.
---
Senku finished his juice in no time and immediately asked one of the waiters for another drink.
Kentarou, however, was still drinking his juice slowly, taking one sip at a time. His eyes occasionally wandered around the hall as he waited.
Then, he noticed someone entering the hall.
It was Mrs. Kubo.
Kentarou looked at her for a moment.
If Aunt Kubo is here, then…
His eyes moved past her.
And then he saw her.
Violet.
For a moment, everything around him seemed to fade away.
Violet looked beautiful—almost like an angel.
Kentarou couldn't take his eyes off her. He simply stood there, staring at her without even realizing how long he had been looking.
"Kentarou."
He didn't respond.
"Kentarou!"
Still nothing.
Senku looked at him and immediately understood what had caught his attention.
He gave Kentarou a small push.
Kentarou finally snapped back to reality.
"Huh?"
Senku smiled and pushed him again, this time toward Violet.
Kentarou looked at Senku, then back at Violet.
With a slightly nervous expression, he began walking toward her.
---
Kentarou walked toward Violet.
"Hi…" he said.
Violet smiled.
"Hii!"
Kentarou looked at her for a moment before saying, "You look kinda cute in that dress, you know?"
Violet smiled shyly.
"Thank you…"
Kentarou hesitated for a moment.
"Umm… the thing is…"
Before he could continue, Violet's younger sister came running toward her.
"Sis, Mom's calling us."
Violet looked at Kentarou.
"I'll be back in a moment."
She then went with her mother and younger sister to meet the bride and groom.
Kentarou watched them leave for a moment before turning to Senku.
"Who was the bride again?"
Senku stared at him.
"You seriously don't know?"
"No."
"You've been here this whole time!"
Kentarou shrugged. "You're asking me like you know who the bride and groom are."
Senku paused.
"…Fair point."
Kentarou looked at him.
"So you don't know either?"
Senku smiled awkwardly.
"Caught me."
Kentarou sighed.
"We're really helpful to each other, huh?"
"Absolutely," Senku replied proudly. "Two experts with absolutely no information."
---
A few minutes passed.
Kentarou and Senku were still standing together, occasionally taking a sip of their drinks while watching the people around them.
Then, Kentarou noticed Violet.
She had started walking toward the buffet area.
Kentarou's eyes immediately followed her.
She's going to the buffet…
He looked at Senku.
"I'm going to talk to her."
Senku glanced at him and gave a small nod.
"Then go."
Kentarou took a breath and began walking with Senku toward the buffet area.
The hall was getting busier now. Guests were moving around, talking among themselves, while the waiters continued serving food and drinks. The buffet area was located farther inside the hall, near one of the entrances leading toward the main dining section.
Kentarou and Senku slowly made their way through the crowd.
But as they approached the entrance, Kentarou noticed someone standing nearby.
A familiar figure.
Takahashi Gen.
Gen had also noticed Violet.
He stood near the entrance, watching her as she moved toward the buffet area.
Kentarou and Senku didn't notice him at first.
They simply walked past him, trying not to attract any attention.
Gen remained where he was.
His eyes followed them.
Then, something suddenly came back to his mind.
A conversation from a few days ago.
Rin had told him something about Violet and her younger sister.
"Violet sis and her younger sis, Tamada, told me that they would go back to Japan on 16th May."
Gen remembered her words clearly.
He glanced toward Violet.
Then he looked at Kentarou and Senku.
His expression slowly changed.
"So that's what's going on…"
He had seen the way Kentarou had been looking at Violet earlier.
And now Kentarou was heading straight toward her.
It didn't take Gen long to understand what Kentarou was trying to do.
He's going after Violet.
Gen watched Kentarou continue toward the buffet area.
He then looked at Violet again.
The information Rin had given him suddenly felt much more important.
If Violet and Tamada were really going back to Japan on the 16th, then Kentarou didn't have much time.
But Gen wasn't about to let Kentarou simply walk up to her without doing anything.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Well…"
He quietly followed them.
Meanwhile, Kentarou and Senku continued walking.
Kentarou's attention remained fixed on Violet.
He was trying to figure out what he should say when he reached her.
Should he simply greet her?
Should he ask what she was doing?
Or should he just stand beside her and let the conversation happen naturally?
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard footsteps behind him.
Before Kentarou could turn around, someone approached him.
A hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.
Kentarou stopped.
Senku also turned around.
Gen stood behind them.
He had a confident expression on his face.
Kentarou stared at him.
"Gen?"
Gen looked at him for a moment.
Then he glanced toward Violet, who was still near the buffet area.
He understood exactly what Kentarou had been planning.
Gen looked back at him.
A mischievous smile appeared on his face.
"Not on my watch, Kentarou!"
The sudden rush of wind was the only warning Kentarou got.
Out of nowhere, Gen's fist sliced through the air, aimed squarely at his jaw. Kentarou instinctively snapped his head back, taking a sharp step backward. The knuckle grazed past his chin by a hair's breadth—close enough for Kentarou to feel the brief pressure of displaced air.
"Whoa there," Kentarou said, exhaling a tense breath as he raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I'm not looking to start a brawl with you, Gen."
Gen didn't bother replying. He didn't have to.
From the edges of the crowded venue, a handful of Gen's usual crew pushed through the sea of unsuspecting guests. The atmospheric shift was immediate; the polite chatter of the party faded into a muted backdrop as the group began to fan out, intent on cutting off any easy exit.
Kentarou gritted his teeth and glanced over his shoulder. "Hey, Senku, you ready to—"
The words died in his throat.
Senku wasn't standing next to him anymore. In fact, Senku wasn't even waiting for the signal—he was already ten yards down the corridor, his soles slapping against the floor in a full-blown sprint. The guy hadn't hesitated for a single millisecond.
"Hey! At least warn me before you bolt!" Kentarou yelled, abandoning his cool demeanor as he pushed off his back foot and launched into a run after him.
"Catch them!" Gen roared behind them.
The sound of heavy, rapid footsteps echoed off the walls as Gen and his crew gave chase, crashing through the crowd of bewildered guests.
Kentarou dodged past a confused couple holding drinks, weaving through the chaos to close the gap between himself and the runaway back of Senku's shirt.
The heavy glass doors burst open as Kentarou and Senku spilled out onto the front plaza.
Night air hit their faces, cold and crisp. Kentarou slowed his pace, glancing around the wide expanse of paved concrete. Silence greeted them. The parking area and courtyard were completely vacant—every last guest was packed safely inside the venue.
Senku skidded to a halt beside him, catching his breath. Kentarou checked over his shoulder just as Gen and his three cronies barreled through the entrance, aggressive and breathing hard.
"Running's over," Kentarou muttered, stepping out in front of Senku. A calm focus settled over him. Out here, with no innocent bystanders to worry about, the math changed entirely.
"Cornered 'em!" one of the guys yelled, lunging forward with a sloppy, wide right hook.
To Kentarou, trained in martial arts since childhood, the move practically came in slow motion.
He slid inside the guy's guard with minimal effort, deflecting the telegraphed punch with a soft parry of his left palm. Pivoting on his heel, he used the attacker's own momentum to plant a sharp elbow directly into his sternum. The guy collapsed onto his knees with a wheeze, instantly out of the equation.
"What the—?!" The second friend hesitated, but panicked aggression took over. He tried to tackle Kentarou around the waist.
Kentarou didn't even flinch.
He sidestepped the desperate dive, caught the collar of the boy's jacket, and executed a clean sweeping hip throw. The student hit the pavement with a heavy thud, the wind knocked completely out of him.
The third guy took one look at his two friends groaning on the ground, stopped mid-stride, and took a slow step back, his face drained of color.
Kentarou straightened his black shirt, adjusting his posture with a relaxed sigh. He looked over at Gen, who was standing a few paces back, his knuckles tight and his confident smirk entirely gone.
"So," Kentarou said calmly, locking eyes with Gen. "Still want to do this?"
---
Gen didn't back down. Instead, his posture shifted—feet planting wide, chin tucking low, guard rising high and tight.
A regional boxer. Kentarou recognized the sharp, disciplined stance instantly. This wasn't going to be another effortless sweep.
Without a word, Gen exploded forward. A lightning-fast left jab snapped toward Kentarou's face.
Kentarou slipped his head to the right, feeling the breeze of Gen's fist brush his cheek, but Gen immediately followed up with a heavy right cross.
Kentarou raised his forearm to block, but the raw kinetic impact forced him back half a step.
Gen's head movement was tight, his rhythms brutal and calculated. He pressed the offensive, unleashing a sharp two-punch combination—jab to the body, hook to the head.
Kentarou absorbed the body blow, the air momentarily catching in his throat, but he managed to duck under the sweeping hook.
Seizing the tiny window, Kentarou drove a low side kick directly into Gen's front knee, forcing the Gen's balance to break for a split second.
Gen grunted, his foot slipping on the pavement, but he retaliated instantly with a vicious uppercut.
Kentarou leaned back just enough to avoid the jaw-shattering blow, the motion carrying him into a smooth spinning back-elbow.
Gen caught the elbow on his shoulder, the heavy clash of metal-hard muscle echoing in the quiet courtyard.
Both stepped back simultaneously, eyes locked, breathing heavy, neither giving an inch.
---
The intense fight between Kentarou and Gen continued.
Their fists collided again, each refusing to give the other an opening. Kentarou blocked a punch and countered with a quick strike, but Gen managed to step away before it connected.
Both of them stood a few feet apart, breathing heavily.
Gen wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. Despite the exhaustion, his eyes remained fixed on Kentarou.
Then he smiled.
Not a friendly smile.
A bitter one.
"You know what, Kentarou?"
Kentarou narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
Gen raised his guard again.
"You keep acting like Violet is already yours."
Kentarou's expression changed slightly.
Gen noticed.
"Every time you look at her, every time you stand beside her..." he said, his voice becoming colder. "You act like you've already won."
Kentarou clenched his fists.
"Don't talk about her."
Gen took a step forward.
"Why not?"
His eyes sharpened.
"Because you know I'm right."
Kentarou remained silent.
Gen continued.
"You think spending time with her means she belongs with you?"
He gave a short, bitter laugh.
"I've watched you, Kentarou. I've watched the way you look at her."
Gen tightened his fists.
"But here's the thing..."
He stepped closer.
"You're not the only one who loves her."
Kentarou's eyes widened slightly.
Gen's voice dropped.
"And unlike you, I'm not going to stand around forever wondering whether I have a chance."
Kentarou stared at him.
Gen's expression became serious.
"I'm going to tell Violet how I feel."
A brief silence fell between them.
"Before you do."
Those words struck Kentarou harder than any punch Gen had thrown.
Gen raised his fists again.
"So tell me, Kentarou..."
He stared directly into Kentarou's eyes.
"Are you really fighting me because you hate me?"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Or are you scared that she might choose me?"
---
The question echoed in Kentarou's mind.
"Are you really fighting me because you hate me?"
"Or are you scared that she might choose me?"
For a moment, Kentarou couldn't think of anything.
His mind went completely blank.
Everything around him seemed to fade away.
Gen's voice.
The sounds of the surroundings.
Even the pain from the fight.
Everything disappeared into darkness.
Kentarou stood there silently, his eyes fixed on Gen.
He didn't know what to say.
He didn't even know what he was thinking anymore.
Gen noticed the hesitation.
He didn't waste the moment.
He stepped forward and threw a punch.
Kentarou barely reacted.
The punch struck him.
Gen followed with another.
And another.
Kentarou tried to defend himself, but his mind was somewhere else.
His thoughts had already gone back to Violet.
He remembered the way she used to talk to him.
The little conversations they had shared.
The times they had spent together.
The moments when they laughed.
The moments when they simply stayed beside each other without needing to say much.
One memory after another appeared in his mind.
Then Kentarou remembered how everything had started.
It all began with a single question from Violet.
A simple question.
A question that he never expected would change his life so much.
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
That was where everything had started.
From that one question, he had slowly become closer to her.
He remembered all the moments that came after it.
And now, standing there against Gen, Kentarou realized just how much those moments meant to him.
Meanwhile, Senku, who had been standing nearby, suddenly heard some voices behind him.
A few girls were talking as they approached.
Senku turned his head.
His eyes widened slightly.
Someone was coming toward them.
Violet.
She was walking in their direction.
---
Gen pressed his advantage without mercy. A brutal left hook cracked against Kentarou's guard, followed by a heavy straight right that broke through, striking Kentarou full across the cheek.
Kentarou stumbled back, his boots dragging on the cold concrete. His vision flickered at the edges.
The relentless cadence of a trained boxer was suffocating—every time he tried to build distance for a strike, Gen closed the gap with explosive footwork, driving another punishing blow into his ribs.
I can't sync my rhythm... Kentarou thought, guarding his face as another strike rattled his skull.
Then, through the ringing in his ears, a faint, clear voice echoed across the quiet night air.
"The greatest regret doesn't come from losing."
The words hovered, almost ethereal, cutting through the noise of the struggle.
"It comes from convincing yourself you've already lost... before taking the final step."
Gen pulled his arm back, gathering his weight for a finishing right cross.
"Whether it's a dream..."
"...a promise..."
"...or someone precious..."
"If your heart still walks toward it..."
"...don't be the one who tells your feet to stop."
"Kentarou!"
The sharp cry shattered the tension. Both of them heard it.
Gen's fist shot forward, but Kentarou didn't retreat. Driven by pure instinct, Kentarou raised his palm, catching Gen's knuckle right before it landed. The raw force jolted up his arm, but he held his ground.
Kentarou turned his head to the left.
Standing near the moonlit edge of the plaza was Violet.
Trembling, her face pale, tears glistened in her eyes as she watched the violence unfold.
The sight hit Kentarou harder than any fist.
The world around him faded into a blur as a forgotten memory rushed back to claim him.
---
April 21, 2023
The afternoon sun fell softly through the living room, casting dappled shadows over the sofa where they sat.
Little Violet looked up at him, her small hands clutching the hem of her cardigan, her big eyes fixed on his bruised knuckles.
"I really don't like it when people fight, Kentarou," she whispered softly, her head drooping. "It hurts to watch..."
Young Kentarou had blinked, looking down at his own hands before giving her a gentle smile. He leaned down, reaching out a pinky finger toward her.
"Then I promise," he said warmly. "I won't fight anymore."
---
[BACK TO THE PRESENT]
May 11, 2026
The noise of the wind returned. The cold pavement beneath his feet became real again.
Kentarou stood motionless, his hand still locking Gen's fist in mid-air.
The forgotten promise—the most important memory he had ever made with her—flooded back into his heart, burning brighter than the pain in his muscles.
He had broken it.
A single tear escaped Kentarou's eyes, trailing down his bruised, dust-stained cheek as he kept his gaze fixed on the crying girl in the distance.
---
[Aftermath]
May 13, 2026.
It had been a few weeks since that night.
Today, Violet went back to Japan. She didn't inform anyone—not Senku, not our friends, and certainly not me. Her mom only called my father after their plane had already landed in Tokyo.
If you're asking how I feel right now... honestly, I'm not sad. I'm not angry, either. She was my first love, and I'd be lying if I said I expected things to end like this—with me standing alone in an empty room, half a world away from her.
But it's not like I'm defeated. It's not like I've lost.
I'll wait. Just like I've waited for you since the very first moment our eyes met. I'll wait for as long as it takes... until I finally get the chance to be More Closer to you, Violet.
_____________________________
Later that evening, the quiet of the night settled heavily over the house.
Kentarou sat at his desk, the soft glow of his laptop screen illuminating his dim bedroom. The gentle hum of the running fan was the only sound breaking the silence until a sudden vibration rattled across the wooden desk.
Bzzzz. Bzzzz.
Kentarou shifted his gaze down to his phone. The screen lit up with an incoming call from an unfamiliar yet painfully recognizable contact name.
Takahashi Shin
The older brother of Gen Takahashi.