A way to bring them back? No way... I mean, it sounds too good to be true, but it will definitely involves going back to that godforsaken place.

"I... I think I'll pass."

"Are you sure, boy? Well then. Here, if you ever change your mind, meet me here."

Aiko gave me a piece of paper with her address written on it.

Before I was able to ask her again, she vanished.

"What a mysterious girl..." I said to myself.

The next day, is the day of our date. I put on my casual outfit, and went to Naomi's home after saying my goodbyes to Yuka and my parents.

After I got there, Naomi is already waiting. She is wearing a brown hoodie and a red skirt.

"Are you ready yet, Satoshi?"

"Of course I am, let's go."

We walked away from Naomi's home and went into the more urban area of our hometown. I looked at her, who is frowning, possibly still denying the fact about Shinohara.

"Is there something wrong?"

"O-of course not. It's just... I think I realize that I've been acting too tomboyish around and you wouldn't like it."

"Hey, at least you're still a good person, and you're kinda cute despite all that tomboyish acts you said."

"R... Really?"

"Of course. No matter how tomboyish you are, there's no denying the fact that you're a girl, Naomi."

She blushed, and looked away saying "T... Thanks, I guess."

I smiled.

We continued to walk, until at one point...

A truck suddenly passed by in front of us, seemingly from out of nowhere, I jumped back in surprise, before I heard...

"Pervert."

"Eh?"

Then I looked at where my hand landed, right on her chest....

"Hmph!" She then tried to walk ahead of me, before I stopped her.

"Wait! It was an accident!"

She then stopped, and turned around to look at me, saying "I forgive you then."

"Really?"

"If you help me win that." She points to a nearby arcade claw machine, where a lone teddy bear is sitting inside.

I sighed and smiled again, before we headed towards the machine.

It took a lot of attempts, and many attempts later I finally succeeded in winning that bear.

However she still didn't make a smile after I give it to her. We still proceeded to continue the date, however.

I took her to some places, including a dinner at a sushi bar before we decided to end our date by walking her back home.

"Hard to find good sushi around here, ya know?" I spoke out my thoughts as we walked.

"Not like back home." With that, Naomi just emotionlessly said "Ha ha."

Even after I tried to make a joke, she still refused to smile or make an actual laugh.

As we began to close our distance to her home, I began to speak out my thoughts again.

[B]"Please smile"

She then stopped her tracks, and instinctively.... So do I.

"Why? Why are you saying that ever so calmly?" She raised her tone.

"So you are thinking that I can smile, after what had happened!? I lost my best friend, and you don't even know my feelings! I'm even starting to forget her appearance now!"

Well, she is technically right... I never lost anybody close to me, but I am still sad over the loss of Shinohara, Suzume, Morishige and Yui Sensei...

"You're a coward, insensitive, selfish!"

Now she's stating the facts, but I am unable to say anything to her... I still don't want to break her promise...

"Now you don't have anything else to say, haven't you!?"

I stayed silent, which results in an even worse scenario as she then walked ahead in an quick and angered pace. After her 4th step, she turned around to look at me, and said....

"I wished you died in that school!"

- To Be Continued