One afternoon, Emiko was alone cleaning the classroom after school while a group of girls walked down the hallways, chatting and laughing. Among them was Kaede, radiating joy and laughter.
Amidst the cheerful chatter, Kaede noticed one of her classmates working quietly on her own.
"Girls, let's go to karaoke!" one of the girls exclaimed excitedly.
"Sorry, I just remembered I have something to do. Maybe next time. Don't worry about me," Kaede said with a smile as she left the group and walked toward Emiko.
Unaware of Kaede's presence, Emiko jumped slightly at the sudden sense of someone behind her. She turned around quickly and found herself face-to-face with Kaede, who looked at her with curious eyes.
"Sorry if I scared you," Kaede said with a smile. "I noticed you were completely alone and wondered if you needed some help."
Emiko was speechless, surprised by Kaede's sudden approach. She was nervous, and the words wouldn't come out. After a few seconds, with difficulty and a trembling voice, she finally managed to say:
"I don't want to bother you."
Kaede laughed softly and shook her head. "You're not bothering me at all," she said kindly. "Actually, I'd love to help."
Emiko nodded shyly, grateful for Kaede's kindness. As they continued cleaning, Emiko couldn't help but glance at Kaede, wanting to start a conversation, but her nerves held her back.
Kaede seemed to notice Emiko's gaze and looked back at her with curiosity. Emiko, afraid of Kaede's reaction, quickly looked away and focused on her work.
Once they finished cleaning the classroom, Emiko shyly said:
"Thank you so much for helping me."
Kaede smiled and shook her head. "You don't have to thank me. We're classmates, and besides, I'm happy I could help."
Emiko felt a surge of gratitude at Kaede's words. But deep down, there was a knot in her stomach and confusion in her mind. She didn't understand why Kaede seemed not to remember her.
"Well, I'm heading out. See you tomorrow," Kaede said with a bright smile.
Emiko barely managed to nod, still overwhelmed by the situation. Kaede was about to leave when suddenly Emiko grabbed her hand. The gesture surprised Kaede, who stopped and looked at her curiously.
"What is it?" Kaede asked with concern in her voice.
Emiko, startled by her own reaction, stammered with a trembling voice, "Sorry, it's nothing. I don't know what I was thinking."
Kaede frowned slightly, sensing the tension in Emiko's voice. "You're acting a little strange—are you sure everything's okay?" she asked.
"No, it's nothing. I'm fine," Emiko replied shakily as she picked up her bag, ready to leave.
Kaede watched Emiko walk away in confusion when something caught her attention: a cat keychain hanging from Emiko's bag.
"Emi!" Kaede called out. Emiko froze at the sound of the nickname Kaede used to call her. Slowly, she turned her head and met Kaede's surprised gaze.
"Is it really you, Emi?" Kaede asked, her voice full of surprise.
Emiko's heart began to race at the words she had longed to hear. Feeling invisible and forgotten had weighed heavily on her for so long. At last, she managed to speak.
"Yes, it's me," she replied, her voice trembling.
Kaede slowly approached Emiko, her eyes wide with wonder and emotion.
"Emi, you've changed so much I almost didn't recognize you. I've missed you so much. I could never forget you, even though it's been so long since we last saw each other," Kaede said.
Kaede hugged Emiko tightly—Emiko hadn't felt such a comforting embrace since the last time she'd seen Kaede. Tears immediately streamed down her cheeks as she returned Kaede's embrace, unable to contain the wave of emotion washing over her.
"I've missed you too, Kaede," Emiko sobbed. "You have no idea how much I've wished to see you again."
From that moment on, Emiko and Kaede rekindled the friendship they had lost, becoming best friends once again. They not only enjoyed their time together at school, but also shared fun moments outside of it. Their conversations were filled with laughter as they recalled funny stories from their childhood, reliving each detail with nostalgia and joy.
One afternoon, Emiko and Kaede were walking together to the park where they had met as children. As they walked, the sun's rays lit up their faces, reminding them of the happy days they had spent together in that very place.
Emiko looked at Kaede, her lifelong friend, and smiled. She was thankful that Kaede had approached her that day at school.
Eventually, they stopped in front of a bench in the park and sat down, enjoying the soft breeze that brushed their cheeks. Emiko took Kaede's hand and gently squeezed it.
"I can't believe we found each other again after all this time," Emiko said with emotion.
Kaede nodded with a smile on her face. "It feels like destiny brought us back together. I'm so happy to have my best friend back in my life."
The two girls fell into a peaceful silence, relishing each other's presence and the warmth of their renewed friendship. Suddenly, Emiko turned to Kaede and called her name with enthusiasm.
"Hey, Kaede, do you remember the friendship string?"
Kaede smiled knowingly and nodded excitedly. "Of course I remember! Do you still have it?" she asked curiously.
Emiko carefully pulled a thread from her bag and showed it to Kaede, her eyes full of meaning. "I've kept it all these years, waiting for this very moment. I think it's time to do it again," she said gently.
Kaede was touched as she saw the thread, understanding its significance. It was a symbol of their friendship and all the moments they had shared since they were little. They remembered how they had once braided it together, intertwining it with their fingers and promising to always be there for each other.
With a radiant smile, Kaede extended her hand to take the thread. They knew it had been a long time since they had last used it, but their friendship remained as strong as ever.
With skill and care, the girls began to wind the thread around their pinky fingers. Each loop of the thread symbolized the bond that had grown stronger and renewed itself.
As they tied the final knot, Emiko and Kaede felt a deep connection between them. Despite the years and the separate paths they had taken in life, their friendship remained unbreakable.
The knot sealed all the love and understanding they had nurtured over the years. They looked into each other's eyes, their hearts filled with gratitude and love for the friendship they shared.
Emiko and Kaede laughed together, their eyes sparkling with happiness. Night fell, and the two friends said their goodbyes from afar. Kaede, with a cheerful smile, raised her hand to wave at Emiko. But behind that happy façade, Kaede hid a deep sadness and guilt she refused to show. Though everything seemed perfect in that moment, Kaede carried a secret—a heavy emotional burden she had borne for years: a devastating guilt over her father's death, a guilt that gnawed away at her from within.
Despite her grief, Kaede tried to enjoy her time with Emiko, and their friendship blossomed with each passing day. They laughed, joked, and shared countless joyful moments. Kaede always found a way to make Emiko smile, even if she had to hide her own pain. Every morning, Emiko would ask Kaede how her day had been, and Kaede, with a smile on her lips, would say it had been wonderful. Though she was hurting inside, Kaede never let Emiko see her suffering—she always did her best to make her happy. But at night, when loneliness filled her room, the tears came, and the guilt overtook her heart. She couldn't stop thinking about her father and how his absence had forever changed her life.
However, there was one place where Kaede found relief—a small oasis of peace: her art class. There, she immersed herself in her creative world, surrounded by colors and shapes that transported her to a place where she could let go of her pain. In that solitary space, Kaede found her true self, far from the masks she wore around Emiko. Art became her refuge, her way of dealing with the overwhelming guilt that haunted her.
Though the weight of her secret remained, Kaede took solace in her friendship with Emiko and her passion for art. One day, while Kaede was painting, she heard a warm voice behind her. She turned around, surprised, and saw a kind-looking man.
"Wow, you draw really well," said the unknown man. Caught off guard by his sudden appearance, Kaede asked who he was. The man apologized and introduced himself as Professor Tanaka, the new art teacher. Realizing Kaede was the only student in class, he said, "Well, it looks like the rest of the students don't really care about art."
Feeling awkward, Kaede said she had to leave.
Just as she was about to go, Professor Tanaka remarked, "Now that I look more closely, I can see some sadness in your painting." His words struck a chord deep within her, as if he could see through her art and into her soul. Kaede hesitated, then replied, "There's nothing wrong." Though her words tried to hide the pain, her eyes betrayed her, revealing her vulnerability.
Professor Tanaka gave her a gentle look and said, "I understand. But if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here to listen." Kaede remained silent, a lump forming in her throat. At last, she responded, "Thank you, but nothing's wrong."
Professor Tanaka nodded with understanding and said goodbye. As he walked away, Kaede couldn't shake the strange feeling in her chest. That brief encounter had left a mark. For the first time, someone had noticed her sadness and offered her support, even though she had turned it down.
As the days went by, Kaede couldn't stop thinking about Professor Tanaka's words. The idea of having someone to talk to, someone she could open up to, became more and more tempting. Yet guilt and fear kept her from sharing her burden.
Still, art remained her sanctuary. With each brushstroke and every line, Kaede expressed fragments of her pain and guilt. As her paintings grew more introspective, they also grew more powerful and emotionally charged.
One day, as she was once again immersed in her creative world, she heard the professor's comforting voice behind her.
"Kaede, I've been watching your progress, and I can tell there's something deeper you're trying to express through your paintings," said Professor Tanaka. Kaede was startled by his words and slowly turned to face him. Their eyes met, and in that moment, Kaede felt a connection with Professor Tanaka that she had never felt with anyone else.