The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves of the tree, creating dancing shadows on the grass. I close my eyes and yawn, enjoying the rare moment of peace in the schoolyard. Or, at least, I would be relaxing if...

"Hey, are you listening, Yuki!?"

My childhood friend, Saeko, wasn't bothering me. Tsk, a guy needs some privacy every now and then, even if we've been friends since...

"Yuki?"

"Huh?" I mutter, opening my eyes. I freeze when I see Saeko just inches from my face.

"Are you okay? You were making a strange face just now." Before I could respond, she places her hand on my forehead.

I feel my face heat up quickly. I push her hand away and get up from the grass.

"I'm fine, and I'd be better if you stopped bothering me!"

"You brute! Is this what I get for worrying about you, idiot!?" she retorts, sticking out her tongue before quickly walking away.

"Saeko, wait!" I shout, reaching out toward her. Then I stop, placing one hand on the back of my neck and the other on my waist, sighing. Damn, it'll take some time for her to calm down... But time is what I have plenty of right now.

The reason Saeko is worried is probably because I've been more distant today. But who wouldn't be lost in thought after discovering they have the power to turn back time? Either that, or this is some abnormal phenomenon of the world, and only I can remember. Every time midnight comes, I wake up at the start of the day again.

This is already the third time. I need to figure out what's happening; I don't want to keep reliving the same day forever. I shiver at the thought.

I even thought about telling Saeko what was going on. But what would I say? "Hey, do you believe I've been living the same day over and over again?" Even if she believed me, what could she do to help?

I sigh in frustration, looking around the yard. It was almost deserted, with only a few students dispersing after the break bell. The gentle breeze rustled the tree leaves, and I could hear the distant sound of laughter coming from somewhere. The smell of freshly cut grass filled the air, mixed with the aroma of freshly opened bentos.

I start walking slowly towards the main corridor, dodging a few students who were still milling about. My thoughts were still trapped in the endless cycle I found myself in.

Suddenly, I feel a force pushing me, almost making me lose my balance.

"Hey..." I begin to protest but stop when I see who's in front of me: Ryuji, the resident yakuza... or at least, that's what the rumors say. Even if it's not true, he's not someone you want to mess with. With an imposing build, he towers over most students. He's already an intimidating figure, but when you look at his face and see the scar on his lower right lip along with that piercing gaze... yeah, it's better to keep your distance.

The corridor, once noisy with students' chatter, suddenly seemed eerily quiet, as if everyone was waiting to see what would happen next.

"Sorry for bumping into you." I apologize, realizing that while I was distracted, I had bumped into Ryuji, getting shoved in the process.

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He simply grunts at me and walks away. Wow, what a polite guy, I think with a nervous smile. Honestly, I've never interacted with him before, only heard rumors and seen him here and there.

With that resolved, I start walking again and reach my classroom, sitting at my desk near the window. It doesn't take long before the rest of the students arrive, along with the teacher and Saeko, who sits beside me, pretending I don't exist.

After a few minutes of class, I couldn't take the boredom anymore. This was the third time I'd heard the same thing. Every word the teacher said seemed to drag on, repeating like a distant echo. It was as if time itself was stuck in a loop, just like me.

"Saeko... hey, Saeko... hey, Saeko..." I whisper repeatedly, trying to relieve the boredom.

"What!?" Saeko turns to me, annoyed.

"Saeko, do you have something you'd like to share with the class?" the teacher asks, giving her a stern look.

"No... sorry, teacher..." Saeko stammers, her cheeks immediately flushing.

I can't help but smile. She looks so cute with her face all red, matching her hair. But my smile fades when she turns back to me with a glare that could pierce stone.

"You'll pay for this." she whispers, venomously.

I just blink innocently at her, feeling a mix of amusement and guilt. After that, she goes back to ignoring me. I guess I've had enough fun at her expense.

Suddenly, something catches my attention. As I look out the window, I see, under the tree where I was earlier, the figure of a boy, maybe our age, lying there. A shiver runs down my spine. Something about him seemed out of place, as if he...

"Yuki!" Hearing my name called, I turn my attention back to the teacher, who had asked a question to test if I was paying attention to the lesson. Quickly answering the question I had already memorized, I glance back out the window, but the figure was gone.

Strange... I don't remember seeing anyone there the previous two times, I thought, making a mental note to check again if everything repeats itself. Aside from that event, everything went on normally, but the feeling of unease wouldn't leave me.

Later, as we walked home, Saeko looked at me with concern.

"Yuki, seriously, what's going on? We've known each other forever, so I can tell when you're hiding something."

Her words hit me like a shock, bringing back the same unsettling feeling I had earlier, causing me to stop in my tracks.

"Yuki?"

I replay what she just said in my mind and feel like I've just lost something important. The unsettling feeling hits me again, as if trying to discourage me from continuing to think about it. But instead, all it does is set off an alarm in my mind that something is deeply wrong.

Clenching my teeth with determination, I focus and replay what I heard over and over. Each repetition brings a new wave of despair. As we continue walking, the unsettling feeling fades, but it's replaced by a sharp, throbbing pain in my head.

The voices around me start to sound distant, as if they were coming from far away. I try to ignore it, but the pain intensifies with every step until it feels like my legs can't carry me any further. Just when I'm about to collapse, a question pops into my mind, like a light in the darkness.

"Saeko, when did we meet?" I ask, weakly, lifting my head with difficulty. Huh? When did I kneel down? I ask myself, feeling weak and confused.

"What kind of question is that? Stay quiet, I'm calling emergency services!" Saeko says, frightened, holding her phone so tightly her fingers are pale.

I reach out and grab her wrist with what little strength I have left.

"Saeko, please... just answer the question..."

With that, she opens her mouth, but then freezes, as if she had turned into a statue.

"What's happening!?" I scream, desperate, pulling at my hair. "Why? Why can't I remember anything about my past!? Saeko, I know we're friends, deep down I know that, but I can't remember how we met. I don't remember my parents, I can't remember anything before today!"

Feeling something dripping from my nose, I reach up. What I see is blood. I was bleeding, and my head felt like it was going to explode. Stumbling to my feet, I see a scene that makes me freeze in place.

Everything around me was disintegrating. The buildings, the houses, the people... everything was evaporating rapidly, as if being erased from existence. Feeling drained, I don't even try to resist. I simply move closer to Saeko and hug her, feeling her warmth and the soothing scent that always calmed me.

"Saeko, I don't know if you can hear me... I don't even know what's happening. Everything changed so fast, but I need to tell you something..." I say, choking up for a moment as hot tears stream down my face.

As darkness takes over my vision, I utter the words I've always wanted to say:

"I love you."