That day, at six years old, she met the boy who was one year older than her for the first time.
"Hehe, hello. My name is Senba Gari. What's your name?" the boy asked her gently.
"Minami... Minami Kotori..." That time, she hid behind her mother and timidly said her name.
He, meeting her for the first time, and she, shy around strangers.
["From now on, I only wish to have you by my side."]
A wish burst open.
[Murmuring a wish like that.]
I couldn't say it, but I couldn't erase it.
[Though I had no way to say it, it lingered in my heart.]
Knocking on the door.
[Knocking on that door again and again.]
I wanted you to open it... but... I was scared.
[I wanted to open my heart... yet I couldn't stop trembling.]
I was afraid to open it.
[I was afraid it would open just like that.]
Frightened that the dream I had yet to see would not awaken.
[Terrified, as if trapped in a dream I had no way to see.]
The terrible distance of the stars.
[Like the distance to that starry sky.]
"Waaahhh!!!"
"Don't let me see you again! Otherwise, every time I see you, I'll beat you up!"
When she was being bullied by several children her age, that boy came forward to stand up for her, even though his body was covered in wounds left from fighting those children. They had clearly only known each other for a few days.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Besides those brats just now, who else was there? Tell me! I'll go to their doors and beat them up right now!"
For the first time, someone took care of her like this. Other than her mother, it was the first time someone