Nostalgia

The warm yellow light of the campus café spilled softly around them, the air thick with the rich aroma of coffee beans and the scent of pastries. Kazama In and Ichinose Honami settled into a corner seat by the window, each ordering a drink—black coffee for Kazama, hot cocoa for Honami.

After a brief silence, the conversation naturally drifted to the distant past. Ichinose Honami cradled her warm mug in both hands, the rising steam softening her features into something hazy and gentle. Her eyes sank into memory, her voice carrying a distant warmth: "In... do you remember the first time we met?" She tilted her head slightly toward Kazama In, a nostalgic smile tugging at her lips. "In that park on a warm, sunny afternoon..."

Deep within Kazama In's ink-black eyes, a faint ripple seemed to stir at her words. He gently stirred his coffee and nodded. "Yeah. You and your mother."

"That's right," Ichinose said, her smile deepening with a hint of girlish playfulness. "Mom saw you curled up in the corner back then, all dirty, but your eyes were startlingly bright—like... a wary little wolf cub? She said, 'This kid must be starving,' and without a second thought, she dragged you home." She mimicked her mother's tone, her gaze warm. "And you ended up eating a whole pot of Mom's curry rice, then bowed your head shyly and said, 'Thank you for the meal'... You were really different back then compared to now."

The corner of Kazama In's mouth curved almost imperceptibly—a faint arc, but one that genuinely softened his hard-edged features. "Yeah. That was a very warm meal." It was one of the rare moments in his "wandering" (voluntary drifting, occasionally taking on missions) life where he had felt pure goodwill, free of any ulterior motive.

The conversation deepened. A faint shadow passed over Ichinose's eyes, and her voice dropped. "Later... during the hardest time for my family, when Dad was sick and lost his job, and Mom worked several jobs at once, my little sister and I often couldn't even afford to eat... the whole world felt gray. And it was then..." She lifted her gaze, her azure eyes locking onto Kazama In's, filled with gratitude and something more complex. "You showed up, just like before, always 'coincidentally' nearby. Sometimes it was a 'found' bakery discount coupon, sometimes 'extra' supermarket specials... and once, when my sister had a fever and we couldn't scrape together money for medicine, the next morning, a box of the right medicine and a small bag of fruit were sitting at our door..."

Kazama In listened quietly, neither confirming nor denying, simply taking a sip of his coffee. Back then, his identity was too sensitive to offer direct financial help, so he had used these roundabout, hidden methods to protect the three women who had once given him warmth. And the Ichinose family had never pressed the silent boy about his origins, simply treating him as a mysterious but reliable friend.

"What I can't forget most..." Ichinose's voice trembled slightly, her fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of her cup. "Was that time... I almost... almost did something wrong." A flush of shame crept across her cheeks, and her voice dropped further. "My sister really wanted an expensive hair clip, and I... I wanted so badly to make her happy... I lingered outside that accessory shop for ages, and in my heart... I had thoughts I shouldn't have..." She couldn't go on; even now, recalling that urge to steal made her feel suffocated with shame.

"I remember," Kazama In said steadily, cutting through her embarrassment. He set down his coffee cup and looked at her calmly, as if he could pierce through time to see the girl struggling in front of that window. "You just stood there, staring at that clip. Your eyes held longing, guilt, reluctance... but mostly struggle and pain."

Ichinose looked up in surprise, not expecting him to remember it so clearly.

"Yeah, and then you grabbed me."

"You pulled me aside and asked me fiercely, 'Honami, is this how you get what you want?'" Ichinose couldn't help but laugh, though the corners of her eyes were moist. "The way you looked back then... you were practically a lost little wretch yourself, but you scolded me so seriously."

A faint glimmer of amusement flickered in Kazama In's eyes. "I just thought you shouldn't dirty your hands or your heart over a hair clip. You deserve better things, earned in an upright way."

"And then..." Ichinose's voice softened with an almost unbelievable tenderness. "You pulled me into that shop, walked straight to the counter, pointed at that clip, and bought it with the last of your money." She still remembered the clerk's stunned expression and Kazama's unyielding calm. "You shoved it into my hands and said, 'For your sister. Don't let her down.'" She took a deep breath, her voice catching. "In... do you know? At that moment, I felt like... I'd been pulled back from the edge of a cliff. You made me understand that no matter how hard things get, there are lines you absolutely cannot cross. And more than that... to cherish myself."

Her words were sincere and full of emotion. Kazama In looked at her slightly reddened eyes, paused for a moment, then said quietly, "Yeah. You did well."

Ichinose blinked hard to force back the tears, then let a bright smile bloom across her face, a hint of mischief in her eyes as she looked at Kazama. "But that hair clip... my sister only wore it for a few days before putting it away, saying it was too precious and needed to be kept safe. She treasures it!"

The atmosphere between them grew especially warm and close, bound by shared memories. Kazama In seemed to recall something and asked, "Later... did you receive what I had the steward pass on to you?"

Ichinose Honami's eyes lit up instantly, like stars igniting. She immediately set down her cup and, with great care, pulled a small velvet pouch from the inside pocket of her uniform. She gently opened the pouch and tipped its contents into her palm.

It was an antique yet delicate silver bracelet. The band wasn't smooth but was covered in countless fine, interwoven vine patterns. In the gaps between the vines, faint, unseen motifs—something like thorns and yet like wings—were subtly visible. Under the light, it gave off a restrained, mysterious sheen, clearly no ordinary piece.

"Of course I did!" Ichinose's voice was full of reverence. She gently traced the patterns on the bracelet with her finger. "This is it... so beautiful, and so unique. The steward said it was..." She paused, lowering her voice. "A token of the Kazama Family. Wearing it, in certain places... no one will actively cause you trouble, and if you run into difficulties, someone will be willing to lend a hand." She looked up, her eyes brimming with gratitude and an indescribable emotion. "I know how precious it is... so I've kept it safe, only wearing it on very special occasions. Too bad we can't wear accessories at school, or else..." She smiled regretfully, then carefully returned the bracelet to its velvet pouch and tucked it close to her body.

Kazama In watched her movements, his gaze lingering on the velvet pouch for a moment. Something seemed to settle in the depths of his ink-black eyes. He didn't say much, just nodded. "Yeah. Keep it safe."

Time slipped away amid warm memories and easy conversation. Their drinks had long since been finished. Outside the window, the night had deepened, and the campus streetlights flickered on one by one.

"Ah, it's this late already." Ichinose glanced at the time, a little surprised, with a hint of lingering reluctance.

"Yeah." Kazama In stood up as well.

They walked out of the café side by side. The cool night air brushed against their faces but couldn't dispel the warmth that still lingered between them. With unspoken understanding, they headed toward the dormitory building at a leisurely pace.

Soon they stood before the dormitory elevator. The lobby was quiet at this hour, with only the two of them.

"Well then... Kazama-kun, thank you so much for tonight." Ichinose Honami turned to face him. Her cheeks glowed a soft pink under the lights, and her azure eyes were like a sea filled with starlight, carrying a faint, barely noticeable shyness and a smile full of joy. "Talking with you like this... it made me really happy, like we were kids again."

Kazama In stood before her, half a head taller. He looked down at her slightly, and those ink-black eyes, usually so calm and distant, seemed to soften under the light. He nodded, his voice a touch lower than usual. "Yeah. Me too, Honami."

Hearing him call her by that familiar name again, Ichinose's heart skipped a beat involuntarily, and the blush on her face deepened. She looked away flustered, then quickly glanced back at him, her fingers unconsciously twirling a strand of hair.

"Well... good night, Kazama-kun," she said softly, her voice sweet and tender.

"Good night," Kazama replied, his tone gentle.

The elevator doors opened with a "ding." Ichinose seemed about to say something more, but in the end, she just gave him a radiant, sweetly tinged smile and waved energetically. "See you tomorrow!" Then, like a happy little bird, she stepped lightly into the elevator.

Kazama In stood there, watching her. The doors slid shut slowly, cutting off that bright smile and those star-filled blue eyes. The numbers above the elevator began to climb.

He stood still for a few more seconds before turning and walking toward the other elevator. The night light stretched his tall, upright figure into a long shadow. On his usually cold face, the faintest trace of a softened curve still lingered at the corner of his lips. The warmth of the café and the bonds of old times seemed to flow on, silent, in the air around him.