White Space

Chapter 1: Is That You?

Hina was walking down the hallway, when she heard someone call her name. She looked up and saw a boy she didn't recognize staring at her.

"Hina?" he said. "Is-Is that really you?"

Hina squinted at him, trying to place his face. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

The boy's face fell. "It's me, Takahiro Masashige. We were friends in elementary school."

Hina felt a jolt of recognition. Takahiro! She hadn't thought about him in years. They had been best friends in elementary school, but she hadn't seen him since then. They had lost touch, and she had assumed he had moved away or something.

"Takahiro!" she exclaimed. "Oh my god, it's so good to see you!"

They hugged, laughing and talking over each other. Hina couldn't believe that she had randomly run into her childhood friend in the middle of the hallway.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, looking him up and down. He had grown taller and his hair was longer, but he still had that mischievous grin that she remembered.

"I go here," he said, gesturing at the lockers around them. "I transferred in this year. What about you?"

Hina grinned. "I've been here all along. I can't believe we never ran into each other."

They spent the next few minutes catching up, asking about each other's families and hobbies. Hina was surprised to learn that Takahiro was still into comic books, just like he had been in elementary school.

"We should hang out sometimes," he said, when they finally had to part ways. "Maybe we can go to a comic book store or something.."

Hina nodded eagerly. "Alright then! Let's make plans soon."

They exchanged phone numbers, promising to text each other later. Hina couldn't believe how happy she was to have run into Takahiro. It felt like fate that they had randomly crossed paths again after all these years.

Over the next few weeks,
Hina and Takahiro rekindled their friendship. They texted constantly, and they made plans to hang out after school. They went to the mall, the movies, and even a comic book convention. Hina felt like she had found a kindred spirit in Takahiro, someone who understood her in a way that her other friends didn't.

One day, as they were walking to the comic book store, Takahiro turned to Hina and said, "You know, I always wondered what happened to you after elementary school."

Hina raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Takahiro shrugged. "I-I don't know. We were such good friends, and then we just lost touch. I always wondered what you were up to."

Hina smiled. "I wondered the same thing about you. I'm so glad we found each other again."

Takahiro grinned back at her. "Me too, Hina. Me too."

As they walked into the comic book store, Hina felt a sense of happiness wash over her. She couldn't believe that she had randomly run into Takahiro in the hallway, and that they had become such good friends again. It felt like fate had brought them back together, and Hina was grateful for it.

As Hina and Takahiro continued to hang out, they found that they had a lot in common. They both loved comic books, video games, and music. They would spend hours talking about their favorite characters and stories, and Hina loved the way that Takahiro's eyes lit up when he talked about something he was passionate about.

But it wasn't just their shared interests that made Hina and Takahiro's friendship so special. They also had a deep connection that stemmed from their childhood. They had both grown up in the same small town, and they had attended the same elementary school. They had played together on the playground, shared snacks during lunchtime, and explored the woods behind the school together. There was a sense of nostalgia and familiarity between them that Hina couldn't find with anyone else.