Chapter 3.1: Farewell my past
863 Words
Spring had arrived.
Cherry blossoms drifted through the streets of Tokyo like pink snow, covering the sidewalks with petals that danced in the gentle wind.
Shiro stood before a large iron gate, his hands resting in his pockets.
Above the entrance, carved into polished black stone, were four golden characters.
TOKUGAWA ACADEMY
The academy was famous throughout Japan.
A school reserved for the nation's brightest minds and wealthiest families.
Future politicians, scientists, entrepreneurs, athletes, and scholars all gathered there.
Its graduates often entered the finest universities or inherited positions leading Japan's largest corporations.
Many called it the birthplace of the next generation of elites.
Shiro quietly stared at the campus.
Modern buildings stood beside traditional architecture.
Cherry trees lined every pathway.
Students wearing elegant black uniforms walked through the gates with confidence.
Some laughed with friends.
Others discussed books or sports.
It almost looked like another world.
A peaceful one.
One he had never experienced.
The old Shiro Akuma had spent his youth buried beneath endless work.
The young Shiro Shiki had never even reached high school.
Now...
Both of them would finally walk through those gates.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I'll graduate from here."
Not for status.
Not for money.
But because both of his lives deserved to reach that dream.
He quietly turned around and walked back toward the city.
There was still one thing he needed before school started.
New clothes.
Months of proper nutrition and relentless training had changed his body completely.
Every morning he exercised before sunrise.
Running.
Calisthenics.
Stretching.
Shadow boxing.
Swimming whenever possible.
Combined with finally eating healthy meals, his body had transformed.
The frail teenager that once looked ready to collapse had disappeared.
His muscles were lean and defined.
His shoulders broadened.
His posture became straight.
His face lost its unhealthy paleness.
Even his height had changed dramatically.
He had grown from **5'7" to an even six feet tall.**
His long black hair was tied neatly into a ponytail behind him.
His ocean-blue eyes looked calm and mature beyond his years.
People often glanced at him while walking through shopping districts.
Not because he was flashy.
But because he possessed an unusual presence.
A quiet confidence.
One built from surviving two lives.
---
Inside a clothing store, Shiro quietly browsed the racks.
Simple shirts.
Dark jackets.
Comfortable trousers.
Nothing expensive.
He preferred practicality over luxury.
After trying several outfits, he looked at himself in the mirror.
For a brief moment...
He barely recognized the person staring back.
The broken businessman was gone.
The abandoned child was gone.
Standing before him was someone entirely new.
Someone with another chance.
As he left the changing room carrying several bags, someone brushed past his shoulder.
A young girl.
Long dark hair.
Gentle eyes.
About sixteen years old.
Time stopped.
His breathing halted.
His heart pounded painfully inside his chest.
Without thinking...
He whispered softly.
"...Mayuki."
The girl stopped walking.
She slowly turned around.
Her eyes met his.
Confusion filled her face.
"Um..."
She tilted her head.
"How do you know my name?"
Shiro froze.
His lips trembled.
Standing before him wasn't simply a stranger.
It was the daughter he had spent ten years raising.
The little girl whose hand he used to hold while walking to school.
The little girl who called him "Dad."
The child who smiled every birthday.
She had grown taller.
More mature.
Yet her smile was exactly the same.
For one dangerous moment...
He almost wanted to tell her everything.
That he was her father.
That he had watched her grow up.
That he missed her every single day.
But he couldn't.
The man she knew was gone.
Only Shiro Shiki remained.
He lowered his head slightly.
"...I'm sorry."
"I mistook you for someone I once knew."
His voice was calm.
But inside...
His heart was breaking all over again.
The girl looked at him for several seconds.
Then she smiled gently.
It wasn't a smile of recognition.
It was one of simple kindness.
She stepped forward.
Before Shiro could react...
She wrapped her arms around him.
It lasted only a few seconds.
Yet it felt like an eternity.
"You shouldn't look so sad."
She laughed softly.
"The person you're remembering probably wouldn't want that."
Then she stepped away.
She waved once.
"Take care."
And walked into the crowd.
Shiro remained standing in silence.
Watching until she disappeared among hundreds of strangers.
The shopping district bustled with life around him.
Children laughed.
Cars passed by.
Store owners shouted advertisements.
But none of it reached his ears.
He simply stared into the distance.
Then...
Very slowly...
He smiled.
Not the bitter smile of a broken man.
But the peaceful smile of someone finally letting go.
"Thank you..."
Whether he was speaking to Mayuki...
Or to fate itself...
Even he didn't know.
The wind carried cherry blossom petals across the sky.
Shiro looked upward.
His past was behind him now.
His future lay ahead.
This time...
He would not waste it.
This time...
He would live with no regrets.
And tomorrow...
The gates of Tokugawa Academy would open for him.
The story of Shiro Shiki was only just beginning.
**End of Chapter 3.1**
- Writer
