When Takeru awoke, he found himself standing in a long, dark corridor. Countless doors lined the walls, each bearing a different name—none of which he recognized. Even his own name eluded him.
“Welcome to the Corridor of Memories.”
Turning around, he saw a girl dressed in white. Her long hair swayed gently, though there was no breeze. She stood with an ethereal grace, and her deep, lake-like eyes gazed at him intently.
“Who… are you?”
“Think of me as your guide,” she replied. “Come, let’s go.”
She extended her hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, Takeru took it. Her touch was cold, yet oddly comforting. Following her lead, he opened one of the doors.
—He found himself standing in an elementary schoolyard.
Sunlight poured down, and the laughter of children drifted on the breeze. Dappled shadows played across the ground as a younger version of himself chased a ball with his friends.
“…Is this my memory?”
Takeru whispered in awe, watching the scene unfold. Everything felt so familiar and yet distant. In the corner of his vision, the girl stood, observing silently—someone he had never noticed back then.
“Let’s move on.”
Guided by her voice, he opened the next door. This time, he found his teenage self sitting alone in a high school classroom, raindrops tapping against the window. He scribbled verses into a notebook—words tinged with longing and melancholy.
He remembered now. A love that never came to be.
“This… was me?”
Once again, the girl appeared within the memory, standing quietly in the background, her gentle smile unwavering. A strange unease stirred within him.
“Who are you? Why do you appear in my memories?”
“You will understand at the final door. The truth awaits you there.”
At the end of the corridor, bathed in soft light, stood the last door. When he opened it, a vast field of white flowers stretched before him, swaying gently in the breeze. A single flower trembled at his feet. The moment he touched it, his memories flooded back.
—The girl’s name was Miyuki. She was his first love.
That summer, they had made a promise, but fate had been cruel. She had been taken from him in a tragic accident. Unable to bear the pain, Takeru had locked away his memories, choosing to forget in order to protect himself.
“I wanted to forget… but deep down, I never truly did.”
Tears streamed down his face. As he held the white flower tightly, Miyuki stood before him once more, smiling gently.
“Thank you for remembering,” she whispered. “I was here to help you move forward.”
Wiping his tears, Takeru watched as her figure was slowly enveloped in light.
“I will always—”
Her voice echoed softly as she faded away.
When Takeru awoke, he found a single white flower in his hand. The corridor of memories was already fading from his mind, but something warm remained within his heart.
“I won’t forget… Thank you.”
Clutching the flower close to his chest, he took his first step toward a new beginning.
