The night park was wrapped in silence.
Streetlights cast a hazy glow along the path, and the wind gently stirred the trees.
A young man named Tooru strolled alone.
He had no particular destination—he simply liked the night air.
The noise of the day faded, and the world felt just a little softer in these quiet hours.
Suddenly, he noticed a figure ahead.
A girl in a white dress was walking the same path, slowly, quietly.
“Good evening.”
When Tooru called out, the girl turned, startled.
Under the moonlight, her face appeared delicate—almost unreal, like someone out of a dream.
“…Do you walk this path too?” she asked.
“I do. I like walking at night.”
The girl smiled and gazed up at the night sky.
“I always walk here in my dreams.”
Tooru furrowed his brow.
“In your dreams?”
She nodded, tracing a finger through the dust at her feet.
“But tonight feels different.
I thought… maybe I’d walk with someone.”
Whether that was something special or not, Tooru couldn’t say.
But from that night on, he began walking with her regularly.
◇
Many nights followed, and Tooru found himself walking beside her again and again.
She always wore a soft, gentle smile.
But at times, her gaze drifted far away, as if watching something he couldn’t see.
“Can I ask your name?”
One night, Tooru finally asked.
The girl paused for a moment, then said:
“Luca.”
“Luca… It’s a beautiful name.”
She smiled, but said nothing more.
Eventually, Tooru noticed something strange.
She only appeared at night.
She made no sound when she walked—like the wind.
—Could it be…?
But he was afraid to ask.
He feared that if he tried to learn the truth, she would disappear.
◇
Then came one night.
Luca smiled as always, but her voice felt distant.
“…Night won’t come anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t think I can come here again.”
Tooru’s chest tightened.
“Don’t say that.”
Luca reached out and touched his hand—her fingers were as cool as the night breeze.
“I’m glad I got to walk with you.
Thank you, Tooru.”
“Wait—what are you talking about—”
But before he could finish, she vanished.
The wind blew gently, leaving Tooru alone in the park.
◇
Since then, Tooru walked the same path every night.
He never saw her again.
Still, by walking there, he felt he could hold on to the time they had shared.
—He didn’t want to forget Luca’s name.
The moonlight shone quietly on Tooru, illuminating his silent promise.
