💌 Scene 1: Haruko's Unsent Letter
Back at home, Haruko sat at her desk, pen in hand.
The letter was already halfway written.
Kudo-kun,
You confuse me. You're gentle but sharp. Familiar, but so far away…
She stopped writing.
She didn't understand how someone could be so present and so haunted.
Sometimes, I think you look at me like you've lost me before.
She folded the paper… but didn't seal it.
She tucked it into a book—one she always carried, but never finished.
🌙 Scene 2: Rukawa Reads
The next day, that book fell out of Haruko's bag in the gym.
Rukawa picked it up.
The letter slipped out.
He read it—expression unreadable.
Later, when he passed Kudo in the hallway, he stopped.
Stared.
Then muttered:
"Don't waste her."
And walked off.
Kudo blinked. "What the hell does that mean?"
But something inside him… understood.
☁️ Scene 3: Quiet Practice
Coach Anzai kept his promise: no high-pressure drills.
Instead, he sat with Kudo at half court and tossed chess pieces into a basketball diagram.
"Basketball isn't just movement. It's decision. Pattern. Timing."
Kudo listened, oddly at peace.
"You're giving me brain homework, Sensei."
Coach: "Better than giving you a brain hemorrhage."
They chuckled.
And when the others came in, Kudo stood to help rebound. No pressure, no ego.
Just part of the team.
Even Sakuragi didn't tease him this time.
🌄 Scene 4: Evening Light
Later, alone on the school roof, Kudo looked at the sunset.
And for the first time since waking in this world…
He felt grateful to be alive again.
Even if it hurt.
Even if it was messy.
Even if his heart was caught somewhere between past and present.
He whispered into the wind:
"I'll make this second life count. For Akira. For them. For me."
📓 Final Thoughts
I don't know where I'm headed.
But I'm no longer running from what I am.
In this quiet, I found clarity.
And sometimes… silence teaches more than shouting ever could.