The rest of the school day passed in a haze. Haruki moved through the motions, his mind elsewhere, replaying the scene from earlier in the classroom over and over again. Mei’s words echoed in his head, each one striking a chord he wished he could silence.

  “Even if he’s sweet, I’d never date someone like Haruki. He’s a loner and a loser.”

  It shouldn’t have mattered. People had been calling him names like that for as long as he could remember. But coming from Mei—someone he thought might have understood him—it stung in a way he hadn’t expected.

  By the time the final bell rang, Haruki was one of the first to leave. He didn’t bother waiting for anyone, nor did he stick to his usual route home. Instead, he let his feet carry him aimlessly, the noise of the city fading into the background as his thoughts consumed him.

  He ended up at the beach.

  The waves crashed gently against the shore, the salty breeze brushing against his face. Haruki walked along the sand, his shoes crunching softly with each step. The sun was low in the sky, painting the horizon with hues of orange and pink.

  He tried to convince himself that he didn’t care about Mei or what she thought of him. He tried to tell himself that he was better off alone, that he’d always been fine on his own.

  But it wasn’t true.

  As the waves lapped at his feet, Haruki felt the weight of his emotions pressing down on him. He missed her.

  Even after everything she’d said, he missed the way she teased him, the way she smiled when she was holding that silly teddy bear, the way she made the endless monotony of the loop feel a little less suffocating.

  He hated that he missed her.

  Haruki sank to his knees on the shore, his hands gripping the damp sand as the waves crept closer. His chest felt tight, the lump in his throat refusing to go away.

  Before he could stop himself, the tears came.

  Haruki bowed his head, his shoulders trembling as he sobbed quietly into the fading light. He hated this—hated how vulnerable and weak he felt, hated how much he cared.

  “What’s wrong with me?” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the waves.

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  The sand beneath him grew wet with his tears as he let it all out. The frustration, the loneliness, the longing—everything he’d bottled up for so long.

  He wasn’t sure how long he stayed there, the ocean washing away the sand around him. All he knew was that, for the first time in a long while, he felt like he couldn’t do this alone.

  The faint hum of cicadas greeted Haruki as his alarm clock blared at 6:47 a.m.

  He opened his eyes, blinking against the morning light. The familiar weight of the time loop settled on him like a heavy blanket, but something was different this time. The ache in his chest lingered from the day before, but it was accompanied by something else—resolve.

  Haruki pushed himself out of bed, moving with purpose as he went through his morning routine. He didn’t stop to eat breakfast, instead heading straight for the kitchen to brew another pot of coffee. The rich aroma filled the room as he poured the steaming liquid into the same thermos from before.

  He screwed the lid on tightly, slipping it into his bag.

  The walk to school was routine, the same sights and sounds playing out as they always did. The shopkeeper sweeping his storefront, the lazy cat flicking its tail on the fence, and the delivery truck’s horn blaring as it narrowly avoided the biker.

  But Haruki barely noticed any of it. His focus was on one thing.

  When he reached the school gates, he spotted Mei almost immediately. She was chatting with her friends, her laughter ringing out over the noise of the crowd. Haruki approached quietly, slipping the thermos from his bag and holding it out to her.

  Mei noticed him and blinked in surprise. “Haruki?”

  He didn’t say anything, placing the thermos in her hands before turning and walking away without a word.

  Mei stared after him, clutching the thermos tightly.

  The rest of the day passed in a blur for Haruki. He couldn’t focus during class, his mind replaying the plan he’d made over and over.

  When the final bell rang, Haruki didn’t leave with the crowd. Instead, he lingered near the school gates, waiting.

  Mei appeared a few minutes later, her bag slung over her shoulder and the thermos still in her hands. She paused when she saw him, her expression a mix of guilt and uncertainty.

  “Hey,” she said softly, walking up to him.

  “Hey,” Haruki replied, his voice quiet.

  They stood there for a moment, the noise of the departing students fading around them. Finally, Mei sighed, hugging the thermos to her chest.

  “Thanks for this,” she said, glancing down at the coffee. “And… I’m sorry. About yesterday. I shouldn’t have said those things.”

  Haruki nodded, his gaze steady. “Then why did you?”

  Mei winced, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “My friends were teasing me, and I just… I don’t know. I panicked. I didn’t want them to think… you know.”

  Haruki tilted his head. “That you liked me?”

  Mei’s cheeks turned pink, and she looked away. “Yeah.”

  Haruki sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Mei, you don’t have to explain yourself to them. You don’t owe them anything.”

  “I know,” Mei said, her voice small. She looked up at him, her eyes pleading. “But I didn’t mean it, Haruki. I don’t think you’re a loser. I swear.”

  Haruki studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly. “I believe you.”

  Mei blinked. “You… do?”

  “Yeah,” Haruki said, his tone soft. “I forgive you.”

  Relief washed over Mei’s face, and she let out a shaky breath. “Thanks,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Haruki hesitated, then added, “But, Mei?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I can’t do this without you,” he said, his voice firm. “This loop, this whole thing—it’s too much to handle alone. I need you.”

  Mei’s eyes widened, and for a moment, she didn’t say anything. Then, a small smile broke across her face, and she nodded.

  “Okay,” she said. “Let’s figure this out. Together.”

  Haruki smiled faintly, the tension in his chest easing. “Yeah. Together.”

  They walked away from the school gates side by side, the weight of the loop feeling just a little lighter.