Taki, Taki.

Her tone is earnest, pleading, as if she’s about to cry. A voice trembling with loneliness, like the glimmer of distant stars.

The blurry image sharpens. Taki, Mitsuha’s calling.

“Don’t you remember me?”

And then I recall her memories of that day.

That day, instead of going to school, Mitsuha got on a train.

She went to a big terminal station, where the Shinkansen to Tokyo stopped. The local train she took to get there was empty, despite the fact that it was rush hour, when students were heading to school. Since there were no schools along the track, everyone who commuted around here drove.

“I’m goin’ into Tokyo for a bit.”

This had been Mitsuha’s abrupt announcement to her little sister when they left the house that morning.

“Huh? Now? Why?!” Yotsuha asks, startled.

“Um… For a date?”

“Wha—?! Sis, you have a boyfriend in Tokyo?!”

“Uh, well… It’s not my date.” Unsure how to explain herself, Mitsuha breaks into a run. “I’ll be back tonight. Don’t worry!”

Gazing at the scenery flying past the window of the bullet train, Mitsuha wonders:

Why am I crashin’ Okudera-senpai and Taki’s date? It’s not like the three of us can just hang out together. Besides, I’ve never been to Tokyo before. Will I even be able to find Taki? Even if I do, will it bother him that I’m showin’ up out of the blue? Will he be surprised? Maybe he’ll be upset…

With an uncomplicated ease almost inviting disappointment, the Shinkansen slides into Tokyo. The incredible crowds leave Mitsuha breathless, but she tries calling my cell. “…Because the unit is out of range or turned off, the number you are trying to reach is…” She hangs up. Just like the other calls, it didn’t go through.

I’ll never find him, Mitsuha thinks.

Still, after staring at the station information board like it’s a quiz, she heads into the city, relying on her vague memories.

But if I do see him…

She rides the Yamanote Line, the city bus, walks, takes another train, then walks some more.

What’ll I do? It probably will bother him, right? Maybe it’ll be awkward. Or maybe—

She sees the words Comet Tiamat at Closest Point Tomorrow on a big outdoor TV screen.

Or, if I do find him, just maybe, will he—?

Tired from walking, she gazes at the sparkling lights of the buildings from a pedestrian bridge and thinks, almost praying:

If I find Taki, maybe he’ll be just a little bit happy…

She starts walking again, still thinking.

I’ll never find him searchin’ randomly like this. I won’t, but I know one thing for sure. If we meet, we’ll know right away. “You’re the one who was in me. I’m the one who was in you.”

Mitsuha’s certain of this, as if it’s as simple as two plus two.

The evening sun sinks through the gap between the station platform roofs, as weak as a dying flashlight.