A month had passed since Haru had arrived in Shibuya.
Every morning he woke, laced up his running shoes, and felt the faint but undeniable change in his body.
His ribs were stronger, his legs didn't wobble like wet noodles, and the slight puffiness of his cheeks had melted into a toned, more confident frame.
The system had increased his daily running distance to 3 km, citing that he had "demonstrated sufficient stamina improvements."
Haru stretched against the warm sunlight filtering into the park, taking a deep, steady breath.
His lungs no longer burned after a hundred meters, and each step felt lighter, freer.
"Okay… 3 km. Let's do this," he muttered, and began jogging.
The park was quiet, save for the occasional passerby and distant sounds of Shibuya traffic.
Haru's feet pounded softly on the path, his earbuds in, music pulsing through his veins like a personal soundtrack.
Every now and then, he glanced at the horizon, feeling… alive.
Finishing his run, Haru slowed to a walk, sweat damp on his forehead, chest rising and falling evenly.
He spotted a bench near a tree, the perfect place to sit and catch his breath.
As he approached, he noticed someone sitting there.
Her long, flowy, light-brown hair caught the sunlight, dancing lightly in the breeze. Her brown eyes were calm, observing a small notebook in her hands.
She had a slightly curvy figure and stood about 161 cm.
Just a few centimeters taller than Haru, who now measured 165 cm after his recent growth spurt.
But what truly caught his attention was her legs.
Prosthetic so advanced that even up close, a human could barely distinguish them from real legs.
He heard the subtle click of the toes as she shifted in her seat.
Haru's foot caught on a small root sticking out of the path.
"Whoa!" he yelped, nearly face-planting in front of her.
She glanced up, startled, and gave him a gentle, calm smile. There was no fear, no judgment. Just… warmth.
Haru blinked. Blue glow… calm… neutral… safe. The system's overlay flashed softly before his eyes:
PING
[Bond Potential Detected: Kurasaki Fuuko]
Emotional Color: Calm yellow
Risk: 0%
Compatibility: High
Haru froze for a moment, blinking at the digital text hovering invisibly in his vision.
"…Uh. Hi," he said, voice awkward, scratching the back of his head.
Their First Conversation
The girl tilted her head slightly. "Hello," she said softly. Polite, reserved, but not cold.
Haru hesitated, then plopped down on the bench beside her. "I…I'm Harayuki. I… um… run here sometimes."
She smiled faintly. "Im fuuko kurasaki. I come here often… to read."
The conversation was hesitant at first. Haru stuttered over his words, unsure how to speak normally to someone who didn't know him. She responded gently, offering quiet answers.
"Books… huh?" he said, nodding. "I. uh… like books too. Well… sometimes. Depends on the story."
Fuuko glanced at him, eyes curious. "Do you run a lot?"
"Yeah… um… three kilometers a day now," he said, puffing his chest out slightly, trying to sound casual. "Not for exercise… well, kind of for exercise. Mostly for… uh… avoiding disasters."
She blinked, then smiled lightly. "Avoiding disasters… sounds… important."
Haru's nervousness slowly melted as he realized she didn't treat her prosthetics or him as something strange or worth staring at. He didn't need to tiptoe around her.
Then she sighed softly, and her voice dipped just slightly.
"…I wish I could run like that."
Haru blinked.
"Wait… what do you mean?"
Fuuko glanced down at her legs. "…Because of my prosthetics. They're… amazing, I guess, but I can't run freely. Not like you.
Haru's stomach sank. He had been so focused on his own progress, the miles, the system rewards…
He hadn't considered how much running meant to someone else, or what they might have lost.
"…I didn't… I didn't think about that," he said quietly.
She gave a small shrug, looking down at her notebook. "It's okay. I just… notice it sometimes. You seem so… free. It's… nice to see."
Haru's chest tightened. He wanted to say something encouraging, something that would make her feel seen, but words felt clumsy.
"Kurasaki-san … you are strong," he finally said, hesitantly. "Running isn't the only way to be strong. You're… already incredible."
Her eyes flicked up to meet his, surprised. The faintest smile tugged at her lips.
"…Thanks," she whispered.
PING
[New Bond Potential Detected: Kurasaki Fuuko]
Emotional Color: Soft green (Calm / Empathetic)
Risk: 0%
Compatibility: High
Haru's vision flickered briefly, showing her in soft green highlights. Safe, calm, friendly.
He realized that talking to her listening to her felt effortless. Unlike school, unlike bullies, unlike the constant pressure from the system, she didn't judge.
Haru's Side
Why does talking to her feel… normal? he wondered.
Unlike school, unlike bullies, unlike the weird system overlays he'd been relying on, Fuuko was… just another person.
And Haru felt calm, not anxious. Not stressed. Not on edge as if he met someone he could be friends with.
Haru's chest swelled with a new kind of motivation. If he could keep running, improving, growing, maybe he could be strong enough to protect people like her.
After a few more minutes of awkward but friendly conversation, Haru stood up.
"I… uh… should probably get going," he said, stretching lightly.
Fuuko nodded, closing her notebook. "See you… maybe tomorrow?"
Haru grinned, heart lighter than it had been in weeks. "…Yeah. Tomorrow."
He jogged off slowly, careful not to trip this time. The sun was lower now, casting long shadows across the park.
He felt the wind against his face, the rhythmic pounding of his feet, and the rare smile forming across his face.
Ping
[Motivation Increased +2]
[Empathy Skill Gained +1]
Haru didn't know what the future held, didn't know if he'd see her again.
But for now, he had gained another friend who treated him normally and inspired him quietly.