Prologue – Episode 1: A Childhood Promise?

【Nakamaru Residence】

【Tokyo, Japan】

【April 17, 2018】

【03:00】

My name is Mikichi Nakamaru. I’m fourteen years old.

“Mikichi! Are you still watching?”

“Yeah, I’m awake.”

I’m watching the Boston Marathon together with my childhood friend, Hikaru Rei. She lives next door to me.

She has blue hair and blue eyes.

“Don’t fall asleep.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Rei is a member of our middle school’s track and field club. She would drag me along to watch her races and make me accompany her to other events as well.

A few weeks ago, Rei asked me, “Want to watch the Boston Marathon together at my place?” She was my best friend, so there was no way I could refuse her request.

“Yuki Kawauchi is in the lead.”

Rei whispered excitedly to me.

“Yeah.”

I nodded, my eyes wide open.

This year’s Boston Marathon was being held in a raging rainstorm. Yet somehow, in weather that terrible, Kawauchi seemed to have turned the conditions to his advantage.

The moment Kawauchi crossed the finish line, I suddenly felt inspired.

And I wanted to surprise my adorable best friend.

When we went upstairs to sleep, I decided to tell Rei what I had been thinking. Rei was lying on a futon while I was in my bed.

“Rei. I want to become a runner.”

“Really?”

Rei suddenly came over to my bed and sat down beside me.

“Yeah.”

Rei smiled, her eyes sparkling.

“Can we make a promise?”

I blushed and nodded.

For some reason, it felt almost as though I were proposing to her.

“What kind of promise?”

“Will you become one of the top runners in the Boston Marathon?”

“Yes.”

I gave her a thumbs-up.

“Then, as proof of our promise, I’ll keep cheering you on and watching over you.”

“It’s a promise!”

“Pinky promise?”

“Pinky promise.”

Rei and I hooked our little fingers together and made our promise.

Afterward, Rei returned to her futon.

“Good night.”

“Good night.”

【Nakamaru Residence】

【Tokyo, Japan】

【April 18, 2018】

【10:00】

When I woke up, Rei was staring at my face.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

After getting ready and eating breakfast, we left the house and started walking.

“Mom! I’m going out with Rei!”

“Have fun!”

The moment the two of us stepped outside, a mysterious man appeared.

He was wearing a short black coat with a hood, a black tank top, black shorts, and black running shoes. His hood concealed his face, but I could see his blue eyes glowing beneath it.

“Who are you?”

I instinctively took a fighting stance.

“Oh? You have martial arts experience?”

“Yes. My friend trains at a dojo.”

Rei answered the man, then turned toward me.

“Mikichi, it’s okay. I know this man.”

I lowered my guard.

Rei and the man continued talking.

“They’ve discovered your location.”

“I see.”

“You need to evacuate immediately.”

“Do I really need to leave?”

“Bravo Team is holding the enemy back for now.”

“All right. Let’s go.”

“Should I cast a memory-erasing spell?”

“No. I’ll do it.”

“Understood.”

Rei turned toward me, tears welling in her eyes.

“Mikichi, I’m sorry.”

“What about our promise?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll still be watching over you. Goodbye.”

Rei began drawing an enormous blue magic circle.

The magic circle stretched high into the sky before disappearing.

“Magic… really exists?”

Suddenly, I began losing consciousness.

“Wait! Don’t go!”

As I collapsed to the ground, the mysterious man and Rei began running away.

I reached out my hand.

Then my eyes closed.

【Nakamaru Residence】

【Tokyo, Japan】

【April 18, 2018】

【13:00】

“Mikichi!”

“Mom?”

Mom had black hair and black eyes, and she was wearing an apron.

When I opened my eyes, I realized that I was lying on the ground.

“Are you okay? You were lying unconscious in front of our house.”

“I’m fine. I think I just got dizzy.”

“Thank goodness.”

“What happened to the girl who was with me?”

“What girl? You went outside by yourself.”

Suddenly, I realized that I could no longer remember the girl.

My memories of her were incredibly vague.

However, I could still remember that I had made a promise with someone.

“Mom, are you sure?”

“Yes.”

I quickly stood up and hurried toward the house next door.

When I arrived at our neighbor’s house, I rang the doorbell.

A woman opened the door.

“Hello! Is your daughter home?”

“I don’t have a daughter.”

“I see. I’m sorry for bothering you.”

I immediately bowed and left the house.

＊＊＊

I asked the people around me about that girl, but everyone said that no such person existed.

They seemed to think I had invented an imaginary friend.

What was more, I realized that I could no longer remember the girl’s name or appearance.

Every memory of the time I had spent with her had become hazy.

Even so, I decided to keep the promise I had made with my imaginary friend.

During my final year of middle school, I joined the track and field club.

After graduating from middle school, I joined the track team in high school as well.

After graduating from high school, I contin# Prologue

## Episode 1: A Childhood Promise?

【Nakamaru Residence】

【Tokyo, Japan】

【April 17, 2018】

【03:00】

My name is Mikichi Nakamaru. I’m fourteen years old.

“Mikichi! Are you still watching?”

“Yeah, I’m awake.”

I’m watching the Boston Marathon together with my childhood friend, Hikaru Rei. She lives next door to me.

She has blue hair and blue eyes.

“Don’t fall asleep.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Rei is a member of our middle school’s track and field club. She would drag me along to watch her races and make me accompany her to other events as well.

A few weeks ago, Rei asked me, “Want to watch the Boston Marathon together at my place?” She was my best friend, so there was no way I could refuse her request.

“Yuki Kawauchi is in the lead.”

Rei whispered excitedly to me.

“Yeah.”

I nodded, my eyes wide open.

This year’s Boston Marathon was being held in a raging rainstorm. Yet somehow, in weather that terrible, Kawauchi seemed to have turned the conditions to his advantage.

The moment Kawauchi crossed the finish line, I suddenly felt inspired.

And I wanted to surprise my adorable best friend.

When we went upstairs to sleep, I decided to tell Rei what I had been thinking. Rei was lying on a futon while I was in my bed.

“Rei. I want to become a runner.”

“Really?”

Rei suddenly came over to my bed and sat down beside me.

“Yeah.”

Rei smiled, her eyes sparkling.

“Can we make a promise?”

I blushed and nodded.

For some reason, it felt almost as though I were proposing to her.

“What kind of promise?”

“Will you become one of the top runners in the Boston Marathon?”

“Yes.”

I gave her a thumbs-up.

“Then, as proof of our promise, I’ll keep cheering you on and watching over you.”

“It’s a promise!”

“Pinky promise?”

“Pinky promise.”

Rei and I hooked our little fingers together and made our promise.

Afterward, Rei returned to her futon.

“Good night.”

“Good night.”

【Nakamaru Residence】

【Tokyo, Japan】

【April 18, 2018】

【10:00】

When I woke up, Rei was staring at my face.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

After getting ready and eating breakfast, we left the house and started walking.

“Mom! I’m going out with Rei!”

“Have fun!”

The moment the two of us stepped outside, a mysterious man appeared.

He was wearing a short black coat with a hood, a black tank top, black shorts, and black running shoes. His hood concealed his face, but I could see his blue eyes glowing beneath it.

“Who are you?”

I instinctively took a fighting stance.

“Oh? You have martial arts experience?”

“Yes. My friend trains at a dojo.”

Rei answered the man, then turned toward me.

“Mikichi, it’s okay. I know this man.”

I lowered my guard.

Rei and the man continued talking.

“They’ve discovered your location.”

“I see.”

“You need to evacuate immediately.”

“Do I really need to leave?”

“Bravo Team is holding the enemy back for now.”

“All right. Let’s go.”

“Should I cast a memory-erasing spell?”

“No. I’ll do it.”

“Understood.”

Rei turned toward me, tears welling in her eyes.

“Mikichi, I’m sorry.”

“What about our promise?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll still be watching over you. Goodbye.”

Rei began drawing an enormous blue magic circle.

The magic circle stretched high into the sky before disappearing.

“Magic… really exists?”

Suddenly, I began losing consciousness.

“Wait! Don’t go!”

As I collapsed to the ground, the mysterious man and Rei began running away.

I reached out my hand.

Then my eyes closed.

【Nakamaru Residence】

【Tokyo, Japan】

【April 18, 2018】

【13:00】

“Mikichi!”

“Mom?”

Mom had black hair and black eyes, and she was wearing an apron.

When I opened my eyes, I realized that I was lying on the ground.

“Are you okay? You were lying unconscious in front of our house.”

“I’m fine. I think I just got dizzy.”

“Thank goodness.”

“What happened to the girl who was with me?”

“What girl? You went outside by yourself.”

Suddenly, I realized that I could no longer remember the girl.

My memories of her were incredibly vague.

However, I could still remember that I had made a promise with someone.

“Mom, are you sure?”

“Yes.”

I quickly stood up and hurried toward the house next door.

When I arrived at our neighbor’s house, I rang the doorbell.

A woman opened the door.

“Hello! Is your daughter home?”

“I don’t have a daughter.”

“I see. I’m sorry for bothering you.”

I immediately bowed and left the house.

＊＊＊

I asked the people around me about that girl, but everyone said that no such person existed.

They seemed to think I had invented an imaginary friend.

What was more, I realized that I could no longer remember the girl’s name or appearance.

Every memory of the time I had spent with her had become hazy.

Even so, I decided to keep the promise I had made with my imaginary friend.

During my final year of middle school, I joined the track and field club.

After graduating from middle school, I joined the track team in high school as well.

After graduating from high school, I continued with track and field at university.

Eventually, however, I began to think that the promise had been nothing more than a childhood fantasy.

And little by little, I lost interest in running.

In the end, I became an ordinary office worker.

My hobbies are anime and video games.
ued with track and field at university.

Eventually, however, I began to think that the promise had been nothing more than a childhood fantasy.

And little by little, I lost interest in running.

In the end, I became an ordinary office worker.

My hobbies are anime and video games.