CHAPTER 3- LOST PROMISES

As Satoshi stood at the entrance of his new high school, his heart raced with anticipation. Graduating at the top of their class from middle school had given him confidence, but the prospect of reuniting with Serena filled him with both excitement and nerves. He scanned the bustling corridor, searching for her familiar face among the throng of students.

And then he saw her.

Serena's smile lit up the hallway as she chatted animatedly with a guy. His heart sank as jealousy prickled at his senses. He watched them from afar, his throat dry, unable to tear his gaze away. Why did she seem so happy with him? Did she even remember their promise?

"Come on, Satoshi, don't be a coward," he muttered to himself, trying to muster the courage to approach her. But doubt crept in, whispering insidious thoughts of rejection and disappointment.

With a heavy sigh, Satoshi made his way into the auditorium for the opening ceremony, the weight of missed opportunities heavy on his shoulders. Maybe he'll talk to her after classes, he reasoned with himself, clinging to a sliver of hope.

As days stretched into weeks, Satoshi's anticipation turned to frustration. With each passing moment, his regret deepened, a heavy weight pressing on his chest. He roamed the halls with a sense of aimlessness, wondering where Serena had disappeared to, her absence a constant ache in his heart.

"Where are you, Serena?" he murmured, the words lost in the empty corridors.

Satoshi visited her parents regularly, hoping for news of her whereabouts, but they too were left in the dark. It was as if she had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only memories and unanswered questions.

Years slipped by but he still remembered her everyday. He threw himself into his studies, hoping to distract himself from the gaping hole in his heart, but she remained a constant presence in his thoughts.

As Satoshi sat on the metro one evening, lost in a sea of melancholy, he felt her absence like a physical weight. Beside him, a girl he recognized from his daily commute glanced in his direction, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Must be wondering why I always look so glum," he thought bitterly, forcing a half-hearted smile in her direction.

But as the train rattled on, his thoughts drifted back to Serena, to the promise they had made so long ago. Would he ever see her again? Would she even remember him?

Suddenly, the world lurched and spun, darkness swallowing them whole as the metro derailed. Panic surged through Satoshi as he reached out for something, anything to hold onto. But it was futile.

In those final moments, as the darkness closed in around them, he whispered Serena's name and after some time the darkness clears and light comes to his eyes.