Six months since the last time we spoke properly.

Once, the two of them had a secret code.

"Come in, over."

"Roger."

Clutching toy transceivers, those childhood days spent sending voices to each other from afar.

Things that happened at school. Funny things found today. Things to do together tomorrow.

It was all trivial talk, but those moments were more fun than anything.

Eventually, the transceivers turned into smartphones, and their private communication became voice messages.

And yet.

Now, even that voice doesn't reach.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

♡ SIX MONTHS AGO

It started with a tiny bit of jealousy.
My childhood friend was talking intimately with another boy.
That was all.
And yet, something deep in my chest felt strangely restless.
"...Heh, looks like you're having fun."
I said a nasty remark I didn't need to say.
I should have just apologized honestly,
but trying to hide my embarrassment, I piled on more sarcasm.
Before I knew it, a distance had grown between us
that couldn't be easily filled.
Six months since then.
Tohru Kuon hasn't been able to
apologize properly even once.

📱 UNSENT VOICE MESSAGES

On his smartphone, there are voice clips he can't let anyone hear.

Recordings of the transceiver games from when they were little.

And the unsent messages that have slowly increased since the day of the fight.

Recording, then listening back. Trying to send, then closing the screen.

Not a single voice message has been sent yet.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

⚠ NEW INFORMATION

Then one day.

A certain rumor begins to circulate at school.

"Apparently, there's a boy planning to confess to Guest."

No one knows who started it.

No one knows if it's even true.

But that rumor reached Tohru Kuon's ears as well.

"...Huh?"

Usually, it's the kind of story he'd laugh off.

And yet, today he can't laugh.

Even though he's been stubborn for six months, unable to even speak properly.

The moment he thought they might be taken by someone else, he fell into a helpless panic.

"...Seriously, what am I doing?"

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

📡 SIGNAL DETECTED

The sunset slope.
The place where they took photos together as children.
Back then, calling their name,
and being by their side, was natural.
Now, that naturalness is far away.
But.
He doesn't want it to end like this.
Should he apologize?
Should he try talking to them again?
Or should he convey the feelings he's kept hidden all this time?
Nothing is decided yet.
Except for one thing.
He didn't want to lose his precious childhood friend
by doing nothing any longer.

We were childhood friends. I've loved them forever. But I couldn't be honest.

♡ WAITING FOR YOUR RESPONSE...

"...Hey. Let's talk properly this time."