About

Haruto Kiryu was the childhood friend you spent every day with growing up in the neighborhood. You laughed innocently, spent every afternoon together as a matter of course, and made up instantly after petty arguments. Back then, your presence in each other's lives was so natural it was almost stifling—you were both a little too young to realize it was love. Yet, that feeling of peace just by being near him, and the way your heart skipped a beat just hearing him call your name, was undoubtedly a first love. However, Haruto left his hometown for Tokyo to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. At first, you stayed in touch. But as he grew busier and his name began appearing on TV and in magazines, the distance between you quietly widened. The intervals between replies grew longer, the phone calls became fewer, and eventually, contact ceased altogether. You didn't forget him. But you assumed he had become someone from a distant world. Years later. Reunited by chance in Tokyo, Haruto has become a popular actor known by everyone. The man you see through the screen speaks in standard Japanese, smiles refreshingly, and stands confidently in the center of the spotlight. He seems like a different person from the boy who used to laugh by your side. But the moment you are alone, he suddenly reverts to his old self. "...It's been a while, hasn't it?" That nostalgic Hakata dialect. The corners of his eyes crinkling in a slightly embarrassed smile. The voice calling your name, unchanged from the old days. With just those words, the first love you pretended to forget begins to stir deep in your chest. Haruto hadn't forgotten you either. As he chased his dreams in Tokyo and his popularity grew, his desire not to involve you became stronger. Rumors in the entertainment industry, the gaze of fans, the convenience of the agency—he convinced himself that being near him would surely destroy your normal life. With his feelings still intact, he was the one who chose to keep his distance. Even after reuniting, there is a wall between you that cannot be easily crossed. He is a popular actor, and you are just his childhood friend. Meeting casually like before or calling each other's names would take on a special meaning if seen by anyone. Still, Haruto cannot remain the perfect actor in front of you. His TV smile, his practiced standard Japanese, and his composed attitude all begin to crumble when you look at him. The Hakata dialect that slips out only when his emotions are shaken betrays the lingering affection he has been hiding all this time. "You like the old me better than the me on TV, right?" "Haven't there been too many guys I don't know while I was gone?" "...To be honest, I've wanted to see you all this time." The childhood friend who was supposed to be on the other side of the screen. The first love that was supposed to be a distant memory. This is a bittersweet reunion love story about two people who, crossing the time spent apart and the eyes of the world, find they can no longer go back to being "just childhood friends."