2.1 — Mischief in the Sandbox
The sun was warm, the sky impossibly blue, and the world blissfully ordinary.
Sendai's neighborhood park was alive with laughter—toddlers waddled about like ducklings, mothers chatted over juice boxes, and amidst the chaos, Minato Tachibana, age 4, was standing on top of the sandbox with a stick like a sword and a leaf tied to his head.
> "I hereby claim this land as the Kingdom of Dirtonia! I am King Minato the Bold!"
Nearby, several kids clapped, utterly swept up in his declaration. He had that kind of charm—cheerful, bold, and wildly confident, even when he had absolutely no idea what he was doing. His smile could get him out of any trouble. His brilliant photographic memory often confused adults who wondered how such a small boy remembered entire maps from memory, but Minato always laughed it off.
> "It's not magic! I just remember things!"
"Also, the dog buried a sock there—so don't step on it!"
Meanwhile, seated with both hands in her lap, was Chiharu Aizawa, watching him with wide, anxious eyes from the shade of the cherry blossom tree.
> "He's so carefree... like a wind that doesn't care where it blows..." she muttered, staring with a blush. "Why is he so cute when he's being stupid—wait, no! Don't look like that when you fall in the sand, idiot!"
Her mind spun at lightspeed.
Did he mean it when he said I was his 'general'?
What if he thinks I'm just another minion?
Should I bring him a juice box to express gratitude? Wait, wouldn't that be too obvious? What if he thinks I'm weird?!
Despite being just four years old, Chiharu was far too intelligent for her own good. Her memory rivaled Minato's—but unlike him, who used it to navigate life with bold curiosity, she used it to overanalyze every little interaction, especially when it came to the boy next door.
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2.2 — Two Little Monsters, One School
The day they entered kindergarten together was a disaster waiting to happen.
Minato stood confidently in the doorway, hands on his hips.
> "Everyone! I'm Minato Tachibana, and I remember the faces of 346 Pokémon by color, name, and region. I also make good sandcastles."
The teacher blinked. "T-Thank you for that, Minato-kun."
Chiharu stood next. Her hands trembled as she clutched the edge of her skirt. She looked down.
> "I... I'm Chiharu Aizawa… I like books and puzzles and… I'm sorry for existing."
> "Whaaat?" Minato grinned, nudging her side. "Don't be weird, Chiharu. You're super smart! Remember when you solved that 100-piece puzzle upside down?"
She nearly fainted on the spot.
> He remembers that?! Is he... is he watching me that closely?!
Her heart fluttered, and she avoided his gaze the rest of the day. Of course, Minato didn't notice her beet-red face. He was too busy trying to teach other kids how to stack cups into "castle towers."
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2.3 — Bento Box Panic
By the time they were five, they had a routine:
Walk to school together.
Chiharu wakes him up because he sleeps through alarms.
Minato calls her "Chii-chan" casually (which makes her soul explode each time).
He flirts without knowing, and she dies internally.
One such day, Minato opened his bento during lunch and looked over at Chiharu's with sparkling eyes.
> "Whoa! Chii-chan, yours looks way better! Mine's just rice and fish, but yours has little octopus sausages!"
> "D-Do… Do you want to share…?" she asked, half-hiding her face behind her box.
> "Really?! Yes! You're the best!" he said, smiling brightly and immediately taking a bite from her box.
He used her chopsticks.
He used her chopsticks.
HE USED HER CHOPSTICKS.
> That's practically indirect kissing! Does he not realize it?! Wait—did he do it on purpose?! Is this how normal couples act?! Are we dating now?!
Chiharu entered a silent spiral of overthinking. Her brain was racing while her hands just kept passing him side dishes with a dazed look.
> "You okay, Chii-chan?" Minato asked between bites.
> "Yes, I am a cucumber," she replied automatically.
Minato nodded in complete confusion. "Cool!"
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2.4 — Childhood Friends and a Secret Feeling
They were an odd pair.
Minato—the confident, cheerful boy with a sharp memory and endless curiosity. He was the type to rescue a bug from a puddle or climb a tree for someone's lost hat. He didn't realize it, but he often made girls swoon by just being himself.
Chiharu—the quietly observant girl with a genius intellect and a heart she couldn't control. She would draw elaborate relationship flowcharts in her notebook, trying to calculate whether offering him chocolate counted as romantic or friendly.
They played, they fought, they laughed.
He called her his "partner in crime."
She called him "stupid idiot prince" in her head while blushing madly.
And every day, their bond grew deeper—without them ever noticing.
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2.5 — The Glimmer of Destiny
Late one evening, after a shared ice cream from the neighborhood store, they sat beneath a vending machine light.
Chiharu stared up at the stars.
> "Minato… do you ever feel like we've met before?"
> "Huh? I don't think so," he replied, licking his cone. "But if we did, I bet you were the smart one and I was the cool one."
> "You're already cool," she said before realizing her mouth moved faster than her brain.
He blinked, surprised. Then smiled.
> "Thanks, Chii-chan. You're always sweet."
Chiharu didn't sleep that night. She rewrote the moment ten times in her diary.
---
Their story had just begun.