It started with a scent.
Faint. Like rain on dust.
Then a sound—a single note from a piano, played in a place that didn't exist.
Kaito sat on the roof of the school again, watching the sky, but this time the air felt... warmer. More familiar.
Something stirred inside him.
Not pain. Not evolution.
> A memory.
---
Flashback – Another World, Another Life
Kaito had never truly remembered the world before this one.
He'd known he was reincarnated—born again into the wild chaos of yokai, ghosts, and aliens—but the pieces of his past self had been like fog in a broken mirror.
Now, one fragment pushed through:
> A small room. A boy at a piano.
A girl beside him, laughing.
A promise whispered at twilight:
"No matter what we become… remember me."
The girl's face was still unclear.
But the feeling—devotion, loss, hope—was sharp enough to cut bone.
---
Present – Rooftop Realization
Momo found him staring into space again, quieter than usual.
"You okay?" she asked, sitting beside him.
"I remembered something," he said, voice rough. "From before."
Momo blinked. "From before you came here?"
He nodded slowly.
"I don't know her name. Or where we were. But… she was important. More than anyone. And I promised her I'd remember."
He closed his eyes.
> "But I forgot."
Momo didn't speak for a long moment.
Then, softly: "Maybe that memory's not gone. Maybe it was just waiting until you were strong enough to carry it."
---
Ayase Household – Late Night Conversation
Later that night, Kaito sat with Seiko on the porch.
"I remembered someone from my old life," he said. "Someone I think I loved."
Seiko blew smoke into the air, thoughtful. "That kind of memory isn't just data. It's soul-bound. Comes back when your heart can recognize it."
He looked down at his hands. "But why now?"
"Because," she said, tapping the end of her pipe, "you're not just evolving physically anymore. Your soul is remembering its shape. That includes everything—pain, love, failure, hope."
She turned to him, eyes sharp.
> "Be careful. Some memories are blessings. Others are chains."
---
Midnight – The Dream That Wasn't Just a Dream
That night, Kaito dreamed again.
But this time, it didn't feel like a vision.
It felt like home.
A piano room. That girl again. Her face still in shadow, but closer now.
She pressed her hand to his.
> "You're waking up," she whispered. "Finally."
He looked at her, eyes wide. "Who are you?"
She smiled, sad and soft.
> "You'll remember the name when you're ready to let go of what you've become… and accept what you were."
He reached for her.
> "Wait—please—!"
He awoke with tears in his eyes.
---
Power Awakens – Memory-Based Evolution
As he sat upright in the futon, breathing hard, his chest burned.
His mark glowed not just blue now—but gold.
Words appeared in his vision.
> New Trait Acquired: Echo Core
(Past-life emotional residue detected. Access to memory-fragment energy enhances spirit-based defense and memory re-anchoring. Bond strength increased with emotional triggers.)
Kaito stared at the words.
> "Memory can be a weapon… or a key."
He looked toward the window, the moon high in the sky.
And for the first time, he whispered into the darkness:
> "I remember you."
---
The Connection Deepens – Rin's Reaction
The next day, Rin cornered Kaito behind the school.
"You've changed again," she said. "Your aura. Your… presence. It's softer. Sadder."
Kaito didn't deny it. "I remembered someone."
"From the past life?"
He nodded.
Rin's eyes darkened. "Is that why you're pulling away lately?"
"I'm not pulling away," he said softly. "But… there's a hole in my heart I didn't know was there. And now that I can feel it, everything else feels different."
Rin looked down, then back up.
> "Just promise one thing," she said.
> "What?"
> "Don't forget us because you remembered her."
Kaito gave a small, honest smile.
> "Never."
---
Alien Observation – The Hidden Cost
Meanwhile, high above Earth, the watchers took note.
> "Subject Kaito has accessed first-stage emotional restoration. Memory-trigger pathways are activating latent energy structures."
> "This development was not predicted. Emotional bonds from the previous iteration survived memory reset."
A voice colder than stars replied:
> "Then he's not just evolving."
"He's remembering who he was. And that could change everything."
---
Closing Scene – Momo's Words
That night, Kaito stood with Momo on the roof again.
She watched him, serious for once.
"You still love her, don't you?" she asked quietly.
Kaito didn't answer right away.
Then: "I don't know if I love her… or just the memory of her. But I owe her something."
He looked over at her.
"But that doesn't mean I can't care about who's here now."
Momo smiled, eyes glimmering.
> "Good. Because you're not the only one who remembers pain."
They stood in silence—together under the stars.