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Chapter 6
“How to Win Back a Childhood Friend’s Heart”
A pair of lively, shimmering violet eyes filled Dante’s vision. The girl who turned toward him with a puzzled expression lit up the moment she recognized him.
“Oh, Dante. Good morning!”
Dante stared blankly at the girl smiling and waving at him.
She looked noticeably younger than the last time he saw her, but there was no mistake. It was Faye.
His only childhood friend. A girl like the sun, whom he had always wished for happiness.
“Hey, what’s going on? You’re late today, that’s not like you—… huh?”
The moment he realized it, his eyes grew hot.
Only after seeing Faye’s startled face did Dante realize he was crying.
The sensation of tears rolling down his cheeks felt eerily vivid.
Why was it, at this moment, that he couldn’t stop crying? He hadn’t even cried when he heard of her death.
Since hearing of her obituary, he had been walking on dry, brittle ground. He knew he was sad, yet he had even blamed himself for being unable to shed a single tear for her.
Dante’s feet moved again.
He pushed past the students staring at him and walked straight toward Faye, then suddenly pulled her into his arms.
Faye flinched at the sudden embrace. Still, Dante held her tighter and buried his face in her shoulder.
“…Dante?”
“Just a moment.”
Just for a moment.
At those words, Faye didn’t press further and instead gently patted his back with both hands.
That alone made something heavy pressing on Dante’s chest begin to loosen.
Faye was alive. Not the pale, bloodless face he last remembered, but warm skin filled with color, a living body, and a gentle voice reminding him this was reality.
“Seriously, why are you suddenly crying? You’re worrying me.”
“You’re safe… thank goodness.”
“Huh?”
“…I just had a nightmare.”
“Wow, even you have days like that, Dante.”
A soft laugh brushed past his ear, tickling his heart. Before he could even question this unfamiliar feeling, a bell rang in the distance.
The 9 o’clock bell.
Only then did Dante come to his senses. He let go of her and looked down at Faye, his eyes slightly red. A dark stain remained on her right shoulder.
Apologizing for dirtying her clothes could wait. Something more important came first.
Wiping his eyes roughly, Dante suddenly spoke.
“Faye.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry in advance.”
“Huh? Eek!”
With that, Dante slid one arm under her knees and the other behind her back and lifted her up.
Faye instinctively grabbed his neck. Dante whispered calmly,
“Hold on tight. I’m going to run!”
He had to reach the classroom before the bell stopped ringing. Otherwise, he’d be late.
Dante pushed through the remaining students and started running with a determined expression. Faye looked up at him for a moment, then leaned her head against his shoulder with a small smile.
—
Fortunately, they arrived just barely before class started.
However, since Dante and Faye had different first-period classes, he was bound to be marked late.
He didn’t even know what thoughts had filled the rest of the morning. But by the time the morning classes ended, Dante was certain—he had returned to the time right before graduation.
There were about ten days left until the graduation party.
“Hey, Igniel!”
With no afternoon classes, Dante stood up to go pick up Faye, only to be surrounded by a group of male students. At the center, Derek grinned and tapped Dante’s shoulder.
“Did you hear? You made quite the scene this morning.”
The large group of boys sparkled with curiosity, which was extremely overwhelming. But Dante focused on the conversation instead of his discomfort.
“A scene? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t act dumb. You were hugging a girl at the school gate this morning. What was that about?”
Behind his teasing friends, Dante replayed the scene in his mind.
Right… it could’ve looked like that.
He hadn’t realized at the time, but thinking back, he might have acted too impulsively.
Not just for himself, but for Faye’s reputation too. No matter how confused he was, he shouldn’t have acted like that.
Even while scolding himself internally, Dante replied calmly.
“It’s not like that.”
“What do you mean ‘not like that’? You were hugging her like you were in some drama!”
“So it really was Faye Brabant, huh? Black hair—there’s no one else like her.”
“Finally? Took you long enough.”
“If it’s her, then it changes everything. Did Dante finally become Dante again?”
“I’m leaving.”
Ignoring whatever they kept saying, Dante walked out of the classroom.
Since it was lunchtime, many students were in the hallway. He ignored all the stares and headed for the stairs.
“If I don’t finish math today, come pick me up on the 3rd floor!”
Faye’s whispered words earlier saved him. No matter how good his memory was, there was no way he could recall a full timetable from seven years ago.
Come to think of it… was he really back seven years in the past? If this were a dream, he should’ve woken up by now.
He tried to recall the graduation season, but nothing specific came to mind. Only one thing felt strange.
If he really had returned to being eighteen…
His thoughts raced.
Dante’s steps slowed, then he suddenly stopped halfway down the stairs.
‘Am I going to repeat that moment again?’
The image of Faye lying lifeless and pale flashed through his mind, sending a chill down his spine.
“Move it, move it! They said stew is being served today!”
“Let’s go, hurry!”
At that moment, a girl rushing down the stairs bumped into Dante and lost her footing.
As the world tilted, she braced for impact and shut her eyes tightly.
Huh?
But the pain never came.
She slowly opened her eyes and realized someone was holding her shoulder.
“Are you alright?”
“Ah—y-yes! I’m fine! Tha—thank yo—…”
Oh my god.
The girl froze the moment she saw the face of the person who saved her.
Blond hair flowing neatly, eyes deep with concern, features sharp like a sculpture. Broad shoulders that blocked her view, and arms with well-defined muscles.
An unbelievably handsome man was right in front of her. And extremely close.
“You were in danger because of me. I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Uh, uh, uh…”
“Can you stand?”
The girl nodded quickly, still speechless. Dante gently helped her straighten up.
“I apologize. Excuse me.”
And then he quickly walked down the stairs.
The girl stood there dazed as her friends gathered around.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Yeah…”
“Wait, wasn’t that Igniel senior?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
The girl suddenly grabbed her friends’ arms, eyes sparkling.
“He’s our senior?”
“Uh-oh… she’s fallen hard.”
“You should give up.”
“Why! Age differences can totally be overcome—”
One friend grabbed her shoulder.
“He’s probably going to the temple soon.”
“…The temple? No way! You mean that face is going to stay single forever?!”
“Most likely.”
“That’s impossible!”
While the girl despaired, Dante had already reached the third floor and looked around.
The math classroom should be somewhere around here, but he wasn’t fully sure—it had been too long.
Fortunately, his tall build made it easy to scan the area.
The moment he spotted Faye leaning against a classroom door, Dante stopped walking
