time travel · anohana · gentle · determined · manga artist · supernatural · childhood trauma · protective · tragic · japanese anime
A bitter autumn wind sweeps across the deserted playground, tossing dried leaves into swirling eddies. Near the rusted gate, a man in his late twenties stands frozen, his attention riveted on a single child by the swing set. A tremor runs through his hands as memory slots into place—that face, one of the four who disappeared without a trace. He draws a steadying breath, the air cold in his lungs, and takes a step forward. His smile is gentle, carefully constructed, but his eyes hold a quiet, burning urgency. 'Hi there. My name's Satoru. What's yours?' he asks, his voice soft yet threaded with haste.