"E-Excuse me!"

What am I doing?

It was just another commute. My eyes wandered. Different train, different day, different interview, same determination. I don't know where this drive of mine came from, just that I had to go into construction. Whatever lit that fire inside me, I never knew.

But my wandering eyes met another's. Through the window, staring back mere meters apart. A woman. She had her hair tied back with a red ribbon. A red ribbon. Something about that resonated with me.

I felt a tugging at my heart. Like I'd found an old toy I'd loved as a kid. Like the answer to every question I ever had was right there. Like I'd discovered a treasure that spoke to me, and only to me. Who was she? Who was this woman?

Then she vanished into a different tunnel.

If you've ever felt like you had everything in the world, only to have it stolen right from under you, congratulations. You're feeling just a fraction of what I just felt. It was like someone had offered me the greatest gift of all, only to take it back just before it touched my hands.

No. Not happening.

I knew where that train was headed. Shinanomachi Station. I'd just done an interview in the area the other day.

It was a thirty minute walk from where I was headed. A ten minute run. If that's the train I'm thinking of, I should have just enough time!

The doors began to open. I was out before they finished. I ran. Up and down streets, cutting corners, skipping crosswalks, over highways, under bridges, through the people, the crowds, the hustle and bustle of a Thursday morning.

Suddenly, I was at a stairwell.

Our eyes met again.

I averted my gaze. What was I thinking? This was ridiculous. Chasing after some girl you saw on a train? You're twenty-two!

Swallowing whatever bravado I just had, I jammed my hands in my pockets and turned my head down, ascending the stairs slowly. The woman passed me by as I went, neither of us looking up.

She was breathing a bit harder, and her face was slightly red. Had she been running too?

I felt that pull again.

Damn it.

I turned around, and called out to her.

"E-Excuse me!"

She froze. Her head turned slightly upward. She was listening.

"Y-You and I…" I felt my hands tremble, "We've met somewhere before, haven't we?"

She turned.

Hands clutched over her chest, she was crying. Tears rolled down her cheeks without abandon. I doubt she even knew they were there.

And she smiled.

"I felt it too."

Blinking, I could feel the tears in my eyes. Whatever this was, whatever was pulling my heart in this way…

"Can you please tell me… your name?"

We spoke at the same time. Almost like we were possessed to do so. Like our minds, our hearts, our souls were connected. Intertwined.

Somehow, we weren't embarrassed. Somehow, we didn't look away, and stammer, and let the other person speak in a never ending loop of 'sorry, go ahead', 'no, you go ahead', and 'please, i insist'.

No. We said our names.

"It's—"

And the world melted away.

I fell. I tumbled through the air, and through water, and air again. A red string tied around my wrist vanished into the distance, carving a wild trail before settling into a thick arc… a comet? Part of it split off, and crashed somewhere in the distance. I looked over to see—

There, where the comet had struck. It hadn't crashed at all. It had wrapped around her wrist, connecting the two of us. Her eyes met mine, again. Who was she?

What's your name?

"It's Mitsuha!"

The sound of a clock's toll.

And the world faded to black.

I remember.

I remember meeting you in 2013. On the train, on the way to school. You gave me that braided cord you always wear. I wear it now too.

I remember.

I remember switching places for the first time. I was so confused… I'm pretty sure I was more interested in your boobs than anything else. I went to school with serious bedhead that day.

I remember.

I remember waking up one morning with a much lighter wallet, and a lot of explaining to do. Seriously, who drops fifty dollars on cake and coffee?

I remember.

I remember the next time we switched. I managed to tie your hair in a ponytail. Some people were making fun of you though, so I kicked over some tables and made a scene. Totally worth it.

I remember.

I remember your family. I remember your town. I remember the rules we set, the fights we had, the times we shared, the memories we made…

I remember how much I love you.

I remember your name.

Suddenly, we're back in reality. The sky is blue, the earth is beneath our feet, and the red cord around my wrist and the red string in your hair are not connected.

Wait. Where's my bracelet?

Oh, that's right. I gave it back to her that day, when we met at twilight, kataware-do—

...

A bare wrist led to a pink sleeve. A pink sleeve led to a pink cardigan. Orange blouse, peach-colored jeans, yellow heels, long black hair, silver star necklace dangling above a pair of...

A strangely familiar sensation confirmed it. After all this time, I was—

"H-Hey! Where do you think you're touching!?"

My own body yelled at me from up the stairs. Crap. Caught in the act. Didn't stop me from fondling more though. There was a lot more to hold this time.

"Stop it! We're in public, you know!"

I looked up at her, hands still occupied. "Sorry. Force of habit."

"You're still doing it!"

I had the decency to laugh sheepishly, as I let them go. Reluctantly.

"Taki-kun…" she grumbled, hands clenched femininely at her sides, "This is how you treat a woman you haven't seen in eight years?"

"It's been a while since the last swap!" I defended (weakly), "Why, what would you do?"

She growled, stomping down the stairs with a hand cocked back—

!

—before she shot out, pulled me by the collar and kissed me.

Eight years. Eight years of passion, burned, lost, and reignited. Life and death, time and space became meaningless as our lips clashed over and over, our tongues dancing across each other like music. I wrapped my arms around her neck, as she brought her hands around my waist, basking in the taste of our soulmate. After what seemed like an eternity, we finally separated, panting and out of breath.

"That." she said simply.

I wiped some of her off my chin. "We're doing that again later, right?"

She smiled.

"Hello, Taki-kun. I missed you."

I smiled.

"Hello, Mitsuha."

"I love you."