Did we touch?

In tribute to one of my most favourite anime for a while, this story is dedicated to the wonderful music and graphics that spurned Angel Beats; the unique characters and circumstances, the realisation of what their location truly was.

Here I go back to writing again, after a long time! Wish me luck ^^

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Once I had reached peace with my previous life, it seems that you have to leave others behind. It's quite a saddening experience, but I have hope that I will reach them again.

The girls of GirlDeMo, who always assisted in the operations by providing distractions for the general students. The Afterlife Battlefront; with Yuri as the leader and the various others – Hinata, TK, Fujimaki, Matsushita, Noda, Oyama, Takamatsu… who else am I missing

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Another day seemed to go by. The weird song that I had been hearing continued to play in my head, with me still figuring out from where it was from.

I had agreed to meet some friends at the nearby arcade. They waved me over, calling me. "Otonashi-kun!"

I waved back and headed over.

"Have you guys been waiting long?"

They shook their heads, and together we headed in.

The next 2 hours went in a flash – going from game to game, fighting versus each other, towards music games, rhythm games – before long, I realised that it was nearly time for dinner back at home.

I sadly bid my friends farewell – "see you at school on Monday!" – and headed out of the arcade.

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"Ahh!"

I stopped in my tracks, and looked at the source of the sound. A white-haired girl, hand outstretched, was looking at the hat that was blown away. The hat came in my direction, and I grabbed it for her.

Why does this hat feel familiar?

I watched as the girl seemed to skip towards me. Her features…

"Ano… arigatou… for the hat…"

I blinked, and nodded.

"It's…it's no problems… eto…"

She smiled at me, and I blinked.

"It feels like we've met already, hasn't it? I'm Kanade Tachibana"

It's a pretty name… Kanade…

"Umm… I'm… I'm Yuzuru Otonashi. It's nice to meet you"

I decided I should probably hand the hat over to her. Her small hand met mine, and we both jerked away at each other's touch.

"Ano…"

"Ummm…."

"T-thank you… again…"

I gave her her hat – properly this time – and watched her head off in the opposite direction of mine. I had never felt the way I did – with her – and it intrigued me.

"Umm… Tachibana-san"

She turned around.

"Yuzuru?"

There it was again. That feeling as if we've known each other from somewhere else…

"Did we…?"

She wandered back towards me.

"Hmm… you don't remember yet, do you? Where we've met before"

I shook my head.

She suddenly placed my hand on her heart, and recognition struck me.

You… you are…