gofushi au Satoru just finished paying for his coffee when heavy rain pours outside so now, he’s stuck inside the coffee shop. He scanned the place to find a vacant table but all of them are currently occupied by either a group of 2 or 3 people.

He’s already mentally cursing when he saw one table in the far corner which was occupied by one person only. He can only see the back of his head from where he’s standing but he knows he’s alone because no one was sitting beside or across him.

He doesn’t particularly like the idea of disturbing that person by asking to share the table with him but he didn’t have much choice right now. So, he hurriedly walks to the said table, afraid that someone else might take the available seat. “Hi, can I sit here with you?”

Satoru didn’t wait for a response and just proceed to sit down in front of the stranger. The stranger noticed him so he finally looks up from the book he’s reading, Satoru felt the breath knocked out of him at the sight of the person in front of him.

There were so many things suddenly going on in his head and the whirlwind of emotions stirring in his chest was just making it worst.

𝘚𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘥𝘦 grabs him when he saw the pair of color turquoise, which felt like he was brought back in a warm place that he knew probably never even existed. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳, 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳.

Satoru experienced the most painful ache of 𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘥𝘦 in his entire 27 years of existence when the man in front of him looked at him with his wide eyes, his gaze so intent that Satoru was having a hard time breathing.

He thinks he must be crazy but he was almost certain that he saw him before, but Satoru couldn’t remember anything. And it frightened him; the amount of emotion that sweeps over him but he can’t recall any memories of seeing this person in this lifetime.

Satoru was 12 years old when he started to feel something was weird about him. For some reasons, he started to feel a sentimental yearning for someone or something that is absent.

Later on, he learned the word that perfectly describes this feeling, 𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘥𝘦, which is comprehended as painfully 'longing for' things, moments, or people after separation or loss.

Despite knowing what it’s called, he was still confused why he was in that kind of state. Sometimes the feeling was associated with a positively connoted nostalgia towards some places, events, or even food.

So, he started digging more information and the first thing that piqued his interest was the research paper published by American Medicine in 1907 which advocates the existence of souls. The article leads him one step towards the theory of 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

Despite having no past life memories, his bestfriends Shoko and Getou started to tease and conclude that 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 is the most logical conclusion as to why he feels extreme longing for someone when he looks up the stars on some nights and+

he became strongly nostalgic whenever he sees certain places or even just as simple as cherry blossoms. Was that really the case? Does he even believe in reincarnation? Satoru actually dislike the word “believe” because whether he believe something or not, is fairly irrelevant.

Especially when it comes to something as obscure as 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. Personally, he believes in the existence of a consciousness. Intelligence is too complex, a thing to have been created without something beyond the normal laws of classical and quantum physics.

He doesn't particularly advocate the existence of God but he believes in a higher power, maybe existing in what the scientists these days call Dark Matter. He thought it is as indestructible as Energy and Mass.

So, it can recreate itself in form of concentrated intelligence that is 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. That, to him would be 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

There is the slightest possibility that he might have the atoms which were once inside the grandson of Amaterasu. Similarly, he might have the consciousness which was once inside Socrates.

So, in that case, he might be a reincarnation of Emperor Jimmu, or Socrates, or someone who died without reaching the history books, or all 3 of them.

But then again, there’s no evidence to support that as well because the scientific truth is that no one really has an idea how human consciousness, individual or collective, exists or does not exist before, during or after a lifetime.

But right this moment as he locked gazes with the emerald green eyes in front of him, he felt a burning sensation in his chest…and his denial started to weaken.

Satoru just knew he must’ve met him before, somewhere…because why else would he felt this strong connection as if he recognized his soul? Rare souls can only cohere when they have strong connection with each other.

♪ 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶?

Megumi glanced up from his book when he felt the presence of another person, just then their gazes met and Megumi could’ve sworn his breath hitched at the moment. He is a very striking man.

But it wasn’t his beautiful chiseled features that made him stare, it was his eyes; warm blue and innocent looking, yet there was depth in them that he couldn’t seem to fathom.

He held so much in his eyes it was almost like Megumi could almost see the years beyond his age reflected upon them. He had never met someone with such expressive eyes.

Megumi suddenly felt shivers run over his spine, he felt his brain turn into a mush, his heart the only functioning as it thumped violently against his chest. A thousand words began to stir in his head. 𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥—𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵—𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳.

He knows it’s the first time he met him but Megumi was having 𝘥𝘦́𝘫𝘢̀ 𝘷𝘶 and it was a fascinating and strange experience at the same time because the man is very familiar to him but he also knows that this feeling of familiarity should not be as strong as it is.

♪ 𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦?

Satoru opened his mouth to speak, a question was already at the tip of his tongue when the green-eyed beauty suddenly reached out to touch his cheek. He was surprised at the contact, his hand warm and shaking slightly.

“Are you o-okay?” the man asked, wiping his cheeks. Even his voice was excruciatingly familiar. Satoru didn’t even notice the waterfall of tears that spilled and was continually falling down his cheeks.

“Are you hurt or something?” The concern on the man’s voice was overwhelming and Satoru felt heavy sobs bubbling out of his chest before he could even stop them. He doesn’t even care if the others are staring at their direction right now. So much pain and longing washed over him+

+all at once and his chest hurt from keeping it in for so long. His heart twisting painfully like a buried sword has just been pulled out from it. He was bleeding with relief. Relief that he finally found the “someone” he thought never existed.

The man in front was clearly taken aback by the sudden emotional outburst. He was conflicted whether he would just leave the man or comfort him in any way possible. He was also getting conscious now with the gazes from other customers.

“Hey, wha—what’s wrong? Can you stop crying? People might think I’m bullying you.” Satoru was unsure whether to laugh or cry out in happiness. When he finally calmed down, he looked at the man in front of him who seem both confused and annoyed.

The sight elicits something between a laugh and chuckle from Satoru which causes the other man to raised an eyebrow at him. “I’m sorry,” Satoru sincerely apologize for the craziness that happened few minutes ago.

“I…I just thought I know you,” Satoru added with a thoughtful look on his face. “You seem very familiar. Have we met before?” “I’m pretty sure it’s my first time meeting a weird guy like you,” the man replies before crossing his arms.

“I see, I’m Satoru by the way. Satoru Gojo,” He smiled as he extended his hand. They stare at each other for a second longer before the younger man sighed and reach out to accept Satoru’s hand. “Megumi. Megumi Fushiguro.”

“Nice to finally meet you, Megumi.” Satoru flashed another smile and squeeze Megumi’s soft hand. Their hands weren’t even intertwined but they fit so perfectly, like two pieces in the puzzle.

Memories may have been forgotten but Satoru knew he must have cherished this soul so much that even as his own soul travelled across another lifetime, Megumi remained in his heart. Maybe Satoru promised to search him and it wasn’t an easy journey but he found him in the end.

— FIN.