In middle school, everyone was talking about the girls they had a crush on.
When it was Nanase Haruka's turn,
"Waterfalls."
Nanase Haruka's eyes lit up, and without thinking, he said the word aloud.
Everyone there stared, their mouths all falling open at the same time.
From then on, everyone knew that Nanase Haruka's first love was a waterfall.
Only Nanase Haruka knew the truth.
The moment first love came up, he remembered playing in a waterfall back in the countryside as a child. The pool beneath the falls was crystal clear. His little body sank beneath the water as he looked up. It seemed as if the waterfall stretched to the very ends of the sky, half-obscuring the sun. The roar of the water filled his ears, and the bright sky dazzled him.
He raised a hand slightly to shield his eyes when a clear voice, tinged with annoyance, rang out.
"Honestly, don't come in here with your shoes on."
She stood in the sun's path, blocking its light, yet she still dazzled Nanase Haruka.
So cute, Nanase Haruka thought.
She had been born from the waterfall, and the waterfall was her domain.
Then one day, a boy barged in without asking permission. He came to play and didn't even take off his shoes!
She angrily appeared before him.
But he just stood there, staring blankly and ignoring her.
She had been about to shoot a jet of water at him to give him a good scare.
Instead, he ran straight out of the waterfall without even looking back. A little while later, he came running back. This time, he took off his shoes properly and stepped barefoot onto the cool, smooth pebbles.
Nanase Haruka walked up to the little girl and offered her the chocolate he had spent a long time searching for.
"It's really sweet."
1. Mizuki Maki, the spirit of a real waterfall x the human world's little dolphin
2. The story starts with their reunion as adults, alternating between their childhood and adult timelines
3. To be decided
Core theme: Loving someone means staying true to them from beginning to end
