Read When I Returned to My Hometown, My Childhood Friend was Broken Jimoto ni Kaettekitara Osananajimi ga Kowareteta ; 地元に帰ってきたら幼馴染が壊れてた ; Quando voltei pra minha cidade natal, minha amiga de infância estava falida
Coming back to my hometown after so many years felt strange. Among the few faces I still recognized was Kyouko, my childhood friend who used to be full of energy and fire. She was the kind of girl who didn’t care what others thought, always speaking her mind and charging ahead with that wild, tomboy spirit. Everyone adored her for it—her boldness was contagious.
But now, after all this time, something about her has changed. The spark in her eyes isn’t as bright as I remember. The way she carries herself is different, quieter, like something inside her has dimmed. It’s unsettling to see someone who was once so vibrant now seem so… broken.
I don’t know what happened while I was away, but the Kyouko standing before me isn’t the same girl I grew up with. The realization hits harder than I expected. Was it time that changed her? Or was it something else? Whatever it is, I can’t shake the feeling that the friend I knew is slipping further away.
