The boy I never met

On the day he graduates high school in March 2002, eighteen-year-old Aki has a vision of someone he loves dying. The image leaves him shaken, but what's even worse is that he can't remember who that person is.

He tries to dismiss it as a bad dream. After all, he already has enough problems. His family expects him to follow the career path they've chosen for him, disapproves of his friends in Tokyo's indie music scene, and refuses to accept his sexuality. And if the vision means anything, surely it's about his ex-boyfriend, who left him behind to become a rising pop star.

But when Rei, a mysterious musician from school, tells him the vision may be tied to an ancient legend, all his doubts resurface. Aki and his friends set out to uncover the truth before it's too late, and the more Aki learns about Rei, the more deeply their lives and their hearts intertwine.

When dream and reality collide and forgotten memories come rushing back, Aki will have to question everything he thought he knew about the vision-and about the person he's trying to save.

What you'll find inside:

- mm romance
- found family
- 2002 Japan
- mental health rep
- no spice

Content Warning:

This story includes mentions of homophobia, self-harm, verbal abuse, suicidal thoughts