Prologue: A bleak view.

This has been something I planned for some time. I do not own anything, except OC.

(Play Clannad OST – Snowfall)

It was a cold, winter night with snow falling. A teenage male was walking outside in a field of snow with a disconsolate expression. He was sixteen years old, appearing slim, yet not skinny. His hair was black, appearing smooth, but spiky with pointed ends. His eyes were a dark blue color, almost appearing black. He was wearing a brown winter coat, a blue scarf, black winter gloves, and dark gray snow boots. There was a black bracelet on his left wrist.

"What purpose will I have here in this town…? All the pain and memories… It's overwhelming for one person to handle." The boy muttered.

He looked up in the night sky, lost in his thought. He was trying to find answers for things. The boy couldn't find anything, causing him to exhale loudly. He kept walking through the field of snow, not caring if he was getting frostbitten or a cold. It's as though his mind was numb.

'What a depressing day…' He thought.

######

After an hour of walking, the boy was at a small town. The town was Hikarizaka. He did not paid any attention to his own body. His face began to appear pale from exposure to the cold air. The streets were quiet as no vehicles were seen nor heard in the region. The only sound was the wind blowing at him with the snow.

'Who am I to say that this snowfall is but a representation of a hidden sadness within me…? Not many would understand me in any way.' The boy thought.

While walking, he accidentally bumped into a teenage female. The female in question had straight, purple hair with matching eyes. She was wearing a dark winter coat with a blue skirt, and brown shoes. The female noticed the boy was walking in a shaky manner, often tumbling left and right.

"Hey are you alright?" The female asked to the boy.

The boy didn't respond as he kept walking. The icy wind was starting to affect him. His legs could barely hold him due to frostbite pain from his feet. Each step he took felt painful to him. This didn't deter the boy from the weather. However, it proved too much for him. He then collapsed on the snowy pave walk, unconscious.

"Hey! Get a hold of yourself! Wake up!" The female said, trying to bring the boy back into consciousness.

(Snowfall OST ends here)

######

The boy was starting to wake up. It was daylight, evident of the birds chirping outside. He looked around, noticing the unfamiliar area. It was someone's room, but he didn't know where in the neighborhood. He grunted, feeling the effects of post frostbite recovery. His face and feet stung after he tried to move them. He noticed that he kept most of his cloths on, save for his feet. The boy then heard footsteps as the male he didn't noticed last night came inside the room.

"You okay there?" The female asked.

"I'm okay… Just sore…" The boy said.

"You're lucky I managed to get you here. If I left you out there, you would have been frozen to death." The female commented.

"It was a depressing night. Let's not talk about it…" The boy said.

"I won't ask about it… So, what is your name and what school do you go to?" The female asked.

"My name is Hideyoshi Aki. And you?" The boy introduced himself.

"Fujibayashi Kyou. You didn't answer what school you go thought." The female said.

"Hikarizaka Private High." Aki said.

"Ah, you go to the same school I do… Question is, what year are you in?" Kyou asked.

"Second year." Aki said, sounding almost numb.

"I see… You're like me… I'll wait till you recover from your frostbite. You'll need some rest." Kyou said.

Aki didn't intend on leaving due to his recent frostbite recovery. His legs were still sore. He decided to wait in the room till he regains his strength to head back home.

'I can't go out yet, lest I want to lose my legs… I need to know where I'm at first before heading back to my place.' Aki thought.

Despite the pain form his feet, Aki went to the window to see the neighborhood around him. Much to his surprise, he recognizes the area.

"I know this place… My home is just a short walk there." Aki said to himself.

Kyou noticed Aki standing. He frowned in response, seeing the young man standing despite the frostbite he suffered from.

"Hey, you shouldn't be walking around right now… Your feet haven't recovered yet." Kyou said.

"Don't worry about me, I can take it. I needed to know where I'm at. Good thing though since I know this area." Aki said.

"Wait, you live around here?" Kyou asked.

"Yeah, just a few houses south." Aki said.

"You probably moved here a few days ago…" Kyou guessed.

"No… Few weeks ago." Aki corrected.

Kyou face palmed in result.

'I can't believe that I didn't know that I had a new neighbor weeks ago…' She thought.

Aki then continued to walk, despite the pain. He went to the foyer to get his shoes to head back home.

"Wait, it won't be a good idea for you to head out there. Your frostbite is not fully recovered…" Kyou said, trying to stop the boy.

"I appreciate your hospitality, but it feels like I'm intruding in your home. I'll head back to my place. Thanks for helping me, Fujibayashi-san." Aki said.

"Just call me, Kyou, if that's okay with you." Kyou said.

Aki bowed his head and left Kyou's home. Kyou watched as he left to his home a few houses down.

######

Aki was back in his home. He was the only inhabitant in the house. He merely put his pajamas on, which consisted of a shirt with long pants.

'This is the life I'm in… My parents died from a car crash, leaving me the only one left. This empty house is a constant reminder of my current lifestyle.' He thought.

The house, despite being built for a family, was notably clean. There were no traces of dust or any stains on the walls or floors.

'I'll most likely end up as a hermit, staying alone in this house once I'm done with school…' Aki thought with a hopeless feeling.

He placed a small foot bath and filled it with lukewarm water. Slowly, his feet slid into the water, giving it a calming sensation.

'That should heal my feet… I'll worry about Fujibayashi-san later on…' Aki thought as he let himself fall asleep.

######

Several hours have past. Aki woke up, noting his feet were fully recovered from frostbite. He noted it was starting to get dark.

"Must have slept for hours… Now that my feet are okay, I should stay home for today." Aki said.

By then, he heard knocking from his front door. Drying his feet from the foot bath with a towel, he put on his sandals and head to the foyer. Outside, Kyou was waiting for him to answer.

"Fujibayashi-san. How can I help you?" Aki said.

"I just wanted to see that you're doing okay." She said, although she crossed her arms, giving a mean look.

"My frostbite's gone so my feet are okay. Come inside so we can talk. It's still cold out." Aki replied.

Kyou went inside the house. She was amazed to see it looking clean.

"Do you go out often?" Kyou asked.

"Other than school or work, no. I often stay home." Aki said.

"Do you live here on your own though? I don't hear anyone in the house." Kyou asked.

"You can say that…" Aki answered.

"Oh… Sorry if I made you feel bad." Kyou apologized.

"It's okay. I get that a lot." Aki reassured.

"You said that you work. Where do you work at?" Kyou asked.

"I work at a music store at the Hikarizaka mall." Aki answered.

"Oh. That sounds cool." Kyou complimented.

"It's nothing special though." Aki commented.

"I see. Anyway, what is your homeroom number in the school?" Kyou asked.

"Class 2-E." Aki said.

"Not much with words, are you?" Kyou asked.

"I have my reasons…" Aki said.

"Anyway, I'll see you in class, Aki." Kyou said.

"Thanks, Kyou." Aki said.

The girl left the house. Aki had nothing to do, considering it was now dark. He decided to sleep for the night.

######

(Play Clannad OST – Illusions)

Aki opened his eyes and noticed he was in a strange realm. There was a large field of grass as far as the eye could see. Mountains were shown in the distance. The sun was shown in the sky, but the air felt muggy, as though autumn was in the air. The whole grassland was a prairie. He took notice of his appearance, except he had his clothes on.

"What is this place…? Why am I here?" Aki questioned to himself.

He noticed several orbs floating in the sky. They were a pure white in color and appeared in large clusters. The orbs were bright, like a miniature sun. Aki looked at the orbs with wonder as they floated away.

'Those orbs are made of light… What is this world though…? I can breathe, feel the air, even the grass on my feet. Yet, why do I not see any form of life?' Aki thought.

He walked his way across the field. Despite how far he went, there was nothing of any indication of the area being used. No signs of life, human or animal, was seen throughout the landscape.

'It doesn't seem like a dream, yet I can feel what my body feels… Why is that…?' Aki thought.

Plagued by the questions in his mind, Aki kept looking around the field. He kept moving forward, the grass licking his feet as he moved. A thick fog was shown, blocking his vision of the distant world around him.

'I don't think I can move past this fog… I might get lost if I do go in it…' Aki thought.

This forced Aki to move back. Exhausted from the long walking, he collapsed on the field of grass. The sun was shining on his face as he looked up in the sky. Orbs of light continued rising in the sky as he watched them disappear.

'There's no life, except me, in this world. It doesn't seem like life or death exist here, seeing that there's nothing around here. The only other living object is the grass. I guess this world represents how I'm alone…' Aki thought somberly.

Aki remained laying on the grass. While watching the sky, he closes his eyes, feeling the wind blow at his body.

'I have to keep looking around and see if I can find anything… There must be something in this world…' Aki thought.

Aki then stood up from his brief rest. He began to look around the prairie, despite having limited sight due to the fog. He noticed several pieces of scrap and junk nearby.

'Scrap… That means someone was here…' Aki thought, feeling somewhat relieved.

He tried to find any leads of a person in the world, but he couldn't locate a soul in sight. Despite this, Aki persisted, trying to find his way through the prairie by running.

'There has to be someone here… If there was scrap left here that means someone must have come in this place. I have to find a person.' Aki thought.

Unfortunately, he couldn't anyone in the prairie. He eventually gave up and collapsed on the ground. He was out of breath and could move no longer.

"It was a false hope for me to find someone in this place… I don't even know if I'll find anyone here…" Aki relented, unable to continue.

He closed his eyes in exhaustion. He had one last glance of a light orb that was coming close to him before he blacked out.

(Illusion OST ends here)