After school ended, I headed to my part-time job and started changing into my uniform. Once I was done, I walked out of the locker room and made my way to the kitchen lounge.
"What's wrong, Yukito-kun?" Mizuha-san asked, noticing my expression.
"…It's nothing…" I muttered.
"Hey, why don't you tell your big sis about it?" she said proudly, puffing out her chest.
I chuckled a little. "Really, it's nothing to worry about."
"Is that so? Well, if you ever feel like letting something out, don't hesitate to tell me, okay?" She smiled warmly before heading to the front lounge to resume her shift at the bar.
I stood there for a moment, staring at the kitchen counter, deep in thought.
A problem, huh…?
Even though I brushed it off, I couldn't deny that something was weighing on me. Ever since that afternoon, when I saw Hinata looking uneasy during lunch, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She kept glancing at me like she wanted to say something but hesitated. And then there was Shuuta, who acted even more awkward than usual, as if he knew something I didn't.
I sighed, shaking my head. It wasn't like me to overthink things.
"Oi, Yukito! Quit spacing out!" The head chef's voice snapped me back to reality.
"Ah, sorry!" I quickly grabbed my tray and got to work.
As the evening rush picked up, I busied myself with orders, taking plates back and forth, wiping down tables, and making sure customers were satisfied. The steady rhythm of work helped clear my mind, but every now and then, my thoughts wandered back to earlier that day.
Why did Hinata look so conflicted?
As I placed a freshly prepared cocktail in front of a customer, Mizuha-san called out from behind the bar.
"Yukito-kun, take a short break. You've been going nonstop."
I wiped my hands on my apron and nodded. "Got it."
Stepping outside to the back alley where the staff usually took breaks, I leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath. The cool night air helped me relax a little.
Just then, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
I pulled it out and saw a message from Shuuta.
[Shuuta: Hey, you free after work? Need to talk.]
I raised an eyebrow. That was unexpected. Shuuta wasn't the type to send serious messages.
[Me: Sure. What's up?]
[Shuuta: I'll tell you later. Just meet me at the park near the station.]
I sighed. This just made me more curious. What could be so important that he needed to talk in person?
After my shift ended, I changed back into my casual clothes and left the bar, heading toward the park. The streets were quiet at this hour, with only a few people walking by.
When I arrived at the park, I spotted Shuuta sitting on one of the benches, looking oddly nervous.
"Yo," I greeted him.
"Oh, hey," he said, scratching the back of his head. "Thanks for coming."
I sat down beside him. "So? What's this about?"
Shuuta hesitated, looking down at his hands. "…It's about Futaba-san."
At the mention of her name, my body stiffened slightly. "…What about her?"
"You guys broke up?" he said, glancing at me.
I nodded. "Yeah…."
Shuuta let out a heavy sigh. "She told Makoto something today. And honestly, I wasn't sure if I should tell you, but I figured you'd find out sooner or later."
I waited, my patience thinning.
"She—" He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "She's been struggling with something. Something related to you."
My heart skipped a beat. "Me?"
"Yeah," Shuuta nodded. "She said she's been feeling conflicted. She's scared."
I frowned. "Scared? Of what?"
Shuuta sighed again, leaning back on the bench. "Of making things worse. Of getting hurt. Of… messing up whatever's between you two."
I stayed silent, processing his words.
Hinata… was scared?
That didn't make sense. She was always confident—sometimes even blunt. But then again, there were moments when she seemed uncertain, hesitant. Was this what she had been struggling with all this time?
"…She didn't tell me any of this," I muttered.
"She didn't want to," Shuuta admitted. "She thought it would be better to keep it to herself. But man, I could tell it was eating her up inside. Makoto-chan told me about this."
I clenched my fists. Why did she think she had to deal with this alone?
"…So, what am I supposed to do?" I asked quietly.
Shuuta chuckled. "You? You already know the answer, don't you?"
I looked at him, confused.
"Talk to her," he said simply. "Just be honest. That's what my friend, Aki Yukito would do if he's on that kind of situation."
I exhaled, feeling the weight on my shoulders lighten just a bit.
"…Thanks, Shuuta."
He grinned. "No problem. Now, let's get out of here before we both freeze to death."
I stood up, stretching my arms. "Yeah, yeah."
As we walked toward the station, my thoughts were still occupied by what I had just learned.
Hinata… if you're struggling, then I want to be there for you.
No more avoiding things.
I will make things right for us.
THE NEXT MORNING
The next day, after school ended, I noticed Hinata sitting alone in the classroom. She was scrolling through her phone, her expression distant and thoughtful.
…
Now's my chance.
Taking a deep breath, I walked over.
…
She looked up, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. It was clear she hadn't expected me to approach her.
I pulled out my chair and sat at my desk.
…
This is harder than I thought.
"H-Hey…" I finally spoke.
Hinata hesitated before replying, her voice quiet. "…What is it?"
"I want you to tell me the truth."
Her grip on her phone tightened. Then, without a word, she stood up and began walking toward the door.
Panic surged through me. Before she could leave, I reached out and grabbed her hand.
"Hinata… please."
She froze. A shaky breath escaped her lips before I saw them—tears spilling from her eyes.
"I hate you… I hate you, Yukito…" she whispered.
I didn't let go. Instead, I held her closer.
"Yes… tell me everything," I urged gently.
Hinata trembled in my arms. "I… I don't want you to get hurt…"
"…What do you mean…?"
"…Ohtani…"
My expression hardened. "What about her?"
"She's taken an interest in you… I don't want you to get hurt if she tries to steal you away from me." Her voice was raw with emotion.
…
"Did you forget?" I said, smiling softly.
Hinata looked up at me, her teary eyes filled with confusion.
"I have a lot of things I want to hold onto. And being with you is all I care about now." I cupped her cheek gently, guiding her gaze toward me. "I still want you to be by my side."
"Yu…kito…"
I leaned in slightly, my voice barely above a whisper. "Let's start over… shall we?"
Just as Hinata was about to respond—
BAM!
The classroom door swung open with a loud crash.
Standing at the entrance was Ohtani, her arms crossed, her sharp eyes narrowed at us. A smug, almost cruel smile curled at her lips.
"Well, well… what do we have here?" she sneered.
Hinata immediately pulled away from me, wiping her tears with the back of her sleeve. I turned to Ohtani, already feeling my stomach twist with unease.
Ohtani's gaze flickered between us before she let out a dry chuckle. "So, this is why you've been acting so weird lately, Hinata?"
Hinata stiffened beside me, her fingers clenching into fists.
"What do you want, Ohtani?" I asked, my tone colder than I intended.
Ohtani tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Oh? Can't I just drop by to see my close friend?" She placed a hand on her hip. "But I guess I stumbled upon something much more entertaining."
She then walked further inside, stopping right in front of me.
"You know, Yukito, I don't get why you're still wasting your time with her."
I narrowed my eyes. "What are you talking about?"
Ohtani let out a sigh, shaking her head dramatically. "I just think you deserve better. I mean, don't you think it's pathetic?"
I clenched my fists, my patience thinning. "Enough."
But she wasn't done. Her gaze shifted to Hinata, and her voice turned sharp.
"You think he actually needs you, Hinata? Please. You're nothing but an insecure, whiny mess. Always running away, always hesitating. How do you expect to keep a guy like him when you can't even be honest with yourself? You locked yourself, just like you always done in the past."
Hinata's eyes widened, and for a moment, I saw her flinch as if Ohtani's words physically struck her.
"That's not—" I started, but Ohtani cut me off.
"She doesn't deserve you, Yukito. You could do so much better." She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "Someone who actually knows what they want."
I exhaled sharply, my hands gripping the edge of my desk. "Ohtani. That's enough."
She smirked. "Oh? Touched a nerve?"
I stood up, glaring at her. "You don't know anything about Hinata. So don't act like you do."
Ohtani scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, please. Don't tell me you actually believe she's the right one for you. You're only going to regret it."
I had heard enough.
I stepped between her and Hinata, my voice firm.
"I don't care what you think. What I feel, what I choose—it's not for you to decide."
Ohtani's smirk faded slightly.
I turned to Hinata, my expression softening. "Hinata."
She looked at me, still shaken.
"Don't listen to her."
For a long moment, she just stood there. But then, she took a deep breath, nodding.
Ohtani clicked her tongue in irritation. "Tch. Whatever. Don't say I didn't warn you. She just pretending to be someone."
With that, she turned on her heel and strutted out of the classroom, slamming the door behind her.
A heavy silence lingered between us.
Hinata lowered her head, her fingers gripping the hem of her blazer.
"…Yukito…"
I reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. "Hey… don't let her words get to you."
She hesitated before looking up at me again.
"…Do you really mean it?" she whispered. "That you still want to be with me? After everything I have done to you…?"
I smiled. "I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."
She let out a small, shaky laugh, wiping her tears away. "…You're an idiot."
I chuckled. "Yeah, but I'm your idiot."
This time, when she looked at me, I saw something different in her eyes. A quiet determination, a spark of something that hadn't been there before.
"Yukito…"
She looked me in the eyes.
I could see a crystal-clear teardrop rolling down her cheek, illuminated by the golden light of the sunset streaming through the classroom windows.
I pulled her into a tight embrace, and in that moment, we made up for everything that had come between us.