Hanada stood at Akari's door, his heart pounding. He had texted her, called her, but she had been avoiding him since the night at the bar. He had no choice but to confront her in person. He raised his hand to knock, hesitating for a moment before his knuckles rapped against the wood.
The door opened, and there she was, Akari, her eyes red from crying. She looked at him with a mix of anger and sadness, a barrier of hurt between them.
"Hanada," she said, her voice flat, emotionless. "What do you want?"
"We need to talk," he said, his voice shaking. "Please, Akari. I need to explain."
She sighed, stepping aside to let him in. The room was neat, but the air was thick with tension. Hanada took a deep breath, trying to find the right words.
"Akari, I'm sorry," he started, his voice cracking. "I messed up. I know I did. But you have to understand, I... I didn't know how to cope with you being gone."
Akari crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "So, you coped by getting drunk and cozying up with some random girl? That's your excuse?"
"No!" Hanada shook his head vehemently. "It's not an excuse. I... I was lonely, Akari. You left, and I didn't know what to do. I felt abandoned."
"Abandoned?" Akari's voice rose, incredulous. "You think I wanted to leave? You think it was easy for me?"
Hanada's anger flared. "You left me, Akari! You just packed up and went without a word. Do you know how that felt? Like you didn't care!"
Tears welled up in Akari's eyes, but her voice was steel. "You don't know anything, Hanada. You don't know why I had to leave."
"Then tell me!" he shouted, his emotions boiling over. "Tell me why you left! Explain to me why you abandoned me!"
Akari's resolve broke, tears streaming down her face. "My mother has cancer, Hanada. She's dying."
The room fell silent, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air. Hanada's anger evaporated, replaced by shock and guilt.
"I... I didn't know," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
"Of course, you didn't," Akari sobbed. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want to burden you. I thought I could handle it on my own, but I was wrong. I left because I had to be there for her, for my family. Not because I wanted to leave you."
Hanada's knees felt weak, and he sank onto the edge of the bed. "I'm so sorry, Akari. I had no idea. I... I thought you just didn't care."
Akari sat down beside him, her anger subsiding into sorrow. "I cared, Hanada. I still care. But I couldn't be in two places at once. I tried to stay strong, but it was too much."
Hanada reached out, taking her hand in his. "I'm sorry for blaming you. I'm sorry for everything. I was weak. I should have been stronger for you."
She squeezed his hand, her tears mingling with his. "We both made mistakes. But we can get through this, together."
Hanada nodded, his heart aching with regret. "I promise, I'll be better. I'll be there for you, no matter what."
They sat in silence, holding each other, the distance between them slowly closing. The pain of their separation lingered, but so did the hope of reconciliation. For the first time in weeks, Hanada felt a glimmer of hope.
Akari wiped her tears, looking at him with a small, sad smile. "We have a lot to work through, Hanada. But I believe we can do it."
Hanada nodded, his resolve strengthening. "We will, Akari. We'll get through this, together."
As they sat there, Hanada realized that their journey was far from over. There would be more challenges, more pain, but also more love and understanding. And for the first time, he felt ready to face it all, with Akari by his side.
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[End of Chapter Twenty-Six]