Kazuki trudged through the hallways of the university, trying his best to blend in with the crowd of students. The events of the past few days weighed heavily on his mind, making it difficult to focus on anything else. His thoughts were a jumble of confusion, guilt, and unease. He couldn't shake the feeling that things were spiraling out of control, and he had no idea how to stop it.
As he walked, he couldn't help but notice Haruka glancing at him from across the hallway. Her eyes were filled with concern, and her usual bright smile was replaced by a worried frown. Kazuki quickly averted his gaze, pretending not to see her. He couldn't face her—not after everything that had happened. The guilt gnawed at him, making it almost unbearable to be around her.
Haruka, however, wasn't one to give up so easily. She had known Kazuki for a long time, and she could tell that something was seriously wrong. Ever since they had reunited at the university, she had noticed subtle changes in his behavior—his constant anxiety, his reluctance to talk, and the way he seemed to be avoiding her. It was like he was a completely different person from the Kazuki she had once known.
Determined to find out what was going on, Haruka decided to seek help. She knew there was one person she could trust with her concerns—Yuto Saito, a close friend who had also known Kazuki since their junior school days.
Yuto was the kind of guy who could easily read people. He had a laid-back demeanor and a sharp mind, making him an excellent observer. If anyone could help Haruka figure out what was going on with Kazuki, it was him.
After class, Haruka found Yuto lounging in one of the university's common areas, flipping through a manga. She approached him, her steps purposeful but hesitant.
"Yuto-kun," Haruka called softly, catching his attention.
Yuto looked up from his manga, his expression shifting from relaxed to curious as he noticed the serious look on Haruka's face. "Haruka-chan? What's up? You look worried."
Haruka bit her lip, unsure of how to start. "It's about Kazuki-kun. Have you noticed anything… strange about him lately?"
Yuto raised an eyebrow, closing his manga and setting it aside. "Strange how?"
"He's been acting really weird," Haruka explained, her voice filled with concern. "He's always avoiding me, and he seems so… distant. It's like he's carrying some huge burden, but he won't talk to me about it. I'm really worried about him, Yuto-kun."
Yuto frowned, leaning back in his chair as he considered Haruka's words. "Now that you mention it, he has been acting kind of off lately. I thought maybe he was just stressed out with classes or something, but… you're saying it's more than that?"
Haruka nodded, her expression pleading. "I don't know what's going on with him, but I'm scared that something might be seriously wrong. I don't want to lose him, Yuto-kun."
Yuto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he thought it over. He had known Kazuki for years, and the idea of something being wrong with him didn't sit well with him either. Kazuki had always been the quiet, reserved type, but this was different. There was an air of secrecy and tension around him that Yuto couldn't quite put his finger on.
"Alright, Haruka-chan," Yuto finally said, his tone serious. "Let's keep an eye on him. Maybe if we watch him closely, we can figure out what's going on. And if we can't, we'll try to talk to him together. Kazuki-kun's always been stubborn, but he's not invincible. If something's wrong, we'll find a way to help him."
Haruka nodded, feeling a small sense of relief. At least she wasn't alone in her concern. "Thank you, Yuto-kun. I really appreciate it."
Yuto smiled, though there was a hint of worry in his eyes. "No problem, Haruka-chan. We'll figure this out together."
As Haruka and Yuto discussed their plan to keep an eye on Kazuki, memories of their shared past began to surface in Haruka's mind. She had known Kazuki since they were children, having attended the same junior school. Back then, Kazuki had been different—he was still shy and introverted, but there was a quiet strength in him that Haruka had always admired.
In junior school, Haruka had been a target for bullies. She was small, timid, and often found herself on the receiving end of cruel taunts and pranks from their classmates. It was a lonely and terrifying experience, one that left her feeling powerless and scared.
But Kazuki had been there for her. He had always been there, watching from the sidelines, ready to step in whenever things got too rough. He wasn't the biggest or strongest boy in their class, but he had a fierce determination to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. Whenever the bullies cornered Haruka, Kazuki would appear, putting himself between her and her tormentors. He would take the hits, endure the insults, and never once complained about it.
Haruka remembered one incident in particular—a day when the bullying had escalated to a point where she was genuinely afraid for her safety. The bullies had cornered her after school, and she was too scared to run or call for help. But then Kazuki had appeared, his usual quiet demeanor replaced by a steely resolve. He had stood in front of Haruka, shielding her with his body as he faced down the bullies.
"Leave her alone," Kazuki had said, his voice trembling but firm.
The bullies had laughed, mocking him for his bravery, but Kazuki hadn't backed down. He had taken every punch, every shove, without flinching. And when it was all over, when the bullies had finally left them alone, Kazuki had turned to Haruka with a gentle smile, despite the bruises on his face.
"Are you okay, Haruka-chan?" he had asked, his concern for her outweighing his own pain.
Haruka had been too overwhelmed to speak. She had simply nodded, tears streaming down her face as she realized that Kazuki had risked everything to protect her.
From that day on, Haruka had always looked up to Kazuki as her hero. He was the one person who had stood by her side when no one else would, the one person who had shown her kindness and compassion when she needed it most. It was because of him that she had found the strength to stand up for herself, to believe that she was worth protecting.
As they grew older, Haruka's feelings for Kazuki had deepened into something more than just gratitude. She admired his quiet strength, his selflessness, and his unwavering loyalty. She loved the way he would always put others before himself, even if it meant getting hurt in the process. She loved the way he would always find a way to make her smile, even on her darkest days.
But Kazuki had never seemed to notice her feelings. He had remained oblivious to the affection she held for him, too wrapped up in his own world to see what was right in front of him. And Haruka had never been brave enough to tell him how she felt, fearing that it might ruin the special bond they shared.
Now, seeing him so distant and troubled, Haruka's heart ached with a longing to help him the way he had once helped her. She couldn't stand the thought of him suffering alone, of him carrying some terrible burden without anyone to share it with. But every time she tried to reach out to him, he would pull away, leaving her feeling more helpless than ever.
As Kazuki continued to avoid her, Haruka's determination only grew stronger. She knew that something was wrong, and she wasn't going to let him push her away. Not this time. She had promised herself long ago that she would always be there for him, just as he had always been there for her.
And so, with Yuto's help, Haruka began to watch Kazuki more closely. She observed the way he would flinch whenever someone got too close, the way he would constantly glance over his shoulder as if he were being followed. She noticed how he would disappear for long periods of time, only to return looking even more stressed and agitated than before.
It wasn't long before Haruka's suspicions turned into genuine concern. Kazuki was hiding something—something big, something that was eating away at him from the inside. And whatever it was, it was tearing him apart.
Meanwhile, Kazuki was doing everything he could to keep Haruka at arm's length. He couldn't bear to see the worry in her eyes, the way she would look at him as if she could see right through him. It was too much. The guilt was suffocating, making it hard for him to breathe, to think, to act normally.
He knew that Haruka cared about him—she always had. But that only made things worse. If she found out what he had done, what he was still doing, she would be disgusted with him. She would hate him. And that was something Kazuki couldn't bear to face.
So he kept his distance, avoiding her whenever possible. He made excuses to leave early, to skip out on their usual hangouts. He tried to focus on his tasks, on the system's demands, but the guilt was always there, lurking in the back of his mind
.
Kazuki had never been good at dealing with his emotions. He had always bottled them up, hiding them behind a facade of indifference. But now, with everything that was happening, that facade was starting to crack. And he was terrified of what would happen if it shattered completely.
As he lay in bed one night, staring up at the ceiling, Kazuki couldn't help but wonder how much longer he could keep this up. How much longer he could keep lying to the people he cared about, how much longer he could keep running from the truth.
But deep down, he knew that there was no going back. He was in too deep now, too far gone to turn back. The system had him in its grip, and there was no escaping it. All he could do was keep moving forward, keep completing the tasks, and hope that somehow, someway, he could find a way to make things right.
But as the days went on, and Haruka's suspicions grew stronger, Kazuki couldn't shake the feeling that his time was running out. That sooner or later, the truth would come out—and when it did, everything would come crashing down around him.
And that thought, more than anything else, filled him with a sense of dread that he couldn't escape.