"Love isn't just about fitting into each other's worlds; it's about finding beauty in the spaces between. Hiiragi taught me to savor the quiet moments, while I showed him the thrill of chasing dreams. Together, we bridged the gap between tradition and modernity, creating a home in each other where Kyoto's calm meets New York's energy."—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The rain poured down relentlessly, as if the sky itself mirrored the turmoil in Victor's heart. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the floor, his mind replaying the events on the train over and over again. The moment Hiiragi had looked at him with those vulnerable, hopeful eyes, confessing his feelings—it should have been everything Victor had ever wanted. Instead, he had panicked, his own insecurities and fears rising to the surface, causing him to stutter out a rejection that now felt like a dagger in his chest.Victor's hands trembled as he buried his face in them, the weight of his actions pressing down on him like an unbearable burden. "What have I done?" he whispered to the empty room, his voice thick with regret. The memory of Hiiragi's crushed expression, the way his smile had faltered and his eyes had dimmed, haunted him. It played on a loop in his mind, a cruel reminder of the pain he had inflicted on the person he cared about most.He had spent so long denying his feelings, convincing himself that it was better this way, that it was safer to keep his distance. But now, in the cold silence of his room, Victor could no longer lie to himself. He was in love with Hiiragi, and he had just pushed him away in the worst possible way.The rain outside beat against the window, each drop a relentless reminder of his own tears that he struggled to hold back. Victor's face flushed with shame and regret, his skin burning as if every ounce of guilt was manifesting physically. His heart pounded in his chest, the rhythm echoing his frantic thoughts. He could still hear his voice in his mind, shaky and uncertain, as he uttered the words that had shattered Hiiragi's heart.Why didn't I just say yes? Why didn't I tell him how I really feel?Victor stood up abruptly, unable to sit still any longer. His body was buzzing with restless energy, his emotions a chaotic storm. He paced the room, his mind racing with possibilities, with regrets, with the unbearable realization that he might have lost Hiiragi for good. The thought alone was enough to make his heart ache with a pain that felt too intense to bear.He ran a hand through his hair, gripping it tightly as if the physical pain could somehow dull the emotional agony. "I need to fix this," he muttered, though he had no idea how. Would Hiiragi even want to talk to him again after what he'd done? Victor couldn't blame him if he didn't. He'd been such a coward, so caught up in his fears of rejection and inadequacy that he had pushed away the one person who had ever truly mattered to him.Victor collapsed onto the bed, his head in his hands, as the weight of his own actions settled over him like a heavy blanket. The rain continued to pour, a constant reminder of his sorrow, and he couldn't help but feel that the world itself was mourning alongside him.Meanwhile, across town, Hiiragi lay curled up on his bed, staring blankly at the wall as tears silently streamed down his face. His chest felt tight, constricted by the weight of his own sadness. The pain of Victor's rejection was a deep, hollow ache that resonated through his entire being, making it hard to breathe, hard to think, hard to even exist.Hiiragi had always been an optimistic person, always looking for the silver lining even in the darkest of clouds. But now, that optimism felt like a distant memory, replaced by a crushing despair that he couldn't shake. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Victor's face, saw the hesitation, the uncertainty, and then the finality of his rejection. It hurt more than anything Hiiragi had ever experienced, as if his heart had been shattered into a million pieces.He thought about Sora's comforting words from earlier, about how it was okay to feel hurt, but even that didn't lessen the pain. The rejection had left him feeling lost, as if he was floating in a sea of his own emotions with no shore in sight. He had been so sure of his feelings, so convinced that Victor felt the same way, and now... now he didn't know what to believe.Hiiragi's mind drifted back to all the moments they had shared, all the times he had caught Victor looking at him with a softness in his eyes that had made his heart skip a beat. Had he been imagining it? Had he been foolish to think that Victor could ever feel the same way? The uncertainty gnawed at him, adding to the pain already weighing down his heart.He curled up tighter, pulling the blanket around him as if it could shield him from the harsh reality of the world outside. But no amount of blankets could protect him from the pain in his chest, from the sorrow that had taken root in his heart and refused to let go.The room was silent except for the quiet sound of his own breathing, and the occasional sniffle as he tried to keep his tears at bay. He didn't want to cry anymore, didn't want to feel this way, but the tears kept coming, as if his body had decided it needed to purge itself of all the emotions he had been holding in.Hiiragi felt utterly alone, despite being surrounded by the comfort of his home, his family, and even Sora. It was as if the world had become a little dimmer, a little colder, and no amount of warmth or light could reach him. He wanted to stop feeling, to just shut off his emotions and escape from the pain, but he knew that wasn't possible. The pain was a part of him now, a constant companion that refused to leave.He wished he could go back, could erase the moment on the train and pretend it never happened. He wished he had never confessed his feelings, had never opened himself up to the possibility of being hurt. But more than anything, he wished that Victor had felt the same way, that he had seen the love in Hiiragi's eyes and had returned it with a smile instead of hesitation.The night dragged on, each minute feeling like an eternity as Hiiragi lay there, lost in his own sorrow. He didn't know how long he could keep this up, didn't know how much longer he could bear the weight of his own heartbreak. But even in the depths of his despair, a small part of him still held onto hope, still believed that maybe, just maybe, things could be different.But for now, all he could do was cry, and hope that the pain would lessen with time.Victor couldn't sleep. The night stretched out endlessly, every hour marked by the ticking of the clock on his bedside table. The relentless rain outside mirrored the storm inside his mind, each drop a reminder of the tears he couldn't shed. He felt too numb, too paralyzed by regret and fear to even cry. Instead, he lay there in the dark, staring up at the ceiling, replaying the events of the day over and over in his mind.He had messed up. There was no other way to put it. He had taken Hiiragi's heart, fragile and full of hope, and crushed it with his own insecurities. The realization of what he had done gnawed at him, making it impossible to find any peace.His phone sat on the bedside table, taunting him with its silence. Every few minutes, he would glance at it, hoping—no, praying—that Hiiragi would text him, that somehow, miraculously, everything would be okay. But the screen remained dark, and the weight in Victor's chest grew heavier with each passing second."What do I do?" Victor whispered into the darkness. His voice was barely audible, shaky and filled with despair. He wanted to fix things, to make everything right, but he didn't know how. He was terrified that he had already lost his chance, that Hiiragi would never want to see him again after the way he had hurt him.His thoughts drifted back to all the moments they had shared, all the times Hiiragi had made him laugh, had comforted him when he was down, had been there for him in ways no one else ever had. Hiiragi had always been the light in his life, the one person who made everything better just by being there. And now, Victor had pushed him away.The more he thought about it, the more Victor realized just how much he needed Hiiragi. Not just as a friend, but as something more. He had been too scared to admit it before, too wrapped up in his own fears to see what was right in front of him. But now, with the possibility of losing Hiiragi forever staring him in the face, he couldn't deny it any longer.Victor was in love with Hiiragi. He had been for a long time, but he had been too afraid to acknowledge it, too afraid of what it might mean. And now, because of that fear, he had hurt the person he cared about most in the world.He sat up in bed, the weight of his realization making it impossible to stay still. His heart pounded in his chest, his pulse racing as the enormity of his feelings hit him like a tidal wave. He had to do something. He couldn't just sit here and let things stay the way they were. But what could he do? How could he possibly make up for what he had done?Victor reached for his phone again, his fingers trembling as he opened the messaging app. He stared at the empty text box, his mind racing with a thousand things he wanted to say. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find the right words. Everything sounded hollow, inadequate compared to the depth of his feelings.Finally, with a frustrated sigh, he set the phone down again. He couldn't do this over text. He needed to see Hiiragi, to apologize in personand tell him everything he had been too scared to say before. But what if Hiiragi didn't want to see him? What if he had already decided that Victor wasn't worth the pain?The thought was unbearable, but Victor knew he had to try. He couldn't let things end like this. Even if Hiiragi never forgave him, even if he never wanted to speak to him again, Victor owed it to both of them to at least try and make things right.He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, he would go to Hiiragi's house and talk to him. He would apologize, explain everything, and hope that Hiiragi could find it in his heart to forgive him.But as much as he tried to reassure himself, the fear lingered, gnawing at him like a persistent ache. What if Hiiragi didn't want to hear what he had to say? What if he had already moved on, decided that Victor wasn't worth the trouble? The thought made Victor's stomach churn with anxiety, but he pushed it aside. He had to try. He owed Hiiragi that much.The rest of the night passed in a haze, the minutes dragging by as Victor's mind raced with a million thoughts and possibilities. When the first light of dawn finally crept through the curtains, he was already out of bed, his resolve strengthened by the sleepless night.He would go to Hiiragi's house and do whatever it took to fix this. He would pour his heart out, lay everything bare, and hope that somehow, some way, they could find their way back to each other.Meanwhile, at Hiiragi's house, the night had been just as restless. He had cried himself to sleep, the exhaustion from the emotional turmoil finally overwhelming him. But even in sleep, his mind couldn't find peace. His dreams were filled with memories of Victor, of the good times they had shared, tainted now by the painful rejection on the train.Hiiragi woke up feeling hollow, his heart heavy with the weight of his sadness. The morning light filtered through the curtains, but it did nothing to lift the darkness that had settled over him. He felt drained, both physically and emotionally, as if all the life had been sucked out of him.He didn't want to get out of bed, didn't want to face the day. But the thought of Sora and his family downstairs, waiting for him, gave him the push he needed. He couldn't hide away forever, no matter how much he wanted to. Slowly, reluctantly, he forced himself to sit up, wiping the remnants of sleep and tears from his eyes.As he got dressed, Hiiragi's mind wandered back to Victor. Despite everything, despite the pain and the heartbreak, he couldn't stop thinking about him. He couldn't help but wonder what Victor was doing, whether he was feeling any of the regret and sadness that Hiiragi was drowning in. The uncertainty gnawed at him, making it impossible to find any peace.When Hiiragi finally made his way downstairs, Sora was waiting for him, a concerned look on his face. "How are you feeling?" Sora asked gently, his voice filled with the kind of concern that only a true friend could offer.Hiiragi forced a small smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm... okay," he said, though the words felt like a lie. He wasn't okay. He was far from it. But he didn't want to burden Sora with his sadness, didn't want to drag him down into the darkness that had settled over his heart.Sora didn't look convinced, but he didn't push. Instead, he pulled Hiiragi into a hug, holding him tightly as if he could somehow protect him from the pain. "It's going to be okay," he murmured, though Hiiragi wasn't sure he believed it.Hiiragi closed his eyes, letting himself take comfort in the embrace. It didn't erase the pain, didn't make the sadness go away, but it was something. And right now, that was all he could ask for.As the day dragged on, Hiiragi tried to go about his usual routine, but everything felt off. The world seemed a little dimmer, a little quieter, as if the colors had faded and the sounds had dulled. Nothing felt right without Victor. The weight of the rejection hung over him like a dark cloud, making it hard to focus on anything else.Hiiragi found himself replaying the moment on the train over and over in his mind, trying to figure out where it had all gone wrong. He had been so sure that Victor felt the same way, that his feelings had been reciprocated. But now, all that certainty had been replaced by doubt, by a deep, gnawing insecurity that made him question everything.Was it his fault? Had he pushed too hard, been too forward? Had he misunderstood Victor's feelings all along? The questions tormented him, each one like a knife twisting in his chest, making the pain even more unbearable.But even in the midst of all the doubt and insecurity, a small part of Hiiragi still clung to hope. It was a fragile, flickering thing, like a candle in the wind, but it was there. A part of him couldn't believe that Victor didn't feel the same way. He had seen the way Victor looked at him, the way his eyes softened, the way his smile widened whenever they were together. There had to be something there. There had to be.As the day turned to evening, Hiiragi found himself standing by the window, staring out at the darkening sky. The rain had finally stopped, but the clouds still lingered, heavy and foreboding. He felt a pang of longing, a deep yearning to see Victor, to hear his voice, to find some way to make things right.He didn't know what the future held, didn't know if things could ever go back to the way they were. But one thing was certain: he couldn't stop loving Victor, no matter how much it hurt.And somewhere, deep down, he hoped that maybe—just maybe—Victor felt the same way.Hiiragi, wiping his tears, looked up at Sora, and his gaze caught on the rainbow-colored highlights in his friend's hair. For a moment, the sight almost distracted him from his own sorrow. The colors were bold and bright, standing out vividly against Sora's dark hair.Sora noticed Hiiragi's gaze and gave a small, proud smile, running a hand through his hair. "I dyed them to celebrate," he said, his voice full of warmth. "You know, pride and all that. Plus, I wanted to show off a bit since I'm dating this hot, Russian guy."Hiiragi managed a weak smile in return, but the reminder of love only deepened the ache in his chest. He wanted to be happy for Sora—he really did. But all he could think about was the train ride, Victor's red face, his stuttered rejection, and the overwhelming feeling of having his heart shattered into pieces.Sora, oblivious to Hiiragi's inner turmoil, continued chatting with his usual enthusiasm, "He's amazing, Hiiragi. You'd love him—well, when you're ready to meet him, of course." His voice softened, sensing something was off. "But hey, enough about me. What's going on? You look like you've been through hell and back."Hiiragi's shoulders slumped, and he let out a shaky breath. "I confessed to Victor...and he rejected me."Sora's eyes widened, and he immediately moved closer, wrapping an arm around Hiiragi's shoulders in a comforting embrace. "Oh, Hiiragi... I'm so sorry."Hiiragi leaned into the comfort, tears spilling over again. The vibrant colors in Sora's hair seemed to blur as his vision clouded with sadness. He wanted to be strong, to believe that things would get better, but right now, all he could feel was the deep, gnawing pain of rejection.The room was filled with soft murmurs of comfort from Sora, the clinking of silverware from the dinner table, and the faint sound of rain tapping against the windows—an endless, sorrowful symphony that matched the beating of Hiiragi's broken heart.Sora's embrace was warm and steady, a lifeline amidst the storm of Hiiragi's emotions. The sounds of the house—the laughter from Sora's niece, the soft chatter of his mother and sister—felt distant and almost surreal as Hiiragi clung to his friend. The vibrant hues of Sora's rainbow highlights seemed to blur and blend with the tears streaming down Hiiragi's face.After a few moments, Sora gently guided Hiiragi to sit down on the couch. He sat beside him, rubbing his back soothingly. "Do you want to talk about what happened? Maybe it'll help to get it all out."Hiiragi took a shaky breath, trying to steady his emotions. "It was just... everything was so perfect. We were on the train, and I thought—" He stopped, swallowing hard. "I thought he felt the same way. I thought maybe... maybe there was a chance for us. And then, when I finally told him how I felt, he—he rejected me."Sora's expression softened with sympathy. "Victor... He's a good guy, Hiiragi. He's just... he's probably dealing with his own stuff. Maybe he was caught off guard."Hiiragi shook his head, his voice trembling. "I don't know. It felt so real. He looked so... so flustered. It wasn't a rejection like I thought it would be. It was like he didn't even know how to react. But then, he just said no."Sora frowned, thinking for a moment. "I know it's hard, but sometimes people react in ways we don't expect because they're scared or confused. Maybe he wasn't ready, or maybe he was dealing with something personal. It doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't care about you."Hiiragi wiped his tears with the back of his hand. "I just don't understand. Why did he have to make it so difficult? Why couldn't he just be honest with me?"Sora squeezed Hiiragi's shoulder reassuringly. "I wish I had all the answers for you. But I do know that it's not your fault. You were brave enough to put yourself out there, and that's something to be proud of. Sometimes, it's about finding the right time and the right way to talk things through. Maybe you'll get the chance to clear things up with Victor later on."Hiiragi nodded, though the pain in his heart was still overwhelming. "I hope so. I really do."Just then, the door to the dining room opened, and Sora's mother poked her head in. She looked at Hiiragi with concern. "Is everything okay out here? I heard some commotion."Sora glanced at Hiiragi before turning to his mother with a reassuring smile. "Hiiragi's just had a rough day. I'm taking care of him."Sora's mother nodded, her expression softening. "If he needs anything, just let me know. Dinner's almost ready."Sora gave a nod, and after his mother left, he turned back to Hiiragi. "Do you want to stay here and talk more, or would you like to join us for dinner? It might be nice to take your mind off things for a bit."Hiiragi considered the offer, his stomach rumbling slightly at the thought of food. He managed a faint smile. "I think I'd like to join you, if that's okay. I could use a bit of distraction."Sora stood up, helping Hiiragi to his feet. "Of course. Let's get you some food and try to relax a little."As they walked into the dining room, Hiiragi felt the warmth of Sora's family enveloping him. The atmosphere was cozy, filled with the aromas of home-cooked meals and the gentle hum of conversation. It was a stark contrast to the storm of emotions he had been experiencing, but it was exactly what he needed—a brief respite from his heartache.Throughout dinner, Sora's family was welcoming and kind, their presence a comforting distraction. They chatted about everyday topics, and Sora's niece's laughter brought a small, genuine smile to Hiiragi's face. For a little while, the pain of Victor's rejection felt a bit more manageable, overshadowed by the warmth and kindness of his friend's family.As the evening wore on, Hiiragi felt a sense of gratitude for Sora's support and for the small moments of peace amidst his turmoil. He knew the road to healing would be long and uncertain, but for now, he was thankful for the comfort of friends and the promise of better days ahead.