The world outside the window of the small
clinic was quiet, bathed in the gentle glow
of the early morning sun. Inside, the smell
of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air.
Yui stood by the window, absently stirring
her cup, her thoughts far away. Behind her,
Haruto was hunched over the workbench,
his face bathed in the blue light of his laptop screen, engrossed in whatever new research had caught his attention that day.
It had become a familiar scene- the two of
them quietly sharing space, absorbed in
their own worlds but still connected by the
quiet understanding that had grown between them over the years. It was this comfortable silence, this unspoken companionship, that had first drawn them together.
But there was something more- a love that
had always been there. They had both felt
it from the start, but neither had ever had
the courage to say it aloud. Maybe it was
fear. Fear of ruining the friendship that had
been their lifeline since they were children.
Fear that confessing their feelings would
somehow change everything. So, they had remained silent, each one holding their
love inside, waiting for the right moment if there even was such a thing. Yui smiled
softly as she watched him, remembering
how it all began.
THE FIRST SPARK…
They had always been close, bonded by the
shared experience of growing up without
parents, relying on each other for the comfort and support that only someone who truly understand could provide. They had been best friends, since they were children,
always there for each other, but even back
then, it was more than just friendship.
From the beginning, there had been something deeper, something neither of them had been able to name at the time. They
were just kids, after all, but even then, their
hearts had already chosen each other.
When they were teenagers, it become more
apparent. They would spend hours together, laughing and talking about their dreams for the future. And though their conversations were light, filled with hope and plans, there was always an unspoken tension beneath the surface. They had grown closer over the years, and while neither of them could bring themselves to say it, they both knew that they had fallen in love.
The realization came slowly, creeping into
their hearts as they grew older. It was in the
way their hands lingered just a little longer
when they touched. The way they would
find any excuse to be near each other, even
if it was just to sit in silence. But despite
all of these signs, they were afraid-afraid to
admitting it would change everything. And
so, they kept their love hidden, each waiting for the other to make the first move.One late summer evening, they found themselves sitting together on the roof of Haruto's house. The sky was painted with streaks of orange and pink, and the air was warm with the lingering heat of the day. They had spent the afternoon reminiscing about their childhood, laughing about the silly things they used to do, when suddenly, the laughter faded, replaced by a soft comfortable silence. "Do you ever wonder what our lives would have been like if things were different?" Yui asked
quietly, her gaze fixed on the horizon.
Haruto turned to look at her, his eyes soft
and thoughtful.
"What do you mean?"
"If we hadn't lost our parents," she said,
her voice barely above a whisper. "If we
hadn't had to grow up alone without parents. Do you think we'd still be… us?
Haruto considered her question for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't think so. I think the people we are today, the bond we share- it's all because of what we went through together." Yui smiled faintly, nodding in agreement. "I guess you're right. I just wonder sometimes, what if we didn't have to lose so much to gain this?"
Haruto reached out, his hand gently covering hers. "Maybe we did lose a lot," he said
softly, "but I'm grateful for what we've
found along the way." His words lingered
in the air, heavy with meaning. Yui's heart
skipped a beat. She had loved him for so
long- longer than she had even realized.
And yet, she had never had the courage to
say it out loud. She had always been afraid
that he didn't feel the same way, that admitting her feelings would ruin everything they had. But now, looking into his eyes, she wondered if he had felt the same
all along.
FALLING IN LOVE SLOWLY…
After that night, everything was different.
They still didn't speak about it- neither of
them had the courage to say the words that
were on the tip of their tongues- but the air
between them was changed with something more.
They continued their work side by side,
sharing the same space as always, but now,
there was an unspoken understanding between them. A deeper connection in the
way they interacted. Every glance, every touch, felt heavy with meaning. It wasn't
long before the inevitable happened.
One evening, after a particularly long and
exhausting day at the clinic, they found
themselves walking together through the
quiet streets of their small town. The night
air was cool, and the sky was clear, the
stars twinkling brightly above them. The
world felt still, as if it were waiting for
something to happen.
They walked in silence for a while, side by
side, the distance between them feeling
both too small and too large at the same
time. Then, as they reached the edge of the
park where they had spent so much of their childhood, Haruto stopped and turned to
face her."I need to tell you something," Haruto
said, his voice quiet but steady. Yui felt her heart pound in her chest. She knew what he was going to say, but hearing the words was still terrifying. "What is it?" Haruto hesitated for a moment, his eyes searching hers, as if he were trying to find the courage to say what had been in his heart for so long. "I… I don't know when it happened exactly, but somewhere along the way, I realized that you mean more to me than just… just a friend. Umm! I don't know how to say. I… I was in love with you for a long time, I've loved you for a
long time, it's just I didn't have the courage to tell you."
Yui's breath caught in her throat. He loved
her. He had loved her all this time, just like
she had loved him. She felt a wave of relief
wash over her, but also a pang of regret for
all the time they had wasted, too afraid to
admit how they felt.
"I love you too," she whispered, her voice
barely audible. She blushes while saying
it- "I've also loved you for a long time."
For a moment, neither of them moved, the
weight of their shared confession hanging
in the air between them. Then, slowly,
Haruto reached out and took her hand in
his, his touch warm and steady.They stood like that for what felt like forever, the world around them, fading into the background, until finally, Harutoleaned in and pressed his forehead gently against hers.
"I don't know what this means for us," he murmured, his breath warm against her skin.
"But I know that I don't want to lose you."
"You won't," she promised, her voice
steady despite the whirlwind of emotions
inside her. We've wasted enough time being afraid. We won't do that anymore."
A QUIET LOVE…
From that moment on, their love became
something they no longer had to hid. It was
still quiet, built on years of trust and understanding, but now, there was a freedom in the way they showed it.
They continued to work together, to live
their lives as they always had, but now,
there was an added layer of intimacy to
everything they did. There were no grand
declarations of love, no dramatic moments
of passion. Instead, it was in the small
things. The way they would sit together at
the end of the day, leaning into each other,
finding comfort in their shared silence.
There love was quiet, but it was deep. It
was the kind of love that had been there
from the start, even before they had known
it themselves. A love that had grown slowly, built on a foundation of friendship and shared hardship.
A MOMENT OF PEACE…
One evening, after a particularly long and
gruelling day at clinic, they found themselves sitting together on the couch in Haruto's small apartment. The room was dimly lit by the soft glow of the lamp beside them, and the sound of rain pattering against the window filled the silence.
Yui leaned her head against Haruto's
shoulder, her eyes closed as she let the exhaustion of the day was over her. "I wish
we could just… stop for a while," she murmured. "Just have a moment where everything isn't so hard."Haruto wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. "We'll get there," he said softly. "I promise."
Yui opened her eyes and looked up at him,
her heart swelling with love. "You always
know just what to say."Haruto smiled, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "That's because I know you better than anyone."
They sat like that for a while, wrapped up
in each other, the outside world forgotten.
In that moment, everything felt right. The
constant pressure, the looming deadlines,
the uncertainty of the future- it all faded
away, leaving only the warmth of their
love.