The morning light was dimmer than usual, the sky a pale gray as if the heavens themselves were mourning the inevitable. Hana's last day had arrived, and with it, a heavy silence hung over the school. No one seemed to know how to say goodbye, especially not Kaito, who had spent the entire night staring at the ceiling, his thoughts racing in a thousand directions, none of which could bring him peace.
He hadn't expected it to hurt this much.
He'd always been the guy who made jokes, who laughed his way out of everything, but with Hana, it was different. She had cracked the armor he'd built around himself, and now that she was leaving, he didn't know how to piece it all back together.
Hana arrived at school that morning with a quiet sadness in her eyes. Her suitcase was packed, standing in the corner of the classroom, a glaring reminder that today was the day she would leave everything behind. The students buzzed around her, but there was a distance between them, as if no one wanted to say the wrong thing. Some said goodbye, some didn't. Everyone seemed to sense the unspoken weight in the air.
She spotted Kaito leaning against the wall by the school gates, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his gaze on the ground. He wasn't smiling. He wasn't joking. He was just there, waiting for her. Waiting for this moment.
As she walked toward him, their eyes met for a brief second, and Kaito's heart twisted in his chest. Hana looked different today—fragile, vulnerable, like she was finally letting herself feel the pain that had been buried deep within her for so long. He wanted to say something, anything, to make this easier, but the words caught in his throat.
"Ready?" Hana's voice was soft, almost like she was afraid of breaking.
Kaito didn't answer immediately. He just looked at her, taking in the way her hair fell over her shoulders, the way her eyes had that familiar, distant look that reminded him of the day they first met.
"I thought I'd be okay by now," he said finally, his voice rough. "But I'm not."
Hana stepped closer, a small, sad smile pulling at her lips. "It's okay to not be okay," she said quietly. "I feel the same way."
They stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, as if trying to hold on to every last second before it slipped away.
The bell rang, signaling the start of the last class of the day. Kaito had told himself he wouldn't cry, that he wouldn't show how much this hurt. But as he saw Hana gather her things, her eyes focused on the floor, her movements slow and deliberate, he couldn't stop the lump that formed in his throat.
"Hey," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Hana paused and turned to face him. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears, her face pale. "Yeah?"
Kaito took a deep breath. "Do you really have to go?" The question was simple, but it held so much weight, so much meaning. It was a plea, a desperate wish that she would stay.
Hana shook her head softly. "I don't want to leave," she said, her voice trembling. "But... I have to. My dad's job... it's complicated. I don't have a choice."
Kaito's heart clenched, and for a moment, all he could do was stare at her, wishing for some kind of miracle. But there were no miracles. Just the painful truth.
"Then... what do I do now?" he asked, his voice cracking.
Hana reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You keep going. You'll be fine, Kaito. You always are."
Kaito nodded, but the truth was, he didn't know how he would be fine. The thought of facing tomorrow without Hana was impossible to grasp. The thought of never seeing her again, of her disappearing into some distant place, was a reality he couldn't wrap his head around.
At the gates, where the bus would pick Hana up, there was an uncomfortable silence. The students gathered around, watching the final moment unfold, their faces a mixture of sympathy and awkwardness. Kaito and Hana stood in the center, facing each other.
"This is it, huh?" Kaito said, his voice barely audible.
"Yeah," Hana replied, her lips trembling. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, folded piece of paper. "Here. It's for you."
Kaito took the paper, his fingers brushing against hers for the briefest moment. He unfolded it, his heart racing as he read the simple note she had written.
"No matter where life takes us, you'll always be in my heart. Thank you for everything. - Hana"
Kaito swallowed hard, folding the note and tucking it into his pocket. "I'll keep this," he said quietly. "I'll never forget."
Hana's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she didn't let them fall. "I won't either."
For a moment, they just stood there, facing each other, the world around them moving on without them. Hana took a step back, the bus pulling up behind her.
"Kaito..." she said softly. "Thank you. For everything."
"Don't thank me," Kaito replied, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you for showing me how to care again. For teaching me that it's okay to feel."
Hana smiled faintly, her lips quivering. "I'll never forget you."
Before Kaito could say anything else, the bus doors opened. Hana gave him one last look, one last fleeting smile, and then stepped onto the bus.
Kaito stood there, rooted to the spot, watching as the bus pulled away. His heart felt like it was being ripped from his chest, but he didn't move. He didn't want to forget this moment—this painful, bittersweet moment when he had to say goodbye.
The bus disappeared down the road, and Kaito finally let out the breath he had been holding. His heart still ached, but there was something else now—a quiet resolve.
Hana was gone, but the memories they shared would never fade. No matter where she went, no matter how far apart they were, she would always have a piece of him. And he would always carry a piece of her.
He turned and walked away, his heart heavy but full of the love and gratitude he had for her, knowing that, even though she was gone, she would never truly leave him.