The days felt like weeks. Haruto's world had shifted into a place he never thought he would find himself in. The silence in the hallways of the school, once so comforting, now seemed suffocating. Every corner, every moment, reminded him of her. Of how she had left.
He had tried to reach out to Miyuki, but the messages he sent were never answered. His phone became a constant source of anxiety, every time it buzzed, he hoped, foolishly, that it would be her. But each time it wasn't. His messages were left on read, the silence louder than any words.
He walked to school each day with the same heaviness in his chest. It felt like something was missing—something essential. He would sit at the same spot by the oak tree, waiting for her to show up, but she never did.
He couldn't understand why she left him so abruptly. Why she didn't let him in on her pain. Why she didn't give him a chance to help her. He wanted to fight for her, to be the one to make everything better. But Miyuki had made her choice, and all he could do was respect it, even if it felt like his heart was being torn apart.
---
A few days later, Haruto walked to the lake.
It was the place where everything had started. Where they had first connected, shared their fears, and found a kind of comfort in each other. He wasn't sure why he was drawn to the lake, but something about its stillness called to him.
As he stood at the water's edge, he stared out at the lake, watching the ripples disturb the otherwise calm surface. The wind blew softly, and for a brief moment, he imagined that maybe, just maybe, Miyuki would walk out of the trees and sit beside him, just like she used to. He could picture her smile, the way she would laugh, and how she would reassure him that everything would be okay.
But the longer he stood there, the more he realized that everything had changed. She was gone, and she wasn't coming back.
The thought crushed him.
---
Haruto's phone buzzed.
It wasn't Miyuki. It was a message from Sakura.
"Haruto, where are you? I'm really worried. Please talk to me."
He stared at the message, his thumb hovering over the screen. He had been avoiding Sakura. He didn't know how to explain what was happening without breaking down in front of her. She had always been there, but right now, he couldn't bring himself to face her concern. It felt like admitting defeat, like telling her that he couldn't save Miyuki, couldn't fix anything.
Instead, he tucked the phone back into his pocket and stared out at the lake once more. His gaze was distant, lost in thoughts he couldn't voice. The emptiness felt unbearable, suffocating. He didn't know how to go on without her.
He closed his eyes, wishing he could turn back time, wishing he could go back to the days when everything was still simple, when he and Miyuki were happy, when their love felt like something unbreakable.
---
Later that night, Haruto sat in his room.
His phone buzzed again, but this time it was a notification from an unfamiliar number. He hesitated, then opened the message.
It was a text from Miyuki.
"Haruto, I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. But I had to leave. Please understand. I'll always love you."
Haruto's hands shook as he read the words. He stared at the screen, feeling the tears welling up in his eyes. He wanted to shout at her, to demand why she had done this to him. Why she had left without giving him a chance to help, to love her.
But as the tears fell, he realized that she had made her decision. Miyuki was trying to protect him, trying to make sure that he didn't have to watch her fade away. And even though it broke him, he knew deep down that she thought she was doing what was best for him.
Still, the pain was unbearable.
The next morning, Haruto didn't want to go to school. But he couldn't stay home either. He dragged himself out of bed, staring at the empty space where Miyuki should have been. Her absence felt like a hole in his life that he couldn't fill.
---
At school, Haruto kept his distance from everyone.
Sakura, who had been watching him for days, approached him cautiously during lunch. She could tell something was off. Haruto hadn't been himself at all lately, and it was clear he was struggling.
"Haruto, talk to me," Sakura said softly, sitting down next to him. "You don't have to go through this alone."
Haruto's gaze dropped to the table. He didn't want to talk. He didn't want to drag anyone else into the pain he was feeling. But Sakura's warmth, her concern, her presence, were like a lifeline he couldn't ignore. She was his childhood friend, his anchor, and yet he felt like he was drowning in his own emotions.
"I… I don't know what to say, Sakura," Haruto whispered. "Miyuki… she left. She left me, and I don't understand why."
Sakura's eyes softened, and she placed a gentle hand on his. "Haruto, you can't control everything. Miyuki made her choice, and as much as it hurts, you have to respect it. But you don't have to carry this weight alone."
Haruto shook his head. "I just… I can't do this without her. I thought we had more time."
"I know," Sakura said softly. "But we can't always have what we want, no matter how much we wish for it."
---
That evening, Haruto returned to the lake.
He sat by the water, staring out at the horizon, feeling the weight of Miyuki's absence pressing on his chest. It had only been a few days, but it felt like a lifetime. The grief was raw, sharp, and relentless. He had never felt this lost before.
He wanted to scream, to let out all the anger, frustration, and sadness that had built up inside him. But instead, he sat in silence, letting the night embrace him, hoping that the quiet would somehow bring him peace.
The stars twinkled above, distant and cold, just like Miyuki now felt to him. And for the first time since she had left, Haruto wondered if he would ever find peace again.