It had been a month since Miyuki had passed. The lake, once a place where Haruto and Miyuki had shared their most intimate moments, now stood as a cruel reminder of everything he had lost. The pain was still fresh, as raw as the day he had cradled her lifeless body in his arms. But as much as he hated to admit it, life had continued without her. He hadn't wanted to live without her—he had almost let the darkness consume him. But then Sakura had found him, saved him from himself, and slowly, through all the grief, she had helped him find the strength to live again.
Sakura had stayed with him through every sleepless night, through every tear. She didn't pressure him to heal quickly; she just let him feel everything he needed to feel. It wasn't easy, but with her by his side, he had started to understand that the pain he carried wouldn't disappear, but it could be managed.
Haruto stood at Miyuki's grave, the early morning sun casting a soft glow across the cemetery. It had taken him weeks to find the strength to come here, to face the reality that she was truly gone. His fingers grazed the engraved letters on the stone, his heart heavy with a mix of sadness and gratitude.
"I miss you, Miyuki," he whispered, his voice barely audible in the stillness of the graveyard. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to understand why you had to go. But I'll never forget you, not even if I live a thousand years."
He paused, swallowing hard, as if the words were stuck in his throat. He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to feel the full weight of his loss, but then something inside him shifted. Slowly, he opened his eyes and allowed a small, bittersweet smile to tug at the corner of his lips.
"Thank you, Miyuki," he murmured. "Thank you for everything you gave me. I'll carry you in my heart forever."
The breeze rustled the leaves of the trees nearby, and for a brief moment, Haruto could almost feel Miyuki's presence beside him, as if she was whispering back, telling him it was time to let go. Letting go didn't mean forgetting—it just meant finding the strength to live again.
As Haruto took a deep breath and turned to leave, he noticed Sakura standing a few feet behind him, her eyes filled with understanding. She had given him the space he needed, but she had never once left his side.
Sakura gave him a soft smile, her eyes full of compassion. She walked toward him, her steps gentle but firm. Without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into an embrace. For the first time in weeks, Haruto allowed himself to lean into someone else's warmth. He had spent so much time fighting his pain, trying to bury it deep within, but here, in Sakura's arms, he realized that he didn't have to face it alone anymore.
"I'll always be here for you, Haruto," Sakura said softly, her voice like a gentle promise.
Haruto closed his eyes, his face resting against her shoulder as a tear slipped down his cheek. He didn't need to say anything in return. The words had already been spoken between them.
Sakura's presence, her quiet strength, was exactly what he needed to begin the healing process. Slowly, painfully, but surely, he would find a way to move forward—he would carry the memory of Miyuki with him, but he wouldn't let it destroy him. He owed it to her, and to himself, to keep living.
When they pulled away from the embrace, Haruto felt a flicker of hope deep inside him, a sense of peace that had eluded him for so long. He wasn't sure what the future held, but he knew that he wasn't alone in it. With Sakura by his side, he would face whatever came next.
Together, they left the cemetery, walking side by side. The sun was setting in the distance, casting long shadows over the path, but for the first time in months, Haruto could see the light at the end of the tunnel. It wouldn't be easy, but with each step, he was learning to heal.
And though the pain would never fully go away, he knew that life—with all its unpredictability and heartbreak—was still worth living, just as Miyuki had wanted.
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End of Story