Sakura's breath quivered, her body going rigid as Haru's words echoed in her mind. The weight of his confession pinned her in place, her wide eyes locked on his face. She wanted to speak, to demand answers, but her voice failed her, her hands trembling as she pulled them free of his grip.
"You and Mia—"
"I was only with Mia because of you," Haru interrupted, his voice rising above the rain. His frustration was palpable, his gray eyes burning with intensity. "You're the one who helped her get my attention. Every date, every moment we spent together—Mia only knew what to do because of you. And when you left for Osaka, everything between us started to fall apart." He ran a hand through his wet hair, his movements sharp, almost angry. "Without you, she wasn't the person I thought she was. She was trying to be you, Sakura."
"Stop it," Sakura snapped, her voice trembling. Her chest tightened with every word he spoke, her emotions twisting into a storm as fierce as the one pouring down around them.
"But that's the truth!" Haru shouted, stepping closer, his voice cracking under the strain. "Don't you get it? I didn't fall in love with her—I fell in love with you! And I've been trying to bury that for years, but I can't anymore."
Sakura stumbled back, her soaked dress clinging to her body as the relentless rain continued. "If that's true," she whispered, barely able to meet his gaze, "then why did you propose to her? Why did you let it get this far?"
Haru faltered, his shoulders sagging as if the question itself had knocked the wind out of him. He opened his mouth, then closed it, shaking his head. "Because I thought I couldn't have you," he said finally, his voice softer, broken.
Sakura's heart skipped painfully, her hands curling into fists.
"You never said anything," Haru continued, his words raw and unfiltered. "You kept pushing me toward her, helping her. How could I ever believe you felt the same way when all you did was tell me to love someone else? I thought being with Mia would make me forget about you. But it didn't. It never did."
"Who said I feel the same way?" Sakura snapped, though the trembling in her voice betrayed her. She crossed her arms, lifting her chin, even as she felt her composure slipping.
Haru studied her, his eyes narrowing. Slowly, his lips curved into a bittersweet smile.
"There it is," he said quietly. "That little chin lift. You do it every time you lie."
"Tell me the truth," Haru pressed, stepping closer. His voice softened, but his intensity never wavered. "Do you love me, Sakura? I need to hear it. Just once."
Sakura's chest tightened, her breaths coming shallow and quick. She wanted to deny it, to shove him away and walk back into the storm, but the weight of his gaze pinned her in place.
"Yes," she whispered at last, the word slipping out before she could stop it. "I love you. I've loved you since the day I met you."
The words hung in the air between them, an unspoken truth finally brought to light.
Haru exhaled sharply, his features softening as if the tension holding him together had finally unraveled. He reached out, his fingers brushing her arm as though he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.
And then he kissed her.
This time, it wasn't desperate or frantic like before. It was slow, tender, and heartbreakingly raw. The rain fell harder, soaking them both to the bone, but neither of them seemed to notice.
Sakura jerked back, breaking the kiss after she remembered Mia.
"No," she said, her voice trembling. She stepped back, shaking her head as tears mixed with the rain streaming down her face. "This isn't right, Haru. Mia—"
Haru's face fell, but he didn't let her finish. "Mia isn't who I love, Sakura. She never was."
"She's my best friend!" Sakura shot back, her voice cracking. "And you're her fiancé. Do you know what this will do to her? To us?"
Haru ran a hand over his face, his frustration evident. "You think I don't know that? You think I wanted this? I've tried to move on. I've tried to be the man Mia deserves, but I can't keep lying. Not to her, and not to myself."
"You've already hurt her!" Sakura yelled, her emotions boiling over. "You left her at the altar, Haru. You destroyed everything—"
"And I'm destroying us by staying silent!" Haru countered, his voice breaking. "We've been lying for years, Sakura. To Mia, to ourselves. And it's only going to hurt more if we keep pretending."
Sakura's breath hitched as she stared at him, her chest heaving. The storm raged around them, the rain masking her tears, but she couldn't deny the truth in his words.
Haru stepped closer, his expression softening. "I love you, Sakura," he said, his voice low, steady. "I know this is a mess. I know I've hurt you and Mia. But if there's even the slightest chance we can fix this—"
"No," Sakura said, cutting him off. She shook her head, her voice trembling. "There is no fixing this. You and Mia are supposed to be together. That's the way it's supposed to be."
Haru just looked at her with sad eyes, "I wish you'd told me the truth, Sakura. Even once. Maybe then... none of this would've happened."
And with that, he turned and disappeared into the night, leaving Sakura alone beneath the relentless rain.