The morning came too quickly, and Aya couldn't shake the weight of everything that had happened. The kiss with Ren lingered in her mind, replaying over and over like a song she couldn't forget. Her heart still raced whenever she thought about it, but the guilt, the sense of betrayal toward Hikaru, was like a stone in her stomach.
She couldn't keep living this double life. But at the same time, the connection she felt with Ren was undeniable, and she didn't know if she could walk away from it. Her feelings for Hikaru had always been stable, but this new, thrilling feeling she had for Ren felt like something she couldn't ignore, no matter how much she tried.
As Aya walked to school that morning, she saw Hikaru waiting by the school gates, a bright smile on his face as always. But today, his smile seemed a little more forced, and his eyes looked at her with an unspoken concern. Aya's stomach twisted with guilt. How could she keep lying to him?
"Good morning, Aya," Hikaru said cheerfully, his usual warmth wrapping around her like a comfort blanket. He always had a way of making her feel safe, of making her feel like everything would be okay. But now, with the lie growing between them, she felt like she was suffocating under the weight of his trust.
"Morning, Hikaru," Aya replied, forcing a smile. "How's everything?"
Hikaru tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing with gentle concern. "You've been distant lately. I know something's bothering you. You can talk to me, you know."
Aya's heart skipped a beat. He knew. How did he know? Was it written on her face? Was it in the way she avoided his eyes or the way she'd been acting strange? She could lie. She could tell him that everything was fine, but deep down, she knew it wasn't. She knew he deserved the truth.
"I… I've just been thinking about some things," Aya said slowly, her voice wavering as she looked down at the ground. "I'm not sure what I want."
Hikaru's expression softened. He reached out, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. "You don't have to figure everything out right now. I'm here for you, Aya. You always have been, so don't push me away. Please."
Aya swallowed hard, guilt twisting her insides. How could she tell him that she had started to pull away from him, that her heart was now torn between him and someone else? How could she explain that her feelings for Ren had become something deeper, something dangerous?
"I… I'm sorry, Hikaru," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I just… need some time to think."
Hikaru looked at her with a mixture of concern and understanding, but there was something else in his eyes—a shadow, a flicker of doubt that hadn't been there before. "Aya, I'm not going anywhere. But please, don't shut me out. Whatever's going on, we can figure it out together."
Aya nodded weakly, feeling the weight of his words. She could already see the hurt creeping into his eyes, and it made her chest ache. She couldn't lose him, but she also couldn't ignore the pull Ren had on her heart. She needed to make a choice, but the thought of choosing between them felt like a betrayal she wasn't sure she could handle.
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Later That Day
Aya spent the rest of the day in a daze. Every time she saw Hikaru's face, she felt the guilt tightening around her. He had been her best friend for years. She owed him so much more than this. But Ren—Ren made her feel alive in a way she couldn't explain. He made her feel things that were reckless and wild, things she'd never known she craved.
She couldn't avoid the rooftop today. Ren would be there, waiting, and despite the growing sense of responsibility she had toward Hikaru, she found herself walking toward the door of the rooftop as if on autopilot. It was as if she didn't have a choice. The pull was too strong.
When Aya stepped onto the rooftop, she saw Ren sitting against the railing, a cigarette dangling lazily from his fingers. His expression was unreadable, but as soon as he saw her, he grinned—almost as if he knew exactly what she was going through.
"You came back," he said, his voice calm, almost too calm, as he took a drag from his cigarette. "I was wondering when you'd decide to stop running."
Aya's heart beat faster. There was something about Ren's confidence, the way he spoke with such ease, that made her feel both exhilarated and exposed at the same time.
"I… I'm not sure I should be here," she said softly, her voice filled with doubt. "I feel like I'm betraying someone."
Ren raised an eyebrow, his smirk never faltering. "You think you're betraying Hikaru, don't you?"
Aya's heart skipped a beat. "How did you know?"
Ren flicked the cigarette away, turning his full attention to her. "Because you wouldn't be here if you didn't care. You wouldn't be so torn if you didn't already feel something for me."
Aya swallowed hard. "I didn't come here to talk about feelings," she said quickly, but even as she said it, she knew it was a lie. She had come to talk about exactly that.
Ren stood up and slowly walked toward her, his eyes never leaving hers. "You're right about one thing," he said, his voice low and smooth. "You are betraying someone. But it's not just Hikaru. You're betraying yourself if you don't face what you really want."
Aya stared at him, torn between the crushing weight of her guilt and the burning desire that Ren had ignited in her. "I don't know what I want anymore."
Ren reached out, his fingers brushing against her cheek. "You do," he whispered, his face inches from hers. "You just don't want to admit it yet."
Before Aya could respond, Ren kissed her again—softly, yet deeply—his lips a reminder of everything she had been trying to deny. This time, there was no hesitation. There was no guilt. There was just the feeling of being completely consumed by the moment.
Aya closed her eyes, letting herself sink into the kiss, the weight of her decisions pressing down on her like a storm. She didn't know what was going to happen next, but in this moment, she couldn't bring herself to care. She had crossed a line, and there was no going back.
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