Backstory of Yuki and Aoi
The Beginning – Elementary School
Yuki and Aoi first met when they were both in elementary school. They were classmates, and their bond started from shared moments in the classroom and playground. Aoi was always quiet but kind-hearted, while Yuki was friendly and outgoing, making friends with everyone around him. They quickly became close friends, spending a lot of time together, helping each other with homework, and playing games during recess.
Aoi admired Yuki from the start, but over time, her feelings deepened beyond just friendship. She realized that she had fallen in love with him, but she kept her feelings hidden, unsure if he felt the same. She cherished their time together but was afraid of ruining their friendship.
The Confession
One summer day, during their last year of elementary school, Aoi could no longer keep her feelings to herself. As they sat by the school's playground, Aoi nervously gathered her courage. She had spent weeks planning what she was going to say, rehearsing in her mind over and over.
Finally, after a long pause, she looked at Yuki and confessed, "Yuki, I… I like you. I've liked you for a long time now. I want us to be more than just friends."
Yuki was taken aback. He looked at her with surprise, his expression unreadable. There was a long, uncomfortable silence between them, and Aoi's heart sank with each passing second.
Yuki, unable to process his own feelings, looked down at the ground before muttering, "I… I'm sorry, Aoi. I don't feel the same way." Without giving her a chance to say anything else, he stood up, avoiding her gaze, and left without another word.
Aoi sat there, stunned, her heart breaking. The confession she had built up the courage to share ended in rejection, and it was as though everything they had shared before had been meaningless. She didn't understand why he didn't say anything more, why he hadn't explained his feelings. It felt like she had lost something important that day, and a part of her closed off emotionally to protect herself.
Yuki's Departure
After rejecting Aoi, Yuki distanced himself from her. Aoi didn't see him much after that day, and soon, Yuki moved away with his family. He didn't even say goodbye to her, leaving Aoi with a sense of unfinished business. She had never known what truly happened—why he had rejected her and left without explanation. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it, but she never received any closure.
During the time he was gone, Aoi worked hard to move on. She focused on school and kept herself busy, trying to bury the memories of that painful confession. But deep down, she never forgot about Yuki. He remained an important part of her past, even though she had tried to let go of her feelings.
The Return of Yuki
Years passed, and Aoi grew older, finding solace in her friendships and even developing feelings for Ryo. But just as she was beginning to feel that she had truly moved on, Yuki suddenly returned to town. He appeared in the same high school as Aoi, though they hadn't spoken for years.
At first, Aoi didn't know how to react. She saw Yuki in the hallways, his presence bringing up so many old emotions that she had buried deep inside. He had changed, matured, but the hurt from his rejection still lingered.
Yuki, on the other hand, hadn't forgotten Aoi either. He was aware that his sudden departure and lack of explanation had hurt her deeply, but he didn't know how to make amends. The guilt had weighed on him for years. When he returned, he was determined to apologize and make things right, but he wasn't sure how Aoi would respond.
Aoi, still carrying the pain of that rejection, wasn't sure she was ready to forgive him. She had moved on in her own way, but seeing him again stirred up emotions she wasn't prepared to confront.