The sun hung low in the sky, spilling streaks of warm orange light through the windows of Harunagi High. The late afternoon air buzzed with faint echoes of laughter and hurried footsteps as students packed their bags and headed home. But for Yuuto Kisaragi, the day was far from over.
He sat at his desk, gripping a neatly folded letter in trembling hands. His heart pounded, each beat reminding him of the words he'd spent hours perfecting the night before.
This wasn't his first confession, but it felt like the most important one. Reina Sugihara—the girl he had admired from the moment he'd stepped into class on the first day of the year—was finally within reach. She wasn't just beautiful; she was radiant. Her long black hair shimmered in the sunlight, her every movement graceful, like she existed in a world separate from everyone else.
"Are you sure about this?" Kenta Matsuo's voice broke through Yuuto's thoughts. Kenta leaned against the desk beside him, arms crossed and brows furrowed. He was Yuuto's closest friend, and he'd seen enough of Yuuto's attempts at romance to predict how this one might end.
"I have to try," Yuuto said, forcing a shaky smile. "If I don't, I'll regret it forever."
Kenta sighed, shaking his head. "You're too nice for your own good, man. Just don't say I didn't warn you."
Yuuto didn't respond. He couldn't. His throat was dry, his hands clammy. But this was the moment he'd been waiting for.
Reina stood by the classroom door, chatting with her friends. Her laugh was soft, melodic, and Yuuto felt his chest tighten. He rose from his seat, clutching the letter like it was his lifeline.
As he approached her, the world seemed to fade away. The chatter of other students, the scraping of chairs, the rustle of papers—all of it blurred into nothingness.
"Reina," he said, his voice barely audible.
She turned to him, her dark eyes glinting with mild curiosity. "Yes?"
Yuuto swallowed hard. "Can I talk to you? Alone?"
Reina's friends giggled, whispering to each other, but she silenced them with a glance. "Sure," she said, stepping out into the hallway.
Yuuto followed her, his heart threatening to burst out of his chest. The corridor was empty, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. It felt like the perfect moment—like the universe had aligned just for him.
"What is it?" Reina asked, her tone polite but distant.
Yuuto took a deep breath, unfolding the letter with trembling fingers. "I… I wrote this for you. But I want to say it, too."
Her expression didn't change, but her eyes seemed to soften, just a little. Encouraged, Yuuto pressed on.
"I've admired you for so long," he said, his voice steadying. "You're amazing—kind, smart, and beautiful. I know I'm not the best guy, but I'd like to get to know you better. I… I like you, Reina. Will you go out with me?"
For a moment, silence filled the hallway. Yuuto held his breath, his heart pounding louder than ever.
Reina's lips curved into a small smile, but it wasn't the one he'd hoped for. It wasn't kind or shy or even surprised. It was cold.
"That's sweet of you, Kisaragi-kun," she said, her voice smooth and measured. "But I think you've misunderstood something."
Yuuto blinked, his confidence crumbling. "Misunderstood?"
She tilted her head, her smile widening. "You see, I've known about your little crush for months. It's hard not to notice when someone stares at you all the time. But honestly? I thought it was just… cute."
Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out.
"I mean, you're not a bad guy," Reina continued, as if she were discussing the weather. "But you're not really my type. And even if you were…" She paused, her smile sharpening. "I'm not interested in dating anyone right now. Especially not someone like you."
Yuuto felt the letter slip from his fingers, fluttering to the ground. His chest tightened, a hollow ache spreading through him.
"I… I see," he managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper.
Reina glanced at the letter on the floor and then back at him. "Anyway, thanks for telling me. It's flattering, really. But you should probably move on."
With that, she turned and walked away, her footsteps echoing down the hallway. Yuuto stood there, staring after her, the sunlight casting long shadows across the floor.
The silence was deafening.
---
By the time Yuuto returned to the classroom, most of the students had already left. Kenta was waiting for him, leaning against the window with a worried expression.
"How'd it go?" Kenta asked, though he seemed to already know the answer.
Yuuto slumped into his chair, burying his face in his hands. "She said no," he muttered.
Kenta sighed, sitting down beside him. "I'm sorry, man. That sucks."
"It's not just that," Yuuto said, his voice muffled. "She… she said she knew about my feelings all along. She said it was cute, like I was some kind of joke."
Kenta's jaw tightened. "What the hell? That's messed up."
Yuuto didn't respond. His mind replayed Reina's words over and over, each one cutting deeper than the last.
For years, he'd dreamed of moments like this—of confessing his feelings and being met with kindness, with understanding. But reality was far harsher than he'd ever imagined.
Maybe Kenta was right. Maybe he was too nice for his own good.
---
That night, Yuuto lay awake in his room, staring at the ceiling. The letter Reina had rejected sat crumpled on his desk, a painful reminder of his failure.
He thought about the stories he'd read, the movies he'd watched, where love always seemed to conquer all. Where confessions were met with smiles, and rejections were soft and gentle.
But real life wasn't like that. Real life was cruel.
And as Yuuto drifted off to sleep, a single thought lingered in his mind:
Maybe love wasn't worth the pain.
Maybe all girls were scum.