Chapter 60: Unspoken Roads, Unwritten Hearts
The soft drizzle of morning rain danced on the inn's roof, adding a gentle rhythm to the quietness inside. The group had stayed up late the night before, their bodies spread like fallen leaves across futons and blankets, laughter long faded into sleep. Naoto was the first to wake.
He lay still for a moment, letting the peace soak in. For once, there were no sharp reminders of pain, no racing thoughts about obligations or secrets. Only the scent of rain, the warmth of shared space, and the echo of memories forming.
Pulling on a hoodie, he stepped out into the misty garden. The wooden walkway creaked softly under his weight. There, beneath the overhang, he found her.
Himari.
Wrapped in a shawl, her eyes cast toward the horizon, lost in the morning fog.
"You always wake up before everyone," he said.
She smiled without turning. "It's the quietest time. The world feels honest before it wakes up."
He walked over and stood beside her. Neither of them spoke for a moment.
"Naoto," she said softly. "Do you ever wish we could go back?"
"Back?"
"To when it was just us. When we were too young to understand pain."
Naoto looked at the damp earth, the dew on the wooden railing.
"Sometimes. But we wouldn't be who we are now if we hadn't gone through all that."
She finally turned to him. Her eyes shimmered. "I know. But I still miss that boy. And I miss being the girl who could make him smile no matter what."
He reached out and held her hand. "You still can."
Their fingers intertwined in silence, until footsteps from the hallway behind them made them separate.
Rika.
She paused, mid-step, her eyes flicking from Himari to Naoto's hand, then quickly back to the garden.
"Sorry," she muttered. "Didn't mean to interrupt."
Himari offered a gentle smile. "You didn't."
Naoto stood awkwardly.
Rika turned to leave but stopped. "It's going to clear up by noon. Let's go hiking like we planned. Everyone should see that cliffside view."
"Sure," he replied, voice quieter than he meant it to be.
---
By mid-morning, the rain had given way to a crisp, cloudy sky. The air smelled of pine and wet earth as the group trekked uphill. Haruto led the charge, joking about bear attacks, while Aiko and Yuuji bickered over who was carrying the water.
"This place is so peaceful," Rika said, falling into step beside Naoto.
"Yeah," he answered.
She didn't look at him. "Do you like her?"
His steps faltered. "What?"
"Himari."
He looked ahead, where Himari walked with Souta, laughing about something he couldn't hear.
"It's complicated," he said.
Rika chuckled, but it held no humor. "Yeah. Everything is."
He wanted to explain. Wanted to tell her about childhood promises, hospital visits, and the way Himari had pulled him out of darkness. But the words caught like thorns.
"Rika," he began, but she raised a hand.
"Don't. Not now. Let's just… be here, okay?"
He nodded.
At the top of the cliff, the view stretched far and wide. Green mountains rolled like waves beneath a silver sky. The wind picked up, tousling hair and pulling jackets close.
Aiko took photos, Yuuji posed dramatically, and Haruto pretended to be a mountain god.
Naoto stood with the wind in his face, eyes on the horizon. Rika joined him.
"I wish time could freeze like this," she said.
"Me too."
---
That evening, the group lit small sparklers by the inn, giggling like children. Souta brought out a pack of old-fashioned fireworks, and they took turns lighting them under the careful watch of the innkeeper.
Naoto sat on the steps, a sparkler in hand.
Himari joined him, resting her head against his shoulder.
"Will you really tell her?" she asked.
He didn't answer right away.
"I will. She deserves that."
Himari closed her eyes. "Then I'll wait a little longer."
He glanced at the stars.
He didn't know how much time they had left.
But he wanted to protect all of it—every quiet breath, every laugh, every shared glance.
Even if it meant pain later.
---
Far from the inn, in the heart of Hoshikawa, a phone buzzed in an empty apartment.
A message blinked on screen.
"It's time to remember. You can't run from the truth, Naoto."