Chapter 66: Threads That Bind the Heart
The classroom was unusually quiet that afternoon, filtered sunlight casting pale golden streaks across the worn wooden desks. The air felt heavier than usual—like a storm had passed, leaving behind stillness but not peace. Naoto sat at his desk near the window, staring out at the now cloudless sky. He could still hear the echoes of yesterday's conversation with Himari—her soft voice clashing with the storm inside his chest.
"You're not alone in this... we'll take it one step at a time, together."
He had replayed those words all night. Every syllable had struck something deep within him, cracking the walls he had built over the past few weeks. But what now? How much of his truth could he share without everything unraveling?
His fingers twitched against the desk as Rika walked into the classroom, her expression unreadable. She paused when she saw him, then took her seat. A beat of silence passed. Then another.
"You didn't come to lunch," she finally said, not looking at him.
Naoto hesitated. "Wasn't hungry."
"You didn't answer my messages either."
He could hear the tightness in her voice—disappointment cloaked in indifference. He turned to her slowly. "I read them. I just... didn't know how to reply."
She glanced at him then, eyes searching. "Are we still pretending everything's fine? Or do I get to know what's really happening now?"
His throat tightened. "Rika... I'm not trying to shut you out. It's just... complicated."
She scoffed softly, then turned back to her notebook. "Everything is complicated with you, Naoto."
Before he could respond, the bell rang, signaling the end of homeroom. As their classmates shuffled out, Himari appeared in the doorway, her presence calm yet firm.
"Naoto. Can we talk?" she asked.
Rika's eyes flicked up, and Naoto saw the flash of something in them—jealousy, or maybe worry.
He nodded and followed Himari out into the hallway. They found a quiet spot near the art room, where the scent of paint lingered in the air.
"Are you okay?" Himari asked.
"Not really," he said honestly. "I want to tell you everything. But it's like I'm stuck in this maze. Every time I think I've found a way out, I hit another wall."
She watched him carefully, then reached into her bag and pulled out an old envelope. "Your father sent me this before he disappeared. I was told not to give it to you unless I thought you were ready."
Naoto stared at the envelope as if it were a living thing. His fingers trembled slightly as he took it. He opened it slowly, unfolding the letter inside. The handwriting was familiar—steady and precise, just like his father's.
> "Naoto,
If you're reading this, then the truth has started to unravel. There are things you weren't meant to know until now. Things I kept hidden to protect you and your mother.
What happened to our family wasn't an accident. Someone powerful wanted to silence me. And it goes beyond what you can imagine. Rika's father—Shinji Hayato—he's not your enemy. He saved your life once, and in return, I swore I'd protect his family if anything happened to me.
That's why I asked him to watch over you. That's why you're with Rika now. Don't blame her. Don't hate her.
I'm sorry for the pain this caused.
–Dad."
Naoto's knees buckled slightly, and he sat down on the floor. The letter trembled in his hands.
"He asked him... to protect me? All this time, I thought... I thought it was because of guilt, or obligation..."
Himari knelt beside him. "It was love, Naoto. Your father knew what was coming. And Shinji Hayato kept his promise. Even if it meant putting his daughter in the middle of something she didn't understand."
Naoto's mind raced back—flashbacks flickering like broken film.
—Rika yelling at him in the early days. —Shinji's stern, unreadable gaze. —His mother's tired smile.
They were all connected by choices made long ago.
"I have to tell Rika," he whispered.
Himari shook her head gently. "Not yet. She's not ready. And if she finds out too quickly, it might tear everything apart. You have to be careful. Not just for her sake, but for yours."
Naoto looked up. "Then what do I do? Pretend like nothing's wrong?"
"No," Himari said. "You be her friend. You support her. And when the time is right—you tell her the truth. Not to clear your conscience, but because she deserves to know."
Back in the classroom, Rika stared at her phone, rereading old messages from Naoto. Something about him had changed—he was holding something back. And Himari... she was always there, always calm, always too knowing. Rika hated feeling this uncertain.
Later that evening, Naoto sat by the riverbank again. The sun was beginning to set, the sky a canvas of soft oranges and fading blues. He held the letter in his hand like a talisman.
A pair of footsteps approached.
"You always come here when you're sad," Rika said, standing beside him.
Naoto didn't look at her. "You remember that?"
"Of course. I remember everything. Even the things you think I forgot."
She sat down beside him, arms wrapped around her knees.
"I keep thinking about the first time we met," she said. "I hated you. You were quiet and stubborn and acted like you didn't care about anyone. But... you helped me, even when I didn't ask. Even when I didn't want it."
Naoto finally turned to her. "I never wanted to hurt you."
Rika's voice cracked a little. "Then stop pretending, Naoto. Whatever this is... whatever you're hiding... I can handle it. Just don't shut me out. Please."
He looked at her for a long time, torn between the truth and the consequences.
"When the time comes," he said, "I'll tell you everything. I promise."
She nodded slowly, the silence between them filled with unspoken words.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the threads that bound their hearts tightened—fragile but unbroken.
The storm hadn't passed.
But Naoto was learning how to walk through the rain.
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End of Chapter 66