Chapter 80: The Quiet Between Storms
The late autumn winds brushed softly against the windows of the Hayato residence. The amber-colored leaves danced like old memories, drifting down to the cold pavement. Inside, the house was filled with an odd sense of silence. Not tension—but reflection. As if the very walls were breathing in everything that had happened and everything that was about to.
Rika sat on the edge of her bed, legs drawn close to her chest. Her fingers absently traced the edge of her notebook, the same one where she used to scribble poems when no one was watching. The pages now held more than poetry—they held the fragments of her changing self.
Across the room, Souta leaned against the wall, eyes fixed on her with quiet concern. He had come over without needing to be asked, and she hadn't told him to leave. Maybe that meant something. Maybe it didn't.
"You know you can talk to me, right?" he finally said, his voice gentle, lacking pressure.
She didn't look up. "What would I even say? That everything feels like it's slipping through my hands? That I hate how this hurts?"
"You could start with that," he replied simply, moving to sit near her.
There was a long pause before she spoke again. "It's like I finally understood what I wanted... just when I was about to lose it."
Souta didn't say anything, but his presence alone seemed to steady her.
Meanwhile, at Naoto's house...
Naoto stood by his mother's bedside, gently adjusting the blanket over her shoulders. Hana Hayashi's health had declined more quickly in recent weeks, and despite the best doctors and support from Shinji Hayato, her strength was waning.
"Did Himari come by today?" Hana asked, her voice faint but peaceful.
Naoto nodded with a soft smile. "She did. She brought some new books for you. And miso soup, just like you like it."
"She always remembers the little things," Hana murmured. "You chose well, my son."
Naoto looked down at his mother, his throat tightening. "I didn't choose. It was always her."
Her hand reached out, brushing against his. "I know. Just... don't lose her. Not like we lost so many things."
Flashback: Years Ago
A younger Naoto sat under the cherry blossom trees, a book in his lap, eyes lost in the clouds. Himari, bright-eyed and laughing, tugged on his sleeve.
"You can't keep reading forever, silly. Come chase me!"
"Why would I?" he asked, half-teasing.
She smiled, leaning close. "Because you promised to never leave me behind."
Even back then, those words had rooted deep within him.
Back to Present
That memory haunted him as he stood beside his mother. The weight of his choices, the quiet heartbreak he tried not to show Rika, the unspoken love between him and Himari—they all existed in a delicate, complicated balance.
Later That Night
In the soft glow of the Hayato garden lights, the group had gathered for what might be one of their last shared moments for a while. Rika, Naoto, Himari, Souta, Aiko, and Haruto all sat on blankets laid out beneath the stars.
Laughter lingered, stories were exchanged, and moments felt suspended in time.
Rika glanced at Naoto across the circle. He was laughing with Aiko about something trivial, but the sound of it made her heart ache.
Souta noticed. He gently nudged her shoulder. "Don't drown in what-ifs. Sometimes peace comes when you stop chasing and start accepting."
Rika nodded. "I know. I'm just... not ready to let go yet."
He looked at her kindly. "Then don't. Not completely. Just... start living for yourself too."
Chapter End