The hallways felt heavier after Riku left, the echo of his polished shoes still faintly ringing in Haruki’s ears. Haruki stood frozen for a moment, his shoulders tense, his gaze locked on the space where his brother had disappeared. It wasn’t the first time Riku had shown up unannounced, but his visits always carried the same message: a reminder that Haruki couldn’t outrun the shadow of the Nakamura family.
“Haruki,” Aoi’s voice cut through the tension, softer now, like she was testing how much she could push.
He turned to her, and for the first time since the encounter began, he truly saw her. Aoi’s expression was a mix of confusion and concern, her brows furrowed, her lips slightly parted as though she was trying to form the right words.
“You should go,” Haruki said quietly, his voice heavy.
Aoi frowned, taking a step closer. “No. Not after that.”
“It’s not your problem, Kisaragi,” Haruki snapped, though the sharpness in his tone felt hollow even to him.
Aoi crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. “I think we’ve established by now that you don’t get to decide what’s my problem.”
Haruki sighed, running a hand through his hair. His mind was a mess, tangled between the pressure of his family, Riku’s veiled threats, and Aoi’s stubborn refusal to back off. “You don’t understand,” he said finally, his voice quieter now.
“Then explain it to me,” Aoi said. “I’ve been asking you to explain it for days, Haruki. But every time, you shut me out. Do you think that’s going to make this easier for either of us?”
Haruki didn’t answer immediately. He turned away from her, his gaze drifting to the window at the end of the hallway. The sun was starting to dip lower, casting long shadows across the floor.
“You saw what just happened,” Haruki said, his voice low. “You saw how Riku is. My family... they’re not like other families. They don’t have PTA meetings or weekend barbecues. They have... power. Influence. And people like Riku use it to get whatever they want.”
Aoi stayed silent, letting him speak.
“I’ve spent my whole life trying to stay out of their way,” Haruki continued. “Trying to live like a normal person. But no matter how far I run, they always find a way to pull me back.”
He turned to face Aoi, his eyes tired but resolute. “That’s why I didn’t want you involved. Because the closer you get to me, the closer you get to them. And that’s not a place you want to be.”
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Aoi stared at him, her expression unreadable, as though she were trying to process everything he’d just said. Then, finally, she let out a quiet breath.
“Haruki,” she said softly, “I get that you’re trying to protect me. But do you really think pushing me away is going to keep me safe?”
“Yes,” Haruki said without hesitation.
Aoi frowned. “Well, it’s not working. All it’s doing is making me more determined to figure out what’s going on.”
Haruki opened his mouth to respond, but Aoi held up a hand, cutting him off.
“I’m not saying I want to go meet your family or get involved in... whatever they’re doing,” she said. “But if you’re dealing with all of this alone, it’s going to break you. You know that, don’t you?”
Haruki clenched his fists at his sides, his jaw tightening. “I can handle it.”
“No, you can’t,” Aoi said, her voice firm but not unkind. “You’re already falling apart, Haruki. And if you keep trying to do this on your own, it’s only going to get worse.”
Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. He wanted to argue, to push back, but he couldn’t. Because deep down, he knew she was right.
“I don’t want you to get hurt,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.
Aoi’s expression softened, and she took a small step closer. “Then let me help you,” she said. “You don’t have to tell me everything. Just... let me be here. Let me make my own choice.”
Haruki looked at her, his chest tightening. He could see the sincerity in her eyes, the determination that refused to waver no matter how much he tried to push her away.
After a long moment, he let out a shaky breath and nodded. “Okay,” he said quietly.
Aoi’s lips curved into a faint smile, though the tension in her posture didn’t fully ease. “Okay,” she repeated.
The faint sound of the school bell signaling the end of the day brought them back to reality. Haruki glanced at the clock on the wall, realizing how late it had gotten.
“We should go,” he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
Aoi nodded, falling into step beside him as they made their way down the hallway. The air between them felt lighter now, though the weight of everything left unsaid still lingered.
As they walked, Haruki couldn’t help but glance at Aoi out of the corner of his eye. She looked calm, her expression thoughtful, but he knew her well enough by now to sense the questions still swirling in her mind.
“You’re not going to let this go, are you?” he asked, a faint hint of amusement in his tone.
Aoi glanced at him, her lips twitching into a small smirk. “Not a chance.”
Haruki shook his head, a quiet chuckle escaping him. For the first time in what felt like weeks, the tension in his chest eased just a little.
As they stepped outside, the cool evening air greeted them. The sky was painted in hues of orange and pink, the setting sun casting long shadows across the courtyard.
Aoi turned to Haruki, her gaze steady. “So... what now?”
Haruki looked out at the horizon, his mind racing. “Now, I figure out how to keep you from getting too close to this mess,” he said, though his tone lacked its usual sharpness.
Aoi smiled faintly. “Good luck with that.”
Haruki rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress the small smile that tugged at his lips. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
As they walked toward the school gates, side by side, Haruki felt a strange sense of relief. He didn’t know what the future held or how he was going to navigate the chaos that seemed to follow him everywhere.
But for now, he wasn’t completely alone.