"Makoto, are you sure you want to come with me?" Ayaka asked, her voice quiet as she glanced sideways at him from the passenger seat.
The city buzzed outside the car window, but inside, a calm tension lingered.
Makoto didn't take his eyes off the road.
His grip on the steering wheel was relaxed, yet his voice held a warmth that caught Ayaka off guard. "I don't mind at all. I love spending time with you."
Ayaka gave a soft, incredulous laugh. "Seriously? Even if it's just for a boring medical check-up?"
Makoto finally turned his head slightly, flashing her a grin that could light up the entire freeway. "That won't stop me. I'd want to be around you even if we were sitting in traffic for hours."
A faint pink colored her cheeks, and she turned to look out the window again, her heart pounding a little too fast.
The drive didn't take long. Soon, they pulled into the familiar parking lot of Tokyo Medical Center, the building standing tall with its pristine glass walls reflecting the early morning sun.
As they stepped inside, a chill from the air-conditioned lobby greeted them.
Together, they walked to the reception desk. Ayaka's voice was calm and polite. "Good morning. I'm here for a check-up. Dr. Toru Hasegawa is my attending physician."
The receptionist looked up and immediately broke into a smile. "Ms. Yamamoto! You don't have to sound so formal. Dr. Hasegawa is already in his office. You can go right in."
"Thanks!" Ayaka said, her voice soft as she returned the smile.
She didn't notice Makoto watching her with quiet eyes, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat, observing more than he let on.
As they made their way down the hallway, a murmur of voices reached them—soft whispers that weren't meant to be overheard.
"So it's true... they're really dating."
"I saw the interview too. They were subtle, but you could totally tell."
"What about Dr. Nakamura, though?"
"Yeah… they were close, weren't they? First time I ever saw him act that way with a woman."
"He was even smiling everytime he was with Ms. Yamamoto..."
"I was actually rooting for them..."
"Me too!"
"Too bad he vanished. They would've made such a beautiful couple..."
Ayaka stopped walking.
The voices were faint, but they slammed into her like a tidal wave.
Her breath caught. Time seemed to blur and distort.
The mention of his name—Akihiko—ripped through her like glass.
'Akihiko... Akihiko... They're always talking about us...'
Her fingers curled into fists at her sides.
Images from the past flashed through her mind—his silver hair under the moonlight, the warmth of his voice when he said her name, the look in his eyes when he saved her life.
"Ayaka?" A voice called, but it sounded far away.
"Ayaka!"
This time, it was closer.
Real.
Grounding.
Makoto's hand clasped hers tightly, yanking her back to the present.
Her eyes snapped up to meet his.
There was concern there—sharp and immediate.
Without another word, he tugged her forward, their joined hands swinging slightly as he quickened his pace.
She didn't resist.
She couldn't.
Her heart was still thudding from the ghosts of the past, but Makoto's grip anchored her, even if she didn't want to admit how much it helped.
They reached Dr. Hasegawa's office.
Makoto knocked once, firmly.
The door opened almost instantly, and Toru's familiar voice greeted them. "Ms. Yamamoto! Long time no see. Come on in!"
Makoto let go of her hand, and Ayaka suddenly felt the absence of his touch more than she expected.
He smiled easily, masking any tension. "I'll wait here."
She gave a small nod and stepped inside.
The room was bright, filled with the faint scent of antiseptic and fresh flowers on the desk.
Toru moved with practiced ease, motioning for her to sit on the examination bed.
After a few standard checks, he leaned casually against the counter and raised a brow. "So... you and the famous Moonlight Sonata, huh? Are the rumors true?" he asked, his grin unmistakably mischievous.
Ayaka stared at him, her patience thinning. "We're just friends."
"Friends, huh?" He chuckled. "Any chance it might become something more?"
Her jaw tensed.
Of all people, Toru knew better.
He knew who had her heart—who still had it, even if he was no longer there.
"I'm here for a medical examination, Dr. Hasegawa." she replied, her voice firm now, her smile tight.
"That guy is going to get his heart broken." Toru sighed while looking at Ayaka's laboratory test results.
"We're just friends. I already turned him down." Ayaka replied coldly, yet she didn't really meant to reply but Toru was provoking her.
"I guess he's the type who doesn't want to give up easily. But I must say... You two would look as a great couple." He chuckled while flipping the papers.
"Stop pushing it." Ayaka snapped, clenching her fist. "You and I have a doctor-patient relationship. Let's keep it professional."
Toru gave a low whistle and held his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I struck a nerve. My bad. Let's talk about your lab results instead."
His grin softened into something more understanding. "Just wanted to see if you'd snap out of it."
But Ayaka didn't smile.
Her mind was still stuck somewhere in the echoes of the hallway, in voices that had carelessly peeled back wounds she wasn't ready to face.
On the other side of the door, Makoto remained just outside, leaning against the pristine white wall, arms crossed, eyes staring at nothing in particular.
But his mind was far from still.
He could still feel the warmth of her hand in his.
Still seeing the flicker of pain that crossed her face the moment Akihiko's name had been mentioned.
"Tch... Even now, he's haunting her like a spirit she can't even exorcise."
Makoto exhaled sharply through his nose, jaw tightening.
He hadn't meant to grab her like that—but when she froze in the hallway, completely motionless, it scared him.
It wasn't just about whispers or rumors.
It was about how easily her world seemed to stop spinning the moment he was mentioned.
He ran a hand through his blond hair, letting out a slow breath, trying to rein in the storm that churned just beneath his surface.
Of course she still wasn't over him.
Akihiko Nakamura—the man who vanished without explanation, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and a woman who still looked like she was waiting at the door.
Makoto knew he had no right to be angry.
He was the one who offered to just start as friends right?
The one who said he'd wait. But now, watching her unravel over someone who had left, something primal clawed at his chest.
"I can't wait like this anymore." He hated seeing her hurt.
And more than that... he hated the one who caused it.
A pair of nurses passed by, sneaking glances at him and whispering behind clipped hands.
He didn't even bother reacting this time.
The rumors, the assumptions, the teasing—it was nothing new.
They could say whatever they wanted. All that mattered was her.
He walked over to a nearby bench and sat, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, fingers laced tightly together.
His thoughts were a blur of Ayaka's laughter, the way she'd softly smiled at the receptionist, the frozen look on her face when she heard Akihiko's name.
He didn't want to be a rebound.
He didn't want to be a consolation prize.
But more than that—
He didn't want her to be alone.
The hallway stretched out before him in sterile silence, but all Makoto could hear was the erratic thump of his own heartbeat.
Minutes passed.
Maybe more.
Every time the door handle twitched, he sat up straighter.
Waiting.
And when the door finally opened and Ayaka stepped out, his heart skipped before resuming its steady hammer.
She looked fine.
Too fine.
Her smile was too careful, her expression too controlled—like a mask she'd sewn on in the span of a few minutes.
But he could see it.
The tension in her shoulders.
The faint redness around her eyes.
Whatever happened in that room, she wasn't alright.
Makoto stood up without hesitation. "How'd it go?" he asked gently.
Ayaka nodded, voice quiet. "Everything's fine. He said my results look normal."
He didn't buy it.
Not completely.
But he didn't push.
Not yet.
Instead, he reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, his fingers ghosting against her temple. "Good. Let's get out of here then. You look like you could use some fresh air."
She blinked, startled by the gesture.
But instead of pulling away, she nodded, her voice almost a whisper. "Okay."
Makoto let his hand fall back to his side.
He didn't need to hold her hand this time.
Not yet.
But he stayed close, walking beside her like a silent shield, his eyes cold whenever anyone dared to stare or whisper again.
He didn't know what Akihiko had done to make her love him.
But Makoto swore, if he ever came back…
He'd make damn sure Ayaka chose—not out of obligation, not out of nostalgia, but because she saw him, Makoto, standing there with her every single time she fell.