Crash***
The unexpected impact sent Ai stumbling backward, her body hitting the floor with a soft thud that somehow echoed louder than the chatter of the cafe.
"O-Ooh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there..." came the voice from above.
That voice.
She looked up, only to be met by a face she wished she hadn't. Tatsumi Chikao. Taller than she had remembered, with the same messy curly golden-brown hair and that familiar unbothered smile he always wore when he had messed up.
Her crimson-red eyes met his blue eyes for a second, and just as quickly, she immediately looked away.
She didn't even mumble a reply. With jittery movements, she scrambled herself back up, brushing the dust from her arms. She turned, her feet already moving away.
But his hands gently grabbed her arm before she could take a step.
"Ai, can we have a proper conversation?"
His voice was lower. More sincere and more desperate. But Ai didn't reply.
"I know I haven't... we haven't been in good terms for a while..." And with the heavy and awkward silence came judgement and mumbling from the noise in the background.
"That is Chikao, right?"
"Isn't he is in senior high? So what is he doing around her of all people?"
"Another lovers' quarrel? That's the third one this week."
"Are you seeing this, Chikara? This is getting interesting?"
His voice spoke once more. "...and I know it was my fault, but can we at the very least t—"
"Chikao! Stop it!"
Silence fell over the nearby tables. The chatter died out.
Ai's chest felt slightly heavy, her hands trembling as she pulled her arm free from his grasp.
"I don't want to hear this," she said, quieter now but still firm. "You lost the right to say those things to me a long time ago."
Chikao looked stunned, as if it were the first time he had seen Ai truly stand up to him.
"I'm not the girl you used to walk all over," she added, barely above a whisper. "I don't want to hear your excuses anymore!"
Her chest rose and fell dramatically. Then, she walked pass him, heading back to the table she had just sat been sitting at.
"Why did you come here, anyway?!" she retorted.
"What do you mean? This is where I usually come after school."
"Don't play dumb with me! I know Lilac-chan told you to come here."
"Please, Ai. I've apologized so many times. Why won't you give me another chance?"
"Another chance?" she repeated. "You think this is about second chances?"
She finally turned to face him.
"You didn't just break up with me, Chikao. You manipulated me, made me feel small, and when I needed you the most, you were never there."
He opened his mouth, but she raised a hand—stopping him.
"No, I'm done letting you talk over me. You always did that. And now you're here acting like I'm supposed to just forget everything because you said 'sorry' a couple of times."
"People like you don't say sorry because they regret what they did."
Just then, Lilac returned from the restroom, her expression shifting the moment she saw Ai's face—and Chikao.
"Hey," she said cautiously. "I heard your voice from the restroom. Is everything okay over here?"
But Ai didn't answer like usual. Instead, she turned her stone, cold gaze to Lilac, quickly gathered her stuff, and walked out of the cafe without sparing Chikao another glance. It was clear she had overexerted himself during the confrontation and was still angry—but in the deepest corner of her soul, she was proud of herself.
Along the lively spring streets of Morinodai, Yokohama, Ai walked swiftly, one thing on her mind: why would Lilac bring him there?
Just as she turned the corner of an intersection, someone crept up behind her.
"Ai," the voice came. "What happened back there?"
As usual, Ai didn't respond immediately. Lilac reached out and gripped her arm firmly. Ai spun around, her eyes glossy with unshed tears.
"Why did you bring him there?!"
"I didn't bring him there. I swear, I had no idea he'd actually show up."
"Then why did you tell him where I'd be?"
Lilac hesitated.
"I... I thought maybe you needed closure," she admitted. "You've never really talked about what happened. I thought maybe—maybe if you saw him again—you'd finally say the things you never got to say."
Ai turned away, blinking rapidly to push back the stinging in her eyes.
"I didn't need him," she said bitterly. "I needed you to be on my side."
"I was on your side, Ai! And I still am! I just... I didn't think he'd try to talk to you in the way he did. I didn't think he'd corner you—"
"I trusted you. You manipulated me. Just like he'd done before."
Ai took a step back. "You were the one person I felt safe with, Lilac."
Ai slumped down to the ground, breaking in tears. Lilac wanted to console her—but how could she, when she had betrayed her closest friend?
Hesitantly, she knelt in front of her, gently rubbing Ai's back in an attempt to reassure her.
"I'll admit it... I was wrong for telling him where you'd be. And I was wrong for not being there when you needed me most. But I want you to know—I am worried about you, Ai. A lot."
Slowly, she raised her hand to caress Ai's cheek.
"You've been so quiet ever since our second year of junior high... it's made me worry about you."
"I... I truly am sorry for what I've done today. I know you aren't someone who forgives easily, but I hope you c—"
Before she could finish, Ai suddenly sprang forward, pushing Lilac down with her, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist and sobbing heavily into her chest.
"I'm scared, Lilac," Ai whispered between sobs. "I'm scared I'm going to lose you like I did with everyone else."
Lilac moved her hands to stroke her hair. "You're not going to lose me," she said firmly. "I'm not letting you go through this alone."
They stayed like that for a long while, surrounded by the buzz of life around Morinodai, while Ai's cries slowly softened into hiccups and trembling breaths.
When Ai finally pulled back, her eyes were red and swollen, but something in her expression had changed—less afraid and more grounded. She didn't say anything at first, only looking at Lilac with a sheepish gaze.
"...Okay," she murmured. "I'll try to trust you again. Just... please, don't ever do something like that again."
Lilac nodded, tears sliding down her cheeks now too. "Never again. I promise."
"Hey!"
"Hello there!"
Both Lilac and Ai rose from the ground, turning toward the voice in the distance. Ichika? She was barreling down the sidewalk with something in her hand.
"You left your orders behind," she said, coming to a stop in front of them.
"Oh... I didn't even noticed I left them," Lilac responded, taking the bag. "Thank you, Ichika."
Ichika gave the two girls a brief, concerned glance—before her expression twisted into playful mischief.
"I see what going on here," she said cheekily.
She leaned in, whispering into their ears. "P.S. I don't judge. Men are like dogs anyway."
And just as quickly, she turned on her heel and ran back the way she came, her maid dress fluttering as she disappeared down the street.
Both girls giggled as she vanished from sight.
「約束します...」