Chapter 84: The Promise Beneath the Autumn Sky
The autumn breeze danced gently across the rooftop, tousling Rika's hair as she stared out at the city skyline. Her heart still echoed with Souta's words, warm and painful all at once. She had managed a small smile when he said he would always be there for her—but the silence that followed felt heavier than ever. Naoto was still inside, perhaps walking down the hallway by now, unaware of the hurricane of emotions Rika was barely holding back.
She sat down on the bench by the rooftop garden, eyes trailing the sky. The sun was beginning to dip, painting the clouds in hues of pink and orange. For a moment, everything was calm.
"You should talk to him," Souta said, breaking the silence as he stood behind her, leaning against the railing. "Even if it's hard. You'll regret it if you don't."
Rika nodded slightly, her hands clenched in her lap. "I don't know what I would say, Souta. That I hate him? That I love him? That I can't decide which it is?"
Souta walked over and sat beside her, the bench creaking softly under their weight. "Say the truth. Even if it's ugly. Even if it hurts."
---
Inside the school building
Naoto walked slowly down the corridor, each step echoing in the near-empty hallway. His mind was a storm of thoughts. Rika's tear-filled eyes haunted him. The way she trembled, the way she looked at him as if begging for something she couldn't voice—it all clung to him like fog.
He reached the bottom of the stairs and paused, the image of Himari's soft smile flashing through his mind. Her voice over the phone that morning had been gentle, but there was something sad about it. Like she knew he was drifting.
"Naoto?" A soft voice called out from behind.
He turned to see Aiko, her school bag slung over one shoulder, her face hesitant. "Are you... okay?"
He nodded, but Aiko saw through it.
"She cried, didn't she?" she asked.
Naoto sighed. "Yeah."
Aiko looked down. "You know, sometimes... the people who smile the most are hurting the deepest. Rika may seem strong, but she breaks like glass when she's alone."
Naoto lowered his eyes. He remembered how hard Rika tried to hide her pain, how she acted like she didn't care.
"I know."
---
Back on the rooftop
Rika stood up suddenly, turning to face Souta with fire in her eyes. "Do you think I'm pathetic? For feeling like this even when I know he loves someone else?"
Souta looked at her with quiet sincerity. "No. I think you're human. And I think you love him deeply enough that it's breaking you."
She wiped her eyes and nodded, heart thudding.
"Then I have to tell him. Not because I expect him to love me back. But because I need to free myself."
---
Later that evening
Naoto stood beneath the tree at the park near his apartment—the same place where he and Rika first had a real conversation. The lanterns from the upcoming festival had been hung early, their gentle glow casting nostalgic shadows on the path.
Footsteps approached from behind.
He turned.
Rika.
She was still in her school uniform, her hair slightly messy from the wind, her eyes swollen from crying.
"You came," he said quietly.
She nodded, stepping forward. "I needed to. I couldn't let it end like that."
Naoto stayed silent.
Rika exhaled shakily. "I love you, Naoto. I know you love someone else. I know your heart belongs to her. And I'm not asking you to choose me. I just needed you to know. Because carrying it alone is tearing me apart."
Naoto's eyes widened, but he didn't interrupt.
"You changed me," she continued, voice trembling. "You made me realize that even the ugliest parts of me deserve to be seen. And I hated you for it. Because I knew I was falling for someone I could never have."
Naoto stepped closer. "Rika... I'm sorry."
She smiled through her tears. "Don't be. You gave me something beautiful, even if it was painful. And I think I can live with that."
They stood in silence for a long time before Rika turned to leave.
"Wait," Naoto called.
She paused.
"Thank you. For loving me. For being honest. I'll never forget it."
Rika gave him a small nod before walking away, the lanterns above her swaying gently in the wind.
Naoto watched her disappear into the night, heart heavy and warm all at once.
The past, present, and future tangled in quiet sadness—but also a strange peace.
And somewhere, far away, a girl named Himari looked out at the same sky, whispering into the wind, "It's time, Naoto. It's time to come back to me."
---