Chapter 85: Unspoken Goodbyes
The late autumn winds whispered through the nearly bare trees of Hoshikawa, scattering golden leaves across the quiet street where Naoto walked alone. The light from the setting sun spilled across the pavement in soft orange, fading into pink as if the sky itself mourned the silence he carried.
It had been two days since he visited his mother again. Hana Hayashi's illness was advancing, silently and stubbornly, despite her gentle smile and persistent warmth. Every visit made him feel more like a child clinging to something already half-gone.
Naoto's thoughts were heavy as he neared the Hayato mansion. A strange blend of emotions swirled in his chest—guilt, longing, and a strange, growing emptiness. He had become part of something here. The group of friends he never asked for, the father figure in Shinji Hayato, the laughter that echoed across late-night study sessions. And Rika…
He paused at the gate.
Rika.
Even her name stirred conflict in his heart. She had changed. Not completely. She still barked back at him when annoyed, still rolled her eyes in exaggerated frustration—but now, there were quiet moments when she looked at him with something more fragile. A softness she didn't understand yet.
And he couldn't let her understand.
The soft crunch of footsteps made him turn. Souta Aizawa appeared, carrying a bag of drinks and snacks. The easy-going smile on Souta's face faded when he saw Naoto's expression.
"You alright, man?" Souta asked, offering him a drink.
Naoto took it with a faint nod. "Yeah. Just… thinking too much again."
Souta leaned against the wall beside him. "Is it about your mom? Or… Rika?"
"Both."
A long silence passed between them. Then, Souta said quietly, "You're planning to leave again, aren't you?"
Naoto didn't answer.
Souta sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're not the only one hurting, Naoto. Rika may not say it, but she's scared. You're the one person she trusts more than she wants to. If you go…"
"I know," Naoto interrupted. "But I can't stay here forever. I have my own promises to keep. My own past to answer to."
Souta didn't argue. He just looked up at the sky. "Then at least let her say goodbye. A real one."
---
Inside the Hayato home, Rika sat curled in a blanket on the couch, her eyes fixed on the book in her hands but not reading a single word. Her fingers trembled slightly. She hated this feeling—of waiting. Of uncertainty.
The door opened, and her heart skipped.
It was him.
Naoto stepped in, slowly, as if unsure if he belonged. His eyes met hers, and for a second, neither said anything.
"You're late," Rika muttered, her voice cracking slightly.
"Sorry," he said, sitting across from her. "I needed time."
She lowered her gaze. "Are you leaving?"
He hesitated. "Not yet."
"That's not a no."
"No," he admitted softly. "It's not."
Rika's eyes welled up, and she blinked furiously. "You always do this. You walk in, change everything, make me feel like maybe I'm not broken… and then you leave."
Naoto stood slowly and crossed to her, kneeling down so they were eye-level. "Rika… I never meant to hurt you."
"Then why can't you stay?"
"Because there's someone waiting for me. Someone who helped me survive my worst days. I made her a promise."
She didn't answer. Her silence was more painful than any accusation.
"But that doesn't mean you're not important," he continued. "You're strong, Rika. Stronger than you think. And you have Souta, Aiko, Kanna, and the others. You're not alone."
Rika shook her head slowly. "But they're not you."
Naoto smiled faintly, tears stinging his own eyes now. "And I'm not meant to be here forever."
---
Later that evening, as the group gathered in their usual spot by the riverside, Naoto stood quietly beside Shinji Hayato. The older man had been watching from the background, sensing the unspoken goodbyes building between them.
"Naoto," Shinji said quietly, "Thank you for everything. For Rika. For helping her grow."
Naoto bowed deeply. "I owe you more than you know."
"I know enough," Shinji replied. "Just make sure you leave the right way."
As the stars emerged above, Rika stood by the water with Souta. She didn't speak. She just leaned on him, and he stood there, quietly, unshaken.
"He's really going, isn't he?" she whispered.
Souta didn't lie. "Yeah."
Her voice broke. "Then… will you stay?"
"I will," he promised.
She nodded, her tears falling silently. And in the background, the river flowed on, indifferent and eternal, carrying away the last pieces of the autumn they shared.
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