Ayane ran.
She didn't look back even once.
Behind her, Arashi stood frozen, watching her disappear into the rain.
"…Now it's all up to you," he murmured under his breath.
He didn't chase her again.
He didn't call her name.
That was his decision.
Ayane kept running, her breath uneven, her vision blurred by tears and rain. The sound of water hitting the ground grew louder and louder, as if the sky itself was collapsing.
She finally stopped.
Her legs gave out, and she stood there, trembling, soaked completely.
Then—
She screamed.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
It wasn't a normal scream.
It wasn't anger or fear alone.
It was pain.
Pure, uncontrollable pain.
The rain began to pour even harder, beating down on her mercilessly, mixing with her tears until she couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.
Suddenly—
The rain stopped falling on her head.
Ayane felt it instantly.
Confused, she slowly looked up.
An umbrella.
And holding it—
"Mizuki…?"
Her voice shook.
"Why are you here?" Ayane asked, crying openly now.
Mizuki looked at her quietly for a moment. Then she gave a small, gentle smile.
"Tell me," Mizuki said softly.
"What happened?"
That was enough.
Ayane's restraint shattered completely.
"This is all your fault!" Ayane shouted, her voice breaking.
"Everything that happened—every single thing—happened because of you!"
Her words were loud, sharp, filled with resentment and despair.
Mizuki didn't interrupt her.
She didn't defend herself.
Instead—
She suddenly let go of the umbrella.
It fell to the ground with a dull sound, forgotten instantly as Mizuki stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Ayane.
Ayane froze.
"I'm sorry," Mizuki said, her voice firm but sincere.
"I'm really, really sorry."
She held Ayane even tighter.
"I never wanted this to happen," Mizuki continued.
"I truly didn't. But… it happened anyway."
Ayane's shoulders trembled as she cried into Mizuki's chest.
Mizuki lowered her head slightly and spoke near Ayane's ear.
"Listen to me," she said softly.
"You're not weak for loving someone."
"You're not wrong for feeling this much pain."
Ayane clenched her fists against Mizuki's clothes.
"And you don't have to hate yourself for being hurt," Mizuki continued.
"Sometimes… people don't reject us because we aren't enough."
"They do it because they're afraid of their own feelings."
Ayane's breathing slowly began to calm, though her tears didn't stop.
"You did nothing wrong," Mizuki said quietly.
"Nothing at all."
The rain continued to fall around them.
Ayane cried even harder in Mizuki's arms.
Her sobs grew uncontrollable, her body shaking as everything she had been holding back finally spilled out. Mizuki didn't stop her. She didn't say anything more—she just stayed there, letting Ayane cry until there were no tears left to hide.
After a while, Ayane slowly pulled away.
Without saying another word, she turned and ran again.
Mizuki didn't follow her this time.
She only watched silently as Ayane disappeared into the rain once more.
Ayane ran aimlessly, her mind completely blank.
Her chest still hurt—but compared to before, the pain felt slightly duller, as if it had exhausted itself for the moment.
Then—
She noticed a bench.
Her legs finally gave up.
Ayane walked toward it and sat down heavily, her shoulders slumping forward. Rain continued to fall around her, but she didn't care anymore.
As she sat there, breathing unevenly, she realized something.
The pain in her chest…
It was still there.
But it wasn't tearing her apart anymore.
It was quieter now.
Suddenly—
Someone sat down beside her.
Ayane flinched instantly.
She turned her face away, hiding it with her hands, trying to conceal both her tears and her expression.
The person beside her looked at her carefully.
Then—
"Ayane."
At the sound of her name, her body stiffened.
That voice…
It felt familiar.
Slowly, hesitantly, Ayane looked up.
Her eyes widened.
"…Ren?"
She stared at him in disbelief, her voice trembling.
"What are you doing here?" she asked through her tears.
Ren looked straight at her.
"I came here for you," he said calmly.
"I came to help you."
Ayane shook her head immediately.
"I don't need your help," she said weakly.
Ren didn't look away.
"But if I don't help the person I love," he replied,
"then who will?"
Ayane froze.
"…What did you just say?" she asked, barely able to breathe.
Ren met her gaze without hesitation.
"You heard me right," he said.
"Ayane… I really like you."
"I love you."
Ayane's mind went blank.
She couldn't process his words.
Her heart was still broken—still bleeding—and now this?
"But…" she said softly, confused.
"I like Arashi."
Ren clenched his fist slightly, but his voice remained steady.
"I know," he said.
"But I just want to be yours, Ayane."
"I love you."
Ayane stared at him, completely overwhelmed.
Her heart was being pulled in a direction she never expected.
Ren's voice trembled as he spoke, repeating the same words again and again.
"Ayane… I love you.
Ayane, I love you.
Ayane… I love you."
Ayane covered her ears slightly, her voice breaking.
"Ren… stop," she said weakly.
But Ren shook his head.
"I won't stop," he said firmly.
"Not until you say it too."
"Not until you tell me… 'I love you' as well."
Ayane lowered her hands, her tears falling freely again.
"I don't know what to say," she whispered.
"I don't know how I feel about you."
"And I don't understand why you would love me in the first place."
Ren looked at her gently.
"Do I need a reason to love you?" he asked quietly.
At that moment—
The rain finally began to fade.
Soft sunlight broke through the dark clouds, thin rays slipping through the sky and falling gently onto them. The light touched their faces, warm and calm, as if the storm had never existed.
Ren spoke again, his voice steady.
"Whatever happened before," he said,
"forget it."
"Let today be a new beginning—with me, Ayane."
He took a small step closer.
"I love you," he said.
"And I want you to love me too."
Ayane slowly wiped the tears from her face.
Her heart was still confused.
Still hurting.
"I don't know what I should do," she said honestly.
"But for now… I won't give you my answer."
She looked straight at him.
"You'll have to wait."
Ren smiled softly.
"Of course," he said.
"I can wait."
"I can wait my entire life—for you."