After placing their orders, everyone quietly waited for the food to arrive. An awkward silence settled over the table. No one seemed to know what to say or do. Their eyes wandered in different directions—some looked at their phones, others at the surroundings, and a few just stared at the table. The air felt heavy, as if everyone was thinking the same thing but no one wanted to speak first.
Then Mizuki finally broke the silence.
"Until the food arrives, let's talk, okay?" she said, trying to ease the tension.
She turned toward Satoru and asked seriously, "Satoru, did you actually see that guy with your own eyes when he was with Miyu?"
Satoru replied without hesitation, "Yes, I saw him myself."
Mizuki then shifted her gaze to Miyu. "And you? Did you see that girl with your own eyes?"
Miyu lowered her head slightly before answering, "No… but the girls from our class told me about it."
Mizuki sighed softly."You shouldn't have just believed them. Why did you trust their words so easily?"
Miyu had no answer to that. She stayed quiet, unable to defend herself.
Satoru then spoke up, a hint of frustration in his voice. "See? That's her problem. She believes whatever anyone tells her."
Arashi looked at Satoru and responded calmly, "But she's also saying he was just a customer, right? Then you should at least listen to her side."
Now Satoru had no reply either. His expression showed he didn't know what to say.
Before anyone else could continue the conversation, the waiter arrived at the table carrying their food.
The waiter placed each dish on the table carefully, making sure everything was in front of the right person. Plates, bowls, and drinks slowly filled the table. The warm aroma of freshly cooked food spread around them, making the atmosphere feel a little less tense than before.
For a few seconds, no one spoke. They just looked at the food.
Arashi finally picked up his fork. "We should eat before it gets cold," he said in a normal tone.
Everyone quietly agreed.
They all started eating. The small sounds of cutlery touching plates and glasses being moved replaced the earlier awkward silence. It wasn't completely comfortable, but it wasn't as heavy as before either.
Miyu held her spoon carefully, taking small bites. She avoided looking at anyone and kept her attention on her plate. Every now and then, she glanced at the food like she was more focused on eating than thinking.
Satoru ate normally, but his expression showed he was still thinking about the earlier conversation. He wasn't angry anymore—just quiet. He occasionally drank water between bites.
Mizuki tried her dish and smiled a little. "This tastes better than I expected," she said, trying to make things feel normal.
Takumi nodded after tasting his food. "Yeah, it's actually pretty good. I'm glad we ordered this."
That small comment slightly lightened the mood. It wasn't a big change, but it helped.
For a while, the group focused only on eating. No serious talk, no arguments—just simple comments like "pass the sauce" or "this is nice." The food gave them a reason to stay quiet without it feeling awkward.
The earlier tension slowly faded, replaced by a calm, neutral atmosphere. It wasn't cheerful yet, but it wasn't uncomfortable either.
For those few minutes, they were just a group of friends sharing a meal.
The restaurant table felt heavier than before. The earlier argument still lingered in the air like a storm that hadn't fully passed.
Miyu sat quietly, her eyes red from crying. She kept her gaze lowered, her hands gripping the edge of her sleeve. On the other side, Satoru looked away, jaw tight, clearly still struggling with his emotions.
No one spoke for a while.
Then Arashi suddenly leaned forward and spoke in a firm voice.
"Satoru. Look at her."
Satoru didn't respond.
"I said look at her," Arashi repeated, more serious this time.
Slowly, Satoru glanced at Miyu. Seeing her tear-stained face made his expression falter for a second.
Arashi continued, "Do you really think someone who doesn't care would cry like that?"
Satoru stayed silent.
Mizuki gently placed a hand on Miyu's shoulder. "Miyu… say what you actually feel. Not what your anger says."
Miyu's lips trembled. "I was scared…" she whispered. "When I saw you with that girl, I felt like I was being replaced."
Her voice was small but honest.
Hina added softly, "And instead of saying that, you both attacked each other."
Takumi nodded. "You two didn't try to understand. You tried to defend yourselves."
That hit the truth.
Satoru finally spoke, but his voice had lost its earlier sharpness."…When I saw you with that guy, I felt the same."
Miyu looked up slightly.
"I thought you were hiding something from me," Satoru admitted. "And when you didn't answer properly, it made me think the worst."
Mizuki sighed. "So both of you were jealous, scared, and hurt… but instead of admitting it, you turned it into a fight."
Silence.
Arashi crossed his arms. "And those words you said, Satoru… 'I don't love you'? Do you even understand how heavy that is?"
Satoru's eyes shifted. Regret was visible now."…I said it out of anger."
Hina replied calmly but seriously, "Words said in anger still reach the heart."
Miyu quietly wiped her tears. "Then tell me honestly… do you mean it?"
For the first time, Satoru looked directly at her without looking away.
"…No," he said. "I don't mean it."
The table went quiet again.
"I was angry. I felt accused. But that doesn't mean I stopped caring," he continued, more sincerely than before.
Miyu's breathing steadied, but her voice was still fragile. "Then don't say things like that… it hurts more than you think."
Takumi gave a small nod. "This is what happens when pride speaks louder than feelings."
Mizuki smiled faintly. "So here's a simple solution — trust each other more, and talk before assuming."
Arashi added bluntly, "And if you keep doubting each other like this, you'll destroy your relationship yourselves."
That line hit both of them.
Satoru exhaled slowly."…Sorry," he said quietly.
Miyu hesitated, then replied softly,"…Me too."
It wasn't a dramatic reconciliation. No grand gestures. Just two people finally being honest.
And somehow, that honesty felt stronger than any apology.
The tension that had been choking the group finally loosened. The storm had calmed.
For now.
The silence at the table felt softer now, but the emotions were still raw.
Miyu slowly looked up at Satoru. Her eyes were still slightly red, but they weren't filled with anger anymore — only honesty.
"…I don't want to fight like this," she said quietly. "It hurts more than the misunderstanding itself."
Satoru's expression softened. Seeing her like this made his chest feel heavy with guilt.
"I don't want this either," he replied. "When I thought I might lose you, I said things I didn't mean. I just… got scared."
Miyu's voice trembled slightly. "I was scared too. Scared that I wasn't enough for you."
That confession made Satoru pause. He shook his head gently.
"You are enough," he said sincerely. "I was just too stupid to say what I really felt."
A tear slipped down Miyu's cheek, but this time it wasn't from anger — it was relief. She quickly wiped it away, embarrassed.
"I don't want doubts between us," she said. "If something bothers me, I'll ask you directly next time."
Satoru nodded."And I'll answer properly instead of getting defensive."
For a brief moment, they just looked at each other. No pride, no anger — only understanding.
Then Miyu gave a small, fragile smile."…So we're okay?"
Satoru returned a gentle smile of his own. "We're okay."
He hesitated for a second, then quietly added, "And… I'm really sorry, Miyu."
Miyu shook her head lightly. "I forgive you."
"…I forgive you too," Satoru said.
The tension between them finally melted away, replaced by a warm calmness. It wasn't dramatic or loud — just two hearts settling down after a storm.
Mizuki smiled in relief. "Finally. That's what we wanted to hear."
Hina looked happy too. "See? Talking fixes things."
Takumi stretched slightly. "That was exhausting just to watch."
Arashi smirked. "Next time, try using your brains before your emotions."
That made the mood lighter. Even Miyu let out a small laugh.
The group slowly finished what was left of their food. The atmosphere now felt peaceful, almost comforting.
After paying the bill, they all stood up from the table. Chairs slid back, and everyone gathered their things.
As they walked out of the restaurant together, the cool evening air greeted them. The sky was calmer now, and so were they.
Without saying much, the group started heading toward home.
This time, there was no heavy silence — only quiet understanding and the feeling that something fragile had been repaired.
For tonight, that was enough.