"Are you even listening, Mika?" Akira's voice, usually a bright chime, carried a slight sharpness today."I am," Mika replied, her gaze still fixed on the rain streaking the café window, watching each drop slide down slowly. "Just… thinking.""About what? Your parents? Another fight with them about your grades? Or… him?" Akira's tone softened for a moment, then hardened again. "You barely said three words all through lunch.""It's nothing, Akira. Really." Mika traced a faint line through the fog on the glass, then watched it disappear. "Just the usual. The city is so loud, but my head feels louder somehow.""Don't give me that 'city noise' excuse," Akira frowned, leaning forward. "You've been like this for weeks. Ever since… you know."Mika stayed quiet for a second, her fingers tightening slightly around the cup in her hands, the tea inside already cold. "I know," she whispered. "It's just… he was so kind, Akira. That's what makes it harder. I keep replaying everything, again and again, trying to find the moment where it changed… where I changed.""He was just a good actor then," Akira said quickly. "He tricked you, Mika. And you fell for it. You always do."Mika flinched slightly, her eyes lowering. "Is that what you think of me?""What else am I supposed to think?" Akira crossed her arms. "You give everything to people. And they just take it. You don't even stop them.""Maybe I don't know how to stop," Mika said softly, her voice almost breaking. "Maybe I think if I give enough… they'll stay."Akira went quiet for a moment, then sighed. "You're too soft, Mika.""Maybe I am," Mika admitted, her eyes still on the glass. "But I don't want to be. I just… I want to feel like I belong somewhere. To someone. Somewhere I don't feel like I'm too much… or not enough at the same time.""You belong with me, silly," Akira said, reaching across the table and squeezing her hand, her smile returning but not fully reaching her eyes. "Always.""Yeah… always," Mika repeated quietly, but this time her voice felt hollow even to herself.
"Another late night, Mika?" Her mother's voice cut through the apartment as soon as she stepped inside."I was at Akira's, Mom. Studying," Mika replied, slipping off her shoes slowly, avoiding eye contact."Studying? Or thinking about that boy again?" Her mother's lips tightened. "We sent you to this school for a reason, Mika. Not to waste time on emotions.""I am focusing," Mika said quietly. "I'm trying.""That math test didn't look like trying," her father's voice came from the living room, firm and heavy."I'll do better next time," Mika said, her voice cracking slightly. "I will.""You always say that," her mother sighed.Mika didn't reply. "I'm just tired," she said instead, walking toward her room.She closed the door gently behind her, then leaned her forehead against it, her eyes closing as her breathing became uneven. "I try…" she whispered. "I really do… but why is it never enough?"
"Hey, sleepyhead!" A cheerful voice broke through the quiet of the library.Mika startled slightly as San leaned over her desk, smiling like nothing in the world could touch him."You were using your textbook as a pillow. New study technique?""I was just resting my eyes," Mika replied, sitting up quickly. "You scared me.""Good, that means you're alive," he grinned, pulling a chair beside her without asking. "You always look so serious, Mika. It's like you're carrying something heavy all the time.""I'm fine, San. Really," she said, brushing her hair back."Nope. Not convincing," he leaned forward slightly. "When was the last time you smiled?"Mika paused, thinking, then looked away. "I don't remember."San went quiet for a second, just a second, before his smile came back even brighter. "That's a problem. Lucky for you, I'm here."Mika let out a small, weak laugh."There it is," he pointed playfully. "You look better like that. You should smile more."Mika looked down, a faint warmth rising to her face. "Thanks.""You know," San added, his voice dropping just a little, "if things ever feel too heavy… you can just sit with me. You don't have to talk. I'm good with silence too."Mika looked at him, slightly surprised. "You understand that?""Yeah," he smiled. "Silence can be louder than words sometimes."Before she could respond, he stood up. "Anyway, I'll leave you to your very important studying. Try not to fall asleep again."He walked away quickly, like always.Mika watched him for a moment, then looked back at her book. "He makes me smile…" she murmured softly. "Then why do I still feel like this?"
"Did you hear about Mika's ex?" Akira's voice carried across the hallway, a little too loud.Mika froze. "Akira… don't.""He's already with someone new," she continued anyway. "Some girl from art class, I think."Mika felt her chest tighten suddenly, like something pressing down on it. "Oh…"Just one word.But inside, everything felt loud."He moved on fast," Akira added.Mika nodded slowly, forcing herself to stay calm. "Yeah… he did."But her thoughts wouldn't stop. Was I that easy to forget? Was I ever enough?"I have to go," Mika said quickly, turning away."Mika, wait—""I'm fine," she said, even though her voice didn't sound fine at all.She walked away before her eyes could give her away.
"You're not eating."Mika looked up to see Leo sitting across from her, calm as always."Oh… I'm just not hungry.""You haven't been for a while," he said quietly."It's nothing. Just a bad day," she replied, picking at her food."Sometimes bad days become something else when ignored," Leo said, his tone steady.Mika hesitated, then spoke softly, "My ex… he's with someone else."Leo simply nodded. "That hurts."Mika blinked slightly, surprised by the simplicity of his response. "Yeah… it does.""What do you think it means?" he asked."I don't know.""It might mean you're holding onto something that has already let go," Leo said calmly. "And maybe… you haven't yet understood what you truly need."Mika looked at him, her thoughts slowing for the first time. "What I truly need…" she repeated quietly."For now, just think about it," Leo said, opening his book again.
That night, Mika lay on her bed, her room dark except for the faint glow of her phone screen.She opened old chats.Read messages again.Smiled for a second… then her eyes filled with tears.She locked her phone slowly, turning to face the wall."Why wasn't I enough?" she whispered into the silence.