Between Silence and Solitude

Haruto’s POV

I've been going to the hospital after school since Hinata went there to visit her grandma. A feeling inside of me pushed me to stay with her, so I did.

The air was cold against my face as I stood outside the hospital, staring at the muted glow of the streetlights. I had told Hinata I’d wait for her, but honestly, I wasn’t sure why I stayed. Maybe I thought she’d need someone to walk her home. Maybe I just needed an excuse to avoid going home myself.

It was getting harder to face that house every day. Dad’s words from last night still rang in my ears: “You’ll never amount to anything if you keep dragging your feet like this.” I didn’t even bother explaining how much I was doing, he wouldn’t have listened. He never did. No matter how hard I worked, it was always the same. Failure, disappointment.

I sighed, kicking at the gravel under my shoes. The ache in my chest had become so familiar I barely noticed it anymore. It wasn’t physical, it was the kind of pain that settles deep, weighing down everything else. Even when I was with my friends, laughing at Ren’s bad jokes or walking around the school with Hinata, it was always there.

The sound of the hospital doors opening pulled me back. Hinata stepped out, her head down as she adjusted her scarf. She looked exhausted, her usually bright face dulled by the weight of whatever had just happened inside.

“Hey,” I said, stepping forward. My voice felt rough, like I hadn’t spoken in hours. “You okay?”

Hinata looked up, and for a moment, I saw something in her eyes, something raw, vulnerable. But she quickly covered it with a small smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired.”

I wanted to press her, to ask if she was really okay, but I stopped myself. Who was I to ask that? I couldn’t even handle my own mess, let alone help her with hers.

Instead, I said, “Let’s take a walk. Get some air.”

She nodded, and we started down the street in silence. The cold wind bit at my skin, but it felt better than the suffocating air in the hospital. Hinata walked close beside me, her hands shoved deep into her coat pockets.

We passed the vending machines on the corner, and I paused. “You want a drink?”

She looked at me, surprised. “Sure.”

I fumbled with the coins in my pocket, the clinking sound oddly soothing. I bought two sodas, handing one to her before leaning against the wall. The can felt icy in my hand, but I didn’t open it. Instead, I stared up at the sky, at the faint stars peeking through the city lights.

“Thanks,” she said softly.

I glanced at her. She was looking down at her soda, her fingers tracing the rim of the can. Her face was calm, but I could tell she was holding something back.

“You don’t have to pretend, you know,” I said before I could stop myself.

She looked at me, startled. “What?”

I shrugged, trying to play it off. “You always act like you’re fine, but… you don’t have to. Not with me.”

For a moment, she didn’t say anything. Then she let out a small laugh, shaking her head. “You’re one to talk, Haruto. You never let anyone see what you’re really feeling, either.”

I froze. She wasn’t wrong, but hearing it out loud hit harder than I expected.

“I just… I don’t want to bother anyone,” I muttered, looking away.

“Neither do I,” she said quietly.

We stood there in silence, the weight of her words settling between us.

After a moment, I straightened up. “Come on. Let’s keep walking.”

***

We wandered through the quiet streets, the city alive with the faint hum of traffic and distant voices. I didn’t know where we were going, but it didn’t matter. Being here, with Hinata, felt… easier. Like I didn’t have to carry everything alone, at least for a little while.

Eventually, we found ourselves near the park. The trees were bare, their branches etched against the night sky like ink on paper. I slowed down, stuffing my hands into my pockets to keep them warm.

“Haruto,” Hinata said suddenly.

I looked at her.

“Why did you wait for me?” she asked. Her voice was soft, almost hesitant.

I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. Why did I wait for her? Because I was worried? Because I didn’t want to go home? Because being around her made everything else feel less heavy?

“I don’t know,” I said finally. “I just… I didn’t want you to be alone.”

She stopped walking, turning to face me. Her eyes searched mine, and for a moment, I felt like she could see everything. Every doubt, every fear, every piece of me I tried to hide.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, looking away. My chest felt tight, but not in a bad way. It was a strange feeling, one I couldn’t quite put into words.

***

The cold air nipped at my skin as I walked Hinata home. I couldn’t quite place the knot of feelings in my chest, maybe it was the concern still lingering from the hospital or just the strange comfort of being beside her. Either way, I didn’t mind. For once, the silence between us wasn’t heavy.

We stopped in front of her gate, the soft glow of the streetlamp above casting a warm circle of light. She turned to me, her face calmer than it had been earlier, though the traces of exhaustion still lingered.

“Thanks for waiting for me,” she said, her voice soft but sincere.

I nodded. “You don’t need to thank me. I just… I couldn’t leave you there alone.”

She smiled faintly, and for a moment, the weight of the evening seemed to lift.

I shifted on my feet, glancing down the quiet street. This felt like the natural end of the night, but something kept me rooted in place. A thought had been circling in my head for the last few minutes, and before I could talk myself out of it, I spoke.

“Hey, Hinata,” I began, scratching the back of my neck awkwardly.

She tilted her head, curious. “What is it?”

“There’s this… uh, workshop at a café this weekend. They’re doing a thing on making chocolate. I saw a flyer for it earlier. I thought it might be fun to check out.”

Hinata blinked, her expression shifting from curiosity to mild surprise.

“I mean,” I added quickly, “you don’t have to come if you’re busy or anything. I just thought—”

“I’d love to go,” she said, cutting me off.

Her answer was so immediate it caught me off guard. “Really?”

She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah. It sounds fun.”

For a moment, I didn’t know what to say. Relief mixed with a strange flutter in my chest, and I found myself smiling despite the cold biting at my face.

“Great,” I said, trying to sound casual. “I’ll text you the details later.”

“Okay,” she replied, her smile lingering as she adjusted her scarf.

As she opened the gate to her house, she paused, glancing back at me. “Goodnight, Haruto.”

“Goodnight,” I replied.

I watched her disappear into the house, the sound of the door clicking shut behind her. As I turned to leave, I couldn’t help but feel a quiet sense of anticipation growing inside me.

The walk home felt lighter somehow, the usual heaviness replaced by something else. I didn’t know what it was exactly, but for the first time in a long while, I wasn’t dreading the morning.

A workshop about making chocolate. It wasn’t anything extravagant, but maybe it was enough to make things feel… different.

To be continued…