Chapter 31. Not His Girl, Not His Story

Kazumi barely spared Ayaka a glance before swiftly setting his tablet down. "I suddenly need to check on the maintenance team!" His voice was rushed, forced, and completely unconvincing.

Before Ayaka could react, he was already on the move, weaving through the crowded hospital corridor like a man on a mission.

"Not this time, Kazumi!" Ayaka growled, her determination igniting as she took off after him.

Kazumi quickened his pace, dodging doctors, sidestepping wheelchairs, and nearly colliding with a cart of medical supplies.

"Damn it... I need to escape! She's quicker that I thought..." he muttered under his breath, eyes scanning for a way out.

Then, his salvation arrived—the elevator doors slid open just in time, revealing a cluster of nurses and hospital staff stepping inside. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, squeezing himself into the packed space.

Ayaka's eyes widened as she sprinted toward the elevator. "No, no, no, NO!"

The doors were already starting to close.

"Wait! Ms. Midnight! Let her in!" A nurse standing inside reached out and pressed the button to hold the door.

Ayaka grinned triumphantly. "Thank you! You're a lifesaver!" she said, slipping inside just before the doors shut completely.

Kazumi, now cornered in the back of the elevator, instinctively turned his face away, as if sheer willpower would make him invisible.

Too bad for him. Ayaka's sharp gaze locked onto him immediately.

"Gotcha... You won't have any means to escape now..." she whispered, stepping forward.

But then—

"The elevator is overweight... Is there someone who would like to volunteer to get off?" a nurse announced.

Kazumi saw his golden opportunity.

"Oh no! That's a real shame! Well, don't worry—I'LL SACRIFICE MYSELF!" He dramatically threw his hand up and darted out before anyone could stop him.

The doors slid shut.

Kazumi turned around, smirking in victory, only to see Ayaka glaring at him from inside the closing elevator like a vengeful ghost.

He exhaled in relief and flopped down onto a nearby bench, catching his breath.

"Finally... Peace... I managed to escape from her..."

"What are you sighing for?"

Kazumi flinched so hard he almost fell off the bench.

Ayaka was sitting right next to him, arms crossed, looking completely unamused.

"H-How?! You were in the elevator! How the hell?! T-that was so quick!" he stammered.

She smirked. "A doctor was in a rush, so I stepped out to make space—"

Before she could finish, Kazumi was already bolting down the hallway.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Ayaka shouted, launching after him.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU CHASING ME?!" Kazumi yelled, dodging past startled staff members.

"BECAUSE YOU KEEP RUNNING! YOU MORON!"

Kazumi's legs carried him faster, but Ayaka refused to let up.

"I'M WARNING YOU, AYAKA! YOU WON'T CATCH ME!"

"OH YEAH?! LET'S SEE ABOUT THA—"

Her foot caught on the edge of the linoleum floor.

Time slowed.

Ayaka flailed before slamming face-first onto the ground with a spectacular

*THUD.*

Kazumi, having sprinted ahead, suddenly realized she wasn't behind him anymore. He stopped, turning to see her sprawled on the floor.

"...Ayaka?" he called, cautiously stepping closer.

A low, incoherent murmur came from her.

Kazumi crouched down. "What? I can't hear you."

Ayaka lifted her head, revealing a scraped forehead, a red nose, and watery eyes.

"I said..." Her voice trembled as she sat up, wiping her face. "I'm so tired of you avoiding me! Why do I have to keep chasing you?! I just wanted to talk!"

Kazumi's breath hitched.

Guilt settled in his chest like a heavy weight as he looked at her—really looked at her. The exhaustion, the frustration, the hurt in her eyes.

He exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. "...Fine. Let's get you cleaned up first..."

Ayaka sniffled. "And then you'll finally talk to me?"

Kazumi sighed in surrender, offering her a hand. "Yeah... I'll talk."

Ayaka took his hand and Kazumi gripped tightly.

His heart ached when he realized this might be the final time, he'd be able to hold Ayaka's hand since he knew what's going to happen when they finally talked.

------

The remnants of the event lingered in the air—a mixture of fading laughter, the shuffling of feet, and the distant chatter of staff still cleaning up.

The bright lights of the venue were dimmed, replaced by the soft glow of street lamps. A gentle breeze rustled through the nearby trees, carrying with it the scent of evening dew.

A few blocks away from the main crowd, Ayaka and Kazumi sat side by side on a quiet bench. The world around them continued moving, yet in their little corner, everything felt... still.

A small bandage adorned the bridge of Ayaka's nose, another covering the scrape on her forehead.

Kazumi sat next to her, his elbows resting on his knees, fingers loosely interlocked.

His usual sharp eyes were softer now, heavy with thoughts he had avoided for far too long.

"Are you feeling okay now?" His voice was calm, almost hesitant, as he handed her a bottled water.

Ayaka took it wordlessly, unscrewing the cap and taking a small sip.

The water was crisp and refreshing, but it did little to soothe the lump in her throat.

Silence settled between them. Not an uncomfortable one—but a fragile, delicate quiet, as if the very air around them was holding its breath.

The wind whispered through the trees, brushing against their skin like a quiet reminder of the moment they had tried to avoid for so long.

Kazumi exhaled, his shoulders rising and falling before he finally spoke.

"I knew we would end up here eventually…" His voice carried a quiet resignation, tinged with something bittersweet.

"I just… I didn't want to face it so soon." He let out a small, humorless chuckle. "I was scared. Scared that if I did… I'd lose you completely."

Ayaka's grip on the bottle tightened.

She had known this conversation was inevitable.

It had loomed over them like an unspoken truth, lingering in the spaces between every conversation, every stolen glance, every awkward moment when feelings threatened to surface.

And yet, now that it was happening, it still hurt.

She turned to him, her eyes shimmering under the dim glow of the streetlights. "I'm really sorry, Kazumi." Her voice trembled. "I… I can't return your feelings."

Kazumi didn't move.

She swallowed, forcing herself to continue. "I know I should have told you sooner, but… just like you, I was afraid. I didn't want to lose you."

Her breath hitched as tears spilled down her cheeks, leaving warm trails on her skin. "You mean so much to me, Kazumi. You were my very first friend here. You've supported me through everything… And I do love you—just not in the way you want me to."

Kazumi remained still for a moment before—unexpectedly—he chuckled.

Ayaka blinked through her tears.

"I was the one who got turned down..." he said, wiping at her damp eyes with the sleeve of his jacket. "Shouldn't I be the one crying?"

A watery laugh escaped her lips, and that small sound—so familiar that made Kazumi's chest ache even more.

He reached out and gently patted her head, just like he always did when they were younger. The same old gesture, but this time, it carried a different weight.

"You know…" He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head with a wistful smile.

"I already knew the answer. I think I've known for a while now—I was just too afraid to face it."

Ayaka looked at him, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"But… I still want us to be friends." Kazumi added, his voice quieter this time.

"Of course!" Ayaka blurted immediately, clutching the water bottle against her chest. "I want that too! I never want to lose you, Kazumi!"

Kazumi smiled, a little more genuine this time. "Good."

A comfortable silence settled between them once more.

Then, Kazumi suddenly smirked. "Just so you know… I'll keep supporting you no matter what."

Ayaka wiped at her eyes, sniffing. "Thank you, Kazumi."

"But for the record..." he added with a teasing grin, "you have terrible taste in men."

Ayaka gasped, swatting his arm. "Excuse me?!"

Kazumi chuckled, the tension easing ever so slightly. "I'm just saying! I mean, me versus that Ice Prince—come on." He gestured at himself dramatically. "At least make it a fair fight."

Ayaka rolled her eyes but laughed. It was a light, genuine laugh—the kind that made everything feel a little less heavy.

"Love is mysterious..." she mused, shaking her head. "I never even thought I'd feel this way… I even promised myself not to fall in love with him but I eventually did..."

Kazumi exhaled, his smile softening. "Well… good luck then... But tell me if he ever makes you cry, I'll punch him in the face!" He gave her a small nudge with his shoulder. "I'll be cheering for you."

Ayaka beamed at him. "Thank you, Kazumi."

He leaned back against the bench, looking up at the night sky. "You go on ahead. I'll stay here for a little while."

Something in the way he said made her pause.

But Kazumi met her gaze and smiled—one of those smiles that looked real on the surface but held a quiet sadness underneath.

Ayaka hesitated, but in the end, she nodded.

"Alright. Don't stay out too late." she teased gently before standing.

As she walked away, Kazumi watched her go, the warmth of her presence slowly fading.

Only when she was far enough did his expression finally falter.

His fingers curled into fists on his lap, his jaw tightening.

And for the first time that night, Kazumi allowed himself to stop pretending.

He smiled—soft, broken, and entirely for himself.