Chapter 104. He Fell Harder

The shrill blare of his alarm jolted Akihiko awake.

He groaned, squinting at the glowing digits on his phone. "What time is it already?" he muttered, voice rough with sleep.

Dragging himself out of bed, he made his way to the bathroom, every movement slow and mechanical.

Steam soon filled the space as hot water cascaded over his skin, washing away the remnants of the strange, vivid dream he couldn't quite remember—but left his chest tight and heavy.

Once dressed and impeccably groomed, he picked up his phone and called the cafe he frequented.

"Yeah. It's Akihiko Nakamura. I'm heading over now. Usual order."

With that, he slipped into his sleek black car and drove off, another day on repeat.

His life had always followed this rhythm—structured, quiet, almost dull. Wake. Drive. Work. Repeat.

But as he glanced at the dashboard clock mid-drive, a thought crossed his mind.

"I still have time."

------

The gentle chime of the cafe doorbell signaled his arrival.

As he stepped inside, the familiar smell of roasted beans and sugar welcomed him.

But none of it registered—not when his eyes landed on her.

Ayaka.

She was sitting by the window, shoulders tense, lips pressed into a thin line as she fiddled with something in her hands.

Frustration danced in her features like a silent storm, and for a second, Akihiko couldn't look away.

'Don't let her notice.' He slipped his gaze away before it lingered too long and walked up to the counter. "Pick-up for Aki?"

As the barista handed over his drink, he risked another glance—and froze.

Ayaka was staring at him.

Their eyes met.

She stood, sudden and uncertain.

Something clicked in his mind then. 'Just another girl? Another one who'd try to ask me out?'

But his phone buzzed violently in his coat pocket.

Surgery.

Emergency.

He checked the message and cursed under his breath.

'The patient was already prepped.'

In his rush, his hand jerked—and his coffee spilled.

Right on her cardigan.

Hot liquid.

A sharp gasp.

Her shocked expression burned into his mind.

"T-tch..." But there was no time.

He had to go.

He ran, thinking he'd never see her again.

Until—

------

"YOU?!" Ayaka and Akihiko shouted in unison, eyes wide.

"You two knew each other?" Kei asked, blinking in confusion.

"You were my senior's little sister…" Akihiko's voice trailed off, his tone softer now. "I ruined your cardigan. You looked so upset, and I never got the chance to apologize."

So he drove her home.

Halfway there, they stopped at a boutique.

He insisted on buying a new cardigan to replace the one he'd ruined, but Ayaka—headstrong and unexpected—chose a hoodie instead.

He chuckled at the memory. "That's when I realized you were different. You didn't care about my looks or my name…"

Ayaka glanced at the stack of books in his passenger seat. "Ms. Midnight, huh?"

"Yeah." Akihiko replied, a bit too quickly. "She's my favorite author."

She tilted her head. "You've never been to her signing events? Never watched any of her interviews online?"

He shook his head. "I hate watching videos. But then… you revealed you were her. You asked me to be your muse."

He exhaled. "I was honored. But I refused. I didn't want to expose myself. I didn't want to feel anything."

"But you kept showing up. You didn't give up, no matter how cold I was. You handed me that contract and, somehow… I found myself drawn to you."

------

"I love teasing you, just to see how you'd react. The way you fumble, your expressions… it became something only I wanted to see. Something only I wanted to have."

"I've been trying to control myself… but the thought of losing you, of someone else taking your attention—"

His voice broke.

"Kei begged me. Please, Dr. Nakamura, he said, you're the only one who can save her. I can't do the surgery—it's against the rules. please save my little sister... And I..."

His eyes flickered. "I was terrified. I haven't operated since my last trauma. But I did it anyway. For you."

------

"You're so popular with men, and it drives me mad..." he admitted, almost growling.

"Even Toru said a nurse was asking about you."

"Ouch! Be gentle!" Ayaka winced as he cleaned the sutures on her side.

"Bear with it." he muttered.

"I just— I hate how jealous I've become. I want you to be mine."

------

"Your birthday…" he whispered. "I can't forget that night."

"We were finally alone"

"You had looked into my eyes and asked—"

"Did that kiss really mean nothing to you?" Ayaka's voice had trembled. "Was it just an accident?"

'I can't lie...'

'I couldn't control myself...' He confessed.

She stared at him, waiting for his answer.

"Then… would it be fine if it weren't?"

"I remembered how he kissed her—deep, desperate, and far too long. You kissed me back. My heart pounded like a war drum, ready to burst. I was going to tell her... Tell her Everything."

"But then—"

------

Akihiko woke with a sharp gasp, his body drenched in sweat, chest heaving

His eyes darted around in panic, lost in a haze of memory and fear—until a gentle hand reached out.

"I'm here. I'm here…" Ayaka whispered, voice warm and steady.

He blinked.

Tears were still wet on his face. Ayaka knelt beside him, her brows furrowed with concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You were dreaming earlier. You're burning up with a fever."

His breathing slowed as he took her in.

"You're really here..." he murmured.

"Kei came by a while ago. He checked on you," she said, standing to tie her hair. "I'll go make something warm for you to eat—"

"Stay."

He gripped her wrist, firm yet trembling.

Ayaka paused, her expression softening.

"I'm just going to the kitchen, silly…"

But his gaze didn't waver. It pinned her, silent, pleading.

"…Fine."

He shifted, making room for her beside him on the couch.

She sat down, and he didn't let go of her hand.

"I need to tell you..." Akihiko whispered. "About why I left…"

Ayaka gripped on Akihiko's hand tightly. She's been wanting to know the reason why but not like this when Akihiko is in this state.

"Not now." she murmured. "Let's talk when you're better. You don't need to rush…"

But his hand squeezed hers a little tighter—afraid, still, that if he let go… he might wake up again.

------

The silence between them stretched, filled only by the soft hum of the heater and the faint clatter of rain outside.

Ayaka remained close beside him on the couch, their hands still lightly joined, her thumb brushing absentmindedly against his.

Akihiko's fever had gone down a little, but his expression remained tight, as though he were wrestling with something inside.

He glanced at her—not just looking, but really saw her.

The way her hair clung slightly to her neck, still damp from a recent shower.

The slight furrow in her brow.

The warmth in her eyes, dulled only by traces of exhaustion.

He'd been gone so long, yet somehow she still looked at him with concern.

It twisted something in his chest.

"Ayaka." he said softly, his voice low, rough, as though it had taken him hours to gather the words. "Are you... seeing someone now?"

The question hung heavily between them.

He didn't say a name.

He didn't need to.

Ayaka's body stiffened.

Her breath caught, and the gentle rhythm of her thumb against his hand froze.

She turned to face him, slowly, her expression unreadable.

There was a pause—one heartbeat, then two. She could have just said no.

She wanted to say no.

But something inside her cracked.

Her lips trembled, and then she snapped—voice sharp, wounded, shaking.

"After three years of disappearing, that's the first thing you wanted to ask me?" Her voice rose, fueled not just by anger but by heartbreak.

"Not where I've been. Not how I've been. Not why I cried myself to sleep for weeks, or why I stopped writing, or why I stood outside your apartment like a damn fool hoping you'd come back—but if I'm dating someone?!"

Akihiko's expression faltered.

He hadn't expected that.

The directness of her pain—the rawness—hit him harder than any accusation ever could.

"I…" He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Ayaka stood, tearing her hand from his.

Her eyes were glassy with emotion, but she wasn't going to cry.

Not in front of him.

Not again.

"You think you can just reappear and act like nothing happened? Like everything should still revolve around you?" Her voice wavered. "Do you know what it felt like, Akihiko? Do you even care?"

He sat frozen, the weight of her words crashing down like waves. He did care.

Too much.

But what right did he have now?

"I'm not the same girl you left." she said, voice softer now, but no less sharp. "And you… you're not the man I trusted with everything."

Her chest rose and fell with ragged breaths.

Akihiko remained still.

The room crackled with emotion—unspoken apologies, unanswered questions, and a silence heavy with things left unsaid.