Doubts and Fears (112)

The evening air was crisp as Haruto and Aiko walked side by side through the quiet streets of their town. It was one of those nights when everything felt still, as if the world had paused just for them. The soft glow of streetlights cast long shadows behind them, and the occasional rustling of leaves filled the silence between them.

But unlike their usual comfortable quiet, tonight's silence felt different—heavy, filled with unspoken words neither of them knew how to say.

Aiko was the first to break it. "Haruto…" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

He glanced at her, sensing the hesitation in her tone. "Yeah?"

She hesitated, staring at the pavement as they walked. "Do you ever wonder… what things will be like when we go to university?"

Haruto's grip on the strap of his backpack tightened. He had been thinking about it more than he wanted to admit. With his dream of studying astronomy in Tokyo and Aiko's pursuit of art school, their paths were set in motion—but that didn't mean the future didn't scare him.

"I do," he admitted after a pause. "All the time."

Aiko sighed, kicking at a small rock on the sidewalk. "It feels like everything is going to change."

Haruto frowned. "It is going to change. But that doesn't mean it has to be bad, right?"

Aiko stopped walking, turning to face him. "But what if it is?" Her voice was laced with worry. "Haruto, we'll be in different schools, studying different things, meeting new people… What if we get too busy? What if we drift apart?"

Haruto stared at her, feeling a sharp pang in his chest. He had asked himself the same questions late at night when sleep wouldn't come. He had tried to push them away, telling himself that their bond was strong, that they would make it work. But standing here, seeing the worry in Aiko's eyes, he realized she needed more than reassurance—she needed honesty.

"I don't know," he admitted, his voice quiet. "I don't know what's going to happen, Aiko."

Aiko's eyes widened slightly. She had expected him to say something comforting, something that would erase all her fears. But instead, he looked at her with the same uncertainty she felt.

Aiko's shoulders slumped. "I don't want to lose you, Haruto."

He took a deep breath and stepped closer, reaching for her hands. "You won't," he said firmly. "But I can't pretend that it's going to be easy."

Aiko bit her lip. "Long-distance relationships don't always work, Haruto. People get busy, schedules don't align, feelings… change."

Haruto shook his head. "Not for me." He tightened his grip on her hands. "Aiko, my feelings for you aren't something that's just going to disappear because we're in different places. I love you, and I want to be with you, no matter what."

Aiko felt her chest tighten, emotions swirling inside her. "But love alone isn't always enough, is it?"

Haruto hesitated. "Maybe not," he admitted. "But effort is. And I'm willing to fight for us, Aiko. Are you?"

Tears welled in Aiko's eyes. "Of course I am. I just… I'm scared."

Haruto gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek. "Me too," he whispered.

They stood like that for a moment, the night air wrapping around them. The uncertainty of the future loomed over them like a storm cloud, but in that moment, all Haruto could see was Aiko—the girl who had filled his life with color, the girl who had stood by him through everything.

"I don't know what the future holds," he said softly. "But I do know that I want to go through it with you."

Aiko let out a shaky breath. "But what if things get hard?"

Haruto smiled, pressing his forehead against hers. "Then we work through it. Together."

Aiko closed her eyes, leaning into him. "Together," she repeated.

It wasn't a perfect answer. It didn't erase all their doubts or guarantee that everything would work out the way they hoped. But it was a promise—a promise to try, to fight for what they had, no matter how uncertain the road ahead was.

And for now, that was enough.