A Silent Goodbye

Haruki stood outside the school gates, watching Aoi walk ahead. The weight of their conversation from earlier still clung to him.

She had smiled before leaving, but it wasn't her usual, warm smile—it was something else, something that felt like a farewell.

"Aoi," he called out.

She stopped, turning slightly. "Hmm?"

Haruki opened his mouth to say something, to ask if she was okay, to make sure she wasn't about to leave him behind in a way he couldn't fix. But nothing came out.

"…Never mind," he muttered.

Aoi tilted her head, then let out a small chuckle. "You're weird sometimes."

And just like that, she waved and walked away, disappearing into the quiet streets of Tokyo.

Haruki stood there, feeling the cold settle into his chest.

Something was wrong. He knew it.

---

The next morning, Haruki arrived at school earlier than usual. The classroom was empty, the chairs still neatly tucked in from yesterday. He sat at his desk, tapping his fingers against the wood, his mind restless.

Where was Aoi?

She wasn't usually late.

Minutes passed. Then an hour.

The first bell rang.

The teacher walked in, flipping through the attendance sheet.

And then, her voice cut through the morning silence.

"Aoi Takahashi… absent today."

Haruki's heart dropped.

He pulled out his phone and stared at their last conversation. It was nothing special, just a simple "Goodnight." But now, it felt like something else. Like a period at the end of a sentence.

His fingers hovered over her name.

Haruki: Hey, are you okay?

No reply.

Haruki: Where are you?

Still nothing.

Lunch break came, and Haruki found himself on the rooftop, staring at the sky. The wind was cold, but it didn't bother him.

He took out his phone again. Still no response.

Just as he was about to leave, the door creaked open. His breath caught for a second—but it wasn't Aoi.

It was Riku, their classmate.

"Yo, Haruki," Riku said, walking over. "You seem out of it today."

Haruki barely glanced at him. "It's nothing."

Riku hesitated, then sighed. "Did you hear?"

Haruki's fingers tightened around his phone. "…Hear what?"

"Aoi's transferring."

The world around him tilted.

"What?" His voice came out quieter than he intended.

Riku rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah… I heard some girls talking about it this morning. Apparently, her family's moving."

Haruki's mind blanked. He felt like he had been punched in the chest.

"She didn't tell me," he muttered.

Riku frowned. "You two are pretty close, though, right?"

Haruki didn't answer.

Because now, everything made sense.

Her distance. Her words. "If one day… I disappear from your life, don't forget me."

She was leaving.

And she hadn't told him.

---

That evening, Haruki found himself standing outside Aoi's apartment. His breath was visible in the cold air, his heartbeat a slow, steady ache.

He knocked.

No answer.

He knocked again.

Still nothing.

"Aoi," he called softly.

The door didn't open.

Haruki exhaled sharply and turned to leave—when suddenly, the door creaked open just a little.

Aoi peeked out, her eyes wide. "Haruki?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

She froze. "You… you found out."

Haruki swallowed. "So it's true."

Aoi looked away. "Yeah."

A long silence stretched between them.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked again, his voice quieter this time.

Aoi's grip on the door tightened. "…Because I didn't know how."

Haruki let out a bitter chuckle. "You? Not knowing how to say something? That's a first."

She didn't laugh. Instead, she lowered her gaze. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"Well, congratulations," he muttered. "Because you did."

Aoi flinched. "Haruki—"

"When?" He cut her off. "When are you leaving?"

"…Tomorrow."

Haruki felt something crack inside him. Tomorrow.

She was already gone.

"Were you even going to say goodbye?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Aoi didn't answer.

And that silence told him everything.

Haruki let out a shaky breath. He could feel his hands trembling, but he forced himself to stay still.

"Okay," he said finally.

Aoi's head snapped up. "What?"

"I said okay," Haruki repeated. "You're leaving. There's nothing I can do about it, right?"

Aoi opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Haruki forced a small smile. "Well… have a safe trip then."

Aoi's eyes widened. "Haruki—"

"Goodbye, Aoi."

And before she could say another word, he turned and walked away.

---

That night, Haruki sat by his window, staring at the empty street below.

The city moved on, as if nothing had changed. As if Aoi had never been there at all.

His phone buzzed.

A message.

From Aoi.

Aoi: I'm sorry.

Haruki stared at the screen, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.

For a moment, he wanted to type something—anything.

But then, he turned off his phone.

And let the silence say everything.

---