1981:ch-13

Take Me Back

To The Year

1981

Chapter 13:

"Unspoken Truths"

The day had finally come to an end, the setting sun casting a golden hue over the quiet streets as Haruto and Souta walked side by side.

It was a familiar routine—one they had done countless times before. No matter how the day went, no matter how much they teased or bickered in class, Haruto would always walk Souta home.

But today felt a little different.

Maybe it was the quiet rustling of the trees, or the way the soft breeze played with the loose strands of Souta's hair. Or maybe—just maybe—it was the fact that the bakery, her usual after-school stop, was closed today.

Souta sighed dramatically, swinging her arms slightly as they walked. "I feel weird not stopping by the bakery."

Haruto glanced at her. "You do work there a lot."

"I know, right?" She hummed in thought. "But it's nice to have a break too. I get to annoy you longer."

He scoffed. "How lucky for me."

She grinned, bumping her shoulder against his playfully. "The luckiest."

Haruto just shook his head, a small smirk playing on his lips.

The air between them remained light, their conversation bouncing from one topic to another, filled with the usual teasing and banter.

But then, somehow, the conversation took a turn.

Souta casually brought up Ryuji.

And just like that, something in Haruto shifted.

—

"He actually did really well in the game last week," Souta mused, tilting her head slightly as she recalled the match. "I mean, not that I was paying that much attention, but people wouldn't stop talking about it."

Haruto stiffened slightly.

Ryuji.

Of all people.

His grip on the strap of his bag tightened as he kept his gaze forward, his expression unreadable. "He's always been popular with sports," he said, trying to keep his tone neutral.

Souta nodded, completely oblivious to the way Haruto's jaw clenched. "Yeah, I guess so. It's kinda impressive, isn't it?"

That was it. The last straw.

Something inside Haruto twisted—something unfamiliar, something he didn't want to acknowledge.

Impressive?

She thought Ryuji was impressive?

Haruto felt an uncomfortable weight settle in his chest, but he couldn't pinpoint why. It wasn't like Souta was gushing over him. She was just talking.

And yet, the thought of her praising Ryūji—of all people—was enough to make his stomach churn.

He let out a short, forced laugh. "Didn't know you were such a fan of his."

Souta blinked at him, confused. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"You've been talking about him for a while now," Haruto said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Didn't realize you admired him so much."

Souta tilted her head. "Admire?" She let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "You're reading too much into it. I was just saying what I heard from people."

Haruto didn't respond right away. He knew he was probably overreacting. It wasn't like Souta had confessed or anything—she was just casually mentioning Ryūji, the way she talked about anything else.

And yet, that small, nagging feeling at the back of his mind wouldn't go away.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "So, if he asked you out again, would you say yes?"

Souta blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?"

Haruto shrugged, keeping his tone casual, but there was a sharp edge to his voice that even he didn't recognize. "Just curious."

Souta stared at him for a moment before letting out a chuckle. "What's with that question all of a sudden?"

Haruto didn't answer.

Souta hummed, tapping her chin in thought. "I mean… I don't really know Ryuji that well, so I don't think I'd say yes right away."

Haruto should've felt relieved at her words.

But then—

"But I guess I wouldn't completely reject the idea either."

And just like that, something in Haruto cracked.

He didn't know what it was, but it was there.

A frustration he didn't understand.

A tightness in his chest that he couldn't ignore.

For a brief second, he wanted to say something—wanted to ask her why she would even consider it, wanted to tell her that Ryūji wasn't as great as everyone made him out to be.

But what right did he have?

What right did he have to tell her what to do?

What right did he have to feel this way?

None.

So instead, he let out a small, humorless chuckle, brushing it off as if it didn't bother him.

"Guess that makes sense."

Souta glanced at him but didn't push the topic further.

And for the rest of the walk, neither of them spoke about it again.

———

The silence between them lingered as they continued walking, but it wasn't the comfortable kind they were used to. It felt… off.

Haruto tried to ignore it, tried to push away the strange weight in his chest. He told himself it wasn't a big deal—Souta was just talking, just sharing her thoughts the way she always did. But for some reason, every word she had said about Ryūji echoed in his mind like an annoying song stuck on repeat.

He didn't like it.

Not one bit.

"Haruto," Souta's voice suddenly cut through his thoughts.

He blinked, glancing at her. "What?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You're quiet. That's not normal."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Maybe I just don't have anything to say."

Souta pouted dramatically. "That's a first."

Haruto let out a dry chuckle, but even to his own ears, it sounded forced. Souta seemed to notice too because she slowed her steps, tilting her head at him.

"You okay?"

Haruto tensed slightly.

He could lie. He could say he was fine, brush it off with a joke like he always did. But for some reason, the words wouldn't come out.

"Yeah," he muttered instead, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Just tired."

Souta hummed, not looking entirely convinced. "If you say so."

They walked a little longer, the bakery's closed sign coming into view. Souta sighed, kicking at a small rock on the sidewalk. "Man, I really wanted some melon bread today."

Haruto arched an eyebrow, grateful for the change in topic. "You're acting like you don't eat it almost every day."

"Yeah, but it tastes better when it's from the bakery," she whined, crossing her arms. "I swear mom and dad put magic in their bread."

"Or maybe you just have a weak spot for sweets," Haruto pointed out, smirking.

Souta gasped, placing a hand over her heart in fake offense. "Excuse you, I happen to have a very refined palate."

Haruto let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night."

Souta stuck her tongue out at him.

And just like that, the tension from earlier seemed to fade—at least for her.

But for Haruto, the uneasiness still lingered, buried deep beneath his playful remarks.

They reached her house soon after, the familiar sight of the front porch greeting them. Souta turned to face him, rocking on her heels.

"Thanks for walking me home."

"Yeah," Haruto said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You should get inside before it gets cold."

Souta grinned. "What, are you worried about me?"

Haruto scoffed, rolling his eyes. "As if. I just don't want to hear you complaining tomorrow about catching a cold."

Souta laughed. "Wow, so considerate."

Despite his words, Haruto found himself waiting as she walked up to the door, only turning away once she was safely inside.

He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair as he started walking home.

But even as he stared up at the sky, even as the cool evening breeze brushed against his skin—

His thoughts remained tangled, his heart weighed down by something he refused to name.

And for the first time in a long time, he wasn't looking forward to tomorrow.

That strange, aching feeling in his chest refused to leave.