1981:ch-14

Take Me Back

To The Year

1981

Chapter 14:

"Restless Thoughts"

After getting back home, Haruto went straight upstairs to his room.

Lazily, he greeted his mother, "I'm home."

Without waiting for a response, he trudged up the stairs, pushing open his bedroom door before closing it behind him. He slumped onto his bed, exhaling sharply as he threw his bag onto the floor.

Lying on his back, he stared up at the ceiling, brows furrowed.

His mind wouldn't stop replaying their conversation from earlier. The way Souta casually brought up Ryuji, the way she talked about him so effortlessly—it annoyed him more than he wanted to admit.

Why did she have to talk about him? Of all people?

Was Ryuji getting in his way?

No, that wasn't it. Souta wasn't the type to focus on people like Ryuji. But still… the fact that she mentioned him at all—why did it bother him so much?

Haruto clenched his jaw, frustrated with himself.

He had no right to be angry. No right to feel this way.

But that didn't stop the irritation from settling in his chest, making him restless.

With a sigh, he sat up and ran a hand through his messy hair.

Maybe a shower would help clear his head.

Dragging himself to the bathroom, he flipped on the light and shut the door behind him. He turned on the faucet, letting the water run for a moment before stepping into the shower. The cold stream hit his skin, making him inhale sharply at the sudden chill, but he welcomed it.

The cool water ran down his back, washing away the exhaustion of the day. He placed a hand against the tiled wall, letting the droplets slide over his face as he closed his eyes.

But even in the silence of the bathroom, his mind refused to quiet down.

Souta wouldn't fall for someone like Ryuji, right?

The thought crept in before he could stop it.

He scowled.

Why am I even thinking about this?

He shook his head, letting out a frustrated sigh as he ruffled his wet hair. This was ridiculous. She was his best friend. That's all it was. That's all it ever had been.

Right?

He exhaled slowly, trying to push the thoughts away.

After a few more minutes under the water, he finally turned off the shower. Stepping out, he grabbed a towel and dried his hair roughly, glancing at himself in the fogged-up mirror.

His reflection stared back at him—dark hair damp and clinging to his forehead, sharp eyes slightly softened by exhaustion.

Shaking his head, he let out a quiet scoff.

"I need to stop overthinking," he muttered under his breath.

He tossed the towel over his shoulders and stepped out of the bathroom, feeling slightly better but still restless.

As he flopped back onto his bed, he couldn't help but wonder—

Would things ever stop feeling this complicated?

——

Haruto lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his damp hair slightly cool against the pillow. The quiet hum of the night settled around him, yet his thoughts refused to let him rest.

Despite the shower washing away the day's exhaustion, it did nothing to clear the thoughts tangled in his mind.

Souta wouldn't fall for someone like Ryuji… right?

That same thought kept creeping back, gnawing at the edges of his mind. It frustrated him how much space it was taking up in his head.

What was wrong with him?

Souta was his best friend—nothing more, nothing less. That's how it had always been. That's how it was supposed to be.

Then why did the idea of her talking about Ryuji, praising him, irritate him so much?

Haruto sighed, rolling onto his side as he ran a hand through his hair.

He needed to sleep. Overthinking wouldn't change anything.

With that thought, he turned off the bedside lamp, closed his eyes, and forced himself to ignore the feeling in his chest.

—

The next morning, Haruto woke up to the sound of his alarm buzzing obnoxiously.

With a groan, he reached out and slapped it off, staying in bed for a few extra minutes before finally dragging himself up. The morning light filtered through his window, casting a soft glow across his room.

After stretching lazily, he got up and went through his usual routine—brushing his teeth, fixing his hair, and getting dressed. The lingering thoughts from last night still clung to the back of his mind, but he pushed them aside.

He had school to focus on.

And—

His eyes flickered to the clock.

Souta.

Right. He had promised he'd wait for her today.

Grabbing his bag, he slung it over his shoulder and headed downstairs. His mother was already up, preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

"You're up early," she commented, glancing at him with mild surprise.

Haruto simply shrugged, slipping on his shoes. "I told Souta I'd walk with her again today."

His mother smiled knowingly. "You two are always together."

He rolled his eyes at her teasing tone. "She's my best friend."

His mother only hummed in response, but Haruto didn't stick around to hear whatever she was about to say next. Instead, he grabbed a piece of toast from the table, muttered a quick "I'm leaving," and stepped outside.

The morning air was crisp, the quiet streets still waking up.

He leaned against the fence outside Souta's house, taking a bite of his toast as he waited.

A few minutes later, the front door creaked open, and Souta stepped out.

She blinked when she saw him, then grinned. "Wow, you're actually early today."

Haruto rolled his eyes. "Don't sound so surprised."

Souta laughed as she adjusted the strap of her bag. "I just didn't expect you to be so responsible all of a sudden."

"Hey." He gave her a flat look. "I can be responsible."

She hummed, clearly unconvinced. "Mmhmm."

Haruto scoffed, but there was a small smile tugging at his lips as they started walking together, falling into step like they always did.

It was a familiar routine, one that felt natural—like breathing.

And as much as his thoughts had kept him up last night, standing beside her now, listening to her chatter about something random, he felt a little more at ease.

Even if things were complicated in his head—at least, for now—being with Souta was still the simplest thing in his life.