A bad day

The next morning, Daiki was preparing for school, his mind restless as he kept thinking about why Riku had distanced himself yesterday. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't find an answer.

After finishing his morning routine, he stepped out of the house, expecting to see both Riku and Ayaka waiting for him, as they always did. But today, only Ayaka stood outside, her expression somewhat tense.

Concerned, he approached her. "Where's Riku? Why isn't he with you?"

Ayaka sighed before answering. "He already went ahead to school. When I got to his house this morning, his dad told me he had already left."

Daiki frowned. "Why would he just leave without letting us know?"

"I don't know…" Ayaka admitted, her voice carrying a hint of sadness.

Daiki looked up at the sky, frustration swirling inside him. *Riku… what's going on with you?*

---

When they arrived at school, Daiki didn't head to his class immediately. Instead, he followed Ayaka to hers, determined to question Riku. When they spotted him, Riku was casually leaning against his desk, but the moment his eyes landed on them, his posture stiffened.

"Oh, hey! Good morning, Mr. Always Late," Riku greeted, forcing a grin. But as his gaze flickered toward Ayaka, something in him faltered—he couldn't look her in the eye, nor did he greet her like usual.

Ayaka's brows furrowed, irritation clear in her voice. "What's wrong with you? Why did you leave without telling us?"

Riku waved a hand dismissively. "No reason. I just decided to walk alone today."

Daiki narrowed his eyes. "Alone? Are you saying you're getting tired of us?"

"Nooo, that's not it," Riku said, laughing awkwardly. "I just needed some time alone to think."

"To think about what?" Ayaka pressed, crossing her arms.

Riku hesitated. The truth sat on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it back. He couldn't tell her—couldn't say that it was all just to avoid her. Instead, he let out a sigh and forced a smile. "It's nothing serious. Sorry for making you guys worry. I'll make it up to you later, alright?"

Ayaka didn't look convinced, but after a pause, she nodded. "Fine. But don't do it again."

Daiki, still unconvinced, shot Riku a lingering look before walking off to his own class.

---

As Daiki entered his classroom, he half-expected Suzume to tease him about his gloomy expression, as she always did when he looked troubled. But strangely, she wasn't there.

*Maybe she's running late…* he thought.

However, when class started and the teacher began calling names for attendance, his heart sank as Suzume's name echoed through the room—only for silence to follow.

She wasn't here.

That uneasy feeling he had since the morning only grew stronger.

---

During break time, Daiki went to his usual spot to eat, but something felt off. The food was fine, yet it tasted bland. It wasn't the taste—it was the silence, the absence of Suzume's teasing remarks and playful banter. He sighed, pushing his tray aside, realizing that today felt… empty.

After finishing his meal, he sought out one of the teachers, hoping to get an answer about Suzume's absence, but all he received were shrugs and uncertainty. Nobody seemed to know why she wasn't here.

His worry deepened.

---

By the time school was over, students were packing their things and hurrying home, but Daiki remained seated, staring blankly out the window.

*Nothing went the way I expected today…* he thought bitterly. *I'm not in the same class as my friends. Riku is acting weird. Suzume didn't show up…* He let out a sigh. "This sucks," he muttered under his breath.

Finally, he got up and headed outside, expecting to see his friends waiting for him as usual. But when he stepped out…

No one was there.

He froze.

His heart clenched. *They left without me…*

For a moment, he tried to reason with himself—maybe they had to rush home? Maybe it was a misunderstanding? But no matter how he spun it, the fact remained.

He had been left behind.

Feeling an unsettling mix of anger, sadness, and confusion, he clenched his fists and walked home alone, the emptiness gnawing at him.

---

But while Daiki believed his friends had simply gone home, that wasn't entirely the case.

Riku had dragged Ayaka along with him—not toward home, but to the Sakura tree. The very place where the three of them had once stood together and made their oath—to never fall in love with each other.

Ayaka frowned as she glanced around before turning to Riku. "Why are we here? And why did we abandon Daiki at school?"

"We're not ditching him… maybe," Riku muttered.

Ayaka crossed her arms. "*Maybe?*"

Riku sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It had to be done. I have my reasons, okay?"

Ayaka shot him a sharp look. "Then tell me. What's your reason for dragging me here?"

Riku took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the Sakura tree above them. The soft pink petals swayed gently in the breeze, falling around them like whispers from the past. His hands clenched into fists as if bracing himself for what he was about to say.

"Ayaka," he started, his voice lower than usual, almost hesitant. "Do you ever think about that promise we made back then? To never fall in love with each other?"

Ayaka blinked at him, taken aback by the question. "Of course, I do," she said. "It's something we all agreed on… because we didn't want things to change. Why are you asking this now?"

Riku exhaled, his shoulders tense. "Because… I think I've already broken that promise."

Silence.

Ayaka's arms slowly lowered, her expression shifting into something unreadable. "What are you saying, Riku?" she asked carefully.

Riku looked away, unable to meet her eyes. "I don't know when it started. Maybe it was always there, and I just didn't want to admit it. But the truth is… I have feelings for you, Ayaka."

Ayaka's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't speak. She only stared at him, searching his face for any sign that he was joking. But there was none. His expression was serious—pained, even.

Riku continued, "I avoided you today because I needed time to sort through my thoughts. I thought maybe if I stayed away, this feeling would go away. That if I ignored it, things could stay the same between us." He finally looked at her, his eyes filled with vulnerability. "But it didn't work. Seeing you today, knowing I was pushing you away… it hurt more than I expected."

Ayaka's breath hitched. "Riku…"

He smiled, but it was weak, almost bitter. "I know this isn't what you wanted to hear. And I know it probably makes things complicated between us. But I couldn't keep it inside anymore." He turned his gaze back to the tree, his voice barely above a whisper. "I love you, Ayaka."

Ayaka felt her entire world tilt. The promise, their friendship, Daiki… everything they had built together—it all flashed through her mind. What was she supposed to say? How was she supposed to respond?

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

What was she feeling right now? Was it shock? Was it fear? Or was it something she, too, had been trying to ignore?

Ayaka took a deep breath, steadying her emotions before speaking. "Riku," she started softly, but firmly, "I won't lie to you. I do have feelings for you, but... they're not strong enough to make me confess or to truly see you as anything more than a friend."

Riku's eyes darkened, his body tensing as if bracing for a painful truth.

She continued, "I can't fall in love with you, Riku. And there are three reasons why." She raised her fingers, counting them off one by one.

"First, because of the promise we made. We swore never to fall in love with each other. Breaking that promise would change everything."

"Second, because of Daiki. I can't betray him. The three of us have always been together, and if I choose you, it would feel like I'm leaving him behind. I can't do that to him."

She hesitated, then finally admitted the last reason. "And third… because I like people like Daiki more. That means, even though I have some feelings for you, I also have feelings for Daiki. And between the two of you… Daiki has the advantage."

Riku clenched his jaw. He was expecting rejection, but not like this. Not with Daiki's name mixed into it. His frustration boiled over as he shook his head. "That's ridiculous," he snapped. "That promise? It's just childish nonsense. People grow. Time changes. And so do feelings! Why should we be stuck in the past?"

Ayaka stiffened at his words, but he wasn't done.

"And about Daiki?" Riku scoffed. "No matter how much you like him, he won't reciprocate your feelings." His voice was sharp, almost cruel. "That's just how he is. You know it, Ayaka. He's the type who doesn't think about love that way. He's too dense, too caught up in everything else. You're wasting your time."

Ayaka's hands balled into fists. His words stung—not just because they held truth, but because he said them so coldly, as if her feelings were meaningless. "And what gives you the right to decide that for me?" she snapped back, her voice rising. "I know Daiki better than you think, Riku! Maybe he hasn't shown it yet, but that doesn't mean I should just give up on him!"

"You're being stubborn," Riku shot back, his frustration evident. "What if you ask him and he doesn't give you the answer you're expecting? What then?"

Ayaka faltered.

Riku exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his head before looking her straight in the eye. "I'll wait," he said firmly. "I'll give you time. But you have to ask him, Ayaka. You have to find out for sure. And if Daiki doesn't return your feelings… then you have no choice but to choose me."

Ayaka stared at him, her emotions in turmoil. She didn't know what scared her more—the possibility of Daiki rejecting her… or the fact that if he did, she might actually have to face Riku's love head-on.