Chapter 14: “Even Silence Can Hurt Someone”

The rooftop meeting ended without fireworks.

No screaming.No tears.Just… silence.

The worst kind.

Minami turned and walked away first.Arisa stayed long enough to hand Yuuki the bento box, her fingers brushing his just barely.

She didn't say a word.

Neither did he.

But he should've.

That Night – Yuuki's Apartment

The bento sat untouched on his desk.

He stared at his phone for an hour, two open chats staring back at him.

Arisa: "Did you eat?"

Minami: "I didn't mean to drag you into that."

He typed.Deleted.Typed again.

Then tossed the phone on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

What was he even doing?

Arisa had been a rental. A job. A mask.

But lately… it didn't feel like that anymore.

And Minami?

She was the what-if. The unfinished sentence in his heart. The girl who once made him feel seen — and then made him feel invisible.

He stood up.Put on his jacket.And walked out.

10:42 PM – Convenience Store

He didn't expect to see her there.

Arisa, in a hoodie, bent over the ice cream section, deciding between two flavors.

She looked up, surprised. "Yuuki?"

He nodded. "Hey."

She gave a small smile. "Want to split one?"

He paused.

Then said the first thing that felt right in hours.

"Only if it's not part of the job."

Her smile changed.

Real. Warm. Fragile.

"It's not."