A Love That Won't Fade (8)

As soon as I reached the destination where we were supposed to meet, I spotted Kiyomi already there, waiting.

(Guess her house must be nearby if she got here this fast.)

Still catching my breath, I walked toward her and called out her name. She turned around as our eyes met.

She asked with concern, "Is everything alright? Why did you ask me to come here?"

Without hesitating, I looked into her eyes and said, "I love you."

She gasped, almost as if she'd misheard me. "What… what did you just say?" she asked softly.

I took a step closer and repeated, "I love you."

She looked completely stunned, falling into silence. I knew it was a sudden confession, and I was nervous about how she might respond.

Lowering my gaze, I waited.

Finally, she said, "I appreciate your proposal… but I can't accept it."

I had a feeling something like this might happen. Maybe she was just caught off guard.

Trying to stay calm, I asked, "Is it because we've only recently become friends? Or… is it because you don't have feelings for me?"

"I want you to be honest," I added. "I won't ask for anything else."

She looked up, her eyes welling with tears. "It's nothing like that. I love you too… but I'm not the kind of partner you should be with. We should just stay friends—and nothing more."

My expression darkened. "Why would you say that? Is there something you're afraid of?"

"You don't know anything about me… or my past," she replied. "If you did, you wouldn't have proposed to me."

"I don't care what your past was like," I said, stepping even closer. "If you never want to tell me, I won't ask—unless you choose to. I just care about you. I want to be with you, no matter what. Whether we're rich or poor… living in a big house or a small one… even if we're standing on the edge of death—I still want to be with you."

"You're the only woman I've ever loved. You'll always be the only one—even after death does us part."

Tears spilled down her cheeks. "My life hasn't been easy. If we were together… I'd only bring you trouble and pain."

"If you're ever unhappy," I said gently, "just say the word, and I'll turn the world upside down to make you smile. I only ask for one thing—please, stay by my side. No matter your past or who you were… I'll always love you."

Without warning, she leapt into my arms, hugging me tightly, her body shaking as she cried.

"I love you too," she sobbed. "I want to spend my life with you… I just don't want you to hate me."

I gently patted her head. "Even if you drowned me in despair or killed me—I'd never hate you. I'd still love you."

And in that moment, as we stood in each other's embrace under the setting sun, the world seemed to fade away. Nothing else mattered.

From that day forward, my love for her only grew stronger.

Aika accepted our relationship and often helped us get closer. Every morning, both Kiyomi and Aika would come to pick me up. Our days were filled with laughter, joy, and a kind of peace I'd never known before.

Kiyomi often visited my house, and my mother absolutely adored her. Before long, it felt like she was already part of the family.

Still, there were things I didn't know—like who her parents were or where she lived. I chose not to let those thoughts ruin the happiness we shared. As long as she was smiling, that was enough for me.

But the questions lingered in my heart. I kept hoping that, one day, she'd open up and tell me everything.

A few weeks later, we finally planned our first official date. Since I had no experience with this kind of thing, I worked on the plan with Aika. We spent the whole day at my house, crafting something romantic that Kiyomi would love.

Once we finished, Aika got ready to leave.

"I can't stay any longer," she teased. "If Kiyomi sees me hanging around you like this, she'll get mad!"

I chuckled. "She's not like that. She knows we're just childhood friends."

Still, Aika insisted. "It's late anyway. I should go."

"I'll walk you home," I offered.

But she shook her head. "No. We shouldn't get too close anymore. You have a girlfriend now."

I tried to argue, but she stopped me with a quiet, "Please. Just listen to me."

I gave up and walked her outside. When I returned, my mom looked at me and asked, "Did you and Aika have another fight?"

I sighed. "No, nothing like that. She just wanted to go home on her own."

Mom gave me a look. "Is it getting complicated between you two?"

"Not really… it's just that I'm in a relationship now, and Aika said we shouldn't hang out too much."

She frowned. "Even if you have a girlfriend, Aika is still your childhood friend. Don't be too distant with her."

I nodded slowly. "I'll try."

As I made my way upstairs, I couldn't help but wonder… Should I really keep my distance from Aika like she asked? Or should I treat her the same way I always have?

I shook the thoughts from my head for now. I wanted to sleep early—I didn't want to keep Kiyomi waiting tomorrow.