"Nagomi, Is that you?"

"A-aito," Nagomi muttered, barely audible but it didn't go unheard by the latter. 

"Oh my god, how have you been? I missed you." 

The red-haired tried to come closer, the excitement in his voice was totally clear. 

Nagomi by reflex stepped backwards, seeing the reaction, Aito stopped in his tracks. 

"It's okay  I won't come closer. But can we please talk?" 

Aito gave him a reassuring smile, while the only thing in Nagomi's head was to get away. 

Seeing Nagomi, who didn't either move or run away, Aito decided to voice out what he wanted to say for a long time. 

"I know, I have no right to say this nor I am eligible. You might even not want to see me ever again but I am sorry. I never meant to do what I did and when I heard what happened- 

"Sato-san, here you were how much you wanted to have crepé yesterday. It was hard finding a stall nearby." 

Haruto called out, extending his right hand to pass the crepe to Nagomi, oblivious of the tension in the air. 

Never in his life, Nagomi had been as thankful as now, seeing Haruto beside him. 

Haruto looked at the red-haired in front of him when he saw Nagomi frozen on the spot. 

"Do you know him?" Haruto moved in front of Nagomi, seeing how pale his face had turned. 

The latter just nodded, Haru finally realised how tense the atmosphere between his liver and the red-haired was, so he decided to leave after an introduction just so as not to look rude. He couldn't afford to taint Nagomi's name after all. 

"Nice to meet you, I am Sato-sans manager, Haruto Abe." He extended his hand for the red-haired to shake. 

Aito stared awkwardly at the brown-haired boy in front of him, before extending his hands to shake. 

"Nice to meet you too, I am his high school friend, Aito Shimizu." 

As soon as the word left from the latter's mouth, Haruto retracted his hand immediately, glaring at Aito. 

"Are you okay?" Haruto turned at Nagomi, the latter nodded in response, giving out a smile only for it to miserably fail into a grimace. 

Aito was taken aback watching the scene unfold in front of him. 

"He k-know?" 

His voice trembled. 

Haruto clenched his jaw.

"It shouldn't concern you, please leave." 

He pulled Nagomi in his arms, his left hand on Nagomi's shoulder and placed the latter's head on his chest.

"I am sorry but please could you hear me out just once?" 

Tears started to form in Aito's eyes. 

"Can't you see he doesn't- 

"Aito! Why did you leave when I said not to? I have been looking all over for you. It was hard to sneak you out and you go mia on me." 

A deep voice interrupted Haruto. 

The man was taller than him and had a well-built body. His black hair which reached up to his neck, perfectly complimented his fair skin tone. 

The man stared at the two before putting his arm around the red-haired shoulder. 

He opened his mouth as if to say something but soon his eyes widen when he saw Nagomi curled up in Haruto's arms. 

"Isn't he the one?" 

Nagomi could feel the boy staring at him as if he was staring deep at his soul. 

Nagomi couldn't recognise the boy, was he someone he knew? From the way he asked, it looked like the latter knew him but Nagomi failed to process his identity, which only made him more anxious. 

Haruto tightens his grip on Nagomi as if to say he was there and he will be no matter what. It relaxed Nagomi a little.

"Nice to meet you, I am Itsuki Kimura, Aito's childhood friend. I heard a lot about you, it's a pleasure to finally see you." 

"We don't need introductions, we are leaving." Haruto glared at him before clasping his hand with Nagomi to take him from there. 

"Wait, can I please get one chance to say something?" 

Aito looked at his feet, fiddling with the hem of Itsuki's shirt. 

Itsuki put a hand on Haruto's shoulder, trying to stop him. 

"I know you might not want to even see him but listen to him just once, you don't know how much he has been through when he found out Nago- 

"Itsuki, that's enough. Stop." 

Aito stared at Itsuki. 

"Nagomi, I know I have done you an injustice and I don't even deserve to be in your presence. Hell, I don't even deserve to live." He clenched his fist trying to stop his tears from flowing. 

"But please let me say sorry to you. I am sorry for everything I've put you into. If I could, I would turn back time a thousand times. I am sorry for being weak." 

Itsuki wrapped his arms around Aito, as the latter broke down into tears. 

Nagomi stared at the red-haired and then looked at Haruto and again at Aito, before taking a deep breath. 

"I don't know if my past self could forgive you but now I am happy where I stand and it's all thanks to my past. I forgive you, don't stay caged up in the past anymore." 

He smiled weakly at Aito, the red-haired eyes literally glowed up when he tried to come closer but Nagomi flinched back in Haruto's arms. 

"I am sorry." 

"It's okay, it was my fault after all. I am happy that you found someone like him. Please be happy." Aito forced a smile through the tears. 

"I will. Haruto, let's go back to the inn."  Nagomi turned back while Haruto complied with him. 

The red-haired watched as Nagomi turned his back onto him and walked away with his new lover. With tears still trickling down his face, he smiled and waved one last time as if saying his last goodbye. 

"Goodbye, my paradise."