The hallway felt colder than usual.

Aki sat alone on the staircase near the music room, his fingers curled tightly around the neck of his guitar case. His heart was still echoing with Ren’s words from earlier that morning.

> “If you think we’re not close, then fine. From now on, I won’t interfere in your life.”

Ren’s voice… the way it cracked slightly when he said that… Aki could still hear it.

He looked down, staring at his hands.

They were trembling.

“Why… why did I say that to him?” he whispered under his breath.

It wasn’t that he didn’t care.

He cared too much.

---

Earlier, when Yuki asked if Aki wanted to join the music club, Aki was excited. Performing on stage — even though it was scary — gave him hope. Something he had been missing. His life wasn’t easy. Rent, food, school — he had to manage everything on his own.

When Ren asked him why he hadn’t told him…

He wanted to say,

> “Because I didn’t want you to worry.”

“Because I didn’t know if you truly cared…”

“…Because I was scared I’d lose you.”

But instead, all he said was:

> “I don’t think we’re that close to share personal things.”

And he hated himself for it.

---

He hugged his knees and rested his head.

Yuki found him there a little later.

“Hey…” Yuki sat beside him, holding two juice boxes. He handed one to Aki.

Aki shook his head, “I don’t feel like drinking anything.”

Yuki opened his own and sipped it quietly. “Ren really cares about you, you know…”

Aki didn’t reply. He was too tired. His chest felt heavy. His throat was dry.

Yuki continued, “He looked like he was ready to cry. Or fight someone. Or both.”

Aki chuckled a little. “That idiot…”

There was silence between them for a moment.

Then Aki said softly, “I think I messed up. I hurt him.”

---

That afternoon, the school bell rang. The classroom was buzzing with energy, but Ren didn’t return. He had stormed out and hadn’t come back.

Aki sat in his seat, eyes locked on the empty chair beside him.

Haru came and tried to sit next to Aki, but he gently said, “Sorry, I need some space today.” She didn’t argue.

His fingers moved slowly to his bag. He pulled out a folded paper.

It was from earlier — Ren’s silly little drawing of the teacher they had passed during class. He had drawn a mustache on her and passed it to Aki under the desk. Aki had laughed… quietly, of course.

He now unfolded that paper again. At the bottom, Ren had scribbled something small:

> “You looked serious today, Aki. I like when you smile. :)”

That was it.

Just that simple line.

Aki pressed the paper to his chest and closed his eyes.

---

Evening came.

Aki walked to the music club with Yuki. The manager greeted them warmly and praised their first performance.

But Aki’s heart wasn’t in the music today.

As he strummed his guitar during practice, the strings felt dull, the notes hollow. Every word Yuki sang sounded like something Ren might have said… or might have understood.

After practice, Aki stood by the gate, staring at the stars.

Yuki came beside him again and asked, “Are you going to talk to him tomorrow?”

Aki nodded slowly.

“Yes. I have to. I… want to fix it.”

---

Meanwhile, on the football ground…

Ren kicked the ball harder than ever, panting, his shirt damp with sweat. His friends watched him, confused.

“Dude, what’s wrong with you today?!” one asked.

Ren didn’t answer.

He just looked up at the stars above and whispered, almost like a prayer—

> “Why does it hurt so much when he says we’re not close… when all I want is to be close to him?”

---

🌙 To be continued...