Rustling waves. [Arc 15 end]

Can you share your pain with me, Ayane-chan?" Miko asked with worried eyes. "Your pain might me lighter because of it."

"Uh..." Ayane was at a loss. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't. "Sorry... Miko-chan, I can't for a reason. Though I want to..."

"I see..." She smiled, contradicting the sadness of her eyes. "Well, could you at least tell me, if something happened between you and Kanako-senpai and thats the reason?"

"Eh?" Ayane didn't know why she concluded it like that. "That's not the case at all."

"Then why are you avoiding him? You know... he has been feeling guilty because of it." Miko added.

Ayane chose silence. It was something she couldn't disclose.

"I see..." Miko stood up, taking Ayane's hand. "Let's go, I will be dropping you home today."

Meanwhile,

"That girl... she had the audacity... I though she didn't had friends..." Sakiko clenched her teeth, seeing the recording of Ayane and Miko on the park sent to her by on of her spies. She wanted Ayane to be tormented mentally, but she wasn't satisfied enough. Seeing Ayane make a relieved face made her even more angry. "Now you have done it... I thought I would use it later, but you forced me to do it..."

Kanako was walking home alone, the evening sky casting an orange hue on his face. The street lights turned on, giving an ethereal atmosphere. "The ocean is beautiful..." he said, hearing the rustling waves.

"Eh?" His phone buzzed an SMS "Who would text me now?"

It was from Sakiko. "I will be craving for some sweet cakes tomorrow, okay? Please wait for me in front of 'your' school."

"What the heck? How the heck does she know she 'will be' having a craving? And why my school?" He mumbled. It was weird. It took a second for him to realise that it was a hint from Sakiko that she will reveal some secrets of Ayane's past.

"Okay!" He quickly typed and sent. The secret might let him figure out what was happening in her life.

"Im back!" Kanako looked around the house. It was looking rather dark and lonely today.

"Welcome home, honey." He heard a mumbled voice from the kitchen. He looked around the house, searching for something.

"Mom, where is sis?" Not finding, he asked her mom.

"Eh?" She looked surprised. "She left though?"

"Huh? When?" He froze.

"Todays the last day she was staying, so she left? You forgot?" Her mother said nonchalantly.

"I totally forgot!"

"Her work starts from tomorrow." She made a sad expression. "It makes me wonder... someday you would go to work too... I will be alone then."

"Mom don't say it like that. What, you want your son to be jobless or something?"

She laughed. "No I don't want that. But I do want you to get married though. Another person would make me less lonely."

"Mom!" He dashed out. "Make your daughter get married first! Not me!"

"You are right." She smiled. "Maybe I should look for a husband for you sister first."

He went to his room. Suddenly he felt something was... off. He felt guilty, that he accepted Sakiko's request. Now to think of it, it sounds a lot like a date. It didn't feel right. He felt as if he was cheating.