[Hayate Kurogane]
After that day, Aoi started making a habit of eating lunch with me. At first, I didn’t know what to make of it. But slowly, I began to get used to it. She wasn’t as overwhelming as I had initially thought. Her presence was... comforting, in a strange way.
We didn’t talk much, but there was something about the silence between us that wasn’t uncomfortable. It was like we were two people, each carrying our own burdens, but somehow, sharing that burden together.
One afternoon, Aoi and I were walking home from school together when she suddenly stopped.
"Hey, Hayate, I’ve been meaning to ask you something," she said, looking up at me with her wide eyes.
"What is it?" I asked, not sure what to expect.
"Do you ever think about your future?" she asked, her voice surprisingly serious.
I looked at her, unsure of how to respond. I hadn’t really thought about the future. I just... existed.
"I don’t really have any plans," I said honestly.
Aoi seemed to think for a moment, then smiled softly.
"Well, you should! You don’t have to have everything figured out, but you should at least think about what you want to do. Life’s too short to just... exist," she said, her words hitting me harder than I expected.
I didn’t know how to reply. Aoi always had a way of making things sound so simple, so clear. But for me, everything was always gray, like I was stuck in a fog I couldn’t escape.
---
[Aoi Tachibana]
Hayate’s response was exactly what I expected. He didn’t seem to have any interest in the future, or maybe he just didn’t think it was important. I didn’t know what had happened in his past to make him so indifferent to everything, but I was determined to help him find his way.
"Hey," I said, grabbing his arm lightly. "You don’t have to figure everything out right now. But just promise me you’ll think about it, okay? Don’t let life pass you by."
He didn’t say anything at first, but after a moment, he nodded.
"I’ll think about it," he muttered, his voice soft.
It was a small victory, but it felt like a step in the right direction. Maybe, just maybe, I could help him see the colors in life again.
---
End of Chapter 4
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