Chapter 2: — "Ghosts of the Past"

The courtyard was quiet compared to the noisy hallways, a patch of sunlight spilling over the benches and trees. Sakura walked a half-step behind Haruto as he pointed out different buildings.

“That’s the science wing,” he explained, gesturing casually. “The labs are a bit old, but the teachers are nice. Oh, and—”

A loud voice cut him off, echoing across the courtyard.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Shinohara Haruto.”

Sakura stiffened instantly. Her eyes darted behind them, heart thumping against her ribs. Three tall boys strolled forward, their grins sharp and menacing. Their presence alone made her stomach twist.

Haruto turned, his relaxed demeanor faltering as his jaw tightened. “...Ren. Yuto. Keigo.”

“Aw, look at him,” one of them jeered. “You used to walk around like you owned the place. What happened to you, Haruto?”

The second one leaned forward mockingly. “Yeah, didn’t you used to be the guy everyone followed? Now you’re just playing tour guide for a girl. How pathetic.”

The third burst into laughter, shoving Haruto’s shoulder. “What happened to the tough guy, huh? Don’t tell me you’ve gone soft!”

Sakura’s breath caught. Her eyes widened. Wait… Haruto… being bullied? The boy who once made her cry day after day was now standing still, jaw clenched, his fists trembling at his sides.

Haruto’s voice was low, controlled. “Back off.”

“Ohhh, scary,” Ren mocked, raising his hands dramatically. “What are you gonna do, huh? Punch us? Like old times?”

Haruto’s fists curled tighter. For a moment, Sakura thought he might explode, but then he exhaled slowly, forcing his hands back into his pockets.

“Tch. You’re not worth it.”

The three boys cackled. “Not worth it? No… you’re just scared you’ll lose. You’re not the Haruto we knew.”

Sakura’s chest tightened. This doesn’t make sense… Haruto, my old bully, being pushed around like this?

Then it happened. One of the boys glanced at her, his grin stretching wider. “Hold up. Is that…? No way.”

Sakura froze, every muscle in her body tensing.

Keigo laughed, pointing right at her. “It is! That’s Minazuki, isn’t it? Minazuki Sakura! Hah! Oh man, I can’t believe this!”

Sakura’s blood ran cold. Her knees felt weak. No… don’t tell me…

Ren slapped Haruto on the back, howling. “This is priceless! Back in the day, you and us, we made her life miserable. And now look at you! Walking around with her, playing knight in shining armor? What a joke!”

Her eyes widened, trembling as the realization hit her like a wave. Ren, Yuto, Keigo… these three… they were there. They were the ones with Haruto back then…

“Wow, Sakura, you really haven’t changed much,” Yuto sneered, stepping closer. “Still weak, still crying at the drop of a hat. You still draw those stupid little pictures in your notebooks?”

Sakura flinched, her hands gripping her bag straps so tightly her knuckles went white. Tears threatened to return, but this time her confusion overshadowed them. Why… why are they doing this? To Haruto… to me?

Haruto suddenly stepped forward, his voice sharp. “That’s enough!”

The courtyard fell still for a moment. His eyes burned, his body tense, the anger radiating off him. “Leave her out of this. If you want to talk about me, fine. But don’t you dare touch her.”

Ren snorted. “Listen to him, acting like a hero. You used to laugh harder than any of us, remember? You were the worst of us all.”

The words stabbed at Sakura’s heart. She glanced at Haruto, who stood frozen for just a second before gritting his teeth.

“I’m not that person anymore,” he muttered, but his voice shook with restrained anger.

The three boys laughed harder, doubling over. “You hear this? Shinohara Haruto, not that person anymore!” Keigo jeered. “What a weak, pathetic loser you’ve turned into. No wonder you don’t fit in anywhere.”

“Fucking loser,” Ren spat finally, before turning away. “Come on, guys. This is boring.”

With that, the three walked off, their laughter fading into the distance.

Sakura stood frozen, her chest tight, her thoughts spinning out of control. Those were Haruto’s old friends… the ones who bullied me with him… and now they’ve turned on him…?

She glanced at Haruto. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had gone pale. His shoulders trembled, his teeth grit in frustration. He looked like he wanted to chase after them, to fight, to scream, but he stayed rooted to the ground, swallowing it all down.

“Haruto…” she whispered, almost afraid to speak.

He didn’t look at her. Not yet.

Sakura bit her lip, her heart aching unexpectedly. Why do I… feel sympathy for him? After everything he did to me… why does this hurt to watch?

The courtyard, once bright and welcoming, suddenly felt heavy with the weight of their shared past, and the fragile, uncertain path of what lay ahead.

Haruto inhaled sharply through his nose and forced his fists open, flexing his fingers like he was trying to shake the anger away. “...Sorry you had to see that.” His voice was low, steady, but she could hear the frustration under it.

Sakura hesitated. Sorry? Why is he apologizing to me?

She swallowed hard. “Those guys… they were with you. Back then. When you… when you…” Her voice trailed off, too heavy to finish.

Haruto closed his eyes briefly, as if the words themselves were a weight pressing on his chest. “Yeah. Ren, Yuto, Keigo. They were my friends in elementary and middle school.”

“Friends,” Sakura repeated, bitterness seeping into her tone. Her hands trembled slightly. “The ones who laughed with you… when you made fun of me.”

Haruto winced, his gaze finally lifting to meet hers. For the first time, she saw guilt written plainly in his eyes. “I know. I can’t erase it, Sakura. I was awful to you. I was worse than them sometimes. I… I’ve thought about it a lot.”

Her lips parted, but she didn’t know what to say. The image of him standing tall with those boys, laughing at her tears years ago, collided with the sight of him now, standing in silence, enduring their cruel words like she once had.

“It’s different now,” Haruto continued, his voice firmer. “I cut ties with them in middle school. I realized… that kind of ‘friendship’ isn’t real. It’s just people feeding off each other’s cruelty. And I don’t want to be that person ever again.”

Sakura’s chest tightened. She wanted to believe him, and yet… the memories stung too sharply.

“Then why…” Her voice cracked, quiet and raw. “Why do I still feel like that little girl they picked on? Like it could all happen again…”

Haruto’s eyes softened. He stepped closer, though carefully, as if afraid she’d flinch. “Because I haven’t earned your trust yet. And maybe I never will. But I’m not going to hurt you, Sakura. Not anymore. That’s a promise.”

Her breath caught, and for a moment, she didn’t know if she wanted to cry or laugh. The boy who had once been her nightmare was now… defending her, apologizing to her, promising to protect her.

She looked down, clutching her bag. I don’t know what to feel… anger? Relief? Hope? Maybe all of them at once.

After a long silence, she murmured, “...You’ve changed more than I thought.”

Haruto gave a faint smile, weary but sincere. “I had to. Otherwise… I’d still be one of them.”

Sakura didn’t answer, but in her chest, something shifted. She wasn’t ready to forgive him, not yet. But for the first time, she wondered if maybe… someday… she could.