The End of That Night

Akane smiled politely before turning away.

"Make yourselves at home. If you need anything, just let us know," Akane said formally.

"Thank you," I replied.

As soon as she left the room, silence fell.

I looked at Sakura.

"How about the three of us sit down?" I asked.

— Okay — replied Mio.

Mio sat down on the sofa.

I sat down next to her.

Sakura stood still for a second, observing.

Then Sakura walked over to the three-seater sofa and sat down in the remaining space.

Right next to me.

Now I was in the middle of it.

To my right, the girl I confessed my feelings for in elementary school.

To my left, my rental girlfriend.

My face immediately turned hot.

(What kind of situation is this? This literally looks like a scene from a romantic comedy anime.) — I thought, blushing at the thought of both of their breasts touching me at the same time.

Sakura calmly crossed her legs.

"Hey, Riku... Did you miss us? I missed the times we lived together," she said with a gentle smile.

I was speechless.

(She's talking about it like it's something beautiful. Even after rejecting me and running away.) — I thought, a little angrily.

(Maybe she doesn't even care anymore. Maybe it was just childish behavior.) — I thought again more calmly.

I glanced at Mio.

She was watching me.

Not angrily.

But with curiosity.

(She wants to know how I know Sakura.) — I thought.

Sakura noticed Mio's gaze.

"Hey, Riku... You didn't tell your girlfriend about me?" she said, tilting her head.

My stomach sank.

Before I could answer, Mio sighed lightly.

"He forgot again," she said, with a restrained smile.

"His life as an actor is hectic. Sometimes he ends up forgetting to tell me certain things," Mio continued.

(She saved me.) — I thought, relieved.

Sakura smiled.

"I understand." She looked at Mio.

"Riku and I are childhood friends. We studied together in elementary school," Sakura said.

She paused deliberately.

"I ended up changing schools back then... and we didn't speak for years. Until today," Sakura continued.

"I understand," Mio replied.

(For now… everything is going well.) — I thought, still worried about what might happen.

But I knew.

She hadn't shown the cards yet.

Sakura then turned her face towards me.

"By the way, Riku... I need to tell you some news," she said.

My heart skipped a beat.

"What's new?" I asked.

She smiled.

In that overly sweet way.

"I'm transferring to Meisei University," Sakura revealed.

The world stopped.

"I'm going to study Film Production," Sakura added.

My chest tightened.

I looked at Mio.

She had frozen too.

(With Sakura at Meisei… Kanzaki's identity could be discovered. The contract.) — I thought, completely shocked and desperate.

All.

Everything could fall apart.

Sakura watched our reactions with silent attention.

Like someone who had just dropped an important piece on the board.

(She did it on purpose.) — I know her too well to know she did it on purpose.

My smile froze on my face.

Sakura realized it immediately.

The shock on my face.

The stiffness in Mio's body.

She tilted her head slightly and smiled.

"Kurokawa, don't worry. I won't hit on Riku. I know how to respect a man who's in a relationship," Sakura said, with an almost irritating sweetness.

Mio took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm.

— I understand… — he replied.

"I feel much more relieved," Mio said with a smile on her face.

(That's not Kanzaki's real concern. She's scared. Scared of having her secret discovered at the university. With Sakura at Meisei… The chances of that happening are huge. And if it comes to light… Everything that happened today will come with it.) — I thought fearfully.

Mio then looked at me.

There was something different in her gaze.

It wasn't just professionalism.

It was... a need.

"Hey, Riku... I'm leaving now. I'll come back to visit you another day," she said, her voice softer than usual.

My chest tightened.

"Already?" I asked, before I could think more clearly.

She nodded.

I could see the worry in her eyes.

"Do you want me to ask the house driver... or one of the maids to take you home?" I asked.

"That's very kind of you, but there's no need to worry. I'll be walking," Mio replied.

Before I could insist, a voice came from behind us.

"Hey, I'll take you home," Himari said.

Mio turned around, surprised.

"No need..." said Mio.

"I'll take you," Himari insisted, already grabbing her bag.

Mio sighed.

"Since you insist... then I accept," said Mio.

She turned to Sakura.

"Goodbye, Sakura. It was a pleasure meeting you," Mio said with a smile.

"The pleasure was all mine," Sakura replied, smiling.

Mio and Himari left.

The door closed.

A heavy silence fell.

Now, it was just the two of us left.

Me and Sakura.

She crossed her legs slowly, watching me.

"Your girlfriend trusts you a lot," he commented.

"To leave you alone with another girl," he continued.

I swallowed hard.

"She has a bit of a headache," I lied.

"It was my mother who insisted I bring her today," I continued lying.

"I understand…" Sakura replied, without taking her eyes off me.

Silence returned.

Too heavy.

"Hey, Sakura..." I began.

"What's the real reason you came here today?" I asked her.

She tilted her head, thoughtfully.

"I'll tell you," she said.

"But first... I need to do one thing," she continued.

— What to do…? — I asked, confused.

There wasn't time to react.

Sakura leaned forward.

He gently held my face.

And then…

She kissed me.

In the mouth.

My body froze.

My heart raced.

The kiss lasted only a few seconds.

But it was enough.

When she walked away, the smile was still there.

"Now we can talk," Sakura said softly.

I stood still.

I don't know what to say.

Not knowing what to feel.

I was still standing there.

My body wasn't reacting.

My mind seemed to be a few seconds behind what had just happened.

(Why did she do that…?) — I thought, completely confused.

"That's right," I said finally, trying to keep my voice steady.

"I'll listen to what you have to say. But know that I didn't like what you did. I have a girlfriend," she concluded firmly.

Sakura didn't seem surprised.

She just smiled.

A calm smile.

Almost relieved.

— I know — he replied.

"But I needed to do this... because I love you," she said with a beautiful smile.

The world stopped.

(Does she… love me?) — I wondered.

My chest tightened in a strange way.

(So ​​why…? Why did he reject me back then?) — this question began to creep into my mind.

Sakura took a deep breath, as if preparing herself for something she had been holding back for a long time.

"Now I'm going to tell you what I've never been able to say. How I've felt about you all this time," she said.

She paused.

"I've always loved you, Riku," Sakura said.

My heart was beating too fast.

"I thought about confessing my feelings many times. But, over time, you started to become famous. Even though you were a child actor, everyone was talking about you," she continued.

She squeezed her hands together lightly.

"When you confessed your feelings to me in elementary school... I refused," Sakura said.

I swallowed hard.

"Not because I didn't like you," Sakura said.

"But because I was afraid," Sakura continued.

(Fear…?) — I thought, confused.

"Fear of not being worthy of you. Fear of being just 'the ordinary girl' next to someone who already shone so brightly," she added.

I remained silent.

(So ​​that's why…) — I thought, finally understanding everything.

"After that, I decided to change schools. I wanted to focus on my studies. I wanted to grow. I wanted to become someone who could walk beside you without feeling ashamed," she continued.

She stared at me.

"I wanted to be a producer. Or a director. I wanted to make films with you someday," Sakura said with a smile.

(So ​​that's why she moved...) — I thought.

Sakura smiled, but there was sadness in her smile.

"I wanted to make today a surprise. I was planning to ask you to be my girlfriend," he confessed.

She looked away for a second.

"I never imagined you'd already have a girlfriend," Sakura said.

She then looked in the direction Mio had gone earlier.

"Besides... you chose a very beautiful girl to be by your side," Sakura continued.

My stomach churned.

(Damn… I can’t tell the truth. If I say Kanzaki is a rental girlfriend… she might laugh at me. Or be disgusted. Or worse… spread it around. I’d become a joke.) — I thought, completely terrified.

Before I could answer, the front door opened.

Voices.

My mom.

My father.

Hana.

"Sakura, it's time for us to go," Hana called.

Sakura turned to me.

"Goodbye, Riku. It was a pleasure seeing you again," she said, with a smile that seemed too calm for everything that had just happened.

I forced a smile.

"I say the same," I replied.

Hana and Sakura left.

The door closed.

Silence returned.

(Damn... What a mess I've made.) — I thought, disappointed in myself.

I went straight up to my room.

My head hurt.

(Tomorrow… I don't even know how I'll be able to face Meisei University.) — I thought, still thinking about what had just happened today.

I lay down on the bed without changing my clothes.

I deleted it.

Some time later, I felt the bedroom door open.

But I didn't wake up.

Ayane and Shin entered.

My mother approached the bed and watched for a few seconds.

"He's already snoring," Ayane said softly.

My father sighed.

They turned off the light.

And they left.

But even while sleeping…

I knew.

Nothing that night had truly ended.