Chapter 28 : the unexpected letter

It was a bright May afternoon, and Haru slouched in his chair watching the cherry blossoms still clinging stubbornly to the branches despite the late spring. He was about to turn 16 in a few weeks, but birthdays didn’t feel like a big deal anymore—until today.A small envelope had been slipped into his locker during lunch. No name on the outside. Just neat handwriting and a faint scent of flowers.Haru stared at it for a moment, heart thumping in a mix of curiosity and dread. Carefully, he opened it.“Haru-kun, I really like you. I hope we can spend time together and get to know each other better. —Mio”He exhaled slowly, reading the note over and over. A girl from his class—sweet, quiet, always polite—had written him a love letter.His first instinct was to fold the letter back up and return it with a gentle, soft rejection. He had no plans for a romance. Sixteen seemed too early to start thinking about that.Just as he was about to slip the letter back into his pocket, a familiar voice called out.“hey, what’s that?”He looked up to see Riku, leaning casually, smirking.Haru sighed. “A love letter. I… I don’t know what to do. I’m not ready for this stuff.”Riku’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “Not ready? C’mon, Haru. You’re turning sixteen soon. This is the perfect chance to… you know… practice a little.”“Practice?” Haru frowned. “It’s not like that. I don’t want to lead anyone on.”Riku grinned wider. “Listen, dude. You don’t have to plan a whole future with her. Just… see where it goes. It’s fun. And trust me—there are some perks. You hang out, maybe get a little attention, and hey—you learn something about yourself.”Haru hesitated, folding the letter in his hands. He glanced at Mio across the courtyard, chatting with her friends. Her smile seemed sincere, and something tugged at him—curiosity, maybe, or the faint thrill of possibility.“You really think I should… try?” he asked softly.Rikunleaned closer, lowering his voice like it was a secret mission. “Absolutely. Just… don’t overthink it. Smile, talk to her, maybe go for a small hangout. Treat it like an experiment. You might surprise yourself.”Haru chuckled nervously, sliding the letter into his pocket. “An experiment… huh?”“Yeah,” Riku said, clapping him on the shoulder. “And hey, I’ll help you along the way. Consider me your… romance advisor.”Haru shook his head, smiling despite himself. “Alright. I’ll… give it a try. But just… a little.”Riku laughed. “That’s the spirit! Now go on, Captain Fujimoto. Adventure awaits.”As Haru walked toward Mio, his heart raced—not with fear this time, but with something new, something exciting. Maybe sixteen wasn’t so ordinary after all.~The late May sun cast a warm glow over the school courtyard. Haru adjusted his backpack nervously as he spotted Mio sitting on the bench near the cherry blossom trees. It's been days since he has been trying to talk to the young girl, but someone will always stop him by asking for help or chatting with him.He could feel his palms getting sweaty. Today, he was determined. He was going to give this a chance.Mio looked up and smiled warmly. “Hey, Haru!”“I read your letter ” Oh no he was too direct“Thanks for… reading it” she stood up “ I noticed that people rely on you a lot, and you're a hardworking person, I apologize for sending you that letter you don't need distraction now”
Distraction?
Haru cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah… um… I thought… maybe we could… hang out sometime? Just the two of us? To see...” His words stumbled over themselves, but his intent was clear.Mio’s smile widened. “I’d like that.”Riku and Mai, who were “supervising” from a distance, gave Haru a subtle thumbs-up. Haru rolled his eyes but felt a surge of courage anyway.They started walking together slowly, the soft rustle of leaves overhead and the faint buzz of cicadas around them. Haru kept glancing at Mio, trying not to trip over his words.“So… do you have any favorite places you like to go?” he asked cautiously.Mio tilted her head, thinking. “Hmm… I like the little café near the station. It’s quiet, and they have amazing matcha cake.”Haru nodded. “Sounds… good. Let’s go there.”As they walked, they talked about school, hobbies, and funny incidents from class. Every so often, Haru noticed how easy it felt to laugh around her, and how quickly his nerves melted away.By the time they reached the café, the afternoon sun was dipping lower, painting the streets in a warm gold. They found a small table by the window, and Haru felt a strange flutter in his chest as he handed her the menu.“Thank you for… going out with me,” he said quietly.Mio reached across the table, brushing her fingers lightly against his. “I should be the one thanking you, Haru. I’m glad you decided to… try.”Haru blinked. “Try?”Mio giggled softly. “You know… try being… with me.”He felt heat rise to his cheeks. “Right… yeah. I’ll… try my best,” he muttered, half embarrassed, half smiling.The café was cozy, and the world outside seemed to fade. For the first time in a long while, Haru no longer felt anxious about the future. He didn’t know what would happen next, but he knew one thing for sure he wanted to see where this could go.End of chapter 28