Chapter 19: Something You Can Do

A day after the incident, I harbored a naive hope that the dust would settle.

I was wrong.

The automatic doors of 9Mart hissed open, and I recognized the heavy, deliberate footfalls immediately. Kusakabe Kaito. He didn't waste time with pleasantries.

“We settle this. Now.”

“I’m on the clock,” I replied, not looking up from the scanner.

He stepped closer. Too close. He lunged forward, grabbing the collar of my uniform, clearly trying to bait me into a reaction. But at that exact moment, a police officer who happened to be shopping nearby turned around. His gaze was sharp, professional, and lethal. The atmosphere turned sub-zero.

Kaito released me instantly, adjusting his jacket with a scowl. “Tch. Don’t think this ends here!”

He stormed out. I stood there, adjusting my collar. Why does my life feel like a set of filler episodes no one asked for?

Break Time – Campus

I recounted the encounter to Kurumi.

“Why is he still so stubborn about chasing me when our relationship ended ages ago?!” She looked livid—genuinely, vibrantly angry. “Just ignore him if you see him again, okay, Kengo?”

Easy to say. Hard to execute. Problems like this rarely dissolve just because you turn a blind eye. But I nodded anyway, offering a non-committal hum.

The rest of the day was peaceful. Too peaceful. Usually, this kind of tranquility is just the eye of the storm.

The Club – Consultation Session

We had a client. A male student. I figured his problem wouldn't stray far from the usual love-triangle tropes. We dimmed the lights for atmosphere. He sat in the center of the room like a sinner awaiting confession.

“Tell us your grievance, O wandering lamb,” Kurumi said, her voice dropping into a solemn, theatrical register.

Wandering lamb? Who are you supposed to be, a priest? I thought. But she gave me a sharp nudge. Right. I had to provide a solution.

“I’ve known her a long time,” the boy began. “Sundays out, dinners together. But her attitude shifted the moment I asked her out again yesterday.”

“I’m starting to suspect there’s another guy. What should I do?”

“Nothing,” I answered flatly.

He looked crushed instantly. Kurumi elbowed me again, harder this time. Fine, fine, I get it.

“You’re currently in the 'triangulation' phase,” I explained, my voice taking on a clinical edge. The room went silent. What? Am I wrong? I’d been through this cycle enough times to recognize the symptoms.

“It’s a complicated mess when your heart wants someone, but your logic realizes someone else got there first, isn't it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Sometimes, being second is the very thing that teaches you how precious it is to be the only one,” I said, the words tasting like old copper. “Love and hate in moderation; the person you adore today might be your enemy tomorrow.”

“B-but I’m already too deep! I really like her! What do I do?”

“Choosing between longing and jealousy is the daily breakfast of the unrequited,” Kurumi added, surprising me with her composure. Since when did she become so poetic about wounds?

“Acceptance is the best exit from a toxic circle,” she continued. “Loving two people at once is heavy, but letting your heart shatter because of a wrong choice is heavier.”

The boy fell silent, absorbing the weight of it.

“Don’t hesitate with your choice,” I finished. “Anything intended for good usually ends that way.”

The session ended like a formal confession. I thought the day was finally over. I was wrong again.

Evening – The Park

As I made my way home, a familiar figure intercepted me.

“Yo, Kengo-kun. Got a minute?”

Kaito. The evening sky was a bruised orange, the sun dipping below the horizon.

“Fine. What do you want? Come here to start a fight?”

He let out a boisterous laugh. “Kengo, I didn't realize you were this funny. No, I’m not here for that. It’s about Mitsuzu.”

The wind seemed to die down, leaving the park in an eerie stillness.

“Do you actually love Kurumi? Answer me.” He slid his sunglasses down, his gaze piercing. He wasn't joking.

I didn't answer immediately.

“Answer me, Kengo. I’m serious!”

I exhaled a long breath. “If I do, what then? Is that a problem for you?”

He leaned back against a park bench, letting out a long sigh of relief. “I figured you’d say something like that.”

“Why do you care so much, anyway? It’s been over for a long time.”

He looked up at the darkening sky. “I don’t want her to suffer after what I did to her. I don’t want her to stay hurt because of my mistakes.”

His voice wasn't a challenge anymore. It was pure, unadulterated regret.

“If there was a second chance, maybe I’d apologize and try again. But you appeared instead.” He gave a thin, weary smile. “At first, I was disappointed in you. But seeing how happy Mitsuzu is in your shadow... I realized I’m no longer worthy of her.”

I sat down on the bench beside him. “Sometimes there’s a time to leave, to let go, and to stop forcing something to stay.”

Kaito looked at me. “Can you give me one of those pieces of advice from your ridiculous club?”

I didn't hesitate.

“Letting go means realizing some people are part of your history, not your destiny,” I said. “Not every prayer is answered with 'possession'; some are answered with 'protection.' Letting go hurts, but staying in uncertainty is a slow torture.”

I looked at him squarely. “Don’t let yourself be an option when you should be a priority. Sometimes hands have to be empty to receive something better. Stop looking for reasons to stay when reality has given you a thousand reasons to leave.”

I paused. “Sincerity is when you can watch her be happy without needing to be the reason for it. Let her go. Real love doesn't make you beg.”

Kaito laughed, a genuine, hearty sound. “I knew it. You really are the right fit for her, Kengo.”

“I realized it a long time ago. I was just too late. Love turned me into something wild. But tomorrow... I’ll try to change. Just like you.”

We watched the last sliver of the sun vanish.

“Keep her safe, Kengo. Protect that smile of hers. Don’t let her cry.” He stood up. “Promise me, Aibo. Protect her smile, or you’ll regret it.”

I stood up too. “I promise.”

The day ended in peace. What I expected to be a brawl turned into a farewell. For the first time, I didn't see Kaito as an enemy—just someone who understood the meaning of love a little too late.

The Next Morning

“Kengo-kun, good morning!”

“Morning, Kurumi.”

She jumped, her face flushing crimson when I used her first name. She immediately linked her arm with mine as we headed to class. I didn't pull away. I had made a promise to someone.

From behind a corner, someone watched us with a smile. But I didn't see it. I didn't know if it was truly a smile of closure—or the prelude to something unfinished.

Because in my life, whenever I feel peace... it’s usually just the silence before the storm.