Chapter 40: A New Day, and I Am No Longer Alone

A new day doesn't always bring happiness—sometimes, it only arrives to verify that you're still breathing.

That morning... I woke up as I always did. No spark. No purpose. Just... awake. It was almost dark comedy; even after everything had shattered, this body of mine just kept on functioning.

The sky was bright. Aggressively bright. As if the world were intentionally shining just to mock those of us currently in pieces. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. Empty.

"Meow..."

That tiny sound. I turned. The calico kitten was padding toward me, its steps still a bit wobbly, but undeniably alive. I let out a small breath. "Oh... you're still here."

It rubbed against my leg. Warm. Tangible. Unlike something that once felt real but vanished into thin air. I lifted it up. It was light, fragile. "At least... you won't leave suddenly, right?"

It only offered a soft meow in return.

I stepped out into the living room. It was already a hive of activity. "Kengo-nii! Morning!" Kanon waved, looking far too radiant for the hour.

I gave a small nod. "Morning."

Shouta glanced up. "Heh... finally crawled out of your hole."

I sat down in silence. My mother placed breakfast on the table. "Did you sleep enough?"

"Yeah." Short. Efficient. She watched me for a few seconds before offering a thin smile. She didn't push. She didn't pry.

"A cat?" my father asked suddenly.

I glanced at him. "Oh. This? I found it yesterday near the supermarket."

Kanon immediately scurried over. "SO CUTE!" She reached for it, but the kitten recoiled slightly. "Eh? It doesn't like me?"

"It just doesn't know you yet," I said flatly. Or maybe... it was just afraid of being abandoned again.

Breakfast proceeded. It was a strange atmosphere—neither chaotic nor silent. It felt like a room being slowly refilled after being drained for a long time. I didn't say much, but for the first time, I didn't feel the urge to run away.

By afternoon, I headed out. The air was still hot, but the weight of yesterday had lifted slightly. Standing in front of the apartment was a familiar figure.

"Kengo-kun."

Yukari. Dark brown hair, pale green eyes, and an aura of absolute stillness.

"Ah... you."

"Mind if I walk with you for a bit?"

"Suit yourself."

We walked. We didn't talk much. Usually, I’d find this annoying, but right now, it was fine.

"You look different," she remarked.

"Everyone says that."

"You're hurting, aren't you?" Straight to the point.

I let out a dry chuckle. "Is it that obvious?"

She nodded. "People who are hurting usually prefer silence."

I stared straight ahead. "Or maybe I'm just trying to conserve energy."

We stopped at a vending machine. She bought two drinks and handed one to me. "Here."

"Thanks." I took a sip. Cold. Real. Unlike the feelings that were still dangling in my chest without form.

"You'll be okay," she said.

I laughed softly. "Optimistic."

"I didn't say it would be fast." She looked at me. "But you aren't alone."

I went quiet. Not alone... huh. The rumors about my situation with Mitsuzu had likely burst like a dam by now, unstoppable and messy.

Evening. I returned to the apartment building, only to find Asahi waiting.

"I HAVE FOUND YOU, TARGET!"

I stared at her. "...What now?"

"As part of the Resistance—I shall keep you under surveillance!"

"Be my guest." I walked right past her.

She immediately scrambled to follow. "Heh?! Did you not hear me?!"

I wanted to snap back, but even that felt exhausting. "I'm tired, Asahi."

"Ahh!? I didn't know a Nox could feel fatigue!"

"Maybe that's just your imagination."

I entered the apartment. Inside were Kanon, Shouta, Hitomi, my mother, and my father. It was noisy, messy, and disorganized. But... it was warm. I sat on the sofa, and the kitten climbed onto my lap, curling up and falling asleep.

I stroked its head. It still hurt. I was still empty. I still missed her. But as I looked around, heard their voices, and felt the small warmth on my lap, I realized one thing. I wasn't healed. I wasn't ready to move on.

But I wasn't alone anymore.

The next day at 9Mart, I was restocking canned drinks—which, for some reason, always seem to fall over one row at a time.

"Yoo, Aibo! How's it going?!"

I turned. "Kaito..." He stood there with a grin so wide you'd think the world had zero problems. He slapped my shoulder. "Kanon told me everything."

I stopped. "Which part?"

His expression turned serious. "Is it true... she left you?"

I went silent. My hand was still gripping a can. I just looked at him, and that was answer enough. Kaito sighed. "Well... women are complicated. Wait—that's not what I meant."

I let out a soft snort. He nudged my arm. "Don't dwell on it forever. What matters now is... you aren't alone, Aibo." He smirked and pointed to himself. "I'm still here. And you still have this miserable job to do with me."

I almost laughed. "Our lives are equally pathetic, ending up in this warehouse every night."

"Exactly," I replied. "If you can survive a shift at 9Mart with me, a heartbreak isn't that big a deal, right?"

Kaito rolled his eyes. "You sure about that?" He paused, then clapped my shoulder again. "Even if it’s two, three, or four heartbreaks... we face them one by one."

The cooling units hummed. For the first time, my chest felt a little lighter. Not because the wound was gone, but because someone was standing in the trench with me.

"Aibo," he said. "If you fall... I won't tell you to be strong."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I'll just tell you to work the night shift again so you don't have time to be depressed."

I chuckled. Finally. Maybe what I needed wasn't a grand promise, but someone who stayed present while I was still broken.

The night shift began. The cold storage room—the cruelest place for human dignity.

"Oy Aibo! Grab the top stock!"

"Why don't you do it?!"

I stepped in. The floor was slick with condensation. My foot slipped.

"WOI—?!" "WATCH OUT!"

I fell, crashing into something soft. THUD. I was on top. Kaito was on the bottom. Our faces were... uncomfortably close. A distance definitely not meant for two normal guys.

Silence. Then the door creaked open.

"Kengo-nii?"

I turned my head slowly. Kanon. Frozen.

"Kengo-nii... I know you just got your heart broken..."

I panicked. "Wait—this is—"

"But that doesn't mean you have to switch teams."

The world stopped.

"What?!" Kaito shoved me off. "Get off me before this rumor becomes permanent!"

I scrambled up. "It was an accident!"

Kanon crossed her arms. "You two look like a total Yaoi couple."

"WHAT KIND OF SCENE IS THIS?!"

"In the cold storage, no less," she noted. "The setting is far too specific."

"The floor was slippery!" Kaito shouted, straightening his uniform. "We are victims of gravity!"

Kanon sighed. "I'm not judging. But please, don't do the 'climax' at work."

"WHAT CLIMAX?!"

She walked away. The door clicked shut. Silence returned.

"...Aibo." "Don't tell anyone." "I don't want to get fired for this either."

I covered my face with my hands. Sometimes life doesn't give me a tragedy. Sometimes, it gives me a cold storage room and a misunderstanding I will never be able to explain.

And somehow—that day—I wasn't thinking about the past so much. Maybe it wasn't because I was healed, but because I was getting used to walking without having to hope anymore.