You had been in love with Subaru for a long time, though you never dared to say anything. Instead, you quietly admired him from a distance, catching glimpses of his gentle nature that always made your heart flutter. Sometimes, you'd follow him without him knowing, just to see more of the side of him you adored so much.

One afternoon, as you walked near the park, you saw him standing under the shade of a tree. A girl stood in front of him, her hands clasped nervously, her cheeks flushed as she confessed her feelings to him. You couldn’t hear his response, and the thought of him accepting her confession made your chest ache. You turned away quickly, not wanting to see or hear any more.

For the next few days, you avoided him at all costs. You made excuses to dodge your usual routes, kept conversations brief, and avoided his gaze. It hurt too much to even be near him, though you told yourself you were fine. If he was happy with someone else, wasn’t that enough?

But Subaru wasn’t one to ignore something like this. He noticed how you avoided him, how you didn’t smile or talk to him like you used to. Finally, one day, he caught you just as you were about to leave without saying a word.

“Hey, wait,” he called softly, his hand gently catching yours. His touch was warm and careful, his usual gentle demeanor unchanged. “Can we talk?”

You froze, unsure of how to respond. You tried to pull your hand away, but his hold, though polite, was firm enough to stop you. “You’ve been avoiding me, haven’t you?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern. “Did I do something wrong?”

Your heart sank at the worry in his eyes. You didn’t know how to answer, didn’t know if you could bear to tell him the truth. The fear of rejection and heartbreak held your words back, leaving you to stand there silently, your emotions written all over your face.