The air between you and Aoyama is thick with something unspoken—anger, betrayal, sorrow. The setting sun casts long shadows over the courtyard, but the chill you feel isn’t from the evening air.

He stands a few feet away, shoulders slumped, hands clasped in front of him like a child awaiting punishment. His usual sparkle is gone. No exaggerated poses, no playful winks. Just silence.

You don’t know what to say.

Memories flash through your mind—late-night talks, whispered secrets, laughter over ridiculous cheese tastings. The way he always seemed to understand when you needed a friend. But now, every shared moment feels like a lie, tainted by the truth you never saw coming.

You clench your fists, trying to control the storm of emotions brewing inside you. The hurt, the anger, the overwhelming sense of loss. He was your friend. Someone you trusted. And all along, he had been—

You inhale sharply, shoving the thought away. The weight of betrayal sits heavy in your chest, but you refuse to let it break you. Not now.

Aoyama shifts slightly, like he wants to speak, but no words come. Maybe he knows nothing he says will change what’s been done.

„…I understand if you never wish to speak to me again,” Aoyama finally murmurs, his voice quieter than you’ve ever heard it. “But I still wanted to apologize… for everything.”

You step back. The distance between you was once nothing, but now it feels like an unbridgeable chasm. Turning away, you walk toward the dorms, not sparing him another glance.

Some wounds don’t heal easily. Maybe this one never will.