Confession

...xXx...

"…I love you, Hinamori Amu-san…"

She didn't know how important that statement was until she saw him again. He had grown taller, but his gentle and calm features remained. Coincidently, she saw him across the road. He was standing in front of a cake shop. When she was about to cross the road to approach him, she found herself unable to move when a girl stepped out from the cake shop and hugged his arm. She could see how he smiled and said something to the girl. Her chest tighten as they walked away.

After they were out of her sight, she sighed and walked back to her small apartment. Immediately, she threw herself on her bed and closed her eyes. She was an idiot. She should have known that a confession that was made over a decade ago would be forgotten. She didn't know why his confession was more significant than Tadase's. Tadase… The love between them didn't grow over time. She thought she would always love him, but she did not. The same thing happened to him, too. So, they had gone to their separate ways after they graduated from high school.

She opened her eyes and stared at her eggs before smiling to herself. Even though they had returned to their eggs, she was happy to still have them as it comforted her whenever she was depressed. She buried her face into the pillow before closing her eyes. Kairi Sanjō was her last thought before she went to her slumber. She didn't have a clue that she would be able to meet him again a week later.

...xXx...

He was beyond happy when he saw her even though it was accidentally. He had bumped into her when he was about to get away from the busy street. As an apology, he invited her to have a cup of coffee with him. He was glad that she accepted it, but it seemed like something was bothering her. Before gazing at her through his glasses, he watched the steam of the coffee.

"It's been a while." He noticed how she slightly jumped when he spoke, breaking the silence between them. He looked at his cup. "How have you been, Hinamori-san?"

Even without looking at her face, he knew she looked at him with wide eyes. He smiled at her. "I couldn't call you 'Joker' now, could I?"

A tinge of blush colored her face. She nodded. "I guess. We are adults now after all. I've been good. How about you, Sanjō-san?"

He blinked. He didn't know why she suddenly started acting like a stranger. She always called him by his name in the past.

"Are you alright, Hinamori-san?" He looked at her worriedly.

"Eh?"

"I'm sorry. It's kind of strange to suddenly hear you call me 'Sanjo-san' when you know…"

"I don't want your girlfriend to have the wrong impression about us."

Girlfriend? He was confused. "Wha—"

"Thanks for the coffee," she interrupted him and left immediately.

"Hinamori-san!" He tried to stop her, but she didn't stop. He wished to chase after her, but the waitress stopped him. He hastily pulled out his money and left the coffee shop, too. He almost lost her in the sea of people. He didn't know what he was thinking, but he continued to run after her until he caught her wrist. His breath caught in his throat when he saw her tears. She didn't make a sound as she cried. After catching his breath, he started, "Hinamori-san, I don't know what you were talking about, but I don't have a girlfriend." I never had one.

She turned her back to him in reply, and he was clueless of what to say. Remembering her reaction, he guessed that she might have seen him with a girl she didn't know.

He smiled inwardly before telling her, "The only girl I used to go out with is my cousin who is a few years younger than me."

He didn't know that she had stopped crying because of this statement.

"Do you remember what I said at the airport years ago?"

"…"

"I meant it when I said I love you now and in the future."

She turned to face him slowly. "You really meant it?"

He sighed in relief as she finally replied. "Yes, I really meant it."

He remained where he was when she suddenly hugged him. He was surprised, shocked, but happy nonetheless as this was the first time she hugged him and vice versa. He then realized that a second confession would be needed soon. He hoped she would give him a positive answer this time.

The End

Thanks for reading.