"White noise"
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Having dyed her dreams blood-colored came close to the fact that she could not have the power to face herself when from the beginning she never did it as she should have.
Kotoko looked at the future with deafening panic, and her sense of resilience was high, how many barriers were placed before a single person who had been the cause of all her pain.
She released him, left him behind her former self and would not look back with resentment, but with maturity.
If winter paled, if spring died, if summer dried and if autumn weakened, she would remain firm in her decision.
Not for telling him that she gave him a chance, it meant she would love him again as before; Besides, it would be pathetic of her to fall so easily with the same idiot that broke her heart.
She broke away from talking with Naoki, who refused to let her go to the cafeteria, when she was tired of dealing with his annoying attitudes and supplications of a "man in love."
She set him aside and ran off to her new house.
For nothing in the world she would change the two people she met last night, for a moment alone with Naoki.
For nothing in the world…
Arriving at the cafeteria, she felt that her breath escaped her lungs when she did the things she had so boldly faced, and the eloquence with which she addressed people without hesitation as would the blind Kotoko in love for Naoki.
There, at that moment, she felt that the air was returning to her lungs as if the soul had reached her body after receiving a violent shake from her; however, she noticed that Keita's eyes fell on her with a wink of concern.
As soon as they looked at each other from a distance, he took the initiative to approach her, saying:
"I waited for you" He said coherently. "I mean, I didn't think it was wise to close the cafeteria when you still had to arrive."
Seeing that she didn't respond, he added somewhat awkwardly:
"I hope your visit to your father wasn't an impediment to your goals, but an opportunity to grow and mature, because I don't think it's right to give up so quickly." He finished with a slight nod according to his words.
Kotoko listened to him, but nevertheless, she began to cry having assimilated everything she lived that day and that was not yet over; Keita, flushed and alarmed, didn't know how to react so that the crying was not so scandalous, but chose to comfort her with one hand stroking her coppery hair gently in his touch.
"It doesn't matter what happened," he said softly. "What matters is what you want to do from now on, starting every morning when you open your eyes and the sun welcomes you with splendor." He smiled a little. "It may seem like the end of the world, but remember it's only the beginning," He said.
"Yes" she said, reassuring herself of the previous crying. "It's just that it has been a very long and tiring day for me."
"I think it has been the same for everyone who has lived with you" He said, removing his hand from Kotoko's hair. "Tomorrow will be a better day than today."
"I hope," She murmured under her breath, but Keita could hear her.
"Don't say, 'I hope'" He corrected. "Say 'it will be a great day'" He smiled motivated, infecting Kotoko in the same way.
"Do you think?" She looked at him expectorant.
"I don't think so," he huffed proudly. "I know"
Hanako approached them running, with bulging eyes.
"You're finally here!" She exclaimed in alarm, hugging Kotoko tightly, taking her by surprise.
"What-what happened?" She reacted, eyeing Keita.
"You were away for a long time," Hanako added, releasing her from the hug, leaving both hands on her shoulders. "You have to be hungry and you need to rest because tomorrow we will have a heavy day at work, ah!" She exclaimed as if remembering something. "You must go to university, you have a degree to attend and tasks with which you must be aware"
Kotoko had the alarm chip turned on when she remembered that she hadn't thought about the university, or options to ensure her future. An unprecedented future if she continued with the mediocre grades she maintained at school.
"You haven't thought about that, right?" Hanako guessed without complications what was going through her mind, causing Kotoko to look at her in amazement. "I imagined" She sighed, saying: "Today was a busy day for you, but don't give up, Aihara, tomorrow you will solve your problems with the university, because you should not put it aside, when is your future" She pointed her finger . "The future that only you can get"
"Exactly," Keita chanted, nodding. "The future should not be paused"
Hanako and Keita looked at each other in complicity, cheering Kotoko with a comforting smile, sweetening her night.
"You're right," She admitted with a relaxed sigh. "That's what I'll do tomorrow."
"Don't let that Naoki or whatever his name is" Hanako shook his head in denial. "Dictate your future when he didn't even know your likes and dislikes"
"If it's not too much to ask," Kotoko said after a brief silence. "Could you not talk about him? Please"
Both Hanako and Keita were surprised, blinking uneasily at her sudden change of attitude, as it was as if Kotoko had had a bad time on her return, and they weren't to assume it, since something big happened on Kotoko's return that same night.
An event that terrified Kotoko.
"As you like," Keita muttered tiredly.
"Thank you." Kotoko pursed her lips after giving her answer, heading to the second floor and sleeping as soon as possible, leaving her two companions with gestures of question marks grounded in her worried looks that followed her until she lost sight of her.
Kotoko woke up that morning at the moment when the warm rays of the sun crossed the threshold of the window, crossing the delicate fabrics of the curtains.
Her eyes blinked, releasing a slight yawn.
It seemed that the day would treat her well, as she wanted, and just as Keita told her last night.
Today seems to be a great day, she told herself screeching with joy.
She took a refreshing shower, had breakfast with the other employees who opened the place first thing in the morning, and cleaned the cafeteria tables shortly before opening the doors and putting up the sign indicating that it was open.
Yes, today it seemed like it would be a good day for Aihara Kotoko, who after having gone through eternal suffering, began to seek her own light on a path that was once surrounded by pure darkness.
It was as if the white noise moved away from her ears, and the fog moved away from her cloudy view and they set off to a remote place because their joy was first.
Joy was the top priority for her.
A priority that in broad strokes it would reach, regardless of the cost it gave or the time it would be achieved because she had already decided since arriving the night before the cafeteria.
No more 'Irie-kun' in her absurd thoughts, no more love letters they later rejected, no more tears shed by a mean and ruthless man for her own good.
Why did she push him away now that he had confessed to her?
Because if happiness led to marrying Naoki (equivalent to being humiliated, insulted, underestimated, abused, etc.), then that was not the happiness she needed.
Naoki would be that white noise she didn't want to hear, that white noise that ignited an alarm in her head with the sole purpose of moving her away from him, away from his selfishness.
She was nothing more than a tool to fill Naoki's ego.
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P.S. A strong chapter and I apologize if it isn't what you expected since I took this turn to see where it takes me.
Remember this isn't the last chapter, so everything could change.