"I don't think this is going to work"

Rosalya blinked, trying to process what she had just heard coming out of his lips. She wondered if she had even heard correctly, or if it was just her mind playing cruel tricks on her.

But as she stared at the blank expression on Rin's face as they stood by the front door of her aunt's house, she knew that there was no way her brain could be so perverse. That would be tyrannical.

She opened her mouth to say something, but the lump in her throat prevented her from doing so. A single, torturous question was brought to the forefront of her thoughts.

Why?

The past four months dating Rin had been some of the best months of her life. They had a lot of fun and equally romantic times. Everybody noticed the change in their mood, despite not having told anyone that they were together. The guys, Mako especially, were always telling her that she looked extremely happy, and Nagisa believed that she was glowing. Gou had told her that, for some reason, whenever she met up with Rin, he seemed to be more playful and mischievous than usual, even mocking or teasing her a couple of times. Nathan once had even told them to 'tone down' their happiness, and leave some for the rest of them. But she couldn't help it, every day that she spent time with Rin was one more day in which change bloomed inside her heart. She felt more confident, more cheerful, even prettier; she had stopped wearing so many shorts and jeans which Joy always complained about since she said that they hid her 'perfect' figure (Rosa wasn't so sure about the perfect part), and instead began using colorful skirts and dresses which enhanced it. Her many scrunchies were replaced by headbands, and she was even thinking of getting a new haircut.

Was that all just in her mind? A facade?

"Rosa?" his gentle and caring voice which she had been hearing every day for the past months brought forth tears, but she bit her lip and forced them back. She was not going to cry, not in front of him "Are you okay?"

"Did I do something?" she couldn't stop the question from pouring out; she silently cursed at how cracked her voice sounded.

"No, don't think that" he replied, shaking his head "It's not you, I just…" he remained quiet for a bit, and Rosa scanned through his face in search of some gesture, some movement that would give away what he was thinking, but found only an empty page, "I think we're better off as friends"

'Friends'.

The word mocked her and the countless thousands of kisses and hugs that the two of them had shared, the sweet nothings that were whispered in the middle of the night, day, afternoon, and everything that came in between, the gazes that lingered a bit too much.

Was being friends even a possibility at this point? After everything that happened?

A part of Rosa doubted it, but the other half wanted to desperately believe it, just so she wouldn't have to let go. Because she didn't know if she could.

"Rosa?" he called out once more after hearing her dead silence "Say something" nothing "Please?" his voice trembled slightly.

"I-I need some time" she replied, and Rin remained quiet "Can you leave, please?" she couldn't deal with this right now, she would need some time to do so, and she did not want Rin around more than necessary because that would only make things difficult.

And he seemed to understand that too.

"Sure" he agreed "Take all the time you need" he then turned around and began walking away. He was already some meters ahead when he gave the girl one last glance over his shoulder "I'm sorry, Rosa" and then, he was gone.

As she watched him walk away, a single thought roamed at the very back of her mind, a single, treacherous thought, that would haunt her in all the months to come.

Was the happiness that Rin and she shared all just an illusion?