Broken Fragments

Chapter 8: The Coffee Table Matching the Pastel-Purple Walls

"I'm glad it's—huh?"

Hiroto turned to the lounge's entrance to find a familiar face and figure with Seiji. Yuuhi turned her head down, embarrassed to show her furious, crimson face.

"I'm heading out," Yuuhi said, her fists still clenched.

The two persons standing by the door watched Yuuhi walk out in a hurry with her feet stomping on the floor in madness. They closed the door and walked in the lounge to learn about what just happened.

"Hiroto, what happened to you two?" Seiji asked, noticing the red mark on Hiroto's face.

"I thought you two were getting along."

"We were, Seiji, but I don't know. I…I might've done something bad to her again," Hiroto replied.

"Again?"

Hiroto nodded, looking at the ground with shame. Seiji noticed that his companion and Hiroto shared the same look. Knowing that his companion doesn't want to, but need to talk to Hiroto after such a long time they hadn't seen each other, Seiji cleared his throat to break the silence in the room.

"I'm going to get some snack. We ran out earlier, but I think Yuuhi-san already made some tea. I'll be back."

Seiji quickly ran out of the lounge, giving the two some private time. Hiroto, who was still dozing off and thinking about what he did, didn't realize that he was alone with someone in the lounge and didn't know that Seiji had left.

"How have you been, Hiroto?"

Hiroto turned around, his dozing finally ended. When he looked at the girl standing in front of him, he was so surprised of the changes he was looking at that his eyes grew wide in shock.

"Fubu…ki," he muttered.

Fubuki Todou was now a full-blossomed wallflower. Her body was well developed and proportionate. She was the one that changed the most out of all the people Hiroto had seen. Her once-chest-length, dark blue hair was now dyed a light shade of lavender that extended past her waist, matching her beautiful violet eyes. Fubuki had always looked like an adult because of her maturity, but she was now a real adult. She was still a beauty that every girl would die for and every guy would chase.

"I'm glad you're back, Hiroto," the purple-haired lady said, fidgeting with her fingers in shyness.

Silence lingered between the two as they tried to search for statements to say. The last time they saw each other was at Kirari's burial ceremony. They didn't speak to each other for they were two of the people that felt the worst impact of the late idol's death. Hiroto, who forgot about Kirari months before her death, felt like his world was falling apart. Fubuki also felt the worst out of all the people that was there for all she did to Kirari was make her suffer. However, both wish to see Kirari again to correct their mistakes even though it's impossible.

"Hey!" both said at the same time.

"G-go ahead," Hiroto said, embarrassed.

"No, y-you go ahead," Fubuki replied back.

It seemed that silence loved being with Fubuki and Hiroto for it always arrived after the two exchanged a few words. Finally gathering her courage, Fubuki took the first step towards something they could fix.

"I…I'm really sorry," she said, looking at the ground.

Hiroto looked up to see her head tilted down to hide her eyes. Although her eyes were hidden, Fubuki couldn't hide her falling tears from Hiroto, thanks to gravity.

"Fubuki—" he silently said, inaudible.

"It…it was my entire fault."

The black-haired man could notice how much effort Fubuki was putting into it. Knowing her, Hiroto knew how hard it was for Fubuki, a prideful and cold woman, to apologize to someone that she once claimed as hers.

"If only…if only I wasn't selfish…then, all of those things wouldn't have happened. If only…if only," Fubuki cried, her shoulders and fists shaking in misery.

"It's okay," Hiroto replied.

Fubuki looked up, her eyes showing shock while glimmering tears were still on her cheeks. She watched Hiroto walk towards her, confused. He gently put his hand on her head, patting her like a lost kitten. No matter how mature a girl is, she would always feel loved when a kind, handsome boy pats her head like a tiny kitten. That was Fubuki. All her maturity vanished as she felt the gentle hand on her head. Unable to control her tears any longer, Fubuki fell on her knees and her put her hands on her face to muffle the cries she let out.

"I'm sorry! I don't deserve to be in front of you!" Fubuki cried.

"I'm really sorry! I can't do this anymore! I didn't want it to be this way! I don't…I don't deserve your kindness," Fubuki sobbed, her tears endless.

"I already forgave you, Fubuki!" Hiroto yelled.

Surprised and scared, Fubuki stopped crying and looked at Hiroto's feet in front of her.

"I didn't want it to end this way either, Fubuki," Hiroto gently continued, helping Fubuki up.

He placed Fubuki on the couch while he sat beside her. He looked at the coffee table, remembering Kirari.

"She's probably looking at us right now, feeling sad because we look like this," Hiroto said, feeling the smooth, wooden coffee table.

Fubuki nodded her head to agree. She knew Kirari well because she was her biggest rival in almost anything. Kirari was a tough opponent for she was always kind to her, not even knowing that Fubuki cared less about her. She knew Kirari would look miserable for the people she cared a lot about were in misery.

"Kirari loved this coffee table, did you know that?" Fubuki smiled, wiping her tears away.

"Really?" Hiroto asked, a little surprised.

"We were here one day and she asked who picked this out. I told her that you and I picked it out for the lounge. She said it was beautiful and that it complimented the color of the walls. She said we worked well together," Fubuki smiled as she remembered the short times she had with Kirari.

"Kirari's truly amazing, isn't she?" Fubuki turned to Hiroto, whose tears were also falling.

"Yeah," Hiroto smiled as his tears ran down on his cheeks.

"Do you think…she's forgiven me?" Fubuki asked, worry on her face as she looked at the pastel-purple walls that had the same color as her light-lavender hair.

"Of course," Hiroto smiled.

"She's amazing after all."