Hiroki's mind was in deep turmoil. His tired, dull blue eyes were fixed on the wet ground, unable to register the light footsteps approaching him, echoing in the puddles in an almost hypnotic rhythm.
"M…" The voice calling him sounded distant, like an echo lost amidst his musings. The words couldn't penetrate the fog of thoughts that enveloped him.
Memories of once joyful times intertwined with the insults hurled at him by his ex-family, forming a storm of self-deprecation that slowly began to consume his spirit, as if trying to validate everything said in those damned recordings.
"Maybe I really am useless, someone who only serves to hold back the lives of others. Once, I took pride in my strength and believed I could fulfill every promise I made. And what did that result in? A humiliating defeat that cost me everything I loved. In the end, everything I fought for and believed in was nothing but an illusion." he thought, sinking further into his despair.
The figure standing before him during his dark soliloquy tried once more to get his attention, but upon realizing that their efforts were fruitless, they decided to change their approach.
Crouching down in front of Hiroki, the person set aside the umbrella, not caring to get wet in the light rain. Their gentle hands reached for his cheeks, cupping his face delicately and pulling him in almost intimately.
"Mori-kun!" The voice now overflowed with urgency and strength, breaking the spell that surrounded him.
Feeling the softness of the hands on his face and hearing the feminine tone of the voice, Hiroki was pulled from his daydreams, nearly choking on his own saliva as he lifted his nearly lifeless eyes to find a pair of dark orbs framed by round glasses.
The teenage girl's face, although not the same age as him, was very familiar to the boy.
"A-Aizome Amane-sepai?" Hiroki murmured, his voice trembling. The girl responded with a small, affectionate smile.
"That's right, Mori-kun. What are you doing here at this hour of the night, sitting on the ground in the rain?" Aizome asked, raising an inquiring eyebrow.
Hearing the question, Hiroki looked away, searching for a plausible excuse. The situation that tormented him still weighed on his conscience, but he had enough thinking ability not to want to involve the girl in his problems. He needed to reorganize his thoughts before deciding how to act regarding what had transpired.
Noticing Hiroki's indecision, Aizome brought her face even closer to his, capturing all of his attention. The distance between them was so small that Hiroki could notice every detail of the young girl: the tiny freckles on the bridge of her nose, the raindrops cascading down her long, disheveled black hair, and the delicate beauty mark on the left side of her face, just below her plump lips.
Feeling Aizome's warm breath against his mouth, any thought of planning an excuse was erased.
"W-what…" he stammered, unable to comprehend her actions. The young woman's smile widened, and her index finger was gently placed over Hiroki's lips, asking for silence.
"It's okay, Mori-kun. From your hesitation, it's clear you're in a very delicate position. How about we get out of this cold rain? My house is nearby, we can have hot chocolate while you collect yourself. Then, if you want, I'll be willing to listen to you about what happened."
Hiroki's eyes widened, a brief spark of life returning to them. The soft tone and understanding words of Aizome struck him like an arrow. Tears began to well up in his eyes, sliding down his cheeks. It was the first time in weeks that someone had shown him such compassion, something that had been denied to him by those who were once everything to him.
Moved by an impulse, his arms wrapped around the girl's waist as he buried his face in her ample bosom.
Instead of being taken aback by the blonde's reaction, Aizome affectionately stroked his head, enveloping him in a warm embrace. Sobs emerged from the depths of Hiroki's throat, resonating like a melancholic song beneath the night sky. But behind that sadness was a relief and even a hint of joy. It was a sign that, even if unconsciously, he felt happy to have found someone willing to help him, even if it was just in a simplistic way.
What he didn't realize, due to the position he was in, was how Aizome's comforting smile transformed into one of pure ecstasy.
"Aaaah! So adorable!" she exclaimed inwardly. Although Hiroki hadn't opened up about what was troubling him, Aizome, being perceptive, quickly put two and two together and reached the most obvious conclusion.
"So he finally discovered the truth about what those bitches were doing... Don't worry, Mori-kun, I'll help you get back up. You don't need them, I'll be by your side at all costs." With a mysterious sparkle in her dark eyes, Aizome tightened the embrace, allowing Hiroki to drown his sorrows for as long as he needed.