From the window of the limousine, I took in the sight of the nocturnal landscape passing us by, the dimly illuminated streets of the city providing a tranquil backdrop against which the vehicle glided effortlessly.

Next to me is sitting Haruno Yukinoshita.

I yet don't know where she's taking me to, but all I knew was that the night ahead was going to be very long.

"You made quite the mess around you with the incident, you know."

I'm well aware of it, don't need to remind me.

"You even made Mother worried."

Yukinoshita's mother.

One of the people I knew would get involved sooner or later, but intended to avoid. I only met her once, and that was enough for me to understand that I shouldn't get her to stand against me.

It seems the news of the incident in Yukinoshita's apartment spread hastily.

"Is she looking for me? Is that the reason you've come, to escort me to her?"

She only chuckled at my assumption.

"What are you taking me for? You're not some criminal I'm nicely taking to the police."

"Then what are we doing?"

"As I said earlier, I just want to talk to you."

"..."

I remained silent. No matter how much I tried to read through the lines, through what her expressions were showing, I couldn't quite grasp what was hanging in her mind.

Is it really all about a simple talk with me?

This woman is really difficult to deal with.

As the limousine continued its journey, it came upon a long bridge. Suddenly, a certain particular spot on the bridge seemed to have caught Haruno's eye, her gaze fixated on the location as the vehicle slowed down.

"Stop here." She ordered the conductor as he immediately executed. "Let's go, Hikigaya-kun."

I slowly emerged from the limousine, cautiously exiting the vehicle before following Haruno, matching her pace as she sauntered forward. The distance between the limousine and us rapidly increased, creating a widening gap.

I recognize this place. I've already been here before with another woman.

Haruno came to a halt near the edge of the bridge, her gaze fixed on the flowing water before her.

I lingered some distance behind her, similarly looking out at the same scene.

"Tell me, Hikigaya-kun, what do you see?"

"I don't know, it's quite dark here."

"Do you manage to find a way not to get lost?"

"I've received enough lessons to find my path. If you came here to repeat what others had already said, then I think I'm wasting my time."

Please, Haruno, it's unlike you to be that predictable.

She giggled and turned in my direction.

"I'm not here to teach you a lesson, don't worry." She said, looking back at the river. "Hikigaya-kun, do you remember what I told you the first time we met?"

"You said a lot of things."

"Yukino-chan is a sensitive girl. if you make her cry, I will never forgive you."

"..."

I remember that.

I recall very well the tone she used to say it, the way her expression radically shifted when those words were said.

I see...

That's the reason she came to me tonight.

"You remember, right? The worst in this, is that you made her cry twice."

"Twice?"

Haruno's eyes directed toward me once more.

"Oh, I guess you couldn't know about the first time."

"What are you talking about?"

I knew that my decision to conceal my illness from Yukinoshita had caused her tears to flow, but no other instance of me making her cry came to mind.

"Do you remember how your outing ended a few days ago?"

How does she know?

"I remember throwing my emotions at her. I knew I had been harsh that night. But I didn't think it would affect her that much..."

"So, you made her cry twice."

"...She really cried from it that night?"

"Do you think I'm lying?" She asked, stepping closer as her eyes turned into an icy stare.

She was definitely not lying.

"No, you're not."

"Even in the midst of this darkness, you should know how firmly I stand on this matter."

The last time I saw her that night was when her back faced me. Did she turn away specifically to hide her tears from me?

I should have gotten back in that monorail, I should have called her out and apologized.

I would have even taken her in my arms to comfort her, and try to prevent her tears from falling, or even better, let her cry and hold onto me...

No, what am I thinking about? I don't think she would have allowed such a scenario to happen.

"So... Are you gonna make me pay for it or something like that?" I asked.

I could expect anything from a woman like her.

"Make you pay? Don't expect me to lower myself to such a level. And, Yukino-chan would hate me if I tried to do anything to you. If someone needed to make you pay for anything, it's probably Yukino-chan herself."

"I agree..."

"Tell me, Hikigaya-kun, what are you going to do now?"

"...Make her smile."

Haruno abruptly chuckled at my response, her hands instinctively moving to grab her waist as her laughter grew more intense

"What's so funny?"

"Sorry, that was so straightforward."

She laughed, but I didn't.

Really, I don't see anything funny here.

"How do you plan to do it?"

"I didn't think much about it yet."

I am not even sure when I'll see her again. Even if I could see her, would she want to see me? Or talk to me?

"I see, then let me tell you about something that might actually help you."

"What is it?"

Haruno turned to look at me, the gentle breeze causing her hair to dance gently in the air. Her eyes held an intense gaze as they locked onto mine, her expression inscrutable.

"I and Mother came to Yukino-chan's apartment the night of the incident."

My eyes widened slightly.

I guess that's how they learned about the detail of the incident, and my condition.

"I think, this night has etched itself into my memory. That night, I realized that Yukino-chan was going through a series of uncharted emotions, something she had never experienced before..."

...

Flashback : Thursday – 10:56pm

...

"So you're telling me that Yukino has been seeing that boy for months? And she never told me about it?" Mother asked, pouring the black tea in her cup.

I was home when the news of the incident reached our ears. When Mother heard the name of the boy involved, the same name as the one involved in the car accident several months ago, her fan dropped to the floor.

She couldn't believe that this boy has been hanging out with Yukino all this time, when she thought they would never see each other ever again.

"In the start, Yukino-chan didn't know Hikigaya-kun was the boy hit by the car that day. It's only later that she found out."

"Still, Yukino should have told me that she was friends with him..." Mother said, her eyes shifting slightly.

Rather than expressing disappointment over Yukino's actions, her gaze held a mixture of sadness and regret, as if she were reproaching herself silently.

"Maybe she didn't think it necessary to let you know."

My mother grabbed her cup and sat down at the table.

"Haruno, this kind of matter is very important. It was definitely something that I must have known."

"Why would you have liked so much to know? Were you afraid that they might become... a little too close?"

She took a sip of her cup of tea, and looked at me.

"Especially."

I raised an eyebrow, my face betraying a mix of confusion at her unexpected words.

I couldn't really understand why Mother wouldn't want them to become that close.

As Yukino's elder sister, I am well-versed in understanding what is best for her and what is not. This relationship she has with Hikigaya-kun can prove beneficial for her growth and development.

"Why?"

Might it be because of his social status?

No, it can't be something so ridiculous.

Suddenly, the front door of our home gave way to a gentle creaking sound, and my mother, instantly familiar with the tread of the person arriving, stood up from her position and moved towards the entrance.

Alright, Yukino's finally returned.

"You're here finally. Where have you been?"

"At the hospital where the boy was sent." Yukino took off her coat and shoes and placed them aside.

"We have to talk about what happened, and the boy involved with it, it was..."

"I know." She cut Mother off.

I then decided to make my introduction.

"Good evening, Yukino-chan! Such an unexpected turn of events occurred, it seems."

I could already hear the 'Why are you here?' with a disappointed tone coming.

"Nee-san? Why are you here?" Yukino inquired in a disappointed tone, a flicker of unease apparent in her eyes.

"I couldn't just ignore what had happened. You know me."

She sighed and turned to Mother.

"Is Father here too?"

"No, only I and Haruno came."

"I see..."

Actually, Father still doesn't know about tonight's incident. As Mother didn't want to distract him with that, she preferred to come alone. And I insisted on coming with her.

But, he will probably learn about it very soon.

"I have prepared the tea, would you like a cup?" Mother asked, walking back towards the kitchen.

"Yes, thank you." She accepted and took a seat at the table.

I sat down next to her, resting my chin on the palm of my hand.

"Another tough night as I can see."

"Are my eyes still red?"

I nodded.

"Wow, I expected everything but this outcome, what happened to him? Did he faint from how much you charmed him?"

I couldn't help but tease her a little bit.

"..."

"What? Am I right?" I giggled playfully. "I'm not going to force you to tell me in details what kind of things you've done to him."

"This isn't funny, Nee-san." Her response was brusque and cold, a hint of anger lacing her words as her gaze fixed on me, her eyes narrowing into an icy glare.

The sheer coldness in her voice sent a chill down my spine, an unexpected harshness I had never encountered before from her.

I observed her silently, taken aback by her unexpected behavior, feeling a mix of unease and disbelief at her sudden change in attitude.

I shivered... That was the very first time I found myself shivering in front of my little sister. It became clear to me that my previous teasing had inadvertently stirred a deep, painful wound within her, a sensitive spot I should never have attempted to touch.

"Don't start to fight, we're here to discuss calmly. So, Haruno, please watch your manners." Mother arrived with Yukino's cup.

She placed it on the table in front of Yukino and took her seat.

"Firstly, you shouldn't go out and forget your phone in the apartment. You never know when you'll need it." Mother said, pulling out Yukino's phone and placing it on the table next to herself, out of Yukino's reach.

"Yes... That was a honnest mistake. It won't happen any more."

"Secondely, I require an explication for the boy's presence in this apartment." Mother finally moved to the main matter as she continued to drink her tea.

I knew why Hikigaya-kun was here tonight. He wasn't alone. Yukino told me that they'd planned to meet here to prepare the cake for their current request.

The only thing that remained unknown to me, was how he had suddenly passed out.

"He was here because... It was for something related to the club."

"Hikigaya is a member of your club?"

"Yes."

As for Mother, she didn't know anything about Yukino's life at school, except for her grades.

"And why didn't you tell me that you've been hanging out with him? You knew who he actually was, didn't you?" She said, intently looking at her.

"Maybe because you never asked? It's not like you really care about what I do in my life since I decided to live alone in an apartment." Yukino replied, taking a sip of her cup and staring down at the content.

It seems her words weren't what Mother would have wanted to hear.

"What are you implying? I'd remind you that I am still against the idea of you living alone here. That is why I wasn't aware of how much you were going through at school."

"Have you ever wondered whether Father approved for a reason? Have you ever thought that Father considered me capable enough to live on my own?"

Yukino was starting to talk with her emotions. It's unusual of her to try to stand against Mother like that.

Tonight, we were facing a different Yukino. She would usually let Mother intimidate her but now she's standing on her feet and defending her ideals without being affraid of her opponent.

Which is not anyone, we're talking about Mother here.

I didn't dare to step in between them.

"I don't share the same opinion as him, and no matter how many times I tried to talk to him about it, he wouldn't change his mind. Look where it had taken you, you were so capable that you let a boy pass out in your own place."

"Don't say that as if it were my fault!"

"Wasn't it? Then, may you tell us how it happened, precisely?" Mother looked at Yukino with a sharp gaze.

By accusing Yukino to be the cause of Hikigaya-kun's fainting, it forced Yukino to share everything that had happened.

It seems Mother had already expected Yukino to try not to share the details of the incident, but with that, Yukino was left with no choice but to explain what had happened.

"Because there aren't many ways to give a sick person a heart attack." Mother suddenly divulged, my and Yukino's eyes widened.

"You knew he was ill?"

"I have known it for quite some time."

What are they talking about? Hikigaya-kun was ill?

Are they seriously implying what I'm thinking about?

"Hold on, what with that illness? What kind of illness are we talking about?" I spoke up.

Yukino's expression turned somber as she averted her gaze, her lips quivering as if uttering another word on the topic would push her over the edge.

"Oh, it seems you're the only one who doesn't know." Mother said.

I looked at her, waiting for further explanation.

"Hikigaya is terminally ill, tonight's incident is related to the illness that is affecting his heart." She explained.

Terminally ill?

I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. All this time I'd been seeing and talking to Hikigaya-kun... He was dying all along.

And I never knew about it.

I understand better now, what he has been hiding from his friends was his illness. He was hiding the fact that his days were numbered.

Still grappling with the shock of her revelation, my hand reflexively moved up to cover my mouth, as if to stifle my stunned silence.

There was one question that was hanging in my mind.

How did Mother know about it?

"That's strange, I recall that Hikigaya-kun has been keeping his illness hidden. How could you know about it before Yukino-chan?"

"Well-"

"The car accident." Yukino replied instead of Mother. "Our family took the responsibility to cover the hospital bills for Hikigaya-kun. It's at this moment that you learned about it, am I wrong?"

Mother took a sip of her cup, and let out a quiet sigh.

"That's correct."

"Did Father know too..?" Yukino asked.

"Yes."

Our mother's expression softened slightly, her attention now shifting towards Yukino, a hint of concern and sympathy evident in her eyes.

"That is the reason I would have wanted to know, so I could warn you."

Mother wanted to warn her?

"W-Warn me..?"

"So you could have avoided this kind of situation." Mother said, pointing at Yukino's still red and puffy eyes.

But she shook her head in disapproval. "Do you really think I wouldn't have gotten so close to him if I knew about his illness? Hikigaya-kun was brought into the Service Club by the teacher. We were inevitably destined to cross paths."

Mother put her cup on the table, and looked at Yukino warily.

"And how close did you two become?"

"That's... That's none of your business, Mother." She averted her gaze, her fingers fidgeting with the handle of her cup.

At least close enough to make her too embarrassed to talk about it to her mother.

"This is not an answer, Yukino. What kind of relationship do you have with Hikigaya?" Mother talked more loudly.

As Yukino's prolonged silence and lack of cooperation continued to persist, our mother's previously composed manner started to crumble, her irritation growing increasingly apparent. This was evident in her eyes, which began to dart about with impatience, and in her fingers, which were continuously tapping on the table in an unconscious gesture of frustration.

"We're just friends..."

"Then why did you take that long to answer?"

My sister stayed silent.

The mood of the room took a noticeable shift as the tension escalated between Mother and Yukino, the disagreement turning into a full-blown argument that unfolded right before my gaze.

"Are you keeping secrets again? It's truly frustrating, Yukino! How can you think it was a wise decision for your father to give you an apartment when your own mother cannot even trust you?" Our mother's voice resonated sharply, the underlying hint of exasperation and disappointment obvious in her questioning.

"You just don't want to trust me..."

"I have good reasons not to."

Yukino's hands clenched tightly, her shaking pupils desperately trying to hold back the flood of emotions struggling to break free and transform into an eruption of spectacle.

Seeing Yukino in such a struggle makes my heart feel a twinge of sympathy.

Maybe it's because she's my little sister that I have this natural instinct and want to stand for her. I can't put this feeling into words, but there's one thing I can affirm.

I don't like assisting at the sigh of my sister broken and tired to have to fight against another issue. No matter how much she fights, troubles only seem to add up.

"Mother, Yukino-chan said all we needed to know. We don't have to push it even further. And it's quite late, I don't think we-"

"This is a conversation between myself and Yukino, so please refrain from interfering, Haruno," Mother firmly stated, effectively sidelining me from the equation.

I glanced at Yukino, her expression telling me to let her deal with it on her own.

Despite my desire to intervene, it was clear that both my mother and sister would prevent me from doing so. I was now reduced to the role of an observer, watching the unfolding scene.

"Mother, why won't you give me a chance to prove myself? To convince you Father isn't in the wrong?"

"I've already seen enough the past year. What did I learn from it? You don't communicate with us, we don't even know how you're doing at school. You never come home to give us news. Tonight, I learned that a boy passed out in your apartment. That is not what I could call being responsible."

"Don't you think that if I've been avoiding contacting you, it was for a reason?" Yukino's tone coldened.

"Yukino, I don't appreciate the tone you're using."

"I apologise, I can't help it."

"Stop playing me."

"I'm not playing, I'm being very honest. But, maybe, it's just you're not used to listening to me saying something other than what you want to hear."

Mother furrowed her brow.

"You're still so immature and stubborn. Even this boy, Hikigaya couldn't make you grow a little bit before he dies."

Yukino's eyes widened with disbelief as she absorbed our mother's harsh words, the impact of her biting commentary reverberating through her sensitive soul like a sharp jab to her emotional core.

Mother had no mercy in her choice of phrase.

"Take back what you just said immediately." Yukino said, her voice filled with outrage.

"No. You know what? Since you're so motivated to be brutally honest with me, why don't I do the same?"

"That's not honesty, you just want to hurt my feelings!"

I could feel my sister's voice cracking bit by bit, her tears welling in her eyes starting to be visible as the argument kept going.

"Given how difficult you are, I must admit that it wouldn't surprise me if you were the main reason behind his rapid deterioration."

This sentence from our mother was the last straw. Yukino was no longer able to hold back her tears from flowing once again right now. She bit her lower lip as her expression quickly atrophied.

"You..." She struggled to find her words.

She looked away, her eyes aiming down as she thought back about what Mother had said.

"Why are you so silent now? Did I get it right?"

Yukino couldn't reply, only sobs escaped her lips.

She didn't deny Mother's words. Was she really right? Was Yukino one of the reasons behind Hikigaya-kun's declining health?

"Mother... I think you're going too far." I said.

Even if I knew I wasn't supposed to be a part of the conversation, I was myself struggling to bear what was happening here between my sister and mother.

"Such an immature child needs to be disciplined. I won't allow her to use such a tone in front of me."

Is that truly what we can call 'discipline'? Using a dying person she deeply cares about against her was really necessary to make her surrender?

And Mother is wrong. Yukino needed him to grow.

"You don't have to be so emotional about it. A friend is never meant to stay by your side forever, they're replaceable. In your case, this friend wasn't so..."

"I loved him!" Yukino shouted.

My eyes widened at her sudden declaration, I never imagined she would dare to admit such a thing in front of Mother. That shows how much she was on the edge.

"Yes, you were right. I've been hiding something. Hikigaya-kun is not just a friend. The more time I spent with him, the more I fell in love with him." She wiped away her tears. "And now I've just found out that he's dying and he never told me..."

Mother pulled up her fan and opened it in front of her mouth, her eyes lowering, processing what Yukino had just confessed.

"So please stop that, I've had enough... I can't bear any more of your disrespectful comments about us." She said, standing up.

"Where are you going?"

"Bed. I have school tomorrow, and I'm too tired to continue this. I'm going." Yukino ended and walked to her room, closing the door behind her.

We both sensed that this door would remain firmly closed for the rest of the night.

The silence dominated the living room. Only two empty cups remained on the table as Mother seemed to be thinking about something.

"Hachiman Hikigaya..." Mother murmured his name.

"What are you thinking about, Mother?"

"This boy appears to be different, it seems." She explained, rising to her feet. "Perhaps I should arrange to meet him if the opportunity presents itself."

Mother sounded like the earlier irritation and coldness had totally erased.

"Aren't you continuing to talk to Yukino?"

"No, it'd be pointless. And, as she said, it has gotten quite late. Your father might be home now, so I should come back too before he wonders where we disappeared." She said in a slight tone of sarcasm.

"Alright, I'm coming."

"Haruno?" I raised my voice, attempting to break her from the trance-like state she had fallen into. Her eyes seemed distant, as if lost within her own thoughts.

"Oh, yes. I'm here. So where was I?"

"As far as I understood, your mother had told Yukinoshita that she was the cause of my deterioration. What did she say to that?"

"Let me ask you this, Hikigaya-kun, was Mother right about this statement?"

Yukinohita is the girl who has stirred my heart in unimaginable ways since we first crossed paths. These intense sensations have happened more than once. As much as it is hard to admit it, she is a part of the reasons behind my deteriorated health.

She was never aware of it. So I'm more guilty than she is. We wouldn't have become so close if I had told her about my illness from the start.

So, to answer her question:

"Her statement is true."

"You knew it, but you never tried anything to avoid damaging yourself?"

Easy to say.

Most of these moments happened by accident.

Though, even after realizing the consequences spending time with her had on me, I didn't try to do anything about it.

Why? The answer is simple.

I had never wished to cease spending time with her.

"It's too late to think about what I should have done now."

"You're right, there's more important right now..." Haruno walked towards me.

"You know, Hikigaya-kun..." She moved closer. "I feel grateful to have you around my sister, and it saddens me to know you won't be by her side forever..."

Her arms encircled my body gently, and she leaned into me, pressing herself against my torso.

"What I mean is that I also care about you."

The third girl who hugged me this week was one of those I least expected.

Haruno Yukinoshita telling me that she cares about me, I feel like this isn't even real.

I hesitated slightly, uncertain whether I should return her embrace. She had stepped out of her comfort zone to reach out to me, and it seemed only natural to respond in kind.

My arms began to rise slowly, but just as I was about to wrap my arms around her, she spoke, her words stopping me in my tracks.

"Keep your arms for someone who really needs them. You only have to listen to me, okay?"

"Okay."

"...Don't fail to make her smile, you promise?"

"I promise."

Her arms clung to me more firmly, enveloping me in a tight embrace that shielded me from the chill that emanated from the night air outside.

Haruno calmly drove me home after that. We didn't exchange much interesting things.

To be honest, I expected worse from this encounter with her. And tonight, I could see what looked like...

Haruno's soft side.

That's hard to describe it, but everytime I tried to read through her words, her facade I couldn't. Tonight I wasn't able to. Why? I have my own idea.

Tonight I talked with the true Haruno Yukinoshita.

Of course, her usual facade is a part of her nature but tonight it just felt different. Haruno shared her worries and asked me a request. Now that I think about it, it's the first time I was asked something from her.

Even though her request lines up with my own goal, it only added another layer of determination to me.

I have no idea when I'll see Yukinoshita again, there are great chances that I'll be absent during the next few days. I guess I'll have to text Yuigahama from time to time if I want to know how she's doing.

I don't care about the ways, I will reach her, I will try to fix the damages I have caused, even if you tell me that's impossible. I am perfectly aware that there will be unfixable wounds, but I...

I don't wanna lose what I've always looked for.

My days seemed to slip away like sand through the fingers, each one bringing me closer to a deadline I dreaded. I knew that if I failed, I would have to let go, allowing her the freedom to pursue her own path without me.

She was still young, after all. She had her whole life ahead of her. I was merely an old fool, holding onto a hopeless dream. She... doesn't need me at all.

"..."

This realization sat uncomfortably within me, but then again...

Fate had destined me to this from the beginning, hadn't it?