The breeze of the night still slipped through the garden leaves, carrying with it the faint scent of hydrangeas and damp soil.
And there I was, about to kiss her, staring into those tearful green eyes.
And then...
"Haruki… are you okay?" whispered a soft voice behind me.
I turned slowly, as if my body had become heavier than usual. There stood Kaori, wearing a mix of guilt and concern on her face, her eyes searching for mine.
I won't say I was surprised… honestly, I had been expecting something like this. And even though part of me was annoyed, I knew she didn't mean any harm.
"Seriously? Is this a joke?" said Ailany, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. Her voice trembled, but anger was what drove her forward.
"You always do this. You show up just in time to ruin everything. You're so annoying… why do you have to mess everything up? You're just his aunt—why do you act like you're something more? I'm tired of pretending you're not a problem."
Kaori lowered her head slightly, lips pressed tightly together, as if holding something back. She stepped away.
"I… I didn't mean to ruin anything," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the chirping of the crickets. "I just wanted to make sure Haruki was okay. But I guess… I just made things worse. I'm sorry."
She avoided my eyes as she turned around.
"Kaori, wait—" I reached out, but Ailany's voice cut through, sharp as a blade.
"Oh, perfect. Now you're going to play the victim," she scoffed, crossing her arms. "I bet you'll run after her again, hug her like you did this afternoon… and everything will end the same way."
"This afternoon…?" I echoed, confused.
"Yes. I saw you. And to be honest, it didn't look like a family thing. You looked like a couple in love."
I swallowed hard.
"It's not what you think," I replied, trying to stay calm. "There's a promise between Kaori and me… and I can't just leave her. It's not about love. It's about family. And family always comes first."
"A promise…?" Ailany repeated with a bitter smile. "Every time you're together, you talk like lovers. And yet you scold me for being with Hikaru? He's been my best friend since we were kids. But you… you're always clinging to her, defending her, and she acts like she's your girlfriend. And I'm the one who's wrong?"
Kaori stopped and slowly turned around, her head still low, but her voice clear.
"That's not fair. You're acting like Haruki has to choose between us. Like your feelings are more valid just because you're jealous. That's selfish."
"I'm not being selfish," Ailany snapped. "I'm being honest. I can't keep dealing with this. Not anymore."
Her words hit me like a slap. My mind went blank.
How had we gotten to this point?
It's only been a day and she's already saying she can't take it anymore… I thought.
Ailany turned her back on me completely. Her shoulders trembled, and for a moment, I thought she was going to break again.
"I don't want to argue anymore…" she whispered, barely audible. "It's exhausting."
I wanted to go to her, to tell her she didn't have to carry all of that alone, that I was just as lost.
But my feet wouldn't move, like the earth itself held me down in my confusion.
Kaori glanced at me, her dark eyes still glistening with tears.
"You shouldn't let her walk away like that…" she whispered. "Even if it hurts to say it, you don't belong to me, Haruki. I can't keep being your excuse not to face what you really feel."
I swallowed hard. Their words felt like blades, each cutting into a different part of me.
What was I supposed to do?
Who was I really hurting by staying silent?
"Kaori…" I started, but she gently shook her head.
"Don't say anything. Just… think about it. If you keep holding one person while dreaming of another, in the end… you'll lose them both."
And just like that, she walked away, quietly swallowing her sobs, with that same broken grace of someone who's learned how to say goodbye without making a sound.
I stood there, caught between two hearts, with my own tied in knots.
Was it really this fragile?
So easy to shatter with just a few poorly chosen words?
The night remained still, as if the world didn't know everything inside me was falling apart.
Ailany stopped a few steps ahead, without turning around. The breeze played with her hair, and her voice, a mere whisper, disappeared into the shadows of the path.
"I just wanted to be special to you, Haruki…" she said sadly. "Not the only one, not the best… just someone who could make you smile once in a while."
Her words fell like gentle, freezing rain.
"But I guess… some things just aren't meant to be. Good night."
And then she walked away, without waiting for an answer, taking with her the fragile hope that had once flickered between us.
I couldn't move. I just stood there, watching them both leave, as if with every step they took, a piece of me faded into the darkness.