Chapter 14: The Silent Goodbye
The college bell rang. Another day ended—but something felt off.
Haruki and Kenji noticed it immediately.
Rinako didn't crack a single joke. She didn't tease Kenji or call Haruki "Baka-kun."
She just… walked. Quietly. Head down. Bag clutched tight. No smile. No words.
"Rinako?" Haruki called softly.
She didn't turn.
Didn't wave.
Didn't even pretend to hear.
Kenji frowned. "What the hell? She's acting weird today."
Haruki didn't respond. His eyes stayed on her retreating figure until she disappeared beyond the college gate.
---
After college – Her Home
Rinako entered silently. Her cheerful Facial expressions was missing for the first time in months.
Her mother peeked from the kitchen, apron tied and eyes full of warmth.
"Rinako? You're early today. Come, dinner's almost ready—your favorite curry!"
No response.
Her father, sitting on the couch reading the newspaper, glanced at her.
"Rinako?"
Still no answer.
She walked straight to her room and locked the door. The click echoed like a goodbye.
Her mother, puzzled, walked to her door gently. "Sweetheart? You didn't even eat your lunch today. Are you okay?"
A muffled voice came from inside. "I'm just tired… not hungry."
"But, dear—"
"I said I'm fine, mom."
Rinako curled up on her bed, hugging her pillow like it was the only thing left that wouldn't judge her.
The day's events had shattered something within her.
The words of those girls… they weren't new. But today, they hit different.
"So you're trying to tag along with Haruki and Kenji for attention, huh? You think you look good with them? Especially him?"
"Haruki looks even uglier when he's with someone like you."
That line.
That exact line.
It didn't just insult her. It crushed her spirit.
---
Flashback: Middle School Days – The Forgotten Smile
There was a time when Rinako wasn't like this.
She used to be adored.
Smart, cheerful, and strikingly beautiful with big round eyes and soft, glossy hair.
People called her "the sunshine of the class." Her laughter was contagious. Her smile, radiant.
Her childhood was full of love, fun, and freedom.
But that sunshine began to fade one rainy winter.
Rinako fell ill. A silent, invisible illness: hypothyroidism.
She didn't understand it at first. Her weight started to increase. Her appetite spiraled out of control. Despite her efforts, the weight wouldn't go.
Doctors explained: hormonal imbalance affecting metabolism and emotional response.
She tried to smile through it. She thought, so what if I'm fat? I'm still me, right?
But the world didn't think so.
Her friends began calling her names—"fatty," "balloon," "cow."
At first, she laughed it off.
Then, she stopped laughing.
She tried everything—dieting, skipping meals, hiding in the infirmary.
She fainted once during class from weakness. Still, people laughed.
The world around her turned cold.
Movies showed only slim girls as heroines.
Even anime mocked the fat characters.
Society whispered that beauty came with a size tag.
And Rinako… didn't fit.
Her identity shattered.
She wanted to disappear. To shrink. To erase herself.
But two things kept her going.
One, a female teacher who once gently told her:
"People might look at you with eyes of judgement, Rinako, but your worth is not their opinion. Be the main character of your story—even if the world tries to write you off as a side one."
And second… her parents.
"We love you, just the way you are. You're our princess," her mother always said, hugging her tight.
"Never compare yourself. You're not a photocopy—you're original," her father joked.
And with those two guiding lights, Rinako chose to live bravely.
To fight back.
To smile again.
To be the clown in class, even when her heart was breaking.
---
Back to Present – The Smile That Cracked
But today… those lights felt dim.
The words of those girls had pierced her last bit of confidence. Not because they insulted her—but because they made her feel like Haruki's downfall.
She remembered Haruki's growth—how he used to be broken… and how now, he stood tall.
And all she could think was—
"What if I'm holding him back?"
"What if my presence is a burden to him?"
Her memories twisted.
Maybe the world wouldn't see Haruki's glow if she was always beside him, like a dark shadow.
---
The Decision – Silent Goodbye
Rinako sat up on her bed, eyes still damp.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror. The same girl with soft features, tired eyes, and a trembling smile.
She touched her cheek and whispered—
"I'll… create some distance."
Not forever.
Not with hate.
But with the hope that maybe… without her, Haruki could shine more.
She turned off her light, buried herself under the blanket, and stared into the void.
And for the first time in a long while—Rinako smiled without joy.
Just silence.
Just… goodbye.
On other side
Haruki: why rinako behave like this ,
---
To be continued:-