Saki's thoughts spun like a whirlpool.
The class had started again, but her mind had already drifted far beyond the room.
The writing on the board, the teacher's voice… they were nothing but faint, distant murmurs.
Everything felt like it was repeating.
The same feelings, the same moments…
Inside, Saki felt trapped in a loop.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free.
"Enough already…" she muttered under her breath.
Her hands tightened into fists until her knuckles turned pale.
Thinking exhausted her — yet she couldn't stop thinking.
In her mind, countless versions of a confrontation with Hiroki played on repeat.
In one, she shouted at him.
In another, she cried.
Sometimes she just smiled silently.
But in none of them… was there a happy ending.
Time slipped by without her noticing.
The bell rang — recess.
The classroom suddenly came to life. Chairs scraped, and chatter filled the air.
Miyuki was folding a piece of paper into an airplane.
Yusuke, as always, left the room without a word.
It all felt like another repeat of the same day.
But this time, Saki couldn't take it anymore.
"Enough…" she said again, louder this time.
Her heart pounded. She stood up.
"Alright, Saki… pull yourself together," she whispered to herself.
She took one step toward Hiroki… and stopped.
A voice echoed in her head:
Why do I always have to take the first step?
Was it really my fault… or his?
A flash of pride. A stab of pain.
She turned away — but didn't know where her feet were leading her.
Lost in a blur of emotion, she left the classroom.
The cold air of the hallway brushed against her face.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, stretching the shadows across the floor.
Her footsteps echoed — and so did her thoughts.
What am I doing…? Where am I even going…?
She couldn't stop blaming herself.
It was always her who lost balance.
Just then, someone appeared at the corner — Hana.
Saki froze in surprise.
"Hana…?"
Her voice trembled.
Hana approached with an unreadable expression.
Without a word, she leaned close and whispered a single word:
"Come."
Saki didn't know why… but she followed.
Her heart was racing.
Maybe something was about to change.
But because it was Hina… that hope came with unease.
Hana led her to one of the old, unused hallways at the back of the school — a place almost no one went.
There, she finally turned to face Saki.
"Listen, Saki…"
Hana's voice was low, but her words cut like knives.
"Do you remember the day Hiroki suddenly left your date?"
Saki nodded silently.
Of course she remembered. She'd replayed that moment countless times — his face, his sudden departure, the heavy silence that followed.
Hana continued:
"He didn't abandon you that day."
Saki's breath caught.
For a moment, her heart seemed to stop.
What… what did she mean?
"What… are you talking about?" Saki asked weakly.
"Hiroki got a phone call," Hina said coldly, her eyes sharp.
"It was from the hospital. His mother's condition had worsened. He just… didn't want to cry in front of you."
Saki's lips parted, but no sound came out.
Her eyes began to blur with tears.
Something inside her cracked.
So that's… why…
Hana went on:
"He never blamed you. But what did you do, Saki?"
"You misunderstood him, pitied yourself… and hurt him even more."
Saki's hands trembled.
Her throat tightened painfully.
She wanted to say something — anything — but no words came.
She just tried to hold back her tears.
Hana's voice grew sharper:
"While his mother was suffering, you made it worse for him. You're so selfish, Saki. You don't deserve Hiroki."
The words pierced her like a blade.
Her knees weakened.
She lowered her head slowly.
Am I really… that kind of person?
Guilt, sadness, anger — all tangled inside her.
Hana's voice faded into the distance.
The world went quiet.
Saki turned away without a word.
Each step she took felt smaller, weaker.
She entered the restroom.
Cold water splashed against her face.
Droplets hit the mirror.
She looked up.
A tired, hollow girl stared back at her.
Dark circles under her eyes. A lifeless gaze.
She barely recognized herself.
She whispered,
"What have you done, Saki…"
Her voice cracked.
Tears slid down her cheeks again.
Then she took a deep breath.
Closed her eyes.
Listened to the silence for a moment.
The bell rang.
It startled her — pulling her back to reality.
She wiped her hands, then stared into the mirror once more.
"Saki… no matter what, you're going to stand up again. This time, you won't cry."
She whispered it to herself — not as comfort, but as a vow.
She had one goal now:
To win Hiroki's heart back.
And in doing so… find herself again.
A melody came to her mind.
That song — the one Hiroki wrote.
She had never forgotten it.
It echoed in her heart, like a hand reaching out from the past.
Saki stepped away from the mirror.
Her shoulders straightened.
The fatigue in her eyes turned into determination.
Her steps were firm now.
As she walked down the hall, someone called out:
"Hey, Saki!"
She turned.
It was a student from the excursion club.
"When's the project due again?" they asked.
Saki smiled faintly.
"Next Monday. Don't forget, alright?"
Then she added, "Have a good class."
That tiny exchange lightened her heart — just a little.
She was being noticed again.
She wasn't a shadow anymore. She was there.
As she neared the classroom, she whispered to herself:
"This time… I'll make things right."
Her hand rested on the door handle.
She took a deep breath.
And with one final thought, she opened the door:
"I'll make you forgive me, Hiroki."