Chapter 57: The Gentle Distance Between Us
The next morning, the sky was a canvas of pale silver—clouds drifting lazily, neither threatening rain nor promising sunlight. The storm had passed, but it had left behind a quiet, almost eerie calm in Hoshikawa City. Naoto Hayashi sat by his bedroom window, elbows on the sill, gazing out as if trying to read the future in the shifting sky.
He had barely slept.
The conversation with Himari, her tears, her strength… it had all stirred something deep in him. And Rika—though she hadn't said much during their walk back, her silence had been louder than any scream. He could still feel the tension between them, a soft, lingering ache that hadn't quite found the words it needed.
Today, Naoto knew, had to be different.
He washed up, dressed, and made his way downstairs where his mother, Hana Hayashi, was sipping tea by the dining table. She looked up and smiled—a tired, tender smile that held both pride and exhaustion.
"You're up early," she said gently.
Naoto poured himself a cup of tea and sat across from her. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. The clink of porcelain and the distant hum of the city were the only sounds between them.
"Mom," Naoto said eventually, "Did Dad… ever talk to you about Shinji Hayato?"
Her hand paused mid-lift. A shadow crossed her features, just for a moment, but then she lowered the cup and looked at her son.
"He did," she replied softly. "Not in detail. But he trusted Shinji. They had history. They were both good men caught in a world that wasn't always fair."
Naoto lowered his gaze. "Do you blame him? For what happened to our family?"
"No," she said firmly. "Your father made his choices. Shinji made his. Some things went wrong, yes, but there were also kindnesses. You're working there now… because of something your father once did. That's not a curse, Naoto. That's a connection."
Naoto looked up, surprised by the calm in her voice.
"You're not a pawn, Naoto," she added. "You're the thread that might mend what was torn."
Those words echoed in his mind as he left the house, the quiet wind brushing past his cheeks.
---
Later that afternoon, at school…
The group gathered in their usual spot on the roof—Mei, Aiko, Souta, Yuuji, and Haruto already there when Naoto arrived. Rika was missing. His heart sank a little, but he didn't ask. Himari sat on the edge, legs swinging over the side, arms hugging her knees.
Aiko perked up first. "Naoto! Finally, we were wondering if you fell back into hibernation."
He managed a smile. "Not this time."
"You look tired," Yuuji said bluntly. "Like, even more than usual. Something going on?"
Naoto hesitated. "Kind of… but it's something I'm trying to figure out."
"You don't have to tell us everything," Souta said, nudging his shoulder. "But if you ever want to just punch a wall or scream at the clouds, we're your guys."
Naoto chuckled. "Thanks."
The moment lightened for a while—jokes bouncing between the group, Mei teasing Haruto for mispronouncing a kanji, Aiko and Souta arguing over which snack shop had better taiyaki. It was the kind of chaos that soothed Naoto's heart.
Still, Rika's absence tugged at him.
"I'm gonna go check something," he said after a while.
"You mean someone," Himari whispered as he passed her.
He gave her a grateful look before heading down the stairs.
---
Meanwhile, Rika stood by the old cherry blossom tree near the back of the campus.
The petals had already fallen weeks ago, but she liked this spot. It was quiet. Safe.
She heard footsteps behind her and didn't turn around.
"Knew you'd find me," she said.
Naoto didn't answer right away. He simply walked up beside her and looked ahead.
"You didn't come to the rooftop."
"Didn't feel like it," she said flatly.
He nodded. "That's fair."
They stood in silence for a moment, the air between them thick with all the words left unsaid from the previous night.
"Rika," Naoto began, "I'm sorry for keeping things from you."
She glanced at him but didn't speak.
"I thought I was protecting everyone," he continued, "but maybe I was just scared. Scared that if I told the truth… things would change. That you'd look at me differently."
"I already do," she said.
He flinched slightly.
"But not in a bad way," she added quickly. "Naoto… I'm not angry because you kept secrets. I'm angry because I couldn't help carry it. I wanted to be part of your struggle."
"I know," he said. "And you are. From now on, I'll tell you everything I can."
She looked at him, really looked this time. "Promise?"
"I promise."
She sighed, a breath that sounded more like relief. Then she leaned slightly toward him, bumping his shoulder with hers.
"You're such an idiot sometimes," she said quietly.
He smiled. "Yeah. I know."
---
That weekend, at Shinji Hayato's private residence…
Naoto stood before the gates again, but this time, something was different. He wasn't just here to fulfill a favor. He was here because he wanted to understand.
Shinji greeted him at the entrance, dressed casually for once—no suit, no distant look.
"You came," Shinji said.
Naoto nodded. "We need to talk."
Shinji led him to the study, and for the first time, the door remained open.
"You've been digging into the past," Shinji said after they sat.
"Yes," Naoto said. "And I need to know. My father… your company… what really happened?"
Shinji looked away, the lines around his eyes deepening.
"There are things I can't legally say," he began, "but I can tell you this—your father saved me. Twice. Once from a business betrayal. And once from myself."
Naoto's hands clenched.
"He believed in people," Shinji continued. "Even when he shouldn't. Even when it broke him. I owe him more than I can repay. That's why… when I saw you after all these years, I thought—maybe this is my chance to do something right."
Naoto felt a lump in his throat.
"I didn't hurt your mother," Shinji said. "But the choices I made in my ambition… they created ripples. Some of them landed too close to your family."
Naoto looked him in the eye. "I'm not here to blame you. I just want to fix what I can. Make something out of this… that matters."
Shinji nodded. "Then let's do it together."
---
That evening, Naoto walked back home under a sky blooming with dusk.
His phone buzzed. A message from Himari.
> "Did you survive the boss fight with the CEO?"
Naoto laughed quietly and typed back.
> "Yeah. Turns out he wasn't the final boss. Just a hidden ally with bad marketing."
He stopped near the riverside—the place they always gathered.
And as the breeze ruffled his hair and the city lights began to glow, Naoto felt something inside him begin to settle.
The storm had not passed entirely, but its winds no longer tore at him. And in its place was something quieter, deeper.
Hope.
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