The winter sky was pale, the clouds tinted with the faint glow of the setting sun. The air was sharp, cold enough to sting the cheeks, yet heavy with the quiet that only a late December evening could hold.
Leah stood just a step beside Jousuke, her hands fidgeting nervously with the hem of her coat. Every breath she took clouded faintly into the air, disappearing almost as quickly as it formed.
She wanted to say something—anything—but her tongue was stiff. Her heart was too loud.
Finally, words slipped out, awkward and sudden.
"...I—I like the stars!"
Jousuke blinked, caught off guard. "Eh?"
Leah immediately waved her hands in panic, her face turning a bright shade of red. "N-no, I mean—! The stars are nice, right? W-when it's winter... you can see them clearly..."
Jousuke chuckled softly, scratching his cheek. "Ah... yeah. You're right. They look clearer in winter."
He tilted his head upward for a moment, glancing at the still-darkening sky. "But it's not quite night yet. You're really thinking ahead, huh?"
Leah froze. She didn't know if he noticed her trembling voice, her uneven breathing. He spoke casually, kindly, like always—but her heart kept insisting he knew.
Still, she forced herself to smile. "Y-yeah... thinking ahead."
A pause.
The silence stretched between them. Leah pressed her hands together, squeezing them tightly as if to contain the storm raging inside her chest.
"...Daikuhara-kun." she whispered, voice so soft it almost got swallowed by the wind.
"Hm?" He turned to her, eyes gentle, expectant.
Her lips trembled. She wanted to say it. She wanted to scream it. But all that came out first was—
"You're... really kind."
Jousuke tilted his head. "Kind?"
"Yes..." she blurted, a little louder this time. "You always... help people, and you smile like it's nothing. Like... like you don't even realize how much it means to someone else. You don't even notice, do you?"
He blinked, caught off guard by the sudden rush in her words. "...I mean, I just do what I can. That's all."
Leah bit her lip, frustration and affection tangling within her. "That's... that's exactly what I mean. You don't even realize... how much I—"
Her voice broke.
Jousuke frowned gently, his brows knitting in concern. "Leah?"
Her chest hurt. She couldn't take it anymore.
Before she realized it, her hand shot forward, gripping the front of his collar.
"Leah—?"
She pulled him closer, her face burning, her lips trembling but determined.
"...I like you, Jousuke!"
The world stilled.
Jousuke's eyes widened, his breath caught in his throat. Leah's voice had echoed in the cold air, trembling yet undeniably strong.
"I've liked you for a long time." she said, her grip tightening. "Every time you laugh, every time you're kind to someone... I—my heart just—"
She couldn't finish. Tears stung her eyes. She let go of his collar and stumbled a step back, shaking her head.
"I'm sorry!"
Before he could react, before he could say anything, Leah turned and ran. Her footsteps echoed against the quiet street, fading quickly into the distance.
Jousuke stood frozen, his hand lingering at his collar where her warmth had been.
"...Leah..." he whispered, voice carried away by the winter wind.
Later that night.
The room was quiet except for the faint ticking of the clock on Jousuke's desk. He sat on his futon, staring blankly at the ceiling, the memory of Leah's trembling voice still vivid in his ears.
Then—
Ring... Ring...
His phone buzzed softly on the desk.
Jousuke glanced at the screen. The caller ID read: Boutsuki Leah.
He hesitated, then answered. "...Hello?"
There was silence on the other end. A shaky breath. Then—
"...I'm sorry for earlier."
Her voice was soft, fragile, as if she were afraid it might break again.
"Leah..." Jousuke said quietly.
"I—I didn't mean to grab you like that." she continued quickly. "I just... I couldn't hold it in anymore. I've been trying for so long, and then... I saw you, and the words just spilled out..."
Her voice cracked. "I ran away before you could even say anything. I... I was scared."
Jousuke leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. "You don't have to apologize for telling me how you feel."
"But it was selfish." she whispered. "You must have been shocked. Maybe even annoyed..."
"Annoyed? No," he said firmly. "Surprised, yes. But... not annoyed."
The other end was silent for a moment, before Leah let out a trembling laugh. "You're always like that. Too kind... even when someone like me just throws her feelings at you."
Her voice grew softer. "Still... I don't regret it. I don't regret saying I like you. Even if it makes things harder. Even if you don't return my feelings. At least... at least you know now."
Jousuke's grip on the phone tightened. His heart ached at her honesty.
"...Leah." he murmured.
"Yes?"
"I don't know what to say yet." he admitted. "I don't want to hurt anyone. Not you, not anyone else. That's why... I can't give you an answer right now."
"I know." she said softly.
"But..." he continued, "I'm glad you told me. Really. I'm glad you trusted me enough to say it."
There was a faint sniffle on the other end, then silence. After a moment, Leah let out a small, genuine laugh.
"You always know how to say the right thing, don't you?"
Jousuke chuckled lightly. "Not really. I'm just being honest."
Leah's voice wavered, but she sounded calmer now. "Thank you... Jousuke."
His chest warmed at the sound of his name spoken so tenderly.
"...Good night, Leah," he said quietly.
"Good night," she whispered back.
The call ended.
Jousuke set the phone down beside him, leaning his head back. His eyes wandered to the window, where the faint glow of stars peeked through the night sky.
"...The stars, huh." he muttered.
The same stars Leah had blurted about earlier. The same stars she compared her feelings to—bright, distant, but impossible to ignore.
He exhaled slowly, closing his eyes.
The war in their hearts was only growing more tangled.
And he was right in the center of it.