For a split second, the world around him faded away, his thoughts crashing into a standstill as he stared at Rachel, who had just spoken the words that sent shockwaves through his entire being.
"I love you."
It echoed in his head, reverberating with a force that seemed to alter his very perception of reality. The words felt surreal, almost as if they weren't meant for him, yet there she stood—Rachel—her eyes locked onto his, filled with a vulnerability he had never quite seen before.
Suddenly, everything clicked. Rachel showing up at his workplace just to see him, the seemingly random decision to take him to the amusement park they had visited as children, the unplanned stop to admire the moonlit scenery, the nostalgic recollection of their childhood memories—it all made sense now. She had been building up to this moment, carefully setting the stage for her heartfelt confession. Yet, even with the clarity that dawned upon him, John couldn't shake the overwhelming shock that gripped him.
He was surprised. No—more than that. He was completely caught off guard.
While he now realized that the evening's chain of events had been leading up to this, he hadn't considered, not even for a moment, that Rachel saw him that way. That she felt this way. That she… loved him.
As Rachel stood there, her features illuminated by the silver glow of the moon, John's mind became a storm of questions, each one colliding with the next, leaving him scrambling for clarity.
"Huh? She loves me?"
"Rachel… sees me that way?!"
"What do I do?"
"This is the first time something like this is happening to me."
"Damn it!"
"What do I do?"
"Do I have to give her an answer right now?"
"Right now?!"
"But…what do I say to her?!"'
"What do I say….?"
Rachel must have sensed the turmoil raging inside of him, because before the silence stretched too long, she spoke again, her voice soft and reassuring.
Rachel: You know…you don't have to give me an answer right now.
John's mind stuttered to a halt, her words pulling him out of his spiraling thoughts. Slowly, everything settled, and he found himself able to breathe again. His heartbeat, which had been hammering wildly in his chest, began to slow as her words sank in.
Finally he managed to say something though his voice still carried the traces of nervousness in them.
John: I…I don't?
Rachel glanced down at her shoes before lifting her gaze back to his. There was a small, knowing smile on her lips, but he could see the faintest trace of nervousness in her eyes.
Rachel: I know how sudden this must feel for you. I've had time to process my feelings, but for you, this is all happening at once. It's only fair that I give you some time to think things over.
She hesitated for a second, then added with a light chuckle,
Rachel: But… don't make me wait too long, okay?
John swallowed hard, his throat dry. He wanted to say something, to reassure her or to explain his own confusion, but no words came. Rachel, however, didn't seem to mind. She understood that she had just placed something big in his hands and that he needed time to process it.
With her mission accomplished, she gave him one last lingering look before turning away.
Rachel: I'll be going now, John.
He nodded, still feeling slightly dazed.
John: (nervous) Uh…yeah. See you tomorrow.
Rachel smiled, waving lightly before walking off, her figure gradually disappearing down the quiet street that led to their neighborhood.
As soon as she was out of sight, her composed demeanor shattered. A rush of exhilaration surged through her, and with a giddy smile, she leaped into the air, twirling in delight before whispering to herself,
Rachel: I did it… I actually did it. Now, I just have to wait for his response.
Meanwhile, John remained rooted in place, staring blankly at the empty street. His limbs felt heavy, his chest tight with emotions he didn't even know how to name. Slowly, he turned toward the river beside him, gazing at the dark waters that reflected the glow of the moon above. The same moon they had admired together just an hour ago.
A long, heavy sigh escaped him as he crouched to the ground, running a frustrated hand through his hair.
John: How….how do I even respond to this?!
A cool night breeze brushed against his skin, but John barely noticed. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he tried to steady himself.
Rachel's words lingered in his mind, and for the first time in a long while, he realized he had a decision to make—one that could change everything.
*****
Meanwhile, Kana smiled as she looked at the poem she had just posted on her Twibbler page.
Twibbler Account: Lonelygirl4556
Followers: 1,057
Fleeting Light
A fleeting light, a passing star,
I wonder if I've come too far.
But in your words, I've found my place,
A warmth that time cannot erase.
Remember me—just in case.
0 likes, 0 reposts, 0 comments.
Since she had just uploaded it, Kana wasn't too bothered by the lack of engagement. Instead, she grabbed her phone, picked up her journal and pen, and left her ward. Her destination was the rooftop—her usual retreat for peace and quiet, where she could focus on writing something new.
Sitting down on the cold ground, she began brainstorming. After a moment of contemplation, she made her decision.
Kana: Maybe I should use what's been happening around me these past few months as inspiration.
With that thought, she started writing, her mind flashing through memories from June 14 to the present day in September. She wrote furiously, her concentration unbroken. Whenever she made a mistake, she quickly scribbled over it and continued, her pen moving across the pages with remarkable speed and finesse.
Kana was so absorbed in her writing that she didn't notice a nurse standing at the rooftop entrance, watching her with a gentle smile. The nurse had gone to check on Kana in her ward and, not finding her there, was directed to the rooftop by someone who had seen her head that way.
The nurse stood there for a few minutes, observing Kana as she poured her thoughts onto the pages. When Kana finally stopped and reread her poem a couple of times, satisfied with the result, the nurse decided to make her presence known.
Nurse: Hey, Kana. It's time to go back inside now.
Kana: Okay.
She closed her journal, stood up, and picked up her phone, which had been lying beside her. As she followed the nurse back to her ward, she decided to check the engagement on her recent post. It didn't disappoint.
401 likes, 57 reposts, 10 comments.
Climbing into bed, Kana noticed that John hadn't sent her any messages all day. Her heart sank slightly.
Kana: John hasn't texted me today... (pauses) Maybe he's too busy. (sighs) I guess I'll talk to him tomorrow then.
She knew he was probably exhausted from his after-school job, but that didn't stop her from feeling a little disappointed. Still, there was nothing she could do about it.
Yawning, she set her phone on the bedside table and prepared to sleep—until her phone suddenly buzzed.
Excited, she immediately grabbed it, expecting a message from John.
But it wasn't him.
Instead, it was from a user named RecklessSoul06.
Kana blinked in surprise. Aside from John, no one had ever messaged her directly before. Curiosity stirred within her. Then, a small smile formed on her lips as she embraced this unexpected interaction.
She opened the chat and read the message.
RecklessSoul06:
[Hey, my name is Rose, and I know this is really weird, but I need your help.]