( misunderstanding arc )
Hina tried to hide her tears, but her voice still quivered as she said softly,
"I should go now… it's getting late."
Her eyes filled with tears. Kazuki looked at her, but remained silent. She couldn't understand what she had said that made Hina's eyes brim over.
After Hina left, Kazuki whispered to herself:
"What did I say that made her cry like this?"
She went back to work, but her heart was restless. Just then, the café door opened and Haruki walked in.
Kazuki greeted him with a small smile, "Oh Haruki… you're back."
But Haruki's face was downcast as he muttered, "Yeah… I'm back."
Kazuki asked casually, "So, the person you went to meet… did you find them?"
Haruki shook his head. "No."
Kazuki then mentioned Hina, unaware of the storm she was about to cause. "By the way, a girl came here asking for you."
Haruki's heart skipped a beat. "Who was she?" he asked, shocked.
Kazuki shrugged, "I don't know… she was asking about you. I just told her maybe you went to meet your girlfriend, and then suddenly she started crying and left."
The moment he heard that, Haruki's chest tightened, his heartbeat raced, and only one name escaped his lips—
"Hina…"
His voice trembled with both desperation and joy.
He quickly asked Kazuki, "How long has it been since she left?"
Kazuki glanced at the clock. "Just a little while ago."
Without another word, Haruki bolted out of the café.
Kazuki called after him, confused and annoyed, "What's gotten into you now?"
Haruki ran frantically through the streets, searching for Hina. But she was gone. His breathing grew heavy, his heart pounding painfully.
Then, at the bus stop, he spotted a girl with hair just like Hina's. Without a second thought, he ran and hugged her tightly, believing with all his heart that she was Hina.
But the real Hina was standing a little distance away, watching everything. Tears streamed down her face as she stifled her sobs. Kazuki's words echoed in her mind like a curse. She couldn't take it anymore. Turning away, she decided to leave.
The girl at the bus stop shoved Haruki back angrily. "Hey! Who the hell are you?!"
Haruki froze. Shock hit him like a storm. She wasn't Hina.
His thoughts screamed: "If she's not Hina… then where is Hina?!"
The girl glared at him. "How dare you hug me like that?!"
Before Haruki could explain, she slapped him hard across the face. His cheek burned. He quickly bowed in apology, voice trembling,
"Sorry… I thought you were my friend Hina. It was a mistake, please forgive me."
The girl, Momo, studied his face. His childlike innocence, his honest panic… it didn't seem like he was lying. She thought to herself, "He doesn't seem like a bad guy… maybe he's really looking for someone."
Finally, her anger softened, and she said, "Alright… it's fine."
Haruki bowed again. "Thank you… thank you so much."
Exhausted, Haruki returned to the café. Kazuki immediately asked, "Where did you run off without telling me?"
Dropping into a chair, Haruki sighed, "To find the girl… the one who came here for me."
Kazuki asked, "And? Did she leave?"
"Yes."
Kazuki noticed the red mark on his cheek. "What's with your face? Who did this?"
Haruki looked away. "I… hugged the wrong girl. She slapped me."
Kazuki chuckled lightly while serving a customer. "And who was that girl anyway?"
Haruki buried his face in his hands. His voice came out heavy, "It was Hina."
Kazuki froze. "Whaaat?! That was Hina?!"
Haruki nodded. "Yes."
Kazuki clutched her head in regret. "Oh no… that means it was my fault…"
Then suddenly she shouted, "Do you have her number?!"
Haruki pulled out his phone. "Yeah… why?"
Kazuki scolded him, "Call her, you idiot!"
"Oh right… I didn't even think of that," Haruki stammered as he quickly dialed her number.
But the moment he pressed call, the screen flashed: Blocked.
His world collapsed in an instant. His breath caught, his heart seemed to stop. He slumped into the chair, lifeless.
Kazuki asked nervously, "What happened?"
Taking long breaths, Haruki whispered, "S-she blocked me…"
Kazuki quickly dialed from her own phone, but the result was the same. "She even blocked me… but maybe if I try—"
Haruki stopped her, voice hollow. "No. Don't. There's no point anymore."
Kazuki's voice cracked with guilt. "But she needs to know it was just a joke! I didn't mean it!"
Haruki shook his head with a bitter smile. "When she's angry, she doesn't listen to anyone. Just let it be."
Kazuki sat beside him, eyes full of regret. "I'm so sorry… I didn't know my stupid joke would cause this. I'm really sorry."
To her surprise, Haruki smiled faintly. "It's okay."
Kazuki stared at him in disbelief. "After all this… you're still smiling?"
He said softly, "This isn't new for me."
Kazuki frowned. "What do you mean?"
Haruki's voice broke but his smile stayed. "Everyone I've ever cared about… has left me. Hina is just another name on that list. Maybe my journey with her was only meant to last this far."
His smile looked like surrender—like someone who had already lost everything.
Meanwhile, in her home, Hina sat in front of her parents' photo, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Through sobs, she whispered, "After you both left, I had no hope from anyone. But I thought… maybe Haruki would stay with me. Turns out… he's just like everyone else."
Her cries grew louder, her heart shattering with every word.
"He already has a girlfriend… and yet, he gave me false hope. I'll never forgive him. Never talk to him again."
Hina's tears carried both pain and rage. That night, her heart completely broke apart.
And yet… somewhere deep inside, her soul refused to believe that Haruki had lied to her.
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To be continued 👀
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