After Ren's confession, Ayane looked at him, her eyes filled with both confusion and concern. "What are you doing here?" she asked softly. "You're far from home… why are you here?"
Ren's expression was calm, almost unreadable, yet there was a depth of understanding in his eyes. "I knew everything," he said quietly. "I knew that you confessed to Arashi… and everything else."
Ayane's brow furrowed. "Who told you?" she asked, a mix of curiosity and disbelief in her voice.
Ren smiled faintly. "I saw it with my own eyes… Arashi and Mizuki were together. Arashi told her that he would give you an answer today. It was all Mizuki's plan. She said to Arashi: think carefully—if you want to leave Ayane, just leave her. But if you like her, go to her. I'll support both of you. But Arashi… he said it's impossible."
Ayane's heart skipped a beat, realizing how much had been orchestrated behind the scenes. Ren continued, "Then Mizuki said, 'Listen carefully, Arashi. Take her to the park. Tell her that everyone is waiting there. Take her there, and tell her everything you really feel. Try not to hurt her feelings, but from now on… it's all on you.' And after that… most probably, she'll run away from there."
Ayane's lips parted, a mix of emotions swirling inside her—confusion, anticipation, and a quiet tension about what was going to happen next.
Mizuki says.
"After she runs away, I'll go after her," she had said. "I'll try to calm her down, go to her myself, and do my best to make her understand. And if she still doesn't understand…"
She had paused, then looked at Ren.
"Ren, then you have to follow her. Go to her and tell her your real feelings. At least that way, her mood might improve a little. In the end, try your best to help her understand everything and accept it."
Ren finished explaining, his voice steady, as if he were simply narrating facts rather than a carefully constructed emotional battlefield.
Hearing all of this, Ayane couldn't fully grasp what had actually happened around her. Everything felt too sudden, too complex, as if events had been moving without her even realizing it. But there was one thing she understood clearly—Mizuki was not the person she had thought she was. Mizuki had done all of this for her, just so Ayane wouldn't get hurt. That realization settled quietly but heavily in her heart.
Ayane looked at Ren and spoke softly, "I'll give you my answer later."
Ren nodded without hesitation. "That's fine. There's no problem at all, Ayane," he said gently. "When you love someone, waiting is something you naturally learn to do."
He then glanced at the time and exhaled lightly. "I should leave now, or I'll miss my train."
As he turned to go, he stopped for a brief moment, just long enough to look back at her one last time.
"I love you so much, Ayane," he said quietly.
And then, without waiting for a response, Ren walked away.
Ayane returned home later that evening, the events of the day still swirling in her mind. As she stepped inside, she noticed something unusual—the lights in the house were completely off. The place was eerily quiet, almost empty. Her heart skipped a beat.
She walked cautiously through the living room, calling softly, "Hello?" but there was no answer. No one was home. Everything was still, as if the house itself was holding its breath.
Finally, she went up to her room. The moment she opened the door, she froze. Her bed had been transformed. Candles flickered softly around the room, casting a warm, golden glow. Red roses were arranged carefully in the shape of a heart on her bed, and inside the heart, flower petals spelled out the words:
"I love you, Ayane."
Next to the heart was a small, neatly wrapped box. Her curiosity overcame her hesitation, and she opened it. Inside, she found an assortment of chocolates, some snacks, a few cold drinks, and juice—little comforts, thoughtfully chosen. At the bottom of the box lay a small note. She unfolded it and read:
"I really love you, Ayane. – Ren"
Ayane's eyes widened, and a rush of emotions hit her all at once. Gratitude, love, relief, and a quiet sadness mixed together, swirling inside her like a storm. Tears began to spill down her cheeks—not tears of pain, but a mixture of happiness and bittersweet emotions.
Through her tears, she whispered softly, almost to herself, "Thank you… Arashi, Mizuki… and Ren."
Her voice trembled, but her heart felt full. She realized, in that moment, how deeply she was cared for, and how much everyone had done to protect her feelings.
Ayane sank onto her bed, her hands trembling slightly as she reached out to touch the heart of roses and flower petals. Each petal seemed to whisper the care and thought that had gone into this gesture. She ran her fingers gently over the words spelled out on the petals, tracing the letters of Ren's confession: "I love you, Ayane." Her chest tightened with a strange combination of relief and longing, her mind replaying the events of the day.
She looked at the box again, now open in front of her. The chocolates, the snacks, the cold drinks, and juice—all of it felt like small pieces of Ren's heart carefully placed there for her. Ayane smiled through her tears, the sight of it making her heart ache in the best possible way. Every little detail reminded her that she was loved, thought of, and protected—not just by Ren, but also by Arashi and Mizuki.
Her mind wandered back to Mizuki's words and plans. She realized for the that Mizuki was not the person she had thought she was this thought came to her mind again and again. All this while, she had assumed Mizuki only wanted to use Arashi and didn't love him truly, but today, Mizuki had gone out of her way to ensure Ayane's feelings weren't hurt. That thought made Ayane's heart swell with gratitude. She whispered softly, almost inaudibly, "Thank you, Mizuki… for everything."
Then her thoughts turned to Ren. He had confessed, he had understood, and he had planned all of this with a quiet determination that left Ayane speechless. The tears that streamed down her face were not just of happiness—they were tears of deep emotion, a mix of joy, relief, and the overwhelming realization of being truly cared for.
She closed her eyes for a moment, clutching the note from Ren close to her heart. "Thank you… Arashi, Mizuki, and Ren," she whispered again, her voice trembling with emotion. The room was silent, bathed in the soft flicker of candlelight, but inside her heart, it felt as if everything had finally fallen into place. The chaos of the day had ended, leaving her with a quiet, powerful sense of love, care, and understanding—one that she would carry with her forever.