Into The Rain With You

After that conversation with Haruka, I thought I would feel better, like some part of the weight had been lifted. But instead, it felt like the opposite. I felt more exposed than ever before, more aware of just how much I was holding inside.

I went home that evening, and instead of studying or doing my usual routine, I found myself pacing around my room, my mind racing with thoughts I couldn't quite make sense of.

What if I'm just too broken?

I wanted to talk to Kaito. I wanted to ask him how he dealt with feeling like this. But every time I thought about reaching out, the same doubts crept in. What if he didn't understand? What if no one really did?

I walked to the window, staring out at the city below. The lights were beginning to flicker on, one by one, as the evening settled in. I felt like I was in some kind of limbo, caught between who I was and who I was supposed to be.

And that's when I heard it—the quiet buzzing of my phone.

I glanced at it, half-expecting it to be another random notification or a message from one of my friends. But instead, it was from Haruka.

Haruka: "I hope you know you don't have to carry everything alone. I'm here for you, whenever you're ready."

I read the message again, the words soft but heavy with meaning.