Part 5 — Grief Finally Comes Out
Ayame gently stroked his hair.
"...You miss them."
It wasn't a question.
Haruto gave a small nod.
"...Yeah."
His voice was barely audible.
"I tried not to think about them today."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"...It worked."
He let out a quiet laugh.
"For a little while."
His smile slowly faded.
"...Then I remembered..."
He looked toward the dark window.
"If Renjiro were here..."
"...he would've challenged Kaito to another race after dinner."
A tear slipped down his cheek.
"And Akari..."
A small chuckle escaped him.
"...She would've scolded all three of us for making too much noise."
He lowered his head again.
"The house would've been so much louder."
Silence settled between them once more.
"...I miss them."
The words came out as little more than a whisper.
Ayame tightened her embrace ever so slightly.
"...I miss them too."
Haruto closed his eyes.
"...I keep telling myself to move forward."
A faint, bitter smile crossed his face.
"...But every time I do..."
"...I remember them again."
Ayame listened quietly.
"I know they're gone."
"...I accepted that."
His voice faltered.
"...But accepting it..."
"...doesn't make me miss them any less."
Ayame gently tightened her embrace.
"...It never will."
Haruto lowered his head.
"...I just wish..."
He paused.
"...we could've had one more ordinary day together."
Ayame's eyes softened.
"...Me too."
The room fell silent once again.
Not because either of them had run out of words...
But because there were no words that could ever replace the people they had lost.
Still...
For the first time that night...
Haruto wasn't grieving alone.
Ayame stayed still, her hand gently resting on Haruto's head.
The silence in the room wasn't heavy anymore.
It was calm.
Outside the window, the winter wind brushed softly against the glass.
Haruto slowly exhaled.
"…I kept acting like it was fine today."
Ayame didn't interrupt.
"…Laughing with Kaito."
"…Talking like everything was normal."
A small pause.
"…It felt good."
His voice lowered.
"…But when it got quiet…"
He tightened his fingers slightly against his own sleeve.
"…it all came back."
Ayame's expression softened.
"…You don't have to force it."
Haruto shook his head faintly.
"I don't want them to see me like this."
A short silence.
Ayame replied quietly.
"…We already see you."
Haruto went still.
For a moment, he didn't respond.
Then a weak breath left him.
"…That's worse."
Ayame tilted her head slightly.
"…Why?"
Haruto looked down.
"…Because I still can't protect you properly either."
Ayame blinked once.
Then gently pushed his forehead with her finger.
"…Idiot."
Haruto flinched slightly.
She sighed.
"…You're the youngest."
"…You don't have to carry everything."
Haruto didn't answer.
But his shoulders slowly relaxed.
The tension that had been holding him together began to fade.
Ayame adjusted her position slightly, leaning back against the sofa while still keeping her arm around him.
"…Just stay here for a bit."
Haruto closed his eyes again.
This time…
He didn't argue.
And for the first time that night, the house felt a little less heavy.