Part 7 — Why Didn't You Tell Us?
For the first time since Kaito had entered...
There was a faint look of relief in his eyes.
Then Kaito spoke again.
"...If you don't want to tell Ayame..."
"...Then I will."
Haruto's eyes widened.
"...Kaito."
"I've already read the letter."
"I know what's written in it."
Haruto instinctively held the letter closer against his chest.
"...Please don't."
Kaito's expression remained serious.
"No."
"Not anymore."
"We don't know how long you've been hiding this."
"...We don't know how many more secrets you're hiding from us."
Haruto stayed silent.
Kaito slowly walked toward the sofa.
Stopping right in front of him.
"I'm your older brother."
"I'm supposed to be the one protecting you."
"So tell me..."
"...Why are you protecting us instead?"
Haruto lowered his head.
His lips parted...
But no words came out.
"...Kaito..."
His voice was barely audible.
"...Please..."
Kaito could feel his frustration overflowing.
Without thinking...
He grabbed Haruto's wrist.
Haruto flinched slightly...
But didn't pull away.
"LOOK AT ME!"
Kaito's voice echoed through the hall.
"I'm talking to you!"
"Why won't you tell us anything?!"
His grip tightened.
"We're your family!"
"You don't have to carry everything by yourself!"
His voice rose even higher.
"WHY DO YOU KEEP HIDING EVERYTHING?!"
"DO YOU THINK WE CAN'T HELP YOU?!"
"DO YOU THINK I'M SUCH A TERRIBLE OLDER BROTHER THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN TRUST ME?!"
Haruto's breathing became uneven.
His fingers slowly loosened around the letter.
A tear rolled down his cheek.
Then another.
He still didn't say a word.
Ayame's eyes shifted from Kaito...
To Haruto.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Then...
She noticed Haruto's wrist.
Kaito's hand was gripping it so tightly that the skin around it had turned pale.
Haruto wasn't trying to pull away.
He wasn't even reacting.
He was simply...
Crying.
Ayame's eyes widened.
"...Kaito."
He didn't hear her.
"...Kaito."
Nothing.
"KAITO!"
Her sharp voice finally snapped him back to reality.
Kaito froze.
His eyes slowly drifted down.
Only then...
Did he realize how tightly he was holding Haruto's wrist.
His expression instantly changed.
"...Haruto..."
His fingers immediately loosened.
Haruto slowly pulled his hand back.
Still holding the letter.
Still unable to lift his head.
A tear dropped onto the folded paper.
Kaito stared at him for a moment.
"...Why are you crying?"
Silence.
Haruto didn't answer.
He couldn't.
His breathing was uneven, shallow.
His shoulders were trembling slightly now.
Another tear fell.
The room felt too quiet after Kaito's shout.
Ayame's eyes shifted between them, uneasy.
Haruto finally moved his lips.
After a long pause...
His trembling voice barely came out.
"...Can you..."
A tear landed on the letter again.
"...Can you stop shouting...?"
The moment Haruto spoke…
Everything stopped.
No one moved.
No one breathed properly.
Kaito stood frozen, still staring at him.
Ayame slowly lowered her gaze.
"...Haruto..."
Her voice was softer now.
Haruto still didn't look up.
His shoulders were shaking slightly.
The letter was crumpled in his hand.
Kaito slowly stepped back.
Not in anger this time…
But confusion.
"...I..."
He stopped.
He didn't know what to say anymore.
Ayame gently spoke.
"...Haruto…"
"...Did… it hurt?"
Haruto didn't answer immediately.
A long silence followed.
Then very quietly…
He nodded slightly.
That small nod hit harder than any scream.
Kaito's expression changed completely.
His voice lowered.
"...I…"
He looked at his own hand for a second.
Then back at Haruto's wrist.
"...I didn't mean—"
He stopped again.
Words weren't coming out properly.
For the first time that night…
Kaito wasn't angry.
He was shaken.