Mika sat in the library again, her notebook open, but this time her pen wasn't moving as easily as before."You stopped writing," Leo said quietly, noticing her hesitation."I don't know what I'm feeling anymore," Mika admitted.Leo closed his book slowly. "What changed?"Mika looked down at the page. "It's not just pain now… it's confusion.""About?"She hesitated. "People."
Later that day, Mika walked out of school and saw San waiting near the gate, kicking a small stone back and forth like he had been there for a while."You're late," he said, smiling when he saw her."I didn't know you were waiting," Mika replied."I wasn't," San said quickly, then laughed. "Okay, maybe a little."Mika looked at him. "Why?"San shrugged. "I just wanted to walk with you."
They started walking together, the silence between them not awkward, just… quiet."You've been spending more time with Leo," San said casually.Mika nodded. "He helps me think.""And I don't?" San asked, half-joking, half-serious."You help me forget," Mika replied honestly.San's smile paused for a second. "Is that bad?"Mika shook her head. "No… it's just different."
San looked ahead. "Different how?"Mika thought for a moment. "With you, things feel lighter… like I can breathe for a bit. But with him… I understand myself more."San let out a small breath. "So I'm just… a break?"Mika stopped walking. "No, that's not what I meant.""But that's what it sounds like," San said, still smiling, but it didn't reach his eyes.Mika felt something tighten in her chest. "San…""It's fine," he interrupted. "Really. As long as you're feeling better, that's all that matters."
They kept walking, but something between them felt slightly different now.
That night, Mika opened her notebook again."I don't understand my heart.One person makes me feel calm.One person makes me feel alive.Is it wrong to need both?"
She stared at what she wrote, then closed the notebook slowly.
The next day, Akira finally approached her."Mika…" her voice was softer than before.Mika turned, surprised. "Akira."There was an awkward silence."I've been thinking," Akira said, avoiding eye contact. "About everything."Mika waited."I was wrong," Akira said quietly. "About you… about us."Mika didn't respond immediately."I let my own feelings ruin things," Akira continued. "I was jealous… and I hated that about myself."
Mika's chest felt heavy again, but not in the same way as before."I was hurt too," she said softly."I know," Akira nodded. "And I don't expect things to go back to normal."Mika looked at her."I just… don't want to lose you," Akira added.
Mika stayed quiet for a moment."Then don't hurt me like that again," she said finally.Akira nodded quickly. "I won't."It wasn't fully fixed.But it wasn't broken anymore either.
Later, Mika found Leo in the library."Something changed," he said, noticing her expression."I talked to Akira," Mika replied."And?""It feels… unfinished, but lighter."Leo nodded. "That's how healing works. Slowly."
Mika sat down. "Can I ask you something?""Of course.""How do you know what you feel for someone?"
Leo looked at her for a moment before answering."You don't always know immediately," he said. "But you can tell by how they affect your peace.""My peace?""Yes," he continued. "Some people feel exciting, some feel comforting… but the right person doesn't take away your peace."
Mika looked down, thinking.
That evening, San messaged her again."Are you free tomorrow?"Mika stared at the screen.Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.
At the same time, another message came.From Leo."Library tomorrow?"
Mika looked between the two messages.
Her heart felt… confused again.
"Why does choosing feel so hard?" she whispered.