Two weeks had passed since Riku's collapse. He had been discharged from the hospital a few days ago, and things had slowly settled into a fragile sense of normalcy. But the weight of what happened lingered beneath the surface, an unspoken tension that neither Riku nor Aika dared to address directly.
"Aika."
Aika blinked and turned her head toward Riku, who was sitting beside her on the grassy hill that overlooked the park. The sky above them stretched out in a deep canvas of dark blue, stars scattered across it like specks of light. A faint breeze rustled the grass around them.
"Hmm?"
Riku's gaze was fixed on the sky. His expression was calm, but Aika could sense the heaviness beneath it. He'd been quieter since he was discharged—smiling when she talked to him, but the smile never seemed to reach his eyes.
"I wanted to bring you here before." His voice was soft, almost lost beneath the breeze.
Aika frowned slightly. "Why?"
"Because this place makes me feel… peaceful." Riku's lips curled into a faint smile. "Whenever I was stressed, I'd come here. Just sit and listen to the wind."
Aika's gaze softened. She glanced around. The park was empty at this hour, only the sound of rustling leaves and distant city noise filling the air. The grass was cool beneath her fingers as she stretched her legs out.
"Did you come here alone?" she asked.
"Yeah." Riku's gaze lowered. "It's quiet here."
Aika's chest tightened. She could imagine him sitting here alone, listening to the wind and counting the stars, carrying the weight of his condition in silence. The thought made her throat tighten painfully.
She hesitated before scooting closer, her shoulder brushing lightly against his arm. "You don't have to come here alone anymore."
Riku's eyes widened slightly. He glanced at her.
"I mean it." Aika's gaze was steady. "If you want to sit here, I'll come with you. If you want to listen to the wind, I'll sit in silence with you."
Riku's eyes softened. His hand rested lightly over hers on the grass. "You don't have to—"
"I want to," Aika interrupted. Her gaze didn't waver. "I'm not going to leave you alone."
A shadow passed over Riku's expression. His eyes darkened slightly, but he didn't pull away.
"Aika…"
She leaned her head against his shoulder. "You don't have to say anything. Just… stay with me like this for a while."
Riku's hand tightened over hers. His shoulder relaxed beneath her head.
They sat there in silence for a long time, the stars blinking softly above them.
After a while, Riku's voice broke the quiet. "Aika."
"Hmm?"
"Do you remember that time we made a promise when we were kids?"
Aika's brows furrowed. "What promise?"
Riku's lips curled into a faint smile. "That we'd always look out for each other."
Aika's eyes widened. Slowly, the memory drifted back—a summer evening beneath a different sky, when they were barely old enough to understand the weight of the words they spoke.
"You said you'd protect me," Riku murmured. "And I said I'd protect you too."
Aika's heart squeezed painfully. "Yeah. I remember."
Riku's gaze lowered. His thumb brushed over the back of her hand. "I think you've kept that promise better than I have."
Aika sat up, turning toward him. "What are you talking about?"
Riku's smile faded. "You've always been there for me. Even when I…" His voice trailed off. His gaze lowered.
Aika's hand lifted to his cheek. He stiffened slightly beneath her touch.
"You've been there for me too, Riku." Her voice was steady. "Don't act like it's one-sided."
Riku's gaze lifted toward her. His eyes were soft, uncertain.
"You don't have to carry everything alone," Aika whispered.
Riku's lips parted slightly. His eyes shimmered beneath the starlight.
Aika smiled faintly. "We're going to keep that promise, Riku. Together."
His hand tightened over hers. His gaze didn't waver.
"Okay," he whispered.
Aika's smile widened. She leaned her head against his shoulder again. His arm slowly slid around her back, pulling her close.
The night stretched out quietly around them, the stars glowing softly above. For the first time in a long time, the silence between them felt peaceful—not the heavy kind that came from hiding things.
Aika closed her eyes, listening to the steady rhythm of Riku's breathing.
We'll keep that promise.
No matter what.