-3:56 PM SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016-
Thunder rumbled softly in the distance, the café lights flickering once before returning to their warm glow.
Jousuke Daikuhara's heart pounded in his chest, his eyes fixed on Sakamoto, who sat across from him, fingers pausing against his coffee cup.
"There's something you should know about Rika." Sakamoto had said.
The words lingered between them, mixing with the faint hum of conversation and the soft patter of rain against the window.
Jousuke swallowed, his throat dry and asked "What do you mean...?"
Sakamoto's calm, unreadable gaze held his for a moment longer before he exhaled softly, his shoulders relaxing.
"...Rika's feelings for you..." Sakamoto began, his voice low, and continued "they aren't something new, Daikuhara-san."
Jousuke stayed silent, waiting.
"She liked you even before we started dating. Back in middle school, she would always talk about you when you weren't around. She said you helped her pick up her books once after she tripped, you helped her against those bullies, and many more things, and that was enough for her to keep watching you." Sakamoto continued.
Jousuke's eyes widened slightly and asked "That long...?"
Sakamoto nodded slowly, looking down at the ripples in his coffee and said "When we were together, she tried to move on from you. She told me once... that no matter how hard she tried, her heart kept going back to you."
The rain outside tapped gently against the glass, the world around them momentarily muted.
"I didn't hate her for it." Sakamoto added calmly, a small, distant smile on his lips. He continued "If anything, I think, in a way, I admired her for being honest about how she felt."
Jousuke's grip on his cup tightened, warmth pressing into his cold hands as a quiet heaviness settled in his chest.
"I didn't know." Jousuke murmured.
"I know." Sakamoto replied, looking up, his calm gaze steady.
He continued "You're the type who wouldn't notice... or wouldn't want to notice."
The words sank into Jousuke, heavy and quiet.
"Why are you telling me this now?" Jousuke asked softly.
Sakamoto paused, glancing toward the window where the rain blurred the view of the passing streetlights.
"Because I think it's time you start acknowledging how much your presence affects the people around you. You can't keep pretending you don't know." Sakamoto said, his voice calm but firm.
Jousuke looked down, the steam from his tea brushing against his cheeks.
"Sakurai-san, Boutsuki-san, Miyazaki-san... They all have feelings for me, and I don't know what to do." Jousuke whispered, their names like a quiet confession to himself.
Sakamoto's calm eyes softened and said "You don't have to decide now, Daikuhara-san. But you can't keep ignoring it forever."
Jousuke let out a shaky breath, the tension in his shoulders loosening slightly.
"...What about you? Don't you... regret telling me all this? About Sakurai-san?" Jousuke asked, glancing up.
Sakamoto's lips curved into a small, genuine smile, calm as always, and said "No. If anything, I'm relieved. I think I've been holding onto this for too long."
They fell into silence, the rain slowing to a gentle drizzle, the soft clatter of cups in the background grounding them in the present.
"...What do you think I should do?" Jousuke asked, almost in a whisper.
Sakamoto closed his eyes for a moment before opening them, his gaze steady.
"Be honest with yourself, Daikuhara-san. And when you're ready, be honest with them." Sakamoto said quietly.
Jousuke nodded faintly, the warmth of the café wrapping around him, though the heaviness in his chest remained.
"Boutsuki-san's probably having dinner with her family now." Jousuke muttered, almost to himself, a soft, wistful smile on his lips.
Sakamoto glanced at him, curiosity flickering in his calm eyes. He replied "You care about her."
"I care about all of them." Jousuke admitted, the words heavy on his tongue. He continued "I don't want to hurt them."
"I know." Sakamoto replied.
Another silence passed, comfortable yet loaded with unspoken thoughts.
"...Daikuhara-san." Sakamoto said after a while, shifting slightly in his seat.
"Yeah?" Jousuke asked.
"There's... something else you should know about Rika." Sakamoto continued, his voice lower now, almost blending with the hum of the café.
Jousuke's heart skipped, his eyes sharpening. He asked "What is it?"
Sakamoto's fingers drummed softly against his cup, the hesitation in his calm demeanor suddenly clear.
Before he could speak, the café door opened with a soft chime, a breeze sweeping through as new customers entered, laughter and footsteps momentarily drowning out the world between them.
Jousuke leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Sakamoto.
"What is it, Sakamoto-san?" Jousuke pressed, his voice firm.
Sakamoto's eyes met his, unblinking, calm but shadowed by something unreadable.
"Rika... she—"
The café lights flickered again as a soft roll of thunder rumbled, the world pausing in that single breath.
Jousuke's breath caught, waiting, as the rain resumed its gentle tapping against the window.
But Sakamoto stayed silent, lips parted, as if the words were right there, unable to cross into the open.
And in that suspended moment, Jousuke realized that whatever came next would change everything.