Saki stood in front of the classroom door.
Her heart felt like it might burst from her chest.
She reached for the doorknob, her fingers trembling slightly.
"Breathe, Saki… it's just a door. But what if he's inside?"
She paused for a second.
Then took a deep breath—and opened the door.
Her eyes immediately fell on the scene inside the classroom.
Empty desks, sunlight streaming through the open window…
and Hiroki, sitting there in that light.
Hiroki was quietly strumming his guitar.
Each note echoed off the classroom walls, touching Saki's heart.
"This sound… it's just like that day."
Hiroki lifted his head and looked at Saki.
His gaze was gentle, warm, just like his voice.
"Welcome, Saki."
Saki froze.
Her face flushed, her heart racing.
"Uh… th-thank you, Hiroki…"
A brief silence fell.
It felt as if the whole world was holding its breath for them.
Hiroki set his guitar aside, a small smile on his lips.
"Come, don't just stand there. Sit with me."
Saki stepped forward shyly,
and sat beside Hiroki.
Her cheeks were pink, and she clasped her hands tightly in her lap.
Hiroki glanced at her from the corner of his eye, then asked,
"Have you decided on a club yet?"
Saki lowered her head slightly.
"Yes… I wrote down the travel club as my first choice."
Hiroki's eyes lit up instantly.
"So, you accepted my suggestion. I'm really happy."
Saki's heart raced even faster.
She looked away, but the warmth on her face didn't fade.
The school was silent, as if even the wind didn't dare to interrupt their conversation.
After a moment, Saki mustered the courage to ask,
"Why… did you want me to choose the travel club?
I thought you'd want me to join the music club."
Her words echoed softly in the room.
She clasped her hands in her lap, eyes lowered.
The guitar strings vibrated faintly, as if resonating with her heart.
Hiroki's gaze lingered on Saki for a moment.
Before answering, he let the silence speak for a while.
He lowered his head slightly.
"This… is a little special to me," he said, his voice almost a whisper, heavy and fragile.
Saki immediately responded,
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Hiroki," she said, her eyes full of concern and compassion.
But Hiroki shook his head slowly.
"No… I trust you. You joined this club for me. You have the right to know the truth."
Saki clenched her hands tightly, her heart pounding wildly.
She opened her eyes and looked at Hiroki eagerly.
She wanted to know why.
Hiroki's eyes filled with tears, but he looked away so Saki wouldn't notice.
He swallowed hard, and his words trembled as he spoke:
"Before I was born, my father abandoned us.
I never heard from him again… only what I learned from my mother."
A single tear slipped silently down his cheek.
Saki brought her hands to her mouth, eyes wide with shock and sorrow.
In that moment, time seemed to stand still; it was just the two of their hearts in silence.
"On my eighth birthday, my mother gave me a guitar…" Hiroki said, his voice broken yet calm.
"She said, 'I want to see you become a famous guitarist one day.'
But… when I was nine, my mother fell ill with a disease that had no cure.
She got worse every day."
Saki couldn't hold back her tears anymore.
Hiroki's voice trembled even more as he continued:
"There was a song we wrote together.
Whenever I played it, my mother said it made her feel better…
But when I was twelve, she had to stay in the hospital.
And I… had to move from Tokyo to Sendai to live with relatives.
I can only see her during summer vacations now."
Saki silently cried with all her heart.
Hiroki wiped his tears, then looked at her seriously.
There was both determination and fragile hope in his eyes.
"Saki… I need you," he said.
"I want you to arrange for the music club's performance to be in Tokyo, within the travel club event."
Saki whispered, astonished,
"Tokyo…?"
Hiroki nodded slowly.
"At least… this way, I can see my mother.
Even if she can step out of the hospital for just an hour, she can watch the performance.
And… I can play the song we wrote together for her on stage."
Saki lowered her head silently, tears still streaming.
But inside, she whispered to herself:
"Hiroki… we'll do this together. We'll play that song on stage, together."
A soft breeze drifted through the classroom.
The guitar strings hummed quietly.
It was as if Hiroki's memories were resonating again, strengthened by Saki's support.
Saki, with tears in her eyes, spoke in a trembling but determined voice:
"We'll do this… together, Hiroki. Don't worry."
Hiroki, startled, brought his hand to his eyes as more tears fell.
"I-I'm sorry for boring you with my sad life story…" he said, his voice broken.
But Saki suddenly grabbed his hand and pressed it against her chest.
Her eyes shone in the sunlight, warm and sincere.
Smiling, she whispered,
"Don't worry, Hiroki. I'll always be by your side."
Hiroki froze in surprise at Saki's sudden gesture.
But he felt her genuine kindness, and his heart warmed slightly.
"Thank you, Saki," Hiroki said with a small smile.
Saki blushed suddenly, withdrawing her hand and lowering her head.
Hiroki continued, eyes sparkling with sincerity:
"I'm really lucky to have a friend like you."
Saki felt like she might faint from excitement and embarrassment.
Hiroki stood up and walked toward her with gentle steps.
With every step, Saki's heart raced faster.
Hiroki sat down beside her, his gaze serious yet full of warmth.
"Your kindness toward me… it really moved me," he said.
And he suddenly leaned a little closer to her, his eyes locked on hers in silence.
Saki felt her heart swell in her chest.
She stared at Hiroki, breathless.
In that moment, no words were needed—an unspoken bond connected them.