---
The days that followed flowed like water.
Calm.
Steady.
Nao Karuizawa changed—
slowly, but unmistakably.
At home, one afternoon.
Nao sat on the sofa, holding her phone.
Her expression was serious, her brows slightly furrowed.
"…Ayano."
Ayano, who was preparing tea, turned around.
"Hm?"
"If… someone talks to me like this."
Nao showed him the screen.
"How should I reply?"
Ayano walked closer.
Sat across from her.
"…Reply just enough."
He pointed at the screen.
"It doesn't have to be long. But don't make it sound cold."
Nao typed, then stopped.
"…Like what?"
Ayano thought for a moment.
"For example."
He took Nao's phone.
Typed slowly.
Yeah, I understand. Thanks.
Nao read it.
"…It's short."
"But friendly."
Ayano handed the phone back.
"You don't have to change into someone else."
Nao nodded slightly.
"…I feel comfortable when you're the one teaching me."
Ayano smiled faintly.
The nights after that, it became a habit.
Nao asked.
Ayano answered.
Sometimes, they practiced.
Ayano pretended to be a classmate.
"Hey, Karuizawa. Want to walk home together?"
Nao stiffened.
"…N-no."
Ayano shook his head.
"Try again. Softer."
Nao took a breath.
"…Sorry. I'm going straight home today."
Ayano nodded.
"That's good."
Nao smiled softly.
Proud.
Her progress was fast.
At school—
Nao began nodding when greeted.
Replying without avoiding eye contact.
Sometimes even… offering a faint smile.
And that alone was enough to draw the attention of many male students.
"She feels different, doesn't she?"
"More… approachable."
"I thought she was scary."
Nao heard them.
Still awkward.
But she didn't run away.
Ayano saw all of it… without reacting excessively.
He stayed the same.
Calm.
Focused on his studies.
One afternoon on the rooftop.
Nao opened her lunch box.
"Someone asked me to study together."
Ayano nodded while opening his bottle.
"What do you think?"
"I said maybe later."
Nao glanced at him.
"…That's okay, right?"
"Of course."
Ayano's tone was flat.
"You're free."
Nao fell silent for a moment.
"…You're not bothered?"
Ayano looked at her.
"Why would I be?"
Nao smiled faintly.
"…You're right."
That night, as they sat at the dining table—
Nao suddenly spoke softly.
"Ayano… about that one month."
Ayano set his chopsticks down.
"…Time keeps moving."
Nao lowered her gaze.
"I still don't know my answer."
Ayano nodded.
"Neither do I."
Silence.
Then Ayano spoke calmly—
"But one thing is clear."
Nao lifted her head.
"What?"
"We don't need to rush."
He looked straight at her.
"Whatever decision you make later… it has to come from you."
Nao froze.
Her chest felt warm.
"…Thank you."
That night, before going to bed—
Nao stood in front of Ayano's bedroom door.
"…Let's practice talking again tomorrow."
Ayano nodded.
"Of course."
Nao smiled.
And closed the door with a peaceful heart.
The one-month limit was still far away.
Her feelings… were beginning to grow.
Slowly.
Without pressure.
---
Day by day, Nao's changes became more visible.
Not sudden.
Not forced.
But rather… a change that grew naturally,
like morning arriving without a sound.
In class, Nao Karuizawa was no longer the girl with an intimidating aura.
She was still quiet—
but not cold.
She still spoke little—
but she didn't avoid people.
When the teacher asked, she answered calmly.
When classmates greeted her, she nodded and replied with short sentences.
And that small smile…
appeared more often now.
Beautiful.
Smart.
Calm.
That combination began to draw attention—
especially from male students.
"Hey, Karuizawa. Want to study together for the test?"
"Or… go to the library after school?"
Nao was no longer as stiff as before.
She thought for a moment.
Considered.
And whenever she hesitated,
she always did the same thing.
In the evening, at home.
Nao stood in the kitchen, preparing drinks.
Ayano sat at the dining table, reading a book.
"…Ayano."
"Hm?"
"Someone asked me to study together."
Ayano didn't look up right away.
His voice stayed even.
"Do you want to?"
Nao fell silent.
"…I'm not sure."
Ayano closed his book and looked at her.
"If you want to, then do it."
"If you don't, then decline."
Nao tightened her grip on the glass.
"…You're not bothered?"
Ayano shook his head slightly.
"It's your life."
"I don't have the right to control it."
The words were simple.
But they made Nao quiet for a long time.
A few days later—
Nao truly began studying with others.
Sometimes in the library.
Sometimes in an empty classroom.
She sat neatly, took notes, answered when needed.
Not flirty.
Not excessive.
And precisely because of that…
people's interest in her only grew stronger.
Ayano knew.
He saw it.
But he showed nothing.
No excessive jealousy.
No interference.
He simply… watched from afar.
---
Nao's days were filled with sound.
Laughter in class.
Light conversations in the hallways.
Group discussions that ended in jokes.
She began sitting in the middle of her circle of friends,
no longer on the edge.
Her words flowed more easily.
Her smile appeared more often—without her realizing it.
"I'll come too."
"Can I help?"
"Oh, that's what you meant."
Whenever she spoke,
people listened.
Whenever she smiled,
someone noticed.
Warm.
Normal.
Like the kind of teenage life she was supposed to have.
And for the first time—
Nao felt that she wasn't alone at school.
But in between all of that—
there was something that felt… empty.
At first, it was small.
Almost unnoticeable.
During break time,
she instinctively headed toward the rooftop—
then stopped on the stairs.
"Oh… right," she murmured.
"I usually go there with Ayano."
She turned around and caught up with her friends.
It was fine.
She was fine.
The next day,
a male classmate asked her to study together after school.
Nao hesitated for a moment.
Then nodded.
At a café table,
they studied seriously.
Occasionally laughing.
Everything felt normal.
But when she checked the time—
"It's already night…"
For some reason,
her chest felt slightly heavy.
Even though…
she was with someone else.
Day after day passed like that.
Nao went to the rooftop less often.
Went home with Ayano less often.
Sat together with him in the large living room less and less.
Ayano never scolded her.
Never asked why.
Never complained.
At school,
Nao saw Ayano from a distance—
sitting alone, reading, or staring at the sky.
She wanted to go to him.
But always stopped herself.
"Later."
"He's probably fine."
And every time those thoughts appeared—
that strange feeling in her chest grew clearer.
It was the same at home.
Nao often came back exhausted, her mind full.
She ate lightly, then went straight to her room.
Sometimes she heard the sound of dishes in the kitchen.
Sometimes the TV turning on briefly, then off.
But they rarely truly talked.
And strangely—
Nao began having trouble sleeping.
Her nights felt quiet,
even though the house was large.
Until one day—
Nao came home earlier than usual.
She was too tired to think.
All she wanted was to sleep.
She entered her room, dropped her bag, and fell asleep.
When she woke up—
it was already past midnight.
The house was silent.
Nao went down to the kitchen for a drink.
She stopped in her tracks.
One dirty plate.
One empty glass.
Not hers.
Nao froze.
"…Ayano?"
She walked slowly toward the backyard.
A small light near the pool was on.
The water rippled gently, reflecting the moonlight.
And there—
Ayano.
Sitting alone at the edge of the pool.
His shoulders slightly hunched.
His gaze empty.
As if the world around him
didn't truly exist.
Nao stood there for a long time.
Her chest tightened.
Finally—
that strange feeling found its answer.
Not because she lacked friends.
Not because she was lonely at school.
But because…
she had left behind someone
who was always there
without ever asking for anything.
Nao stepped closer.
"Ayano."
Ayano turned, looking surprised,
then smiled faintly.
"You're awake."
Nao sat beside him.
They were close—
yet felt far apart.
"…I'm tired," she said softly.
Ayano nodded.
"I can tell."
Silence.
Nao clenched her hands together.
"Ayano…"
"I've been… happy lately."
Ayano looked at the water.
"That's good."
Nao shook her head.
Tears began to gather.
"But I also… feel like I've lost something."
Ayano fell silent.
Nao took a deep breath.
"I thought I had moved forward."
"I thought I didn't need you all the time."
Her voice trembled.
"But it turns out…
every day when I come home,
I look for you."
Ayano slowly turned toward her.
Nao met his gaze, eyes wet.
"And I realized…"
"…I left you alone."
Silence wrapped around them.
Ayano stood up slowly.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Nao."
Nao stood as well,
grabbing the sleeve of his jacket.
"Don't say that."
"If it were me, I'd be sad."
Ayano smiled faintly.
"I was a little… lonely."
That was all.
And because of that—
Nao's tears fell.
She hugged Ayano tightly.
"I'm sorry…"
"I'm sorry I forgot to come home."
Ayano stayed still for a moment.
Then returned the hug.
Slowly.
Gently.
"I'm here," he said.
"And I'll stay here."
Nao cried against his chest.
That night—
Nao understood.
That togetherness
isn't about how much time you spend,
but about
who keeps waiting for you,
even when you never look back.
And for Nao—
Ayano was that place.
---
Ayano rested his palm on the edge of the pool,
staring at the reflection of the light trembling on the water.
"I don't mind," he said quietly,
as if making sure his words didn't sound too heavy.
"Being alone."
Nao tensed slightly.
"As long as you can have fun," Ayano continued.
"That was my goal from the beginning."
Nao looked at him.
"I just wanted you to be… a normal girl."
"To have friends."
"To laugh without fear."
"To talk without trembling."
He smiled faintly.
"I never meant to make you feel
like you had to depend on me."
The words fell one by one.
Nao didn't answer right away.
Her chest felt strange—
not sad,
not completely angry.
Frustrated.
As if someone had just drawn a line
she never asked for.
"…You always say that," Nao murmured at last.
"As if you're just passing through."
Ayano turned, slightly surprised,
but didn't deny it.
"I just don't want you to get stuck."
Nao lowered her head.
Her arms slipped away from his without her noticing.
That night ended without an argument.
Without more tears.
Without a conclusion.
Only a small distance
was born between them.
The next morning—
Nao woke up earlier than usual.
She prepared breakfast as she always did.
Eggs.
Miso soup.
Toast.
Ayano came down shortly after.
"Morning," he said.
"Morning," Nao replied.
Their tone was normal.
Too normal.
They ate together.
Talked lightly.
About the weather.
About school schedules.
But something had changed.
Ayano didn't ask,
"What time will you be home?"
He didn't say,
"If you're tired, just rest."
He only listened.
And when they left for school,
Ayano walked half a step behind her—
not side by side like before.
Nao noticed.
But said nothing.
At the school gate,
they parted without extra words.
Like a silent agreement.
That day at school,
Nao was surrounded by her friends again.
"Let's eat together!"
"Library after this?"
"Karuizawa-san, you get this part, right?"
Nao smiled.
Answered.
Moved along with them.
But sometimes—
her eyes searched.
Toward the rooftop.
Toward the corner bench.
Toward the hallway where Ayano used to wait.
And every time she saw Ayano—
the distance felt real.
Ayano didn't avoid her.
Wasn't cold.
Didn't push her away harshly.
He just…
didn't step in.
When Nao laughed,
Ayano didn't look for long.
When Nao was busy,
Ayano didn't approach.
He was there.
But he didn't come closer.
At lunch break,
Nao went up to the rooftop alone.
She opened her lunch box.
Usually, Ayano would sit across from her and say,
"You didn't eat much today."
Now—
only the wind answered.
Nao gripped her chopsticks tighter.
"…Is this what you want?" she murmured.
That afternoon,
Nao was invited to group study again.
She almost declined.
But eventually nodded.
In the middle of the discussion,
her thoughts drifted.
She remembered Ayano's voice when he taught her how to speak.
"Take it slow. It's okay to make mistakes."
"If you're confused, take a breath first."
Nao swallowed.
She could sit in the middle of a crowd now.
She could talk.
She could laugh.
But why…
was what she wanted most simply to go home?
That night, at home—
Nao came back earlier.
The living room light was on.
Ayano was there, reading.
"Oh," he said.
"You're early."
Nao nodded.
"Yeah."
They sat facing each other.
Silence again.
Nao looked at Ayano.
"You're… not mad, right?"
Ayano shook his head.
"Why would I be?"
That answer only made Nao irritated.
"You're always like that," she said, her tone rising slightly.
"Always saying it's fine."
Ayano fell silent.
Nao stood up.
"Do you think I'm happy
when you disappear from my life like that?"
Ayano lifted his head.
"I didn't disappear."
"You stepped back," Nao cut in.
"And you call it kindness."
Those words left Ayano silent for a long time.
"I just…"
He took a breath.
"I'm afraid that if I stay too close,
you'll stop moving forward."
Nao looked at him, her eyes trembling.
"Ayano," she said softly.
"I'm not walking because you pushed me away."
She stepped closer.
"I'm walking because you were standing behind me."
Ayano froze.
Nao lowered her head, her voice shaking.
"And now I feel like…"
"you're not there anymore."
Silence filled the living room.
Ayano stood up slowly.
"Am I wrong?"
Nao didn't answer right away.
She only said quietly—
"I never asked you to step back."
"I just want…
you to keep coming home with me."
Ayano looked at her for a long time.
Then smiled faintly.
Tired.
Honest.
"If that's the case," he said,
"I'll learn…
to stop hiding behind excuses."
Nao looked at him, her eyes burning.
"…Too late."
Ayano let out a breath.
"If it's too late," he said, stepping closer,
"then I'll start again from now."
Nao bit her lip.
"…Don't disappear again."
Ayano nodded.
"I promise."
And that night—
They sat side by side on the sofa.
Not talking much.
But for the first time
in several days—
Nao didn't feel like she was missing something.