The evening air was gentle and cool as Arashi and Mizuki walked side by side along the quiet road leading home. A light breeze brushed past them, carrying with it the faint scent of trees and the distant sound of life continuing somewhere far away.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Their footsteps fell into a quiet rhythm, matching each other unconsciously.
Mizuki glanced at Arashi from the corner of her eye.
She hesitated.
I should say it… she thought.
Gathering a bit of courage, she turned toward him fully, a small but sincere smile forming on her lips.
"Arashi…"
He turned at the sound of his name. The first thing he noticed wasn't her voice—it was her expression. The softness in her eyes. The warmth in her smile.
He couldn't help but smile back.
"Yes, Mizuki? What is it?"
Her fingers lightly tightened around the strap of her bag as she spoke.
"Arashi… thank you. You took care of me. You did so much for me."
Her voice wasn't dramatic. It wasn't loud. It was simple. Honest.
Arashi blinked once, then shook his head almost immediately.
"No, no, Mizuki. It's nothing like that," he replied gently. "I was just doing what I had to do. I told you before, didn't I? Don't say things like that again."
There was no arrogance in his tone—only sincerity. As if he truly believed he had done nothing special.
Mizuki smiled faintly, but this time her eyes carried something deeper.
"Yes… I know," she said softly. "But I'm thanking you from my heart. You've done so much for me."
She paused for a second, looking ahead at the road instead of at him.
"You might not remember much… but you've done a lot for me even before this."
Arashi's brows slightly furrowed in confusion.
"What are you talking about?" he said. "I didn't do anything. If anything, you're the one who's done things for me."
Mizuki let out a small breath that almost turned into a quiet laugh.
"Forget it," she said, shaking her head lightly. "You don't remember."
Arashi looked genuinely puzzled now.
"I really don't think I've done anything worth mentioning."
The wind picked up slightly, causing Mizuki's hair to sway gently across her face. Arashi instinctively reached out—but stopped halfway—then awkwardly cleared his throat instead.
There was something strangely comforting about this moment.
No drama.
No tension.
Just two people walking home, arguing softly about who had done more for the other.
And somehow… that simple exchange felt more intimate than any grand confession ever could.
Mizuki looked at him again, this time with a playful glint in her eyes.
"You really don't realize it, do you?" she murmured.
Arashi tilted his head slightly.
"Realize what?"
But she only smiled.
And continued walking beside him.
The road ahead felt a little shorter than usual.
For a while, they continued walking in that soft, comfortable silence.
Then suddenly, Arashi cleared his throat.
"Mizuki… I… um… I wanted to talk to you about something."
His voice faltered slightly in the middle.
Just a little.
But Mizuki noticed.
She always noticed.
The way he hesitated… the way his tone dropped… the way he avoided direct eye contact for a second. It was obvious to her that whatever he wanted to say wasn't something casual. It was serious. And more than that—it was something that required courage.
A lot of it.
She gently looked at him and said, "No, Arashi… if it's something like that, then not right now."
He blinked. "Why, Mizuki?"
She looked ahead, her expression soft but firm.
"I don't know exactly what you want to say," she replied quietly, "but I can tell it's something serious. And… I don't want to hear it right now. You can tell me after some time."
Arashi frowned slightly. "But I want to say it now."
Mizuki shook her head lightly.
"Arashi, try to understand. Please… don't say anything serious right now. Whatever it is, we'll talk about it later."
There was no rejection in her voice. No fear.
Just timing.
Arashi looked at her for a few seconds, as if weighing whether to insist or not. Then, slowly, he nodded.
"…Alright. I understand."
He didn't push further. He didn't question her again.
And that alone made Mizuki's heart feel warmer.
Then suddenly, her serious expression melted into a teasing smile.
"You know," she said playfully, "the way you blushed while saying that… I think I can guess what you were about to say."
Arashi's eyes widened slightly. "Oh really?"
He tried to act calm, but the faint pink tint on his cheeks betrayed him.
"Fine," he replied with a small smirk. "We'll see. The day I actually say it to you."
Mizuki smiled brightly. "Deal."
And just like that, the heavy atmosphere dissolved.
They both started laughing softly as they continued walking, their shoulders occasionally brushing against each other. The earlier tension transformed into something light, sweet, and almost childish.
Time passed quickly.
Soon, they arrived in front of Mizuki's house.
The familiar gate stood quietly under the evening sky, the porch light already glowing warmly.
Arashi stopped walking.
"Well," he said gently, "you should go inside. Take care of yourself."
Mizuki nodded.
"Okay."
She took a few steps toward the gate… then suddenly turned back around. A soft smile appeared on her face—the kind that carried both affection and mischief.
"Thank you, Arashi," she said.
Then, without hesitation, she added,
"And I love you."
She waved her hand lightly and, before he could properly react, turned around and walked inside.
The door closed.
Arashi remained standing there.
For a moment… he just stared at the door.
Then slowly, a smile spread across his face. A helpless, sincere, completely smitten smile.
He turned around and began walking toward his own house.
"Aren't you supposed to say things like that more gently…?" he muttered to himself under his breath. "If you suddenly say things like that… one day I might end up falling even more crazy in love with you, Mizuki."
The evening breeze brushed past him again.
But this time, it didn't feel cool.
It felt warm.