short sad story

Unforgotten Echoes

In a small corner of the world, Ryo, a quiet male student librarian, found solace among dusty books and the rhythmic hush of pages turning. The hushed whispers of knowledge were his only companions, for he had always been a loner, a boy with no friends. Until Hasegawa entered his life.

Hasegawa, the charismatic student leader, seemed to exist in every corner of Ryo's existence. They ran into each other in the library, the cafeteria, the hallways - a serendipitous dance that left Ryo's heart in turmoil. What drew Ryo in was the simple act of recognition. Hasegawa knew his name, and that simple greeting made Ryo feel special in a world where he had always felt invisible.

But it was more than that. Hasegawa offered kindness where others had only shown indifference. He helped Ryo with his books, listened to his thoughts, and, above all, cared for him in a way that felt like sunlight piercing through his life's cloudy skies. Slowly, Ryo began to fall in love, his heart finding the courage to express feelings that had long been locked away.

One day, with trembling words and a pounding heart, Ryo confessed his love to Hasegawa, hoping for a connection that would ease the solitude he'd always known. But what he received in return was a look of disgust, a cruel twist of fate that shattered his fragile world.

Rumors spread like wildfire through the school, painting Ryo as a villain, an aggressor who had dared to harass Hasegawa. He became the target of relentless bullying, a cruel reminder that he would never belong. For three agonizing years, he endured torment from people he didn't even know, all because he had dared to love.

But time passed, as it always does. Seven years later, Ryo had moved on. He had built a life for himself, far away from the haunting shadows of his past. His sexual orientation was no longer a secret he needed to guard with his life.

One day, a familiar face appeared in his life again, this time in the workplace. Hasegawa, the man who had brought both happiness and despair, had joined the same company where Ryo worked. At first, Ryo's heart raced with fear, fearing that his colleagues would discover the rumors from his school days. But nothing happened. Instead, Hasegawa seemed to want to bridge the chasm that had separated them for so long.

"I... like you,"

Hasegawa confessed, his eyes filled with sincerity.

But Ryo had changed. The scars of his past ran deep, and he had learned to protect himself by distancing himself from the pain. The love he once felt had transformed into something else, something he couldn't define. He looked at Hasegawa, his heart heavy with the memories of rejection and torment.

"I can't,"

Ryo whispered, his voice barely audible, as he turned away.

And so, their paths converged and diverged once more, leaving Ryo with a choice he never thought he'd have to make.

In the end, it was a reminder that while time might heal some wounds, the echoes of the past could never truly be forgotten.

Inspiration by
'Sanrio Danshi' character