Game Changer | Petalz 🌸🍃

Chapter XXVI

It's over, for good—that's the conclusion Sakura reaches after a long night of tossing and turning. Again, it's not something that needs to be said aloud; like so many things between them, it's understood without words.

Yet, as the first rays of sunlight filter through the blinds, one uncertain question still haunts her: can they remain friends? It echoes in her head when she stumbles upon Kazuha in the kitchen, greeting her with a quiet 'hey' only to be met with silence.

Taking her bowl with muesli, Kazuha shuffles to her room with Hana-chan in tow. Sakura catches a glimpse of her red-rimmed eyes before the door to her room closes with a click. Though quiet, the sound painfully reverberates inside Sakura's chest. And although she doesn't want to admit, the answer to her question seems to be an obvious no.

Maybe we just need time? She ponders over a bowl of soggy muesli.

They certainly can't pretend that nothing has ever happened between them, but however selfish it may sound, she doesn't want to lose Kazuha's presence entirely from her life. Yet she also knows that's not her decision to make. It's up to Kazuha to decide whether she'll be able to forgive her for choosing her career over their relationship.

🌸🍃

She doesn't expect Kazuha to join her when she leaves for the training, but she does. Just as Sakura puts on her boots, Kazuha walks out of her room and joins her in the corridor. She still avoids Sakura's gaze, but Sakura can sense the unspoken agreement that they'll commute together.

Not a word passes between them on their way to the stadium. However, once they enter the locker room, Kazuha's demeanor shifts to her usual cheerful and friendly self, complete with soft smiles and light-hearted jokes.

Sakura feels like she has entered an alternate dimension, one where the events of the past week, or rather, the past month, never took place. Their playful banter, the desire-laced stares, and their flirtatious remarks exchanged in hushed voices—all that is now gone.

It's confusing and frustrating. She doesn't quite know how to settle again into that old dynamic of theirs, acting as teammates and not particularly close friends, but friends nonetheless.

She isn't sure whether she should be smiling back. How big should those smiles be? Do they come off as genuine? Is it okay to laugh at Kazuha's jokes and chime in with her own quips? After she scores a goal, will it still be okay if she hugs her?

She feels like she's walking on a tightrope high in the air, with Kazuha's every smile and gesture being the gusts of wind threatening her fall. The ease with which Kazuha acts as if everything is fine both irritates and saddens her. Still, she manages to suppress these emotions and focuses on training.

It's only when they stand in front of each other, about to begin the scrimmage, that Sakura sees all the heartbreak sealed off behind Kazuha's glassy eyes. If Sakura's gaze lingers on her for a little longer than necessary, wordlessly poking and prodding, she's certain all of it is going to just spill forth in a flood of unrestrained tears.

Finally, it hits her what Kazuha is trying to do here. In the end, no one knew they were dating, so why should anyone know that they broke up? If they suddenly start acting differently around each other, questions, rumors, and suspicious glances will follow.

This realization makes Sakura hate herself even more. Not only has she broken Kazuha's heart, but she has essentially forced her into hiding her pain.

Looking down at the ball between them, she passes it to Kazuha. As they drift apart, she hopes the distance will alleviate at least some of Kazuha's heartache. Even if it doesn't help her, in fact, it makes the dull, throbbing pain inside her chest even worse.