The gentle clinking of a metal gate against the pavement broke the silence. Aya opened her eyes, her gaze meeting Kei's. He stood a few feet away, his silhouette a stark contrast against the neon-lit cityscape. He seemed different now, his eyes holding a vulnerability that she hadn't noticed before.
He took a step forward, his voice a low murmur. "Aya, please, let me explain."
The words hung heavy in the air, a plea for understanding. Aya stood frozen, her heart a battlefield of emotions. She couldn't deny the pull of his presence, the lingering warmth of his gaze. But the wounds of the past, still raw and bleeding, held her back.
Aya stepped back, her gaze meeting Kei's. The silence between them was thick with unspoken emotions. She couldn't deny the pull of his presence, the lingering warmth of his gaze. But the wounds of the past, still raw and bleeding, held her back.
Kei took a step closer, his voice a low murmur. "I know I don't deserve a second chance. But I have to try. I have to tell you how much I regret everything. I was a coward, a selfish fool."
He reached out, his hand hovering near hers. "I was scared. Scared of responsibility, scared of commitment. I didn't know what I was doing, but I know now. I know how much I lost, how much I threw away. I've been trying to find you for years, Aya. I've been living with guilt and regret."
Aya's heart ached, a painful mixture of sorrow and anger. She saw the genuine regret in his eyes, the weight of his past mistakes etched on his face. She had to admit, he seemed different now, a man burdened by his past, a man who had grown and changed.
Aya’s voice, laced with bitterness and resentment, cut through the night. “It’s too late, Kei. You can’t just come back now and expect everything to be okay. You walked away, you left me alone, and you can’t just erase that with a few words. I have a son now, a life I built on my own. I don’t need you anymore.”
The words, sharp and cold, stung the air between them. Kei’s face fell, his eyes dropping to the ground. He knew she was right. He had no right to expect her to forgive him so easily, to let him back into her life after all he had done.
“I understand,” he said, his voice a mere whisper. “I don’t expect anything from you. I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry. That I regret everything.” He took a step back, his gaze lingering on her face. “I just wanted you to know.”
Aya stood silent, her heart a tangled knot of emotions. She couldn’t deny the flicker of hope that had sparked within her, a hope that maybe, just maybe, he had changed. But the scars of the past, the wounds that had never fully healed, still held her back.
YOU ARE READING
One Shot Of Hope
Non-FictionAya, a strong and independent woman, finds her life upended by a past betrayal. Years later, she must confront her painful past and a second chance at love with the man who once broke her heart.
