A Promise to be Kept (Nisekoi Raku x Onodera)

Ch. 3: Rejection

"Hey..." Raku started. "There you are." His voice trailed off.

Chitoge stood with her back to him, hair swishing in the wind. "...Yes.."

"My plan was to find you and get some answers," Raku said, "But now... I can't really think of what to ask. " He faltered.

"Yes... me too..." Chitoge uttered. "Hey... Raku?"

"I... love you."

The statement hung heavy in the dense mountain air. Nobody spoke for a minute.

"I've loved you for a long, long time now," She faltered. "I realized it at the school festival... back in our first year."

"But.. you like Kosaki, right? I overheard you the other day, when you and Maiko were talking. That's... that's why I ran away. I'm really sorry for making everyone worry. And I remember what happened 10 years ago."

"I'm not... your promise girl. It was Kosaki." Chitoge managed to choke out the sentence, a tear rolling down her face. "So.. I can finally let it go. Still, I just wanted to tell you... that I love you. "

"I've been selfish from beginning to end. I'm sorry." She finished her speech.

Raku looked down, knowing what was next. "I see," he smiled, but a smile of deep sorrow. "Just now, Kosaki confessed her feelings to me. And... I accepted her love... and returned it." Raku said the last part slowly, to let in sink in.

"And it's true..." he said. "I loved Kosaki for ages. Really, years and years. I remember what happened ten years ago too. All of it."

"But along the journey.... I met someone else. A friend. A companion. Chitoge, I... did love you too. You will always be special to me. But now that I've made my decision..." he hesitated, not wanting to finish the sentence.

Tears started rolling down Chitoge's face, and she didn't know whether it was out of sorrow over her rejection, or out of the small joy she had taken from what Raku had said. She turned to face Raku, teardrops streaming down into the mountain soil.

"Same... same promise as ten years ago, okay? " She choked out. "Treat Onodera well."

"Of course," Raku nodded solemnly.