As I walked beside him on that asphalt road, I wondered.
It was bothering me for a while.
Why didn’t he ask what was in that letter?
“Aiko,” he suddenly said, catching me off guard.
“Y-yes?” I responded nervously.
Him calling out my name felt unnatural.
It was always oi or hey or some other name he’d come up with.
Very rarely did he use my name.
Hatori’s back was still facing me when he turned his head slightly to the left,
it was just enough that I could see the side of his face.
“What did you write in that letter?” well speak of the devil.
I prayed to the gods that I would have the courage to say it now.
No more running, no more secrets.
“Hatori,” I said softly, risking the most important thing I had with him,
a friendship we discovered during that summer after fifth grade.
“No, nevermind. Forget I asked,” he started to walk again, this time hurriedly.
I could tell he was trying to avoid this,
but there was no way I was going to stop now.
YOU ARE READING
Aiko's Courage「愛子の勇気」
RomanceKondou Aiko has liked the same boy since fifth grade. But ever since the summer he found out, she was determined to hide her admiration and simply love him from a distance. But when things involving Hatori Taiki, the boy she likes, starts to in...
