Chapter 25: Chapter 25 : Silent Sunrise

Kana’s breathing had grown slow and steady, her cheek pressed warmly against Haruto’s chest. Her hand was still curled over his side, fingers slightly twitching now and then as if even in her dreams she didn’t want to let go. Haruto kept one arm draped around her back, stroking lightly with his thumb, while his eyes wandered up toward the ceiling glowing faintly under the moonlight.

Her words replayed in his head—the painful memories, the trauma, the relief of seeing Ayaka move forward, the need to believe that their bodies weren’t just taken for nothing. And it struck him with a clarity that almost hurt.

Every person has their own reason... for what they are now.

He closed his eyes, letting the thought sink in. Kana isn’t broken. Ayaka isn’t broken. They’re just shaped... by what was forced on them. By what they had to endure.

People change. That much was true. Not because they want to sometimes, but because the world corners them, molds them, scars them. Haruto thought about Kana’s forced laughter earlier, the way she smiled like she had to, and how different it was from the genuine relief he saw when she confessed to him.

"We can’t blame them," Haruto whispered under his breath, as if speaking to the quiet night. His hand brushed over Kana’s hair, soft and silky against his skin. "We can’t blame anyone for how they survived. Sometimes... the odd thoughts, the cruel eyes, the careless words we throw at people... they push someone into changing. Into hiding themselves behind a fake smile."

His heart ached at the image of Kana and Ayaka back then—two girls trapped in a situation they couldn’t escape, forced to carry something no one should. And yet, here they were. Living. Smiling. Loving.

Haruto tightened his embrace, his lips brushing the crown of Kana’s head. If it’s true that people are shaped by the past... then maybe I can be a reason they change for the better. Maybe I can be the reason they smile for real, without hiding behind it.

He opened his eyes again, staring at the sliver of moonlight falling across the room. The world outside was cold, harsh, unforgiving. But in this moment, holding Kana, Haruto felt a resolve hardening inside him.

I won’t let either of them wear fake smiles again. Not while I’m here. Not while I can hold them like this.

Kana shifted slightly in her sleep, pressing closer, and Haruto instinctively kissed her forehead softly, whispering, "Rest now... you’ve earned it."

And with that, he lay still, letting his thoughts drift between pain, love, and an unspoken promise—that no matter how much the past had scarred them, he would be the one to hold their truth.

The first rays of sunrise slipped gently through the curtains, painting the room in hues of pale gold and soft pink. The night’s stillness lingered, broken only by the faint sound of birds outside awakening to the morning.

Kana stirred awake, her cheek still resting on Haruto’s bare chest. His steady heartbeat thumped softly against her ear, slow and comforting, as if guarding her from every shadow that had haunted her dreams. For a while, she didn’t move—just listened to that rhythm, letting it anchor her in the tender quiet of dawn.

When she finally tilted her head up, the light of morning touched Haruto’s sleeping face. He looked so peaceful, the rising sun gilding his features in a soft glow. A small smile curled at Kana’s lips. He looks... safe. I don’t want to disturb him.

She carefully slipped out of his arms, her body brushing lightly against the cool morning air. With quiet hands, she reached down for her panties and slid them on, then clasped her delicate violet bra around her chest. The soft fabric hugged her skin, and for a moment, she thought the moment was over—until warmth enveloped her again.

A strong arm circled her waist from behind, pulling her gently back onto the bed. Kana let out a small gasp, her breath catching as she turned her head. Haruto’s eyes were half-open now, heavy with sleep but steady, his lips curving faintly at the corners.

"K-Kana..." his voice was low, husky from waking, but filled with an intimacy that made her heart race. He pressed his bare body lightly against her back, the heat of his skin chasing away the chill of morning. "Don’t worry about anything."

Her heart thudded wildly.

"I’m always with you," Haruto murmured, his lips brushing her shoulder, the words carrying the weight of a vow.

Kana turned slowly in his arms, gazing up at him. For a moment, the world seemed to still—the first morning light spilling across the room, the warmth of his embrace, and the raw honesty in his eyes. Haruto cupped her cheek gently, tilting her face up, and pressed a soft kiss onto her lips.

It was slow, delicate, filled with warmth that seeped deeper than words could reach. Kana melted into it, her eyes fluttering closed as her hands clung lightly to his shoulders. The morning glow wrapped around them, making the kiss feel less like temptation and more like a promise of something new.

When their lips parted, their foreheads stayed close, breaths mingling in the quiet air. Kana’s lips trembled faintly, but her smile was genuine.

"...Thank you, Haruto," she whispered, her voice fragile yet steady, carrying both relief and affection.

And in that gentle embrace, beneath the glow of sunrise, they lingered—two hearts wrapped in the fragile beauty of a morning that felt like a beginning.

Haruto stepped out onto the rooftop, the mug of coffee warm in his hand as the early morning air greeted him. The rooftop was hushed, carrying only the distant chirping of waking birds and the faint rustle of leaves stirred by the dawn breeze.

He leaned against the railing, his eyes drawn eastward where the horizon was beginning to bloom with light. The darkness of night thinned away, replaced by strokes of pale gold, soft pink, and a quiet fire of orange spreading like paint across the sky. The sun, still half-hidden, rose slowly, spilling its glow over rooftops, trees, and windows.

The first sunlight touched the world like a gentle hand, brushing life into the stillness. Haruto took a sip of his coffee, the bitter warmth grounding him while the morning chill kissed his bare chest. Each breath he released felt lighter, as though the air itself carried away the heaviness lingering inside him.

Kana’s words echoed in his mind—about people changing, about reasons behind smiles and scars. The sunrise seemed to answer her truth: change wasn’t just inevitable, it was beautiful. Night could feel endless, but morning always came. Every person carried their own reasons, their own shadows, yet the dawn reminded him there was always a chance to start again.

He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the breeze comb through his hair, the warmth of sunlight filling his face. His heart softened, his thoughts steadying. Right here, in this delicate in-between of night and day, Haruto didn’t feel the weight of what he had done or what was yet to come.

It was simply him, his coffee, the sky unfolding above him, and the earth bathed in the first glow of morning—like the world itself was whispering that life was worth carrying forward.

Haruto’s gaze lingered on the horizon, but his mind drifted far beyond it. The warmth of the coffee in his hand slowly faded, replaced by the weight of his thoughts.

"What am I really doing with my life...?" The question echoed in his chest, heavier than the quiet of dawn. He remembered the moments of passion—the softness of Kana’s body against his, the way Ayaka’s eyes once trembled with vulnerability. Those moments burned bright, but now, in the silence of morning, they left behind something heavier than pleasure—responsibility.

He clenched the mug gently, staring into the coffee’s surface as the first golden light spilled across it. "Doing sex with girls... it isn’t something to be proud of. I’m doing it without even thinking, without realizing the weight behind it. What if... what if one of them got pregnant?" The thought tightened his chest. The sunrise, beautiful and new, suddenly felt like a reminder that choices couldn’t be undone, but they could still be faced.

"If that happens, I can’t run. I have to take responsibility. Whoever I share myself with, whoever I touch... I’ll give them a better life. Even if that means marrying one... or five... or ten... I’ll protect them. I’ll stand by them."

The sun slowly rose higher, spreading its warmth across the rooftops, painting the world in gold. Haruto’s lips curved into the faintest, conflicted smile. It wasn’t the smile of a boy lost in fleeting pleasure—it was the quiet, hesitant smile of a man trying to find meaning in the chaos of his desires.

The morning breeze swept across him, carrying away the steam from his coffee. Haruto exhaled deeply, as if letting go of the weight pressing on his chest.

"Yeah... if I choose this path, I won’t do it selfishly anymore. I’ll make it worth something."

The sun finally crested the horizon, flooding everything with light. For Haruto, it felt like a vow whispered into the new day—unseen, unheard, but deeply binding.