[In front of Class A 3]
He stopped outside the classroom door. His fingers trembled as he adjusted the rose in his hand.
This is it. There's no turning back now.
Everyone had already left the school.
"Okay, then," Nawfi muttered to himself, taking a deep breath.
He stood before the door, his heart racing. With a shaky hand, he reached for the handle. As his fingers touched the cold metal, he froze.
He heard a voice from inside the room.
"So, what do you want to talk to me about, Ichiro-san?"
"I… Ichiro-san? Isn't he the top student in school?" Nawfi thought, his heart skipping a beat,"What would he want to talk about with her?"
He instinctively moved closer to the door, unable to resist the urge to listen.
He slightly cracked the door open, not realizing anyone would notice.
"Ayane-san!" Ichiro's voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable sincerity. "I like you… please go out with me."
"W-What?!" Nawfi's eyes widened in shock. He felt a sharp pang of panic in his chest. Is he asking her out…?
His mind spun in confusion.
Why wouldn't he ask her out? he thought bitterly. He's the top student, he's good-looking, and I… I'm nothing compared to him.
His shoulders slumped, the weight of his insecurities pulling him down.
"I like you too, Ichiro-san," Ayane replied, her voice soft but clear.
Nawfi's world shattered in that moment. The rose in his hand slipped from his grip, falling to the floor with a quiet thud.
Without thinking, he turned and walked away, his legs moving on their own.
"..…" He heard Ayane's voice, but it was too late. He didn't stop.
From the other side of the door, Ayane's eyes widened in realization as she saw someone leave in the distance.
Outside the school building,
Nawfi walked slowly, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
"So, she likes that guy… huh?" His voice wavered as he spoke to himself.
the sadness threatening to break him. His eyes stung with tears, but he quickly wiped them away, forcing a faint smile.
"Isn't it nice to see her happy?" he muttered, trying to convince himself.
As he approached the school gate, he spotted Almus standing there. Nawfi quickly blinked away any remaining tears and attempted a small smile.
"Nawfi! How did it go?" Almus called out cheerfully.
"About what?" Nawfi replied, his voice flat.
"You dummy! About your confession to Ayane, what else?" Almus laughed, but didn't notice the tension in Nawfi's expression.
"Oh… that?" Nawfi's smile was hollow. "It went well. There's someone she likes."
Almus let out a sigh of relief, not fully processing what Nawfi had said.
"Thank God… I was scared. I thought you'd get rejected for sure." He started joking, his carefree attitude at odds with Nawfi's mood.
"Well then, there's going to be a party today!" Almus added, suddenly excited,"I'll call everyone!"
"Wait, what?" Nawfi was caught off guard by Almus's shift in mood.
"Yeah… she likes someone," Nawfi repeated softly, the sadness in his words clear now. He forced a small smile, though it didn't reach his eyes,
"I'm leaving now."
Almus watched Nawfi walk away, but didn't say a word, sensing something was off. Nawfi continued down the empty street, the sound of his footsteps the only thing accompanying him.
As he passed by an alley, his emotions finally overwhelmed him.
"Why… why?!" Nawfi shouted, his fists pounding against the cold wall, his cries echoing in the quiet street,
"Why does it have to be me?"
Tears streamed down his face as he hit the wall harder, the pain in his chest too much to bear.
"Why? Ayane… why?" His voice cracked, and his hands began to bleed, but he didn't stop,
"No… no… it's not her fault. It's always been me. I've been useless."
He sank to his knees, breathing heavily, trying to calm himself with a shaky smile.
"It's alright… she should be fine with him," Nawfi whispered to himself, though the sadness lingered in his eyes.
"I just want her to be happy."
With great effort, he stood up, blood dripping from his hands. He wiped his face and began to walk again, his steps slow and heavy.
As he crossed the road, he noticed a girl of his age stumbling onto the street, right in the path of an oncoming truck. His heart raced. Without thinking, he ran forward, pushing the girl out of harm's way.
But in the process, he lost his balance and couldn't move fast enough. The truck was too close.
CRUSH!!
"Hey! Someone call an ambulance!"
"Lift him up… he's bleeding too much! If we don't get him help, he'll die any minute!"
As they tried to help him, Nawfi lay there, his vision blurry and his mind foggy. In his last moments, he whispered to himself,
"Then I will die like this… huh?"
A faint, sad smile crossed his lips as he felt the darkness closing in,
"It's alright… just let her be happy."