Wounded in Decision
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The Tokyo sky embraced the night ever tighter, darkness enveloping every corner of the city. But for Kaito, that night was not only dark because of the somber sky, but also because of the heavy feelings weighing inside him. He sat in his room, staring at the sky that seemed far more unwelcoming than usual. Outside, life went on—as usual. But within his heart, everything felt frozen. Time seemed to stop flowing as he pondered the decision he had to make, knowing that no matter what he chose, something would break.
Kaito gripped an old book that still held childhood memories with Misaki. The book felt heavy, as if it carried a burden he could never release. Memories of laughter, of dreams that were once so pure, now felt so distant. On one hand, there was Hina—his sister, who needed him so much, whom he couldn't simply leave behind. But on the other hand, there was Misaki, the girl who reignited a long-buried part of him, who made him feel alive again after being trapped in routines and obligations for so long.
"Why does life have to be this hard?" Kaito muttered, his voice almost drowned in his own breath.
He felt an ever-deepening chasm between himself and two different worlds. Hina, with all her needs, with a vulnerability that only he could see—he felt responsible for protecting her, for always being by her side. But Misaki... she was a living memory, so vivid in his heart, stirring emotions he could not ignore, even though he knew their worlds had changed. Misaki's world was one he could not simply enter.
Outside his room, the sound of light footsteps echoed, and Kaito knew who it was. A gentle knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. Hina.
"Kaito, are you there?" his sister's soft voice pierced through the silence of the night.
Kaito took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He knew what he had to do. He opened the door, and there stood Hina, a bright smile on her face despite the exhaustion evident in her eyes.
"Hina," Kaito said softly, forcing a smile even though his heart felt fragile.
"Kaito, why aren't you sleeping?" Hina asked playfully, stepping in without waiting for an answer. "I feel like we haven't talked like we used to in a long time."
Kaito knew what she meant. Hina wanted to feel their closeness again, like in their childhood, when everything felt simple. But now, for Kaito, everything felt unbearably complicated.
"Hina," Kaito said, his voice more serious, "I need time to think. There are so many things I have to deal with, and I feel really lost."
Hina sat at the edge of his bed, looking at him with concerned eyes. "Kaito, what's on your mind? What's making you feel this way?"
Kaito hesitated for a moment. What could he say to Hina? That he was trapped in emotions he couldn't explain? That he loved Misaki but also felt responsible for Hina?
"I feel stuck, Hina," Kaito finally admitted, his voice hoarse. "I don't know how to move forward. It feels like I have to choose between two worlds, and there's no right choice. I don't want to lose you, but I also don't want to lose Misaki."
Hina looked at him seriously, her usual playful demeanor gone. "Kaito, you don't have to feel trapped. I know you're always there for me, and I don't want you to feel this way. If you choose Misaki, I'll understand. I just want you to be happy."
Her words were sincere, but Kaito could sense a hidden pain within them. Hina had always relied on him, and he knew that if he chose Misaki, he would be leaving behind the sister who had always been part of his life. But could he ignore his own feelings? The emotions that had resurfaced with an intensity he could no longer suppress?
Kaito closed his eyes for a moment, trying to steady his breath. "I'm afraid of losing you, Hina," he whispered. "But I'm also afraid of losing myself if I keep living a lie."
Hina gently held his hand, offering a fleeting sense of comfort. "Don't worry about me, Kaito. I'll be okay. What matters is that you find your happiness. If that means choosing Misaki, I'll support you."
She stood up, wiping away invisible tears. "I'll always be here for you, Kaito. No matter what."
Her words echoed in his ears, but his heart felt more shattered than ever. He had never felt so trapped by responsibility. His feelings for Misaki, the childhood memories that had come back to life—they all felt so real. But was that enough to sacrifice everything he had built with Hina?
As Hina left his room, leaving him with a mind heavier than before, Kaito sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the open window. The night breeze blew in, carrying a biting chill, but nothing could quell the burning turmoil in his chest.
Outside, the world kept turning. But inside him, Kaito felt stuck—trapped in a labyrinth of choices with no clear way out.
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Days passed, and Kaito felt increasingly burdened. Every time he saw Hina, guilt gnawed at him. Every time he saw Misaki, he felt like a part of him would be lost if he wasn't with her. But every step he took made the way forward seem even more unreachable—like a maze with no end.
One afternoon, as Kaito sat on a park bench, watching the autumn leaves fall, a soft voice called out to him.
"Kaito."
He turned and saw Misaki standing before him, a small smile on her lips. There was warmth in her eyes, but also an uncertainty she couldn't hide.
"Kaito, I just want to know one thing," Misaki said gently. "Do we still have a chance to go back to how things were?"
Her question shattered the tension that had been building within him. Kaito knew—this was the moment. The moment to make a decision that would change his life forever.
Misaki's words hung in the air, and Kaito felt as if the entire world had paused. He looked at her, searching for an answer in those eyes filled with both hope and hesitation. His heart pounded, as if Misaki had just voiced the very feelings he had been suppressing all this time. But even with so much he wanted to say, Kaito felt trapped in a shell he couldn't break.
"What do you mean by that?" he finally asked, his voice almost breaking. Each word felt like a struggle, as if he had to tear himself apart just to say them.
Misaki bit her lip, looking down briefly before meeting his gaze again. "We both know that a lot has changed, Kaito. I know you have your own life now, and I don't want to interfere. But... I just want to know if there's still room for us—if we still have a chance to start over."
Her words pierced Kaito's heart. He felt trapped in a loop of time he couldn't escape. Memories of their pure and hopeful childhood pulled him back, but on the other side, there was Hina—his sister, who had always depended on him. He felt as if he were standing at a crossroads, unable to move without leaving someone behind.
Misaki waited for his answer, but Kaito couldn't respond right away. He could only stare at her, lost and wounded by his own emotions.
"Misaki..." Kaito began, his voice trembling. "I... I don't know. This is all so complicated. There are so many things I have to consider."
Misaki nodded slowly, as if she understood the weight of his choice. "I won't force you, Kaito," she whispered. "I just want you to know that I'll always be here for you, no matter what."
Her words touched him deeply, but deep inside, Kaito knew—he couldn't keep living like this. He had to choose. And no matter what he decided, something would break.