Fractured Trust
The warm, gentle atmosphere that had surrounded Kaito and Misaki for the past few weeks was suddenly on the verge of crumbling. The comfort, the budding emotions, and the quiet understanding they had shared—all of it was now standing on fragile ground.
It all started with a simple misunderstanding.
---
The afternoon sun cast long shadows as Kaito made his way through campus. He had finished his last class earlier than expected and decided to surprise Misaki by waiting for her outside her lecture hall. He pulled out his phone and typed a quick message.
Kaito: Hey, I'm outside your class. Thought I'd walk you home.
A few minutes passed, but there was no response. Shrugging, he leaned against the wall, watching students file out of the building. Then, among the crowd, he spotted her.
Misaki was walking beside a tall, well-dressed man, someone Kaito recognized immediately—Daichi Mori, one of the most popular seniors in their department. They were laughing. The sight of Misaki smiling so openly at another man sent an unfamiliar pang through Kaito's chest. He didn't understand why it bothered him, but it did.
As they approached, Kaito's expression hardened. He hadn't seen Misaki smile like that at him in days. Maybe he was imagining things, but something about the way she looked at Daichi felt... different.
"Misaki," Kaito called, pushing himself off the wall.
Misaki blinked, her expression shifting from amused to mildly surprised. "Kaito?"
Daichi turned as well, giving Kaito a polite nod before stepping slightly to the side, as if recognizing an unspoken tension between them.
"I didn't know you were waiting," Misaki said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "What's up?"
Kaito's gaze flickered between her and Daichi before settling on her. "I was going to walk you home."
"Oh." She hesitated. "Daichi and I were just heading to a café to talk about—"
Before she could finish, Daichi interrupted. "We're working on a project together," he explained smoothly, his tone light. "Nothing more."
Something about his voice rubbed Kaito the wrong way. He wanted to believe it was nothing, but the way Misaki had been laughing just moments ago kept replaying in his mind. And why hadn't she mentioned working with Daichi before? He wasn't the type to be overly jealous, but this felt... off.
"Right," Kaito muttered, trying to keep his voice even. "Well, I'll see you later then."
Misaki frowned slightly, clearly sensing the shift in his demeanor. "Kaito—"
"It's fine," he cut her off, forcing a small smile. "I'll let you get to your project."
Before she could say anything else, he turned and walked away, his chest tightening with something he couldn't quite name.
---
That evening, Kaito sat in his room, staring at his phone.
There was a message from Misaki.
Misaki: I feel like you were upset earlier. Are you okay?
He exhaled sharply, fingers hovering over the keyboard. He could tell her it was nothing. He could brush it off. But the truth was, it wasn't nothing. It was bothering him.
Kaito: Just caught me off guard. Didn't know you were working with him.
Her reply came almost instantly.
Misaki: It was a last-minute thing. I didn't think it was important.
Something about her words made Kaito's stomach twist. Not important? Maybe she was right. Maybe he was overthinking things. But he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something she wasn't telling him.
He debated his next words carefully before typing:
Kaito: Right. Got it.
No accusations. No anger. Just three simple words. But somehow, they felt heavier than they should have.
Misaki didn't reply after that.
---
The following days were different.
Misaki still met up with Kaito, but there was a distance between them that hadn't been there before. Conversations that once flowed effortlessly now felt forced. The warmth that had settled between them seemed to have cooled. And worst of all, Kaito kept seeing Misaki with Daichi. It was always in passing, always casual, but the sight never failed to ignite something bitter inside him.
It all came to a head one evening when Kaito saw Misaki sitting with Daichi at the same café they had visited together just days before.
She was smiling.
Laughing.
And then, Daichi reached across the table and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Kaito froze. He knew that gesture. It was intimate. Familiar.
Something snapped inside him.
Without thinking, he turned on his heel and walked away.
---
That night, he didn't reply to Misaki's message.
And the next day, he didn't wait for her after class.
The growing silence between them spoke louder than any words ever could.
The rift between Kaito and Misaki grew wider with each passing day. Where there had once been warmth and understanding, now only silence and uncertainty remained. Kaito found himself withdrawing, unsure if what he had seen was a mere misunderstanding or something deeper that he was too afraid to confront.
---
Kaito sat on the rooftop of the university building, his usual escape when he needed to clear his thoughts. The cool evening breeze did little to ease the tightness in his chest. His phone buzzed beside him. He already knew who it was without looking.
Misaki: Kaito, can we talk?
He clenched his jaw, debating whether to reply. But before he could make a decision, another message followed.
Misaki: Please. I feel like you're avoiding me.
Avoiding her? Maybe he was. Or maybe he was just trying to protect himself from the possibility that what he feared was true.
Kaito: Where?
Misaki: The café. The one near the library.
The café. The very place where he had seen her with Daichi. He exhaled sharply before typing.
Kaito: Fine. Be there in ten.
---
When he arrived, Misaki was already waiting for him at a corner table. She looked up as he approached, her expression a mixture of relief and hesitation.
"Hey," she said softly.
"Hey," Kaito replied, sitting down across from her. He folded his arms, waiting for her to speak.
Misaki took a deep breath. "Kaito... what's going on? You've been distant. Cold. Did I do something wrong?"
Kaito studied her for a moment before sighing. "I saw you. With Daichi. At this very café."
Misaki blinked, clearly caught off guard. "You... saw us?"
"Yeah. And I saw him touch your hair. You laughed. You looked... happy. Happier than I've seen you with me lately." His voice was steady, but there was an edge of hurt beneath it.
Misaki's eyes widened, then softened with understanding. "Kaito, it's not what you think. Daichi and I—"
"Then what is it?" Kaito interrupted, leaning forward slightly. "Because from where I stood, it sure as hell looked like something."
Misaki exhaled, frustration flickering in her gaze. "He's just a friend. A senior who's been helping me with my project. That moment you saw... it meant nothing."
Kaito shook his head. "Then why didn't you tell me? Why did it feel like you were keeping it a secret?"
Misaki hesitated. "I didn't think it was important."
Those words again. Not important.
Kaito let out a bitter chuckle. "Right. Just like before. You keep saying that, but it sure as hell feels important to me."
Misaki reached for his hand across the table, but he pulled away. Hurt flashed across her face. "Kaito... you have to trust me."
"I want to," he admitted. "But right now, I don't know if I can."
Misaki's lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but no words came. Silence stretched between them, heavier than ever before.
After a long moment, Kaito pushed back his chair and stood. "Maybe we need some space."
Misaki's breath hitched. "Is that what you really want?"
Kaito looked at her—really looked at her. The girl who had once been his safe place now felt like a stranger.
"I don't know anymore."
And with that, he walked away, leaving Misaki sitting there, staring after him as the distance between them grew even wider.