I replied to her message after a brief hesitation:
"Yes… I'm fine."
I didn't add anything else.
Neither did she reply right away.
I put my phone aside, as if I was afraid of saying too much—or not enough. I didn't really know what I wanted… or what I was expecting.
-------------
At School – Lunchtime
I was on the rooftop, as usual.
My lunch box lay in front of me, the city stretching quietly beyond the noise of the classrooms. I ate slowly, thinking about nothing in particular, when I heard the metal door open.
I turned.
It was her.
Sakura Yamada.
She paused at the door for a moment, then walked toward me with hesitant steps.
"Um… can I eat lunch with you?"
I froze for a second.
"Ah… yeah, of course."
She sat down nearby—not too far, not close enough to completely unsettle me. We opened our lunch boxes in a brief silence, then she started talking.
She spoke about classes, daily stress, ordinary things… and I listened more than I spoke.
Then, without any warning, I asked:
"Sakura… if someone asked you out… would you say yes?"
She looked up at me, surprised, then thought for a moment.
"That depends… on who asks."
I swallowed.
"And… how so?"
She smiled lightly and said honestly:
"If it were someone like you—introverted, quiet… someone who barely talks, almost like a ghost… I don't think I'd enjoy being with someone like that, haha."
Everything inside me froze.
She continued, unaware of what she had just done:
"But if it were someone like Kenji—confident, social, knows how to talk… if someone like that were mine, I'd be really lucky."
She suddenly looked at me.
"Hiroshi-kun—"
She stopped and waved her hand quickly.
"No, no, I don't mean you exactly! Haha… I'm just giving an example."
Her voice grew awkward.
As for me… I was calm in a frightening way.
"Yeah… I know."
I closed my lunch box.
"I'm done… thank you for your time."
I stood up and left before she noticed I had only eaten half my meal.
By the Staircase
I stopped at the rooftop door.
I didn't go down right away.
I stood there, one hand on the railing, her words echoing in my head.
She was never mine to begin with.
I just realized it too late.
-----------
After School
I saw her.
She was walking beside Kenji.
They were laughing.
It wasn't forced.
It wasn't polite laughter.
It was natural… effortless… as if it was only normal.
I didn't feel angry.
Nor loudly jealous.
I just felt something small inside me… go out.
-------------
Evening – At the Ito House
At the Ito house, Mino was running around the living room, his yellow belt swaying as he enthusiastically mimicked karate moves.
Akari Ito, his older sister, watched him with a warm smile—until her eyes landed on something on the table.
A black belt.
She stopped.
"Oh no… this isn't Mino's."
She picked it up hesitantly.
"It's… Hiroshi-san's belt."
Her cheeks flushed slightly.
"We forgot it here…"
She hesitated, then gently tightened her grip.
"I need to return it."
At My House
I was preparing my gym bag.
Water bottle.
Towel.
Training clothes.
"I'm heading out," I said to my mom.
"Be safe," she replied with a smile.
I opened the door.
And stopped....
She was standing right in front of me—about to knock.
…What is this beautiful girl doing in front of my house?
She quickly lifted her head.
"I'm sorry, Hiroshi-san! We forgot your belt at my brother Mino's place… and he forgot to bring it today."
She held it out to me.
"Mino…?"
A memory flashed—of a kid jumping around at the dojo.
"…Ah."
I looked at her.
"So… you're his sister."
She smiled shyly.
"Yes."
She handed me the belt gently.
I took it—but I couldn't look at it.
I was looking at her.
She was calm… bright… different.
As if I were seeing her for the first time.
"Are you going to the dojo today?" she asked.
"No."
I shook my head.
"I stopped. The black belt was my goal, and I've achieved it. I'm going to the gym now. I want to change things a bit."
"I see…"
She said with quiet admiration.
"You're really hardworking. My brother talks about you all the time… he wants to become like you."
I felt embarrassed.
"Ah… how is he doing?"
"He's doing well. He has his orange belt test next week."
Then she looked at me hesitantly.
"Are you… free that day?"
"Why?"
"If you're there… he might feel more encouraged."
I thought for a few seconds.
Then I said:
"Yeah… I'm free."
Her face lit up.
"Then I'll be waiting for you that day."
She waved and left.
------------
On the Way to the Gym
I walked with the black belt in my bag, but its weight felt different than I had imagined.
I ran into Kaito on the way.
He looked at me and laughed.
"Is it just me, or are your muscles actually starting to show?"
I smiled—for the first time in days.
"Yeah. Just wait… you haven't seen everything yet."
He grinned.
"Did you make up with Kenji, Hiro?"
I replied calmly:
"That will never happen, Kaito. I know he's your friend… but I've removed him from my life."
He stopped and stared at me.
"My friend?! If you cut him out, then I did too. He's nothing but a jerk, right, Hiro?"
I looked at him in surprise.
"You're seriously crazy," I laughed.
We walked to the gym together, then parted ways.
That relationship was never mine.
But the path ahead…
Is still open.
And now—
It's clear.