"The wind never asks where it's allowed to go — it just carries the petals where they're meant to be."
---
Monday Morning – Whispers in the Hall
The week began like any other.
But Hana noticed it immediately — the glances, the smiles that didn't quite reach, the way conversation paused when she entered the room with Mio.
Classmates who once smiled at Mio with admiration now exchanged glances. Some of them whispered behind cupped hands.
Hana didn't care.
But she saw Mio stiffen.
At lunch, they sat together beneath the tree near the archery field. It had become their unofficial spot.
"Everyone's talking," Mio murmured.
Hana didn't pretend not to know. "They don't matter."
"I don't mind being talked about. I'm used to it."
"…But?"
Mio looked down at her bento. "I just don't want you to get hurt because of me."
Hana leaned closer.
"If being beside you is what hurts me," she said, "then I'll take every bruise."
---
Spring Cultural Day – The Festival
The annual cultural event arrived mid-week — an outdoor celebration to honor spring and showcase student-run stalls. It was a cheerful excuse to wear casual clothes, share food, and pretend exams didn't exist.
Mio wore a pale blue cardigan and soft white skirt. Her hair was down for once, curled gently at the ends.
Hana couldn't take her eyes off her.
They wandered from booth to booth — takoyaki, goldfish scooping, a flower arrangement display from the gardening club. The music was soft and cheerful. Students laughed and chased each other with balloons.
For a moment, it felt like a different world.
"I haven't done this in years," Mio said, staring at the stalls.
"Because of your mom?"
"She thinks these things are distractions. Unnecessary."
"But you like it."
Mio nodded. "I just forgot what it felt like."
She tried the goldfish game. Failed miserably. Laughed.
And Hana, hearing that unguarded sound, realized something deep and sharp:
> She was falling in love with Mio all over again.
Not the Mio who smiled politely.
Not the image or the idea.
But the girl — laughing over a spilled scoop, hands wet and cheeks pink from embarrassment.
---
Late Afternoon – The Storm Returns
They were resting near the sakura trees, ice cream in hand, when Hana's phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
She answered cautiously.
"Watanabe-san," came a cool voice. "This is Ayaka Katagiri."
Hana stood quickly. Mio looked up, confused.
"I'd like to speak with you. Alone."
"About?"
"My daughter. And your… influence."
Hana's grip tightened on the phone.
"Where?"
"Outside the main gate. Now."
Hana turned to Mio. "It's your mother. She wants to talk."
Mio's expression went pale. "I'll come—"
"No. Let me."
---
The Conversation
Ayaka waited in a black luxury car, the window rolled down just enough to reveal her sharp red lips and colder eyes.
"You've gotten close," she said, as Hana approached.
"Yes," Hana replied flatly.
"You're interfering."
"She asked me to stay."
Ayaka's eyes narrowed.
"Mio is a delicate case. She thrives when she has structure. Clear expectations. I've spent her whole life building that."
"Not a life," Hana said quietly. "A cage."
Ayaka's voice sharpened. "Don't mistake her weakness for love. You've made her vulnerable. She's slipping in club performance. She's distracted."
"She's healing."
"She's breaking."
"No," Hana said. "She's learning how to feel without asking for permission."
Ayaka leaned back, expression unreadable.
"She will outgrow you, Watanabe-san. Sooner or later. They all do."
"Maybe. But while she still needs someone, I'll be here."
Ayaka rolled up the window.
That was the end of it.
But Hana knew — it wasn't over.
---
That Night – On the Bridge
Mio and Hana walked along the river after dark, city lights reflecting like stars below their feet.
"She called you, didn't she?" Mio asked.
"She thinks you're slipping."
Mio didn't answer. She leaned against the railing.
"I don't want to disappoint her. I don't. But every time I try to be what she wants… it hurts more."
"You don't have to choose," Hana said. "You just have to stop losing yourself."
Mio turned toward her.
"What if I don't know who that is?"
"Then we'll figure it out. Together."
Silence.
Then Mio asked, "Can I stay with you this weekend?"
"Of course."
And there — beneath the cherry trees that lined the river, with petals floating in the water like memories — Mio reached for Hana's hand and held it tight.
---
End of Chapter 9
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