In the quiet corner of a bustling café, Kazuha sat alone, her gaze fixed on the rain-streaked window. The soft patter of raindrops against the glass seemed to echo the rhythm of her heart, heavy with the weight of vivid memories of her best friend.
Flashback
"Y/N! Will you ever come back?" Kazuha panted, a hint of redness evident through her watery eyes.
"Zuha-chan, I'm not sure when I'll be able to see you again. I hope soon tho, I don't want a gorgeous girl like you to be taken away from me hehe." He softly smiled at her while ruffling her hair.
"I'm waiting for you to come back to me!" Kazuha said as her sobs slowly converted into an affectionate smile.
"I promise."
End of Flashback
It had been 4 years since she last saw him since their paths diverged and they went their separate ways. Yet, despite the passing of time, the memory of Y/N still lingered in the recesses of her mind like a bittersweet melody she couldn't quite forget.
Lost in her thoughts, kazuha almost didn't notice the familiar figure approaching her table. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of him standing there, his eyes filled with an emotion she couldn't name.
"May I join you?" Y/N asked while grinning.
Kazuha nodded, her voice catching in her throat as she struggled to find the right words. "Of-of course, dummy."
She was startled.
As he settled into the seat opposite her, Kazuha couldn't help but steal glances at him, drinking at the sight of the man she loved with all her heart. Unfortunately for Kazuha, the boy has always been oblivious to her feelings.
Time had changed his appearance, however, it was the same smile, the same person she had fallen for all those years ago.
"What have you been up to these years when I am gone? I'm sorry I couldn't come back to visit, uni was very stressful for me."
"Just finishing up uni and all that, hmmp I was waiting for you to come back and go to the Hanabi festivals with me!" Kazuha retorted with a cute pout.
"Zuha-chan, I'm sorry hehe. I will definitely bring you to one this year. I promise!" The boy responded.
Kazuha's cheeks started to heat up, consequently, she asked. "Y/N are you staying?"
The boy simply nodded with a wide grin on his face.
They fell into easy conversation, their words dancing around the unspoken truths that hung between them like a veil. There was an unspoken joy lingering in the air, a palpable sense of longing for what could have been, and Kazuha found herself wishing that she could have been more straightforward to him in the past.
Hours passed in the blink of an eye, the café growing empty as the night wore on. And as they finally rose to leave, Kazuha couldn't shake the feeling of impending goodbye that hung in the air like a shadow.
I can't let him go this time.
"Wait Y/N!" Kazuha whispered to the man as they slowly walked away from the café.
"Hmm?"
"I lik–"
The man swiftly interrupted the blushing girl with a kiss on her crown, creating a warming atmosphere for them on the chilly autumn night.
"Sorry for making you wait for these years," Y/N said softly to her, melting her heart with the same bright smile that she missed every day.
"I will not leave this time, Zuha-chan. I promise."
