Their hands interlaced, and an awkward atmosphere was between them. “How long are we going to be like this?” It was Aiko who spoke up. Chinen looked at the girl with a guilty expression, knowing that this wasn’t fair for her. He apologized again, yet Aiko never failed to give him another reassuring smile.

What Chinen didn’t know about the smile was that, behind the smile the girl’s heart was breaking.

All because it was an act. Chinen didn’t love her. Yet she loves him with all her heart. 

***

They were together because Chinen didn’t want to be forced into marriage with some stranger. Aiko agreed into Chinen’s plan, since she was, after all, one of his best friends. Both of them continued walking towards the park, and the contact between their hands broke. Chinen pulled away, as he quickly rushed towards a taller guy, jumping into his embrace.

Takaki Yuya. He was another reason why Aiko had agreed to Chinen’s plan. She knew that both of them are in love. Of course she knows, since her eyes never left Chinen. She knows about how Chinen’s eyes lit up when Takaki appears. She knows about how childish Takaki acts when he was with Chinen.

It breaks her heart of course. “Good bye, my love.”

With that, she left. Chinen Yuri never saw Sugihara Aiko again.