Mia thought she had misheard him. Herbreathhitched,herbodyfrozeninplace.
"W-what did you just say?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Kei's gaze didn't waver. He leaned in slightly, enunciating every word with slow, deliberate precision.
"Are you doing this because Haru chose Sakura over you on your wedding day?"
Mia's mind went blank. Theworldaroundherdulled,herpulsehammeringinherears. She stared at Kei, wide-eyed, lips parted as if the answer had been stolen from her breath.
Kei exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face. "I can't believe my hunch was right." His voice carried a strange mixture of frustration and exhaustion. Hisusualcooldemeanourwavered,revealingsomethingrawbeneath. "You remember everything, too."
Mia's throat felt dry. When her senses finally returned, she forced herself to speak.
"Does Haru and Sakura remember, too?" she asked, her voice tight, almost desperate.
"They're oblivious to it all, as far as I'm concerned."
Mia clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms. "And you... how do you remember?"
Kei studied her for a moment before answering, his tone softer now.
"You know me—I love books. I work at a bookstore, after all. But I don't just love reading; I love writing, too. I started keeping a diary when we first started college, and I continued writing in it for nine years." He let out a breath, shaking his head. "After my first day of college, I went to write in my diary, only to find the date was nine years from now. I thought one of my siblings was playing a cruel joke, but the handwriting was mine. It was my words—my memories. So I started reading. And just like that, everything came back to me."
Mia's pulse spiked. Herstomachtwistedviolentlyasa horrifyingrealisationhither.
Kei knows.
If he remembers everything from the future, he can ruin all my plans!
"Mia," Kei said softly, his voice threading through her panic. "I know you're hurt, and I can't imagine how you must feel right now. But think about it—somehow, someway, we've been given a second chance. We've gone back in time!" His eyes locked onto hers, filled with something desperate and pleading. "This is our chance—your chance—to fix everything! To change our future! So why are you wasting it on something like this?"
Mia scoffed, her lips curling into a bitter smile. Herheartpoundedfuriously,astormofrageandresentmentswirlinginsideher.
"That slimy snake ruined everything!" she spat, voice shaking with fury. "She stole Haru from me, and I will—"
"Sakura wasn't the one at fault that day, Mia," Kei interjected, his voice firm but not unkind. "Haru was. Sakura didn't do anything—"
"Wasn't at fault?!" Mia's voice cracked as she shouted, her entire body trembling. "She's been seducing Haru behind my back for nine years!"
Kei's patience was unraveling. His jaw clenched, hands curling into fists at his sides. "Mia, do you even hear what you're saying?! You're making false accusations—you're putting all the blame on Sakura because you don't want to admit that Haru is the one at fault."
"Stop," Mia hissed, shaking her head. Denialwrappedaroundherlikeashield, refusingtolethiswordsin.
Kei's eyes darkened with frustration. "Sakura was so hell-bent on you and Haru being together that she moved to Osaka because she couldn't bear to see the man she loved with someone else!"
Mia flung her arms down in rage. "What, so you're on Sakura's side now?!"
Kei exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm on no one's side," he said, his voice laced with exhaustion. "I'm just telling you the truth. Sakura isn't the one who betrayed you—it was Haru."
Mia's breath hitched violently. Alumpformedinherthroat, hottearsstinginghereyes. She tried to blink them away, but it was useless.
Kei's expression softened at the sight of her tears. His voice dipped lower, carrying something deeper—something personal.
"Mia, I know how Sakura feels because I did the same. I left Tokyo because I couldn't stand to see you with another man." His voice was barely above a whisper now. "Because I love you."
Mia's heart stopped.
Before she could react, Keigentlycuppedherface, histouchhesitant, searching. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers—softly, carefully, as if afraid she might break.
A single tear slid down Mia's cheek.
She didn't move. Didn't push him away. Butshedidn'tkisshimback,either.
Kei pulled away, searching her face for something—anything—that might tell him she felt the same. But her expression was lifeless.
A hollow ache settled in his chest.
He swallowed hard and forced himself to continue. "I never told you this when I had the chance because I was scared. And because of my cowardice, I lost you to another man." He took a steadying breath, his eyes filled with an aching sincerity. "So I'm going to say it again. I love you, Mia. I always have. Ever since we were sixteen."
Mia remained motionless. Amannequin—empty, frozen, unabletoprocesstheweightofhiswords.
"It was all thanks to you that I was able to go to Historia University. You were the one who paid for my education. You were the one who worked at the bookstore to help my family survive. It was all you."
Kei's hands tightened slightly around her face, his thumbs brushing over her skin, desperate for her to understand.
"If you just give me a chance, I swear I can treat you better than Haru. I wouldn't wait six bloody years to marry you. I would marry you as soon as I could. And I would never leave you at the altar for another woman."
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Then, something inside Mia snapped.
His words did not soothe her. They did not touch her heart. Theyonlyaddedfuelontothefirealreadyburningwithinher.
"Haru loves me!" she shrieked, her voice cracking with hysteria. "He loves me! And I will get my revenge on Sakura!"
Kei's shoulders sagged. Helookedather—notwithanger,withsomethingfarmorepainful. Disappointment. Sadness.
"What will you achieve by tormenting Sakura?" he asked quietly.
Mia stiffened.
Kei's voice grew firmer. "What do you think will happen if you keep chasing after Haru—the man who left you at the fucking altar?" His words sliced through her defenses, but she refused to let them sink in.
"Because I hate to break it to you, but Haru is already in love with Sakura."
Mia's fingers twitched. Awaveofnauseacrawledupherthroat.
"How would you know?" She said, forcing her arms to cross over her chest to steady herself.
Kei shook his head. "Because I've seen it. The way he acts around her. The way he blushes like a damn fool. You should've seen his face yesterday when Sakura called him, crying on the phone. I'm telling you—the guy is in love."
Mia's nails dug into her skin. "I don't want to listen to another word." She spun on her heel. "And you can try telling Sakura the truth if you want—she won't believe you."
And with that, Miastormedout, slammingthedoorbehindher.