Eternal Melody

HINO

He has questions.

He has had questions ever since that day.

'I have held back long enough.' Every single time they have met, he has wanted to ask her. But, a part of him has always been afraid of learning the truth. Afraid of confirming his fears.

"Yuhi mentioned something about the truth, what is he talking about?"

At those words the girl flinched and Hino sighed. "Look, Yuhi is right. I have been nothing but a jerk to you. But that's only because I have seen on more than one occasion you prioritising fame and your career over the people you care for."

'And that's probably why I fell for Sumire, because she is the opposite. Sumire would sacrifice her career in a heart beat for the people she cares for.'

"If there is something going on, you have to tell me or I won't know."

Cassie still looked hesitant but she slowly starts to tell him about the pressures of the Hasegawa family. How her parents blackmailed his grandfather into bribes. How the reason grandfather became sick was because of her parents. Each word she spoke cut deeper than any knife.

"The day he died, was that your parents orders?" Hino's tone was cold.

"It was. But I didn't want to, I- went over that day to stop it. But by the time I came, your grandfather had already swallowed the tablet from my fathers assistant. What you saw, me leaving for a job was me chasing after the assistant."

Now that he is thinking about it carefully, it did look like she was running after someone.

"A letter. There was a letter, to you that your grandfather was writing. I took it for safe keeping just in case my parents found it. A letter and inheritance. Not that you need the money, but I'm sure he would want you to have it."

Hino felt his head spin. This truth? This truth is harder to swallow.

'Lies can also be love.' How right Sumire is. Perhaps it would have been better for him to continue hating Cassie, than learn this.

"What about your feelings for Yuhi? Was that something your parents orchestrated too?"

Cassie nodded. "My parents wanted me to marry someone who was rich and had influence. Yuhi met that criteria." 𝚋𝚎ｄｎｏ𝚟𝚎ｌ.ｎ𝚎𝚝

"Even though he was an orphan when you met him?"

"My parents seem to know something about his family, otherwise they wouldn't have accepted him as being suitable for me. Living in a prestigious family and being raised as a lady, I had no choice but to obey them. But I questioned it so many times. I questioned whether I could truly fall in love with someone my parents wanted me too."

"You tried though, to fall for him."

Cassie laughed weakly. "I did, I really tried. If I cant choose who to fall in love with, at the very least I wanted to find happiness with the person my parents chose. Yuhi is a good guy, he is easy to like and for awhile. I thought I liked him enough, but I was wrong. Each time I slept with him, it felt like a piece of me broke even more."

He saw that didn't he? He saw how much pain she was in. But, despite that. He only offered to erase Yuhi's memories, not hers.

'Live with what you have done.' He did that to punish her.

Hino felt sick, what has he been doing this entire time? He should have trusted her, and let her explain. She should have explained- no, she tried to. There were many signs. He was just being a blind fool.

"It broke me, because I knew he wasn't the one I actually wanted. I could deceive myself for my parents sake and others around me. I could convince everyone I liked Yuhi. But, that like was only ever as a friend." Cassie trailed off. "The day Yuhi rejected me, he told me to my face that he knows that there is someone else I care for more than him. Someone I would do anything for."

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"Is that me?" Hino whispered the words so quietly but Cassie heard him.

"It is." Cassie takes a deep breath and laughs. "Narasaki Hino, the one I was in love with was you. My parents threatened to harm you, and your grandfather heard about it. That's why he offered himself to do those bribes for my parents sake. Those bribes and me turning my attention to Yuhi was the deal to keep you safe."

'I can't-what is all of this?' Hino couldn't make sense of anything. Everything, all that hate he felt towards her was for nothing. It was him being stupid.

"It was still my fault your grandfather died. I, told my parents I couldn't keep the act up anymore. I said it was getting too hard, and so they decided to dispose of your grandfather. Because I couldn't fulfil my bargain."

Seeing Cassie trembling, Hino takes a deep breath and pulled the girl into his arms. "I'm sorry for everything you have gone through. This is really hard on me Cas, you have truly suffered a lot for my sake. But, I'm in love with Sumire."

His hate towards Cas was a mistake and everything was a misunderstanding. However, there is no doubt that the one he has feelings for is Sumire.

Cassie didn't say anything and simply stayed in his arms for a few extra minutes before drawing away from him. Her gaze fell on the doorway.

"I know. You don't have to apologize. I've seen what kind of person you are with Ibuki, and know that she has changed you. That she has made you into a better person, that she returned the light you lost. You, Yuhi and the other guys who like her. She has been a good influence. She is truly an amazing girl." Cassie's gaze is soft. "Even if you can't like me. I do hope we can patch up our friendship, I've missed you."

Hino nodded. "That I can do. Just give me some time to digest the information."

"Alright, I'll see you around." Cassie gave his hands a gentle squeeze before walking away.

Hino's gaze lingered on her back and he exhaled deeply. That was a shock, he wasn't expecting any of that. She loved him, she spoke in past tense. Does that mean she doesn't love him anymore?

*Unedited*