HINO
He has questions.
He has had questions ever since that day.
'I have held back long enough.' Every single ti they have t, 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 ntioned sothing 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 fa 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 sothing going on, you have to tell 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 beca 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 ti I ca, your grandfather had already swallowed the tablet from my fathers assistant. What you saw, leaving for a job was chasing after the assistant."
Now that he is thinking about it carefully, it did look like she was running after soone.
"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 sothing your parents orchestrated too?"
Cassie nodded. "My parents wanted to marry soone who was rich and had influence. Yuhi t that criteria."
"Even though he was an orphan when you t him?"
"My parents seem to know sothing about his family, otherwise they wouldn't have accepted him as being suitable for . 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 tis. I questioned whether I could truly fall in love with soone my parents wanted 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 ti I slept with him, it felt like a piece of 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 mories, not hers.
'Live with what you have done.' He did that to punish her.
Hino felt sick, what has he been doing this entire ti? 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 , because I knew he wasn't the one I actually wanted. I could deceive myself for my parents sake and others around . I could convince everyone I liked Yuhi. But, that like was only ever as a friend." Cassie trailed off. "The day Yuhi rejected , he told to my face that he knows that there is soone else I care for more than him. Soone I would do anything for."
"Is that ?" 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 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 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 . I do hope we can patch up our friendship, I've missed you."
Hino nodded. "That I can do. Just give so ti 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 an she doesn't love him anymore?
*Unedited*
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