Shattered Petals

The Return

Morning came too quietly.

Mei barely slept, drifting in and out of shallow dreams, all of them ending with Hana’s voice echoing through her mind. We need to talk. Nothing good ever followed those words.

Rina was already awake, sitting on the edge of her bed with her knees pulled to her chest, her phone glowing in her hands. She looked exhausted—Suki had been calling nonstop since dawn.

“Are you okay?” Mei whispered.

“No,” Rina admitted. “But you’re worse.”

Their eyes met, and Mei felt a sharp sting behind her ribs. She didn’t know how to prepare herself for Hana, for the confrontation, for… whatever the truth really was.

Hana was due back by noon.

The Doorbell

The sound cut through the apartment like a shout.

Mei froze. Rina stood up immediately.

“That must be her,” Rina said, voice tense.

Mei’s legs felt heavy as stone as she followed Rina to the door. Her heart pounded so loudly it drowned out everything else.

Rina opened the door first.

Hana stood there, hair shorter, face bare, looking strangely confident and distant at the same time. Suki wasn’t with her. She walked in without waiting for an invitation.

“Mei,” Hana said, turning to her. “We need to talk. Privately.”

Rina looked at Mei with concern, silently asking if she should stay. Mei inhaled shakily and nodded.

“It’s okay, Rina.”

Rina reluctantly closed the bedroom door behind her.

The Confrontation

Hana folded her arms. She didn’t sit. She didn’t smile.

“Mei… a lot happened while I was away,” she began. “And I don’t want misunderstandings between us.”

Mei swallowed hard. “Then explain.”

Hana hesitated for the briefest moment—long enough to show guilt, but too quick for Mei to cling to.

“Yuto and I talked,” Hana said. “A lot. I think we got close. Closer than you realized.”

The words hit Mei like a blow.

“But you knew how I felt,” Mei whispered, her voice trembling. “You knew… I liked him.”

Hana sighed. “But you were never his type. You know that. He told me he didn’t expect you to be so chubby—”

Mei’s throat tightened.

There it is.

The thing Rina warned her about.

Hearing it out loud was like being slapped.

“And he said he was drawn to me immediately,” Hana continued, brushing her hair back casually. “He didn’t want us to be weird about it.”

Mei’s hands shook.

“So you… believed him?” she asked slowly. “You believed him over me?”

Hana shrugged. “He was honest. And I didn’t want drama.”

Mei felt dizzy. Hana didn’t even look sorry.

“Did you… ever think of my feelings?” Mei asked softly.

Hana looked up then, and for the first time, Mei saw a flicker of discomfort in her eyes—not guilt, not regret… just irritation.

“Mei, you get emotional over everything. I didn’t want to deal with a meltdown. I needed a break.”

The words carved into Mei’s chest like claws.

“So you stayed with him for two weeks,” Mei said, voice cracking. “While I cried here, thinking something was wrong with me.”

“Mei, don’t be dramatic,” Hana snapped.

Tears blurred Mei’s vision.

“I’m not dramatic,” she whispered. “I’m hurt.”

For a moment, Hana looked stunned—like she didn’t expect Mei to push back. Her jaw tightened, but she didn’t apologize.

Instead she said, “Look, whatever Rina told you was probably exaggerated.”

“She overheard you,” Mei replied. “Every word.”

Hana’s expression darkened.

“That girl needs to mind her business,” she muttered.

The Breaking Point

The room felt too small. Too suffocating. Mei stepped back, gripping the edge of the table.

“I think you should go,” Mei whispered.

Hana blinked. “What?”

“You heard me. I need space. From you.”

Hana scoffed. “You’re being ridiculous.”

“No,” Mei said—a voice she barely recognized. “You just don’t like when I stand up for myself.”

For the first time, Hana didn’t have an immediate comeback. She stared at Mei, eyes narrowing slowly.

“So this is how it is,” Hana said coldly. “Fine. I’ll give you your space. But don’t come crying later.”

She grabbed her bag and walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Mei collapsed onto the floor, covering her mouth as tears poured out uncontrollably. Rina rushed out of the room and knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around her.

“It’s okay, Mei… You’re okay… I’m here…”

Mei cried harder—not because of Hana’s words, but because part of her still wished Hana would come back and apologize.

A small, bitter part of her still wanted her friend back.

The Message

Rina helped her onto the couch. Mei wiped her face repeatedly, but the tears wouldn’t stop. Her phone buzzed.

Mei almost ignored it—until she saw the name.

Unknown Number

She opened it.

“I saw you outside earlier.

Are you okay?

—Keiji”

Rina leaned over her shoulder. “Who’s Keiji?”

“I… I don’t know,” Mei whispered.

But her heart skipped.

A stranger who cared.

A stranger who noticed her pain.

A stranger who didn’t look away.

Keiji’s entrance was small, but it would change everything.

Mei didn’t know it yet.

But this was the beginning of her healing.

And the beginning of her new love.

The door Hana slammed shut…

Keiji would eventually walk through.

Mei stared at the message for a long time, her eyes swollen from crying.

Her hands trembled slightly as she held the phone.

“Are you going to reply?” Rina asked gently.

“I… I don’t know who he is,” Mei whispered.

But something about the message felt warm.

Soft.

Unexpectedly careful.

Rina leaned closer. “Maybe he’s someone from the neighborhood. Or someone we’ve seen on the street.”

“Maybe,” Mei murmured, though she wasn’t convinced.

Her mind was still heavy with Hana’s words.

Every cruel sentence still echoed in her chest.

He didn’t expect you to be so chubby.

You’re emotional over everything.

Don’t come crying later.

Rina squeezed her hand.

“Mei… don’t let her break you more than she already has.”

Mei nodded weakly and looked back at her phone.

Slowly, she typed:

“I’m fine. Thank you.

Who is this?”

Her thumb hovered over the send button for a long moment.

Then she tapped it.

Keiji Replies

The response came almost instantly.

“Keiji Sakamoto.

We live on the same street.

I’ve seen you a few times…

You always look kind.”

Mei’s breath hitched.

Kind?

Not dramatic.

Not too emotional.

Not chubby.

Just… kind.

“Let me see,” Rina said.

Mei tilted the phone. Rina smiled a little. “At least he’s polite.”

Mei typed again.

“Thank you. I wasn’t feeling well today.”

Another quick reply:

“I could tell.

Your shoulders were shaking when you walked past earlier.

I didn’t want to bother you… but I was worried.”

Mei froze.

He noticed her?

He really noticed?

Her throat tightened with a soft ache—not pain, but a strange warmth she wasn’t used to feeling.

“Should I stop?” Mei whispered.

“No,” Rina said gently. “Let yourself have something good… even if it’s small.”

The Knock at the Door

An hour passed. Mei and Rina sat talking quietly, both of them exhausted from everything that had happened. Mei’s phone buzzed again.

“Do you like strawberry taiyaki?

The shop down the street just opened.”

Mei blinked at the screen.

“He’s asking about snacks?” Rina asked.

Mei gave a tiny laugh she didn’t expect. “Yeah.”

Then another message arrived:

“I’m outside your building.

I can leave it by the door if you’re uncomfortable.”

Mei’s breath stopped.

“He’s WHAT?” Rina nearly jumped up. “You want me to check?”

Mei nodded.

Rina walked to the door, peeked through the small lens, and gasped lightly. She turned back, eyes wide.

“He’s handsome,” she whispered dramatically. “Like—rich boy handsome.”

Mei’s heart thudded.

“What do I do?” she whispered.

“Open the door!”

“I can’t! My face is a mess—”

“Mei. He’s standing there in the sun with a pastry bag. Go.”

Meeting Keiji

Mei opened the door inch by inch, her cheeks still blotchy from crying.

Keiji stood there.

Tall.

Calm.

Dressed in a black button-up and expensive-looking watch.

His hair slightly messy from the wind.

But what struck her was his expression—gentle, respectful, almost apologetic.

He held up a small pink paper bag.

“I… thought strawberry might help,” he said carefully. “Um… hi.”

Mei swallowed hard. “Hi…”

His eyes softened.

“You really were crying,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

Mei looked away, embarrassed.

“You didn’t have to come all the way here—”

“I wanted to,” Keiji said, voice warm but steady. “You looked like you needed someone to be kind today.”

That sentence pierced something deep inside her.

Rina, watching from behind the door, mouthed: HE’S PERFECT.

Mei stepped back slightly. “Do you… want to come inside?”

Keiji shook his head politely. “Not tonight. I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

Then he smiled—soft, respectful.

“But maybe tomorrow… if you’re okay with it.”

Mei felt her chest flutter unexpectedly.

“I… I would like that.”

Keiji’s expression brightened just a little. “Good.”

He handed her the bag gently, like it was something fragile.

“Eat something sweet,” he murmured. “You deserve that much.”

Mei nodded, heart racing. “Thank you, Keiji.”

He stepped back.

“Goodnight, Mei.”

As he walked away, Mei watched him through the doorway, feeling something she hadn’t felt in a long time:

Hope.

Not because he was handsome.

Not because he was wealthy.

But because, for the first time…

someone saw her pain and didn’t judge her for it.

When she closed the door, Rina squealed.

“MEI! HE LIKES YOU!”

Mei hugged the warm taiyaki bag to her chest, tears forming again—but this time they were soft, gentle tears.

For the first time since Hana hurt her…

Mei smiled.