Chapter Eleven: Hotaru + Hiroyuki:

-Hotaru-

Like Ryo, he had held my attention for months. I’ve tried to approach him after our first meeting, but I’ve been rather busy. Yes, Ryo was half of the reason why. Still, I had to get close to Hiroyuki as well.

-Hotaru’s Summer-

Hiroyuki’s such a gentleman. He listened to me with such patience. This man couldn’t be real. He must be hiding something and I decided to figure out exactly what.

“Hiroyuki-san,” I spoke up one evening as we were walking around the park. He turned with his cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

“Yes?” he asked. I fidgeted with my hands.

“Are you married?” I asked.

“Excuse me?” the beautiful man asked.

“Do you have a wife?”

“No.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Are you lying to me?”

“No!”

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“No.” His sincere tone didn’t comfort me. I froze in my tracks, trembling.

“Hotaru-san?” I heard Hiroyuki ask. I clenched my fists.

“I’m so sorry,” I mumbled.

“What?” he asked. My memories of my old love filled my head. He too was a beautiful man. I gave my heart and soul to him. He made me feel like I was the only one. However, it was all a lie. I was never his only love. I didn’t find out until his wife killed me. I turned around as my eyes welled up with tears.

“I’m so sorry,” I blurted out. “I’m no good with men.” Hiroyuki raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I… I was in a relationship with a man once,” I said. It hurt to repeat the story.

“Hotaru-san…” he murmured.

“No, listen!” I shouted. “He was married, but he lied about it.” I lowered my head. “His wife…” I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the rest of the truth. My tears ate away my words. Hiroyuki took me into his arms. I wept on his shoulders while he buried his hands in my hair.

“It’s okay,” he whispered in my ear. “I won’t lie to you.” I looked him in the eye. I wanted to believe him.

“Please don’t lie,” I pleaded.

“I’m not.”

“I really want to believe you.”

Hiroyuki wouldn’t let me go. “Please! I won’t lie to you, I promise.” I only cried in response.  I needed to realize he was not my betrayer. I looked at Hiroyuki with desperate eyes.

“Please help me let him go?” I pleaded. He held my hands.

“If that’s what you want,” he said.

I pressed my lips together. “Yes!” I hugged him as fast as I could. This time, my heart knew that he was telling the truth. Only problem I had now was choosing between him and Ryo.