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Jun shrugged. “I’m not really sure what he thought of me.”

“Have you ever asked him?”

Jun stared at the ground and shook his head. “No.” Then he looked up at her. “But it’s not like I can now anyway.”

Kana tilted her head, long black strands flowing over her slender arm. “Can you not contact him anymore or something?”

He didn’t want to dig further than he already did. It was already a lot confessing to someone about a deep secret he had bottled up forever.

“Something like that,” Jun admitted.

Kana nodded, kicking her feet back and forth. “That always sucks. Someone close to you suddenly is just gone from your life.” She perked her head up, with another small smile. “But did he make you happy?”

Jun could feel his eyes water again. The damn fumes. “Yes.”

“Did he know that?”

Something in his chest caved. The longer he sat with the question, the more it hollowed him out. He had never once told Ruki how he felt about him. Not in any language.

“No…” He stared at the ground, his vision blurring at the edges. The regret was clawing its way back, and Jun could feel his chest closing around it. He couldn’t afford to unravel—not here, not any further. “I wish I could have.”

The garage fell quiet. Neither of them spoke for a long moment.

“Then maybe that should be your reason for reaching out to him,” Kana said. “Sure, it might be awkward if you guys had a falling out. But he might have something to tell you too. And what’s a bigger risk than never seeing someone you want back in your life?”

She crossed her arms, lifting her chin. “I’m taking that risk too.” Her voice dropped. “I want to find Sunny. And maybe she doesn’t even want to see me.” She wiped her eyes quickly. “I’m fine with that. I just want her to know that at least one person cares. That’s all I need right now.”

The resonance between them was almost unbearable. Jun wanted to reach out to Ruki the way Kana wanted to find Sunny, with the same desperate certainty. But Sunny, at least from what they knew, was still alive.

A small burn of jealousy flickered through him before he pushed it down. This wasn’t about him. Right now, Kana deserved answers. And maybe, someday, he could chase his own.

He looked her in the eyes, and something unspoken passed between them. “Then I’ll do everything I can to help you find her. She deserves to hear it from you.”

“Thank you.” Offering him another smile, Kana hopped off the stool. “You know, the way you described your friend really reminds me of Sunny and me. It’s great to have such a close friendship that shaped you into the person you are now.”

Jun blinked and tilted his head to the side with confusion burning in his mind. “Like you and Sunny?”

“Yeah. Isn’t that what we were just talking about? Our friends?”

“Friend?” Jun repeated. “She’s just your friend?”

Kana squinted. “Uh, yes?” Then her eyes went wide. “Wait. Did you think Sunny and I were—”

Jun’s cheeks burned. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to assume.” He shook his head rapidly, little bleach strands sticking out.

Kana’s laugh exploded through the garage, bouncing off every wall. “Oh my God, if I dated her, I’d be the luckiest bitch alive!”

Her laughter was cut short. She stared at Jun. A small gasp escaped her. Fingertips covering her mouth. “Wait. When you were describing your friend… you didn’t mean… like a friend?”

Jun’s jaw locked. His whole body went rigid—caught, exposed, with bleach still setting in his hair, and nowhere to run. His mouth opened, but nothing came out. Before he could even attempt words—

“There you guys are!” Matt called from the garage door.

Jun and Kana turned to see Matt jogging towards them. As he got closer, the bruises and cuts across his bottom lip and left cheek sharpened into focus.

Jun’s stomach clenched. Those hadn’t been there the last time he saw him.

Matt grinned wide, glancing between them. “Are you guys dyeing your hair?”