Mao: The Quite One

Chapter 28: Fire and Ashes



It happened during lunch break.

The courtyard was packed.

Tables full. Voices loud.

Nothing out of the ordinary—until Arisa stood up in front of everyone.

"You think you're better than all of us now, huh, Mao?"

The voices stopped. Heads turned. Mao, in the middle of a quiet conversation with a junior from the student council, looked up slowly.

"Don't do this here," he said flatly.

"Why not?" she snapped, stepping closer. "You've already moved on, haven't you? Quiet little chats with that girl from the tea shop—"

"Arisa," he warned, standing.

She laughed coldly. "You don't even deny it."

People pulled out phones.

"Mao the genius," she went on, voice rising. "The academic king. The perfect student. And still, you don't know how to treat the people who stood by you."

Something inside him snapped—not with anger, but clarity.

"You stood by me?" Mao said, eyes burning. "You cheated, Arisa. You lied. And when things got real, you vanished."

The crowd fell dead silent.

"I stayed," he said, voice low but firm. "You're mad because I stopped chasing someone who wasn't there anymore."

Gasps. Murmurs. A phone or two hit 'record.'

Arisa's face crumpled—for a moment—and then hardened.

"You'll regret this."

"I already did," he replied, and walked away.

---

By the end of the day, #MaoAndArisa was trending in group chats.

Clips circulated.

Opinions flew.

> "Mao finally said it."

"Arisa was always dramatic."

"He's cold."

"She deserved better."

"Rika's name came up too… is that real?"

---

Rika, for her part, said nothing.

When Mao arrived at the tea shop that evening, she slid his tea across the table and simply asked, "That bad, huh?"

He exhaled. Sat down.

Then nodded.

"I guess it was overdue."

She nodded slowly. "You burn something long enough, it turns to ash. You just finally stopped pretending it could still be warm."

---

The next day, Arisa didn't show up.

Mao's name echoed louder than ever—but he didn't bask in it.

He just kept walking.

And behind him, flames still smoldered.


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