On the resting bench, the boy and girl who had reunited sat together in silence, maintaining a small distance between them.
"…"
—How have you been lately?
Natsukawa Kanade immediately regretted saying this.
The air was instantly filled with the aura of a man in love who couldn't forget his ex-girlfriend.
The awkward opening dialogue even made him want to die.
—I am, I'm fine... and you?
Shiina Mahiru seemed somewhat restrained, but at least she answered him.
—Uh, me too...
Kanade was stunned. He didn't expect her to actually respond, so he nodded in silence, but soon fell back into depression.
"…"
"…"
—You... x2
—You first... x2
—Then let me speak first...
Kanade clenched his fists and took courage in his heart.
Perhaps at first he had no other thoughts and only wanted to follow those sneaky boys to check the situation, but now being alone was a great opportunity and he had to seize it.
—Shiina... I want to apologize to you. I'm sorry!
—Eh? No, it should be me who apologizes...
—Listen to me first.
Kanade reached out, wanting to hug her, but after a long attempt, he finally withdrew it.
—That day... I shouldn't have said that to you. I didn't know you cared so much...
Speak clearly...
Kanade breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the stubborn stone weighing on his heart had finally broken, turning into rubble on the ground, and the heavy sense of restriction had mostly dissipated.
—At first, I just wanted you to calm down and for the atmosphere to cool off, so I said that. I didn't expect... Anyway, I'm very sorry. I won't say it again.
It is simply impossible for people to feel true empathy for one another.
In the past, he did care about those kinds of things, but now he can calmly accept all kinds of comments from others and won't be deeply disturbed by a few words.
But Shiina, for some reason, couldn't let it go...
Kanade shook his head, dispelling the strange fantasies in his mind.
The most urgent thing is to find a way to continue repairing the relationship. Any extra thoughts will be useless.
—I know I might not be qualified anymore, but I want to speak anyway.
—But, if it's possible... I hope you can forgive my slip-up and that we can still be... friends from now on.
I no longer have hopes for a romantic relationship, but if even my request to be friends is rejected...
Kanade lowered his head, clenching his fists tightly against his thighs. He looked nervous and restless, like a child who had made a mistake waiting for judgment from his elders.
The next moment, he felt a warm force wrap around his hand.
—No, it should be me saying that to Kanade.
Kanade raised his head and found Shiina Mahiru looking at him with a very gentle expression.
The kindness, pampering, and tolerance conveyed infinite warmth and strength to him.
—That incident wasn't Kanade's fault in the first place. I simply said something wrong.
Shiina shook her head; a hint of guilt appeared in her eyes.
That was because she distrusted him to prevent Kanade from getting too close to her, thinking that her malicious comments would make him give up. Unexpectedly... she even fell in love with him later.
So the defensive measures that once existed became sharp knives that hurt people.
—So, whether it's an apology or a wish to be friends, I should be the one to say it.
From Kanade's perspective, Shiina slowly raised her hand, placed it on his cheek, and rubbed it gently.
—I'm sorry, Kanade, and... please keep being my friend.
—Perhaps Kanade doesn't believe it, but for me... meeting him is the luckiest thing that has happened in my life.
People always realize the value of something only when they lose something important. This is what is called nature.
But for some people, it is a completely subconscious value judgment made after comparing with other things, not so-called true regret.
However, for Shiina, this is her truest thought at this moment: Kanade is very important to her.
These are all the emotions she has accumulated over the last year.
She likes Kanade, and it doesn't matter if she can only be with him as a friend. As long as she can see him often, she will be satisfied.
She likes Kanade, and she will like him no matter what he becomes, because she likes him as a person.
Naturally, it was good to be the old Kanade; after all, that was the reason she fell in love. Although he was still useless and unable to take care of himself, she was willing to continue pampering him, just as he always agreed to her strange requests.
It didn't matter if it was the current Kanade, who was excellent and eye-catching. Seeing him so lively in front of everyone certainly made her heart race, but even more importantly, that kind of Kanade made her want to get close to him at any time and place.
Of course, the slightest contact in private was not enough. She was very greedy. If possible, she hoped to be near him at all times in school, even if others misunderstood her.
Because she would explain with a smile that it was not a misunderstanding.
However, such an action would undoubtedly bring many problems to Kanade. She didn't want that and could only fantasize about it in her heart.
—I am a greedy person. Not only now, but also from now on, I want to always be by your side... Is it okay?
She made the wrong decision in the past, but she won't make the same mistake again in the future. She will always be with Kanade until he no longer needs her.
—Shiina...
—Ouch!
The sudden commotion interrupted their conversation.
Following the sound, he saw three girls piled one on top of the other in the corner of the wall, lying on the ground in a mess.
—Ahem, what... will you continue?
The trio naturally knew they had been discovered, but they were still eager to see what would happen next.
Ugh! You misunderstood me!
Shiina let go of his hand, stood up, and explained hurriedly:
—No, it's not what you think!
The scene, which was about to be a confession, was witnessed by others. Even Shiina, usually calm, couldn't help but panic, and the embarrassment on her face could not be suppressed.
—Oh, what misunderstanding? We didn't say anything. Don't worry, Shiina-san.
Ugh! I haven't said anything! Quick, go back quickly...!
—Ahem, class is almost over. You guys talk, I'll go back first.
Kanade stood up while watching the girls playing around.
It would be fine if they were alone, but it would be too awkward to stay any longer. And most importantly... at a time like this, he couldn't stay and be forced to argue with them, otherwise the situation would only get worse. It would be better to pretend that nothing had happened from the beginning.
Luckily, those girls also cared about Shiina, so they shouldn't make things too difficult for her. Even if he leaves, Shiina should be able to handle it without problems…
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