Oh! Hey, Mafuyu!
Wait, where's Kanade?
I thought you two came here together.
She went to that shop over there to retrieve a CD she ordered.
Oh, okay.
Still, I'm glad I made it here in time.
I woke up just an hour before I had to leave my house. You should've seen the panic I was in while I got ready.
Thanks to that, I was only able to have a slice of bread before coming here.
Were you that hungry...?
I feel that you could've skipped that to give yourself more time, since we're having our after-party at the diner.
I know, but I've been craving pancakes today. I didn't want dessert to be the first thing I ate on an empty stomach.
But at the same time, I'm not sure I'd be able to handle pancakes if I had a full meal at the diner.
I can't comment since I've never found myself in that sort of situation.
Haha. Let's ask Kanade and Ena about this when they get here!
By the way, I think Ena's gonna agree with me, while Kanade says more or less the same thing as you!
I see.
I just remembered something I said to you before.
Remember when I talked to you about how scary it is to think you won't be accepted?
Yes, I remember.
You're afraid that he won't understand...
Especially since he's someone really important to you.
The thought of possibly being rejected after telling him everything is just so terrifying...
Which makes you think, why bother telling him at all?
That's probably why I became stuck for so long too.
But I'm starting to think that...
There are more people who will accept me for who I am than I realized.
Now that I think about it, I really put myself on a pedestal there. I mean, the things I said and the way I talked.
To be honest...
That was sorta also meant for me.
Because I care so much about myself, I'm really scared of being hurt or rejected...
Then, why did you tell me all that?
If you don't like being hurt, then it must've been hard for you to talk about those things.
And yet, you did. Why is that?
...
It's because of something Luka said a little while back...
She said that I could help you because I was a coward who'd been running from everything.
And I agreed with her then.
Also...
I couldn't just leave you be, Mafuyu.
I see.
Mizuki.
Does this mean you're done running?
Dunno...
I really wanna stop...
Especially since certain people came chasing after me like there was no tomorrow.
That also must've been hard.
Haha...
Well, that was sort of a first for me...
The thing is, I asked Ena to wait until I was ready to talk.
But she ended up finding out before I got to, and then I ran away...
I mean, who wouldn't come chasing after me in that situation?
She didn't stop complaining for a while after that day. She blames you for making her eyes hurt after crying so much, her losing her voice and being sore from running around...
Yeah, I know...
When I saw her chasing after me, I really didn't want her to...
I actually hoped that she'd give up.
But looking back, I feel really happy knowing that I have a friend who's willing to do that for me...
So...
At the very least, I'm not running again from Ena or N25... I don't want to...
Just, well...
Go easy on me, okay?
Okay...
Oh, there's Kanade!
Hey!
Ena as well.
She seems sleepy...
Huh...? Haha. Look at that!
Oh, we gotta ask them about having dessert on an empty stomach!
You remembered...?
Yup♪
Hey, Kanade! Ena! Over here!