He should be here soon...
Oh...
Hello, Mizuki. Apologies for the wait.
Still, I was surprised you asked to meet with me like this.
Yeah, since the teachers are the ones who are usually on your case!
Oh? Doesn't that also apply to you?
Haha! True...
Regardless, what's gotten into you all of a sudden? You wished to talk about something...?
Yeah...
So, um...
I heard from Ena that you were pretty worried about me...
I am also your friend, after all.
I actually had a chance to speak with her again yesterday after running into her on my way home.
Thank you for telling me all about Mizuki and yourself the other day.
I had a much clearer idea of what I needed to say and do after hearing that.
So, thank you very much. I really appreciate what you did...!
Oh...
Sorry...
I didn't mean to put you in such a tough spot.
Don't mind me.
I just did what I could to help.
It was sort of my personal hope.
Your hope...?
I can hope.
That you'll get to be yourself.
I can hope that you're going to experience true happiness.
That's my sincere wish as your friend.
Rui...
Now that I think about it, we both seem to falter in the face of powerful feelings...
Huh?
Oh, right...
That also happened to you, huh?
Yes.
I found myself completely overwhelmed by these strong and straightforward emotions.
Yeah, I basically was too.
I want us to stay friends!
Which means it's natural that I'd want to make the right choice!
I don't care what other people say or how hard it's going to be to deal with all this...
Because never seeing you again would hurt more!!!
You're the one who's changed, Mizuki!
I've been trying to talk to you, but you haven't been listening...! You've just been running away...!
And you're seriously wondering if it's okay for us to keep being friends?! To me, that sounds really stupid because...
You have been and always will be my dear friend!
Is that at least getting through to you?!
It was the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth...
All of my excuses stopped working and she left me no room to escape.
I mean, she had a response for everything...!
I honestly thought for a second that she was gonna grab my collar and slap me silly!
I see. She really gave you no room to run.
Yeah...
There's no way for me to best her when she gets like that...
Hehehe. Sounds like we've both made quite formidable friends.
I know, right?!
Um, Rui...?
This isn't a dream, right? It's all happening for real?
Yes, this is the real world.
The world where you'll be tackling a mountain of supplementary classes.
Oof...
At the same time...
Because this is all happening for real, I think you can feel at ease and dream big.
Alongside your dear friends.
Oh...
Yeah.
Welcome to this side, Mizuki.
Whoa, don't start acting like a senior on me now.
But I am your senior.
Imagine me watching you while standing at the back with my arms crossed.
Eww! Just the thought of that irritates me...
Haha!
Hehehe.