““T-this is way too trivial…””
Soichiro and Hijiri both looked utterly exasperated.
In response, Yuzuru hurried to defend himself.
“N-no, I mean… yeah, I know it’s trivial. That’s exactly why—don’t you think Arisa’s the weird one for being this stubborn over something so small?”
“You’re just as stubborn, you know…”
“…If she doesn’t want it, she doesn’t want it. Even if you get the shot, you can still catch it anyway.”
At their words, Yuzuru’s expression faltered slightly.
Then, as if making excuses—
“I didn’t force her or anything. I just suggested it. I even said if she didn’t want to get it, she didn’t have to. But when I said that, she got even more upset…”
What do you mean by that!?
He could still picture Arisa’s sulking expression.
“Hm… is that so? If you didn’t force her, then you’re not at fault…”
Hijiri nodded, showing some sympathy.
Meanwhile, Soichiro let out a deep sigh.
“…You really don’t get it.”
“…Get what?”
“A girl’s feelings.”
““…””
We’re guys, though.
That was clearly written all over Yuzuru and Hijiri’s faces.
“Girls want empathy. In this case, Arisa-san wanted you to understand that she’s scared of injections. If you say something like, ‘Well, if that’s how you feel, do whatever, I don’t care,’ of course she’s going to get upset. Honestly, it’d have been better if you’d just pushed her a bit.”
Encouraging her to get the shot—
Could be seen as caring about her health.
But saying, ‘Do whatever you want’—
Came across as ‘I don’t really care about you.’
That was Soichiro’s point.
“I… see. That’s… deep.”
Now that he thought about it, maybe he had sounded dismissive.
Maybe he’d hurt her.
Yuzuru began to reflect.
“…So, what should I do?”
“Apologise first. Then explain you were worried about her, and make it clear you won’t force her.”
“No, that’s not what I mean…”
Soichiro frowned.
“Then what are you asking?”
“…How do I even start the conversation with her?”
Yuzuru scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Wanting to apologise but not being able to—
That was the hardest part for him.
“…Figure that out yourself.”
Soichiro answered flatly.
There wasn’t really a technique to apologising—
You just said sorry.
“C-come on… Hijiri, what do you think?”
“Eh? Ah… hmm…”
Put on the spot, Hijiri thought for a moment.
He was, frankly, in the same category as Yuzuru—
Someone who didn’t understand girls very well.
And he didn’t have much experience either.
But that was exactly why he understood Yuzuru’s struggle.
“If saying it face-to-face is hard… what about sending a message?”
“A message…? Wouldn’t that seem insincere?”
“Hmm… then how about texting that you want to talk? If you send that, you won’t be able to back out of apologising, right?”
“…That’s true.”
It was like a do-or-die strategy.
But considering Yuzuru’s biggest problem was lack of resolve—
It might actually be the best option.
“Alright, then it’s decided. Send it.”
“Yeah… got it. …Wait, now?”
“If you don’t do it now, you never will.”
“I-I mean, I need to mentally prepare—”
“Just do it.”
Pressed by Hijiri, Yuzuru looked to Soichiro for help.
But—
“If you don’t want to text, go apologise in person right now.”
He shut him down immediately.
“…Fine.”
Resigned, Yuzuru pulled out his phone.
He typed a message to Arisa—
Rewrote it again and again—
And after five minutes, showed it to them.
“What do you think?”
I want to talk after school today.
For something he’d agonised over, it was remarkably simple.
Soichiro and Hijiri both nodded.
“Looks fine.”
“Send it already.”
“…Alright.”
Yuzuru hit send.
Staring at the screen—
“Waaah!”
“…What now?”
“What happened!?”
“I-it’s been read…”
Yuzuru swallowed hard.
If it had been read, then she’d already seen it.
There was no backing out now.
“…”
But even after it was read—
No reply came.
A cold sweat ran down his back.
What if she’s had enough of me?
That thought crept in.
“H-hey… do you think I’ve been dumped?”
“It’s been less than a minute.”
“She’s probably thinking about how to reply. Just wait.”
And so—
About five minutes of anxious waiting later—
“Waaah!!”
“…What now?”
“What happened!?”
Yuzuru answered in a trembling voice.
“…She replied.”
Understood.
A short message appeared on the screen.
