“How do you know?! You’re not me! Why are you being so stubborn!”

Yuichi’s tone was slowly lowering.

“What have I been doing these past two months? I thought that you understood me this whole time. I really believed that you did. I thought you were sweet, but I was wrong. You’re not so innocent, are you? Why? Did you really have that little respect for me? You really thought that I wouldn’t care for you?!”

Kanae hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

“But…the thing you liked about me…”

“Is all of you! That doesn’t matter anymore though. There is only one important thing now, and that’s whether you like me or not. I told you I love you. Kanae? Do you love me?”

I like you. I love you. I love you so much that I could die.

“If you don’t say anything, then you can have it your way. We’ll break up. If you don’t have any faith in my love for you, then I’ll tell you it’s over. But, what’s the point? There’s no point in going out with someone like you. No matter how much you like them, it’s never enough, so I’ll just quit. I’ll give you ten seconds. Think about it. If you don’t tell me that you love me in ten seconds, then it’s over.”

Yuichi started counting down. Kanae’s face was pure panic.

Break up? With Yuichi? Here? Now?

“Nine.”

We won’t be together anymore?

“Eight.”

I like him though. I love him though…?

“Seven.”

This is what he had wanted. He didn’t want to be in pain anymore. He didn’t want to hurt anymore.

“Six.”

If I just wait until he’s finished, he’ll break up with me.

Yuichi will leave me.

“Five.”

But! “Four.”

I never once told him I loved him.

I liked him so much. I loved him so much.

And Yuichi told me he loved me.

“Three.”

Can I do this? Can I really do this?

Am I going to regret it?

“Two.”

I have to do it.

“I LOVE YOU.”

Kanae yelled. From his eyes the tears fell in huge drops.

“I like you. I love you. I love you so much it hurts. When I saw you with that girl, I couldn’t stop my heart from hurting. When we were having sex yesterday, I was thinking that you’d done it with her too. That’s all I could think of. It was so horrible, just thinking about it, so I thought we should split up. But, I liked you even though I thought you didn’t like me. I loved you from the bottom of my heart, but you still went off with some girl. And so, I thought…”

“You were scared?” Yuichi was holding his hand to his heart. “You’re so stubborn. Were you really thinking of not saying anything to me? You were that scared? If you hadn’t said anything, then we would have had to break up. I’m so glad you finally spoke up.”