Chapter 322: How’s Rin?
Aoki paused. For a moment, just to catch his breath. But in that silence, seconds felt like minutes. He stared at the ceiling. The ceiling was a pale, flat white, as if hiding the world's unanswered secrets.
"And the girl I was matched with said she didn't mind if I had feelings for another girl... as long as she liked me back."
Aoki's tone became softer, but firmer. It was as if those words had been repeating themselves in his mind for days.
"And because of that..." Aoki turned back to Kurisu.
Their gazes crossed again. There was no escape this time. Only sincerity, incomplete but real.
"I don't mind accepting you... if you really like me."
Silence. The atmosphere felt like it was coated with cold dew. Soft, but biting gently.
"However..." Aoki continued. Aoki's voice sounded softer this time, almost like a whisper that slipped into the quiet spaces of my heart. "I don't really have any feelings for you. What I do know... is that you're a friend I can really rely on. Someone I trust."
Aoki's eyes didn't shift an inch. He didn't want to hurt, but he also didn't want to lie.
"But... if one day you make me fall in love. If you truly make me like you completely... then I don't think there's any reason for us not to be together."
"... I understand, so that's how it is... But... I'm old, in fact, I'm much older than Akarin. I only confessed my feelings to you because I didn't want to keep this bottled up for too long—" Kurisu's voice trembled, her tone a mix of honesty and a hint of fear of rejection.
Kurisu's eyes stared at the floor, as if searching for courage among the shadows that lengthened in the dim light of the room. But before Kurisu could finish, Aoki interrupted her, taking a half step forward, staring directly into her eyes.
“I don’t care,” Aoki said firmly, his voice firm, even though a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
“Whether you’re ten years older than me, twenty, thirty—if you truly make me fall in love, and you love me, I’ll still be with you. I’ll still… make you happy. Why? Because I love you. But right now… I don’t have any deeper feelings for you.” Aoki’s gaze held a sincerity that was almost piercing, his eyes gleaming in the light of the slowly swaying oil lamp, while his fingers clenched lightly at his sides, as if holding back something difficult to say.
“I understand… Then I’ll try harder.” Kurisu lifted her head, her lips forming a wider smile, though her eyes still trembled slightly.
“I will make you fall in love with me. I’ll make sure of it. So, remember this well… Aoki Sora.” Kurisu ended her words with a firm tone, her smile now looking like determination laced with tenderness.
“I understand, I’ll wait for that.” Aoki nodded his head slowly, a simple yet meaningful gesture, as if he were truly willing to give Kurisu time and space for what she had promised.
“So, what are you going to do next, Chief?” Kurisu asked, her head tilted slightly, her voice returning to its usual conversational tone, but with a hint of genuine curiosity.
“I’ll stay behind at the headquarters. Ah, right…” Aoki suddenly frowned, as if remembering something.
“Speaking of which, how’s Rin?” Aoki’s gaze was now more serious, as he leaned forward slightly. He clearly remembered how, before he left, Rin Aoki had left her in Kurisu’s care.
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