Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
"Toujo, are you crying? Can you tell me the reason?"
Toujo looked up to see him looking at her worriedly.
"Manaka-kun... I..."
I wonder if he hates me for being too shy too...
"Yes... Toujo?"
There was no point in restraining herself anymore. If that was really the reason that her relationship with Manaka had remained as such, then the first step to take towards overcoming this obstacle would be to speak more freely with him.
"I... do you think that I... have a problem?"
"Problem? What... what do you mean?"
It's time to come clean, I guess... I want our relationship to progress... I don't want it to stay like this... with me as nothing more than a friend... It doesn't matter if he sees me as nothing more than a friend... but at least... I have to find out...
She stared into his eyes. He took a step back as appeared to be startled by the intensity of her gaze.
"Toujo... what is-"
"Manaka-kun, I like you. I've always liked you, ever since that day in middle school..."
"Wha...?"
He took another step back as he took in the entirety of what she had just said. However, before he could respond, she continued.
"I don't know if this will damage our friendship... but after what happened just now... I just felt that I had to say this... I realized that any later and it might have been... too late for anything..."
She looked down.
"You don't have to say anything right away... it's okay... I'm happy with what we have now... but I just wanted you to know that I've always had those feelings... I'm sorry if it upsets you..."
She suddenly felt a hand on her cheek, raising her head up.
The smile she saw on his face made her heart start to pound like crazy.
He hugged her.
"I guess if you say that you've had a problem, then I too have had the exact same problem as you. I've had strange feelings long before we ever went to Izumizaka... I've just never managed to muster the courage to say anything to you... especially... when... Nishino is there..."
Tears began to flow down her cheeks again as he heard him mention Nishino.
I guess it was... too much after all...
"...but now I'm sure."
She froze.
"Toujo... I've always liked you too."
It too a while for his words to sink in, during which she remained completely stiff, much like a statue, but eventually, she began to relax into his embrace, and finally, return it.
A/N: I really, really ran out of juice.