'If there was this big thick wall and I had to get through it, you can bet I'd use my power without any doubt or hesitation! I wouldn't think twice about it. Nothing would stop me! The key is don't hesitate'

A long time ago, he'd given that advice to Ayase. Now, years later, he was having trouble following his own advice.

It wasn't that Kazuma didn't still believe his own words of wisdom, but some things are indeed easier said than done.

To him, things were supposed to be black and white. Either you did what you had to do, or you didn't.

Simple as that, right?

But ever since Kazuma had returned home, his philosophy had been shaken up.

Recently he'd been forced to reexamine everything he had once thrived upon and eventually he had came to the conclusion that sometimes there were alternatives.

He'd realized he couldn't just return home, out of the blue, years after he'd last seen her and just sweep her off her feet like he used to when they were kids. No, things were different now. They were both older, wiser, more mature.

So in light of these realizations, Kazuma had decided he couldn't just go about on his normal path and charge head first into the situation.

After all, he was wiser, older, more mature.

So, it was decided. Kazuma wouldn't just return, pick her up like he used to, an inform her that he was madly in love with her.

No, he would be more gentle. Even if she was older, she was still his vulnerable little Kanami. He wouldn't push so much on her at once.

He'd wait, and wait, and wait. No matter how long it took. He'd wait until he knew that Kanami could handle such a revelation.

And it was to Kazuma's great surprise that it never came to that. For as soon as Kanami had laid eyes on him, things had gone back to normal, just as he had not suspected.

She had flung her arms around his neck, squealed in delight, called him that stupid nickname only she was ever allowed to call him, and promptly kissed him fully on the mouth.

Yes, as it turned out, Kanami was not the vulnerable little thing she used to be. She had proved that well enough with such a welcome.

And with such a welcome as that, well, who needed alternatives?

Not Kazuma.