When Yoshiyuki pulls me against him and holds me, my calm facade crumbles. I bury my face in
his shirt and burst into tears, thankful that at least he still thinks to comfort me, that he hasn't
totally forgotten about me. He strokes my hair, murmuring soothing words as I grip his shirt
tightly, sobbing, spilling out all the hurt I've kept locked inside for so long. And with my tears
come words. "You ignore me," I wail. "You drop everything but this stupid chase. You lose all
connection with what we had between us. I thought today was different. But now-" my voice
cracks - "you just go and act all lovey-dovey with that persocon, and you don't even think about
how I might feel! You don't stop to consider that I might be jealous! You don't stop to consider
that I might actually love you!" By now I'm crying too hard to continue speaking. He's quit
stroking my hair, apparently startled by what I've blurted out in my emotional haze. I lift my head
and look him straight in the eye, clutching the fabric of his shirt still more tightly. My eyes are
narrowed, angry, despite the tears that still flow freely down my cheeks. "You hear what I'm
saying?" I demand brokenly, and shake him. "You hear what I'm saying, Kojima Yoshiyuki?! I
love you, you idiot, and I'm not gonna let any stupid persocon come between us! Even if I have
to throw her out on the streets! I'm not gonna let you start loving her instead of me." I'm getting
tired out by all this crying and ranting, and he can tell. He resumes stroking my hair, and I press
my face into his shirt again. My eyes slip closed of their own volition. As I drift into sleep, I think
I hear him speak.
"I love you too...Kirameku-chan."