Nishikata sat at the bench beneath the shrine roof, trying to keep his legs from shaking. The forecast had been way off—rather than sunny skies and a moderate winter day, it was extremely cloudy with the temperature hovering right around freezing. He purposefully hadn't planned anything for him and Takagi to do except talk, as he feared it would give him an excuse to back out of his plan. He hadn't wanted to talk inside one of their houses, as guaranteed privacy was better for this. But with it being so cold out, perhaps nature itself was telling him this was a bad idea.

It was already more than ten minutes past their scheduled meeting time, which he had already pushed from morning to noon and Takagi had then pushed all the way to the evening. She wasn't normally one to be late, but he was sure she had a good excuse. However, the Christmas ornaments decorating the shrine suddenly buzzed on, signaling that it was definitely getting late out and making Nishikata wonder if she had decided it was too cold. Maybe she had forgotten to text him.

Nishikata let out a breath that he felt had been holding in, allowing his shoulders to slouch. It seemed that this had truly been a bad idea, and now he wouldn't have to follow through at all. Nishikata stood up and shook himself out, trying to get the blood flowing in his limbs again, and began walking back around the front of the shrine to leave. He pulled out his phone as he did to check on Takagi.

As he was about to press send, he looked up at the gated entrance by the road, and there she was, smothered in a big, furry white overcoat. It took a second for his eyes to adjust, but it was her. She must have just arrived, but even with her outfit was still standing there shivering. Nishikata's heartbeat immediately picked up—what was nature telling him now?

"Hey," he started, reaching his hand out to touch a lone snowflake that had drifted down, "Sorry to d-drag you out here, I didn't expect it to be like this."

"I'm the one that pushed it back so late, it's not your fault," Takagi answered, slowly walking over to meet him.

"Sh-should we call it off then? Maybe do this some other time when it's warmer?" There he went, finding excuses anyway. She didn't even know what he was planning today.

"If you don't want to, that's fine," Takagi replied, now standing next to him. But her neutral expression, the teetering back and forth in her boots, hinted that she wasn't done.

"...I'm not that cold though, if that's what you're concerned about," she continued more softly after an extended pause.

Huh? Then why was she shivering? he thought. Nevertheless, Nishikata gritted his teeth—just as he had decided to give up and duck out, Takagi was here and ready to talk with him. He didn't know if he could follow through anymore, not on something so difficult.

"Are you cold, Nishikata?" She stepped forward, examining him more closely. "Your jacket's not as thick as mine, you're shivering..."

"It's not that b-bad," he lied with a shrug, trying to play it cool. But he didn't think he could do it today anymore, not when Takagi looked all pretty like this, it was going to be too hard.

"But... yeah, m-maybe we should go home for t-today," he muttered feebly. I'm too much of a coward to follow through.

Takagi looked concerned, but nodded her head. "Okay," she said quietly, but it looked like something else was on her mind.

Suddenly, she reached into her large coat collar with one arm, the other arm holding her handbag, and carefully unraveled what looked like a thick blue scarf from around her neck. The darkening sky and thick fur had completely hidden it from view.

"No, it's okay, I d-don't want you to get cold," Nishikata began, stepping back and waving his hands.

Takagi smiled, and he saw a sparkle in her eye that he hadn't seen in a long time. "Relax, silly," she continued, stepping towards him again. "I wasn't planning on this till later tonight, but this is my gift to you. You'll surely be busy during Christmas break, but I wanted to thank you for trying to cheer me up when I was sick."

Nishikata's hands froze and he felt his mouth drop open. Takagi placed the scarf into his hands then pushed it towards him. "I've made sure that it's warm, but I hope it fits," she muttered, "I kind of guessed at the right size."

"It's really for me?" Nishikata got out, awestruck as he felt the warmth of the fabric. Takagi tittered and nodded. So this is what she had been working on with her crochet tools at school.

"When you're hanging out with whoever during the holidays, at least you can stay warm and not get a cold like I did," she continued, looking down and rubbing her hands together.

Nishikata carefully wrapped the special new scarf around his neck, just in time for a sudden burst of wind. It fit snugly and he immediately felt warmer, especially since the scarf had just been warming around her neck instead. He shuddered, not allowing himself to think about that too much. He couldn't believe that she had made this for him.

"I-I guess I should get going then," came Takagi's faint voice. Nishikata looked up to see her turned around, walking away towards the road.

"Wait!" Nishikata called, running back up and grabbing her hand, "You can't just lea—I mean, thank you, it's great." As he realized what he had done, Nishikata quickly dropped her hand, which she was already pulling away. It was cold.

"Oh... I'm happy that you like it."

Nishikata hadn't known what to do about the gift he had bought Takagi, as it seemed too forward after she confessed to him all of her romance struggles. But now he was glad he'd brought the package, just in case. He couldn't just leave her with nothing, and she sounded busy.

Takagi had turned away again. "I've, uh- got something for you too," he mumbled, looking through his backpack and pulling out his poorly-wrapped brown gift. This was far the the wondrous gift exchange he had envisioned and was getting hard to see. Once he had found it, he looked up again to see her standing right in front of him.

She's just a friend, dummy, he told himself as he handed the package over, grateful that the darkness hid his blush.

"...For me?" came her even quieter voice. "Is it... a gift?"

Nishikata nodded. "It's brighter under the shrine, if you can't see well."

A few moments later, they were sitting under the shrine that the Christmas lights softly illuminated. Takagi's fingers shook slightly as she unwrapped the bow and unwrapped the paper, likely from the cold. He felt a little warmer inside as she pulled out the pink gloves he had bought for her, and couldn't hold back a small smile as she tried them on.

"Thank you," she said, looking down and rubbing the pink gloves between her fingers, "They fit perfectly."

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, her head poking out of her big coat, the multi-colored lights dancing off her hair, her tiny smile brightening everything around her as she examined her new present.

"I guess you didn't want me to get sick again either, huh," Takagi said, that tiny smile disappearing as she turned towards him. "We think alike."

As Takagi turned back to her new present, Nishikata's heart began to speed up once again and he gripped his own new scarf in turn. Seeing these sparks of happiness in Takagi made his insides churn—he knew how depressed she had been at school since getting better, and how much he had ignored it because of the reason. Not that he had been feeling any better, but he knew how to help her be happier, at least. And by extension, maybe that could somehow make him happier as well. Or at least help him release some of his feelings for her.

But now he was just running off scared again instead, like always. And even now, she was looking melancholy despite being fascinated by her gloves.

"It's funny to thank me for helping you when you were sick," Nishikata said, shaking his head gloomily, "I really didn't do much."

"What are you talking about?" she replied, "You were really nice to me even after I acted all weird."

"You weird?" he questioned, looking over at her in shock, "But I was the weird one!"

"You weren't weird at all, Nishikata," Takagi repeated quietly, "You were just trying to be nice, even when I spouted off all those... things." She shook her head in disgust.

He could feel the hairs on his neck prickling, and not from the feel of the new scarf. That was exactly what he had wanted to come here for. He didn't respond. Here it was, so painfully obvious now that Takagi was still bothered by those things, and for some reason she wouldn't reach out him or anyone else about them. No matter what she claimed, Nishikata knew he had failed the last time Takagi had brought them up. He had been too shellshocked then to truly listen, and even if her words stung now, he could at least listen and support her as a friend would. Maybe he could even help set something up for her and her crush, like he'd done with Hamaguchi in the past.

Could he do it though? This type of backwards love situation had never happened in 100% Unrequited Love or any other show he watched. Was it even possible?

Takagi was playing with her gloves, tracing her fingers over the seems of each one, and frowning. She hadn't even questioned their lack of planned activities and was already getting locked up into that depressed world again after he reminded her.

Not this again! Nishikata thought fiercely, gritting his teeth and feeling his eyes beginning to bulge. If I ever want to actually do this, I just have to jump in!

"Tell me," he croaked weakly, forcing the words out, fighting hard to empty his emotions as he did on that kite-flying day so long ago.

"Tell you... what?"

Nishikata gripped the bench tightly with his hand, compelling himself to continue. "Th-that's why I invited you here. Tell me... about your crush."

"About... my crush?"

He gripped the bench with both hands and finally looked at Takagi, who had gone pale. "I didn't help you the last time you tried to tell me," he continued, trying to keep his voice even, "I was preoccupied and wasn't being a good friend." He gulped. "But... I'm prepared now."

She didn't say anything. Takagi suddenly looked exactly how she had the last time he had brought it up—petrified.

Nishikata gave his head a good shake and plowed ahead. "I know how you've been acting at school, it's not like you at all. You told me yourself how much you... like him, but hide it from your friends and family." He took a short, shaky breath, then continued on. "I hate seeing you sad every day and am sorry for waiting so long, but I want to help you however I can."

Takagi buried her face into her gloves and turned away.

"I-I'm not good with feelings... but if you'd still like to talk, you can."

"Sometimes you seem sad, too," Takagi mumbled through her fingers. Nishikata had to scoot closer to hear her clearly.

Regardless, she was spot-on. "I-I hope I can feel better by being a better friend to you," he admitted. Takagi let out a loud breath and slumped into her hands.

"Why are you so nice?" she asked.

Because I'm in love you. It wasn't even slightly embarrassing to think anymore.

"Because you're my b-best friend. I'm sad when you're sad."

She began shaking her head in her hands again, just like when she was sick. "I shouldn't have told you all that nonsense. I wasn't willing to help you - you really don't want to hear more." She sniffed quietly.

"I do want to hear more," Nishikata insisted, his muscles tensing as he pushed down his own despair.

"You don't understand!" Takagi uttered agitatedly, "You're tearing me apart, Nishikata!"

Nishikata pulled back slightly; what did she mean, was he overstepping? "...What don't I understand?"

Takagi finally raised her head; there were tears brimming at the edges of her eyes. He immediately tensed up; he had only ever seen her cry once, at the school festival, and she had covered it up then. She hardly seemed to notice his shocked expression, her lip openly wobbling as she looked at him.

He hated seeing those sad tears. He absolutely hated them. He just wanted to hug her again, like before, and not get so caught up into it this time. She was far too cute and nice to be this sad. As much as it hurt to hear about Takagi swooning over somebody else, it hurt more to see her so far from her normal sprightly self, being tormented like this. He wasn't sure how he himself was still composed through all of it.

"I don't want to hurt you," she whispered. Nishikata still didn't understand what she meant, but she looked frightenly close to breaking down so he didn't press.

"You won't hurt me," he lied with gritted teeth, "I just want you to be happy again."

Takagi, stared at him for another second, a tear escaping her eye and sliding down her cheek. Then she bowled into him in a ferocious hug, knocking him over on the bench with a thud. Nishikata fought back the sense of excitement that it brought as she tightly gripped him, shaking and silently crying into his shoulder. He couldn't feel happy while she was down. This was for her, not him.

"Just give me a few minutes," she whispered into his ear between shaky breaths, and that he could give her. The fur on her coat practically engulfed the two of them, quickly giving him the extra warmth he needed in the night.

Nishikata felt a similar tear slide down his own face as he held his friend, feeling such contortion inside that he could only barely sit back up. But abandoning his own feelings was the price to pay, to hopefully making her happier, so he could stop worrying and fixating on her so much.

Eventually, her breathing quieted down and she slowly pulled back. Takagi's face had gone white again, and her hands naturally found his as she scooted back.

"I'm d-done with lying, Nishikata," she said darkly, gripping his hands tightly. "We can't keep doing this, you wasting your concerns and energy on me."

"I wish you wouldn't talk like that, Takagi, I care about you!" Nishikata complained, holding her hands tighter back. She shook her head.

"You don't believe me? I do-"

"I know you care about me, Nishy, you care too much," she interrupted quietly, "You'll understand soon."

Nishikata watched in confusion as Takagi released his hands then carefully pulled out her phone. He had failed, as tears had were already welling up in her eyes once more. He hardly noticed the nickname that had slipped out.

"Hey, the g-gloves even work on touch-screens," she said with a half-gasp-half-giggle, flicking away the tears with her free hand, "You're really sweet." Nishikata's heart throbbed as she said it.

Takagi paused what she was doing, and slowly turned her attention to him.

"I'm g-going to be completely honest," she said, "For myself. But I c-can't say it aloud. I have to text it to you."

"Text... what to me?"

Takagi met his eyes and gave him a small, shy, forlorn smile. "Text you... who I like."

Nishikata felt his heart seize up, her sadness and that hug having distracted him from his true purpose. But he knew it was for the best. Perhaps he was getting through. He was here to help Takagi through this romance stuff and get her happy again, no matter how painful.

"Things will make a lot more sense once you know the truth. But I can only t-tell you if you tell me your crush too."

Tell you my—WHAT?!

Nishikata shot back and fell over onto the bench. She couldn't— she can't- she wants to know that?! His thoughts were scrambling as he sat back up. There was no point in admitting that anymore, even if he finally could!

"Why-why would you want-"

"I c-can't do this by myself," Takagi interrupted, "And this way you won't feel pressured and lie, I'll get the truth from you too. Maybe I can help you the same way you want to help me." She wiped away another tear and tried giving him a wobbly smile.

Nishikata didn't know how to respond. This felt like one of her sly tricks to edge out a victory over him, only the punishment was far worse. Takagi had no idea what she was truly asking. Telling her that would ruin his plan to help her—she would only feel worse!

"It's probably that tall blonde girl, huh?" Takagi teased, despite looking like she was about to break, "So it's true that you've got a thing for blondes? Hmmmm?"

He shook his head, blushing. "That's just someone from track and field," he muttered.

Takagi smile wavered as she wiped more streaming tears off her wet cheeks. "It would... really, really help if you told me at the same time, Nishikata," she pressed. "Then I can help you be smooth with her too, since you aren't all that g-good at romance."

He shyly looked at her, her wobbling smile yet nostalgic playful guise flashing in her eyes at odds with each other being almost too much for him to bear.

"But I can't," he murmured, "I'm too embar-"

"Embarrassed?" Takagi shot back, "Do you think I'm not emb-barrassed? I c-can't even stop c-crying in front of you, Nishikata. This is t-the h-hardest thing I've ever done."

Nishikata grabbed his head and shook it, feeling his own tears starting to well up again as well. His excuse hadn't worked. "But I'm supposed to help you, not hurt you," he whispered.

He felt something warm touch his shoulder and looked to the side; Takagi had put her hand on his shoulder. "It might hurt," she whispered back, "But then I can help you, too."

Could he really just tell her the truth? How would she feel okay talking about her love or even being around him if Takagi knew his real feelings? Wasn't he just consigning her to more depression by confusing her with his own agenda?

But as he watched Takagi's delicate, wavering smile finally break into a tiny sob, he knew she just couldn't admit it on her own.

"Please," Takagi begged, "please just tell me at the same time."

She was breaking his heart. He could downplay his feelings to not hurt her more. So he nodded.

Takagi stayed still for a solid minute. Finally, she turned away and slowly stood up, walking inch-by-inch to the edge of the bench. Nishikata followed her lead, shakily walking to the other end, and the two sat down facing away from each other. It was now totally dark out with clouds obscuring even the moon and stars, leaving just the dim lights above.

Nishikata stared down at his text messages with Takagi. It had grown deadly quiet. Tonight, out of all times, he was going to tell her who he liked. He had wondered if she already knew, but it was now clear that she didn't.

It wasn't even that hard to admit it anymore; he already knew how she felt and was mostly worried about how she'd take it. He could only hope that she would still let him support her, even after learning the truth.

So he slowly, deliberately typed each letter of the truth, of the person he had so unfortunately fallen for.
y
o
u

"Three," came Takagi's trembling voice.

"T-two," Nishikata replied.

"One!"

Send.

Seconds passed, but they felt like minutes. Even the wind had subsided, leaving everything completely silent except his and her nervous breaths.

Finally, both phones let out new notification chimes. Nishikata slowly looked down at the text conversation.

'you'

The very word Nishikata had just typed appeared in front of his eyes. Takagi let out a small sob from behind him.

"Y-y-you see, Nishikata, y-you d-didn't need to w-w-worry for me so much," came her voice, muddled from crying, "Now you know my s-secret but p-please don't feel bad for m-me, I've been mostly sad about l-lying to you lately."

you

you

Two you's repeated one after the other.

"A-and now I know for sure who you like, so don't w-worry about hurting me or letting me d-down, I'd rather j-just be honest and g-get over it an-"

"Takagi, stop," Nishikata interjected, staring incredulously at the text messages.

"-and help you... what?"

"I don't think it worked," he continued, heart beating wildly, "My phone glitched and sent my text back to myself."

Nishikata turned around from his edge of the bench at the same time as Takagi. "No, that c-can't be," she replied back, eyes wide, "it said I delivered it."

"Wait... what were you just saying?" he asked, "What did you m-mean, how could I be hurting you?"

Takagi stared back at him, looking absolutely stricken with fear. She opened her shaking mouth, struggling to speak.

"Why-why is this making you so sad?" Nishikata pressed as he slid closer, heart speeding up and narrowing his eyes.

Takagi let out another small sob, looking physically pained and terrified.

Please, just tell me, he silently pleaded with his eyes.

Finally, she forced out a response.

"Isn't it o-obvious?" Takagi whimpered, "Because my crush is you."

"You- what?"

"I c-c-can't say again," she choked, reburying her face in her hands. Her breathing grew more and more erratic and she began to cry.

Did she just say- Nishikata whipped out his phone again to check the messages. Two you's. Not a glitch. One from him... and one from Takagi.

⁂

Takagi's cries grew louder and louder until she was sobbing into her shaking hands, soaking her treasured, brand-new gloves in tears. She had confessed, but the pressure was far greater than expected. She wasn't built for this, nobody was. With Nishikata now connecting the dots, realizing how greatly she liked him, their precious relationship was probably in shambles and would never be the same. It was as if she had just forced down a poison pill that immediately took effect.

She was on the verge of running away, even if she couldn't outpace him. Right now he was figuring out how to reject her in the nicest way since he had no way to lie. She hadn't even seen Nishikata's crush. He might never even feel comfortable being around her again. Maybe there was a glimmer of happiness deep in the cries for being honest, maybe not. Maybe it would be better for her in the long-term.

But all she felt right now was pain.

Takagi had to flee. Her legs quivered as she stood up, and she haphazardly pivoted around the shrine corner and started to run.

"Taka- wait!"

Tears completely clouded her vision as she stumbled towards the road, crying all the while. Maybe she could hide in the dark, where he couldn't find her. All she could do was take one step after the next.

Suddenly her foot collided with something she couldn't see. Takagi cried out, arms flailing wildly to stop her fall-

-And suddently Nishiakata was grabbing her arm, barely catching her.

"...won't let you fall *grunt* again!*"

He groaned as he fought to pull her back to balance. But few seconds later he strained and pulled her all the way back up. As soon as she was up, Takagi tried to pull away but he held her with the same iron-grip.

"Don't go," he pleaded, pulling her back towards the shrine. Takagi couldn't fight him, still phased from her near fall. She knew they had to talk it through, weeping quietly as he led her back to the bench and sat her down.

She was about to collapse back into her hands when she felt a pressure on her pants. Takagi managed to blink through her tears enough to see, and there was Nishikata's phone. She looked back questioningly at his own shocked, teary expression—of course he was shocked by her admission. He didn't make any attempt to speak, so Takagi looked down at the phone again.

you

you

Those were the last two lines of text.

Bewhildered, Takagi picked up her phone which had she had accidentally dropped in her escape. And there they were, two more you's on her own screen. One from her, and one. from. Nishikata.

Takagi's crying stopped short as she gaped down at the two phones.

It wasn't true.

Nishikata drew closer, peering over her to read the side-by-side phones as well.

It couldn't be true.

She was dreaming.

Takagi was hallucinating.

"Y-you like... me?" Nishikata asked in disbelief.

Takagi couldn't answer.

This wasn't real.

This was another cruel dream.

This wasn't possible.

"T-Takagi?"

She had stopped breathing and suddenly gasped for air. Takagi forced her head over to look at Nishikata, who was right next to her. Tears were streaming down his face now too.

He wasn't real. She would wake up any second now. There was no way he invited her here just for this to happen. This was her own mind's way of tormenting her, since she could never admit what she had just admitted nor get what she wanted.

Takagi reached over to pass her hand through Nishikata, who was just a figment of her imagination.

Thud. Her fist landed on his chest, and stayed there.

Nishikata slowly grasped her fist, and brought it down to their side.

"T-T-Takagi," Nishikata called tentatively.

"You're not real," Takagi said back, her eyes glued to his.

"I-I am real," came his feeble response, as Nishikata reached across for her other hand. His cheeks were burning a deeper scarlet than ever before.

"Takagi... I like you too."

An electrified jolt shot through Takagi and she leaned back stiffly. "I d-don't understand," she got out, trembling, "You like Mina, or th-that blonde girl, or someone better than me."

He shook his head.

"No, I already know you don't want me," she retorted, pulling her hands away, "You can't lie, you'd be happier with someone else, you're just being nice, and you rejec-"

Nishikata's hands moved up to her shoulders, and he gripped them tightly. A smile was growing on his intensely blushing face.

"No, Takagi. I like you."

As Nishikata stared at her so intently, something deep inside, something she had forced down as far as she could push it, came alive. A tiny flare of hope, one that had been repeatedly crushed out of existence, blossomed.

Takagi glanced around, taking in her surroundings. They were under their favorite shrine on a cold December night. Small snowflakes had begun to drift down and blanket the ground in front of them, casting dancing shadows across the two of them. The slightest breeze blew through the surrounding nearby bamboo, causing a constant rustling noise barely louder than the buzz of the hundreds of Christmas lights above.

Far too much detail for a dream.

"This is real?" she asked incredulously.

He nodded. The flare sparked and grew uncontrollably.

Her voice cracked. "You like... me?"

"I do. I. like. you. " Nishikata was smiling widely as he said it, his eyes more wide and vibrant than she'd ever seen.

The flare burst into a full wildfire.

"It took me over a month practicing in the mirror to say that out loud," he said with a small chuckle, "Ugh, why did I just tell you that? I'm sure you'll tease me relentl-"

Nishikata was cut off as Takagi barrelled into him for the second time this evening, knocking him fully onto the bench. She didn't care. Her heart was... she was... she was soaring.

She was his crush. She was his crush. Nishikata liked her. Nisikata liked her? Nishikata liked her!? She felt herself beginning to cry again.

The floodgates opened as Takagi sprawled over Nishikata and bawled into his shoulder, trembling violently. It was too much to bear. She couldn't imagine it, her heart was melting, she didn't know what to do, this was impossible, she just, she was suddenly so, so, so happy!

She held him tighter and tighter, unable to comprehend this extraordinary plot twist.

Nishikata gasped for breath and Takagi realized she was constricting him. She gasped and loosened her grip, but continued to sob into him, so far from her once confident self.

"I-it's okay, Takagi," came her knight in shining armor's voice. He was cautiously hugging her back, patting her shoulder.

"B-b-but how?" Takagi got out between her cries, "You told me all about that girl at the waterfall, I was *gasp* going to help you get together with her!"

"I got too scared to admit it was you. But I was t-trying to help you get together with your crush too," he replied brokenly. He pulled away enough for them to see each other. "The boy you told me about while you were sick... was me?"

Takagi let out a sigh, smiled, and nodded, her tears trickling down her cheeks and dripping onto their hands. Nishikata jerked back slightly, clearly still reeling in disbelief as well.

"I thought you d-didn't like me after we flew kites in the summer," she said more strongly.

"...But you said that was a joke!" Nishikata exclaimed.

Takagi wiped her face and shook her head. "I lied," she explained, "After you ran off, I thought I scared you."

Nishikata grunted and turned away. "I'm sorry about that," he said, "I just knew you were upset."

"It's okay, Nishy," she replied, beaming at him, "I just wanted to do something back after you held my hand at the summer festival. But I overdid it."

Nishikata blushed and turned away to hide his face even more, and Takagi couldn't help but laugh. It was a strange laugh, intermixed with sniffling and awe.

"So now is when you decide it's too embarrassing, thinking about holding my hand?" she chortled, now realizing with excitement that she was free to tease him romantically all along.

"That's different, it was the first time," Nishikata grumbled, "and I thought you only considered handholding to be... friendly."

But Takagi had already forgotten, her mind now reeling at the past several months. "You and I, we were—we've just been confused for months, and–and I had convinced myself that you were just being nice! That hike we went on, you really did mean to call it a date!"

Nishikata continued to blush, and Takagi suddenly realized that she was still partially sprawed out over him in her hug. She felt heat rising to her own cheeks as well, and carefully got off of him so he could sit up.

The day was inexplicable; Takagi had gone in prepared for the very worst and had instead received the very best. And Nishikata had been trying to help her thinking she liked someone else, despite him liking her the whole time.

He was perfect. Her heart had never felt more full.

Takagi's blush deepened, but she needed to say it. She had to.

"Nishikata," she spoke, her voice shaking. He reddened even more, but met her eyes.

And finally, finally, she could tell him her ultimate three-word truth.

"I love you."

Nishikata shook, his mouth slowly transforming into a tiny, giddy smile.

He doesn't have to say it back right now, I've liked him for years longer, I just want him to know how–

"I can't believe any of this, Takagi, but... I love you too."

Her mouth dropped open again. Tears spilled out of Takagi's eyes and she couldn't bear it again, tackling Nishikata onto the bench in a third hug.

Finally, after too many chapters of disappointment, they've figured it out! The story is close to finished, but there is a little bit more. If you enjoyed/have constructive feedback, I'd love it if you shared!