"Where are we going?" Chiaki asked as Mahiru led the girl down the hall and stairs, having confronted her after class in the desire to tell her something, though she didn't get into specifics. Both girls received the usual stares and whispers until they made their way outside. They'd walked almost entirely around the perimeter of the school, since Mahiru felt it was necessary to take a detour if it meant avoiding people. She hadn't spoken to the gamer once since starting this trek, and now, as they were turning around the final corner, she finally saw where they'd been heading.

A fountain located next to Hope's Peak.

Chiaki thought very highly of this fountain, given that it was where she and Hajime first met. So to have Mahiru bring her here now…

"Mahiru? What's up? Is something wrong?" Chiaki asked with a frown. Mahiru had walked up to the fountain and was taking a deep breath. After a few moments passed, she turned to Chiaki, and slowly lowered her arms from her chest. Chiaki's eyes went wide and she immediately looked around to make sure no one was watching. "M-Mahiru! What are you-?!"

"I-I figured this would show you how serious I am," Mahiru said quietly, having to fight the urge to cover herself. "Look, Chiaki…there's something I need to tell you."

"You're…scaring me," Chiaki admitted, and Mahiru tried for a reassuring smile.

"You're…amazing. In every possible way, you're better than I could ever hope to be."

"Mahiru…"

"You're so strong and brave and smart and cool…and I enjoy every second I get to spend with you, even when it's…like this," She gestured to herself. "I can't imagine not being next to you anymore, and I…it's taken a lot of thought to reach this point, and a lot of looking at myself but I think…I can finally accept it. Finally say my feelings aloud."

"O-Okay…what are you trying to say?"

Mahiru took yet another deep breath and met Chiaki's eyes.

"I like you."

The statement hung in the air for a long time as Chiaki took it in. At first, she was stunned, but then a few things seemed to snap into place and finally make sense. Then her cheeks flushed as the full realization of what she'd said came in. "You…wh-what?!"

"I know it seems really sudden, but…it's true. I…I really like you. A-And…if you would…I'd like to give dating a try," she continued. She braced herself for what she was expecting to hear but kept her eyes trained on Chiaki, watching as her expression became hard to read. After what felt like an entire minute had passed, the gamer looked away from Mahiru as she pondered.

"Mahiru…" Chiaki finally started. Her tone didn't sound good, which immediately made Mahiru's shoulders slump. "I'm really flattered, but…I'm not…into girls."

"Ah…right…I…I understand," Mahiru said. While she'd been expecting that, some small part of her had hoped that there was a possibility, knowing that Mahiru liked her, Chiaki would've given it a try. She wasn't going to force it if that wasn't the case, though. "I…can we…?"

"Mahiru, I'd love to still be friends," Chiaki said as she smiled at the girl then lowered her arms from herself, unaware of how that instantly made Mahiru flustered as she looked away. "I wouldn't want anything to ruin our friendship, especially when you did…that for me." She gestured to her naked body, and Mahiru managed a small smile. Chiaki had understood. Of course she had.

"Thank you," Mahiru said softly, and Chiaki nodded.

"I'm…surprised though…" Chiaki continued. "Am I really that…desirable?"

"What? Of course you are!" Mahiru cried. "You're…you're amazing! And…even if it's not with me…whoever you end up with is going to be a lucky man." Chiaki's cheeks flushed again.

"Thank you, and…I'm sorry, Mahiru," she said again, but Mahiru shook her head.

"It's fine. I was expecting it," she said and covered herself up again as she gave a small bow. "Have a good day." With that, the girl walked away, leaving Chiaki behind.

Despite having expected this to happen, it still hurt. Like there was a weight on her chest that she couldn't quite get rid of. Her grip on herself tightened. She wouldn't cry, but she still took shaky breaths as she tried, but failed, to calm herself. She made her way back around the school and towards her dorm, where she'd probably try and watch some TV to take her mind off of it. Then tomorrow would come, and she would act as if nothing happened.

"Mahiru?"

The girl jumped as she turned to find Kazuichi staring at her, standing off to the side as he examined something on the side of the school, what looked to be a massive metal box.

"Ah…h-hello, Kazuichi," she said, making sure to readjust, checking that everything was covered. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, there was a problem with the air conditioning so they asked me to fix it," he explained. "Annnnnd…" He gave the box a small hit with the hammer in a very specific spot, and the box seemed to roar to life, with Kazuichi giving her a self-satisfied smile. "Done!"

"Wow…your talent never runs out of uses, does it?" Mahiru asked as she leaned against the wall. Kazuichi nodded, but as he looked at her, his smile faded.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Is it that obvious?"

"A little. You look kind of…defeated," he said as he too leaned against the wall. She sighed, unsure if she should even tell him. Did he even need to know?

Yet for some reason, she felt like she could…trust him. When they'd first met, it had been a bad first impression, him hitting on Sonia in front of everyone before being harshly shut down. But over the past few weeks, and even a few times before that, the good parts of him had begun to shine through. So maybe…

"I confessed to Chiaki and she rejected me."

Kazuichi's eyes went wide with the admittance, and Mahiru had to look away, unable to stand the look he was probably giving her. "Wh-What?"

"Look, it was just…I never thought that…she was…"

"Hang on," he said as he stepped towards her. "You're a-"

"I think I'm bisexual," she said quickly. "Chiaki is the first woman I've ever…ever…" She didn't want to say it, but Kazuichi nodded in apparent understanding.

"That's…oh…" He looked down. "And she said no."

"Because she isn't into girls…" she said. Her arms felt weak at saying it aloud, and she almost dropped them, but even if her opinion of Kazuichi had improved, she wasn't at the level of showing herself to him.

"I'm sorry," he said as he walked even closer and laid a tentative hand on her shoulder. At first, she jumped, but then quickly settled, and even leaned towards him a bit. His hand was warm. "I…know more than anyone else how that feels." Mahiru let out a small laugh.

"Have you…really given up on her?" she asked tentatively.

"I think so. I mean…I've caught her and Gundham basically dry humping in the hallway so who knows what they do in private…" he said, and ran his free hand through his hair. "But now I'm just…unsure."

"About what?"

"Everything. What do I do from here? I've been in love with her since the moment I saw her, and…well…" he trailed off, now looking like the defeated, shy one.

"What is it?" she prodded. If he didn't want to say, she wouldn't push the issue further than that, but after a moment, he took a deep breath.

"I've never loved anyone before her."

Now it was Mahiru's turn to go wide-eyed. "What? But-"

"I seem like the type to easily fall in love? Yeah, you'd think so…" he said, sighing. "Maybe I've had little things here and there, but…she was the first I truly wanted to be with. And now…it's never gonna happen. So where do I even go from here?" At first, Mahiru didn't have an answer. She was still surprised by what he had said, that Sonia was the first woman he'd truly loved. It seemed so obvious and yet still felt so surprising. And the fact he was willing to admit to her was…

"Kazuichi, I think…you're a great guy," she said, and he turned to look at her. Not her body, not her chest…but her. Her face, her eyes.

"You…think so?"

"When you try, yes," she added. "Just…look, how many times have you fixed things for our classmates in the month or so since we started school?"

"Probably at least once for every person?" he offered, and she nodded.

"When my camera was broken, you were able to find the problem and fix it. You saved me from having to spend a whole lot of money to get it fixed or, god forbid, buy a new one. Not just anyone is willing or able to do something like that."

"O-Oh, that was just-"

"And when Hiyoko's doll wouldn't speak anymore, you not only fixed the voicebox, but you even redesigned it to look like me," she continued. "And how did Hiyoko react?"

"She almost cried in thanks…" he said, a smile returning to his face. "It was the nicest she'd ever acted towards me…or anyone other than you or Chiaki, really."

"Exactly. And what about Teruteru? His blender broke and even though he was kind of an ass about it, you fixed it regardless," she went on. "You've done so much to help everyone without expecting any thanks or any other reward in return."

"What does that have to do with anything, though?" Mahiru rolled her eyes.

"It means…that you can be a nice selfless guy when you want to be. I think…I think you'll find someone. Someone who can appreciate what you do, and that you'll come to love just as much as Sonia, or even more," she explained, their eyes meeting. "Even…even if it takes a long time." Mahiru suddenly realized they'd gotten closer at some point, but she didn't know when.

"You…really think that?" he asked softly. His face was inches away.

"I…I do," she said and decided to somewhat repeat her earlier words in all their truth. "I think…there's a lucky girl somewhere out there waiting for you."

"I…I hope so." He was almost there. Their noses were nearly touching. Mahiru's heart raced in her chest. Her body was almost shaking.

"M-Maybe…maybe they aren't…even…that far away…" she said.

"Maybe…" he repeated, almost too quietly for her to hear. His eyes closed. Her eyes closed.

And their lips touched.

It was a single, fleeting moment. A moment of bliss, a moment that felt right to Mahiru. Her body lit up, every nerve telling her to wrap her arms around him and pull him close, to never let him go. His lips were warm and comforting. All the words she'd said to him were true, but even more for her than she'd realized. She wanted him and nothing but him at that moment, but-

She pulled away.

His eyes shot open, as did hers. Her cheeks became beet red as she fished for an excuse, or any words at all. Kazuichi must've been having the same issue, given the way he was flapping his mouth like a fish. His eyes never strayed from hers, and she gulped before she finally spoke.

"I-I'm sorry! Bye!"

She turned and ran off as fast as her legs could carry her. She heard him shout after her, but she was already moving down the halls to her room, where she thrust the door open, leapt inside, and nearly kicked it close. She planted herself against the door with a gasp and shaky breaths.

She just kissed Kazuichi.

And it felt good.

Alone, she finally dropped her arms and rubbed at her face. She tried to ignore it, to forget it, forget how good his lips felt against hers, forget how happy and complete she'd felt, forget all of it.

She walked over to her bed and checked the time. It was late enough, and she was suddenly very exhausted. With a sigh, she crawled underneath her blankets and curled up, closing her eyes as she tried to think of something else, anything else, other than Kazuichi and his smile, his laugh, his lips, his-

"Damn it!" she whispered to herself. It was going to be a long night, she could tell.

Little did she know that down the hall, in his own dorm room, Kazuichi was also unable to stop thinking of her, and Mahiru's own soft lips against his.