CHAPTER 382: CONFESSION, PART 2

Yumi had never felt anything like this before.

It was strange—almost unreal. There were fleeting moments when it felt as though her soul had been lifted from her body, like she was floating high up in the heavens where no weight could reach her. At the same time, however, she struggled to put a name to the feeling that was overtaking her. It was confusing, overwhelming, like her heart couldn’t quite keep up with what her body was telling her. And yet... deep down, she couldn’t deny that this sensation felt right, as though it was something that was bound to happen sooner or later.

After all, they were a man and a woman. It was only natural for them to be drawn toward each other. Denying it any longer would be pointless. Even if it was difficult to openly admit, the pull between them was undeniable now—it was out of their hands.

Yumi had fallen for Kouhei. And Kouhei... he had fallen for her as well.

It was as if the universe itself had arranged it. The natural order of things. Something inevitable.

"Can I say something to you, Kouhei-san?" Yumi’s voice trembled slightly, but her tone was clear.

Kouhei’s throat went dry. "What is it?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual, betraying the lump forming in his chest. His eyes stayed fixed on her—on Yumi, who stood before him with a blush so bright it looked like it burned from within her. She was smiling, but not her usual smile. This one was softer, warmer, fragile even. And to Kouhei, it was the most beautiful expression he had ever seen from her.

"If you don’t mind..." Yumi took a shallow breath before continuing, "would you allow me to be involved with your life?"

Time stopped for Kouhei in that instant. His thoughts froze. It wasn’t the kind of confession he expected—not the cliché "I love you" that came so easily in stories or lighthearted romances. No, what Yumi had given him was something heavier, something that reached beyond the simplicity of words. It was still a confession, yes, but one that came straight from the depths of her heart.

And that made it dangerous.

Because this wasn’t an ordinary confession. It wasn’t simple. It was loaded with meaning, bursting with raw emotion. She wasn’t just offering her feelings—she was asking him for something deeper, something like a promise, something that might demand more from him than he could ever hope to give. Kouhei felt the weight of it pressing against him, urging him to tread carefully, as though one wrong move could break everything.

Then—Yumi laughed. A soft, girlish chuckle that quickly turned into a lighthearted laugh. "Fufufu... Hahahaha!"

"W-Why are you laughing, Yumi-san?" Kouhei blurted out, startled by her sudden burst of laughter. His brow furrowed, his chest tight, as if he were being toyed with. For a moment, he thought she was testing him.

"Nothing, nothing," Yumi replied, covering her lips with the tips of her fingers. "It’s just... fufufu... your expression just now, it was priceless. You were thinking so carefully, weren’t you? Overanalyzing it like you always do." Her eyes softened, and her voice dropped to something tender. "You don’t need to worry so much. I already know what I asked is too much. Something you probably can’t give me right now. I get it. You’ve already got so much on your plate, Kouhei-san. I just... I just wanted to tell you how I really feel."

"I... see..." Kouhei muttered, unsure if his voice even reached her.

"I don’t even need an answer," Yumi said quietly, shaking her head. "I only wanted to make sure my feelings reached you. That you noticed them. And now, I’m glad. Just saying it out loud already makes me feel lighter."

That was all she wanted—just to be heard. To let her feelings spill out before they suffocated her. To release the burden weighing down her chest. She wanted to confess, not so that he’d accept or reject her right away, but so he couldn’t ignore the truth any longer.

She told herself she didn’t mind if he turned her down. At least she’d had the courage to speak. That alone was enough. Or so she thought. But even as she repeated it inside her head, her heart trembled painfully. Because no matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise, the idea of Kouhei not returning her feelings, not even a little, hurt more than she wanted to admit.

The thought of him slowly, eventually falling in love with her—that was what she truly wished for. And yet, the fear that he might never feel the same way at all was eating her alive.

"W-Well then, I should go." Her voice quivered faintly as she turned away. "You should be spending time with Hina and the others right now, right? I shouldn’t keep you any longer. I’ll see you tomorrow, Kouhei-san."

Her steps had barely begun when she felt a firm hand close tightly around hers. She froze. The strength of his grip made her heart jolt violently, as if it were about to leap out of her chest.

"Yumi-san," Kouhei’s voice cut through the air, steady and deep.

"K-Kouhei-san?" she gasped, spinning back toward him.

Her eyes widened, her whole body trembling as if she had been pulled into something beyond her control. Heat rushed through her veins, spreading to every corner of her body until her skin felt hot to the touch. Her breathing grew uneven, ragged, her face crimson as her chest rose and fell faster with every passing second.

It was just his hand on hers. Just a single, simple touch. But it was enough to make her body burn, enough to make her heart pound like a drum.

"I..." Kouhei’s voice was low, hesitant. "I can’t promise you that. What you’re asking for, I mean."

Her heart shattered. Yumi’s lips curved into a weak, trembling smile, but her eyes betrayed the pain welling up inside her. She had known this was a possibility, she had braced herself for it, and yet hearing him say it aloud felt like a blade twisting inside her chest. It was so sharp, so painful, it was as though her heart was being ripped out of her.

"It’s unfair, Kouhei-san..." she whispered, her smile wry, almost bitter. "To say that to me now, when I was already walking away. You really don’t have any tact, do you?" She forced a little laugh, though it sounded broken. "And here I was... trying to save myself from the pain of rejection."

She smiled through the sting in her chest, as if mocking her own weakness. She had wanted to leave before it came to this, before he could say the words that would hurt her most.

"Well then... I’ll just give it everything I have until you finally notice me," she said, her voice softer now, quieter, trembling.

She tried to pull her hand free, to take back the distance she had once created, but Kouhei’s grip tightened, holding her still. His hand locked hers in place again, stronger this time, refusing to let go.

"I’m not done yet, Yumi-san."

"H-Huh?" Yumi’s voice cracked, her chest rising with anticipation, her whole body frozen in his grasp.

"Involving someone in my life is something I really can’t promise myself to do. Something like that... I just can’t make it happen. If I drag others into this, I feel like I’ll only end up letting them down," Kouhei said, his voice low and heavy. "I don’t want you to tie your life to mine, but instead..."

Kouhei drew in a deep breath, steadying himself.

"I want your life to be mine. Forever," he said firmly.

The moment those words left his lips, Yumi’s face flared red so quickly it looked like her entire head was burning up. She didn’t even know if it was purely embarrassment, or if it was something deeper that made her heart pound this hard. But right now, it was like her chest was overflowing with warmth, and her eyes couldn’t leave Kouhei for even a second.

"Fufufu... you two sure have a unique way of confessing to each other," a voice chimed in playfully.

Both Kouhei and Yumi turned their heads in shock. It was Hina, walking toward them with that mischievous smile of hers.

"H-Hina?! You were listening?!" Yumi squeaked.

"Well, it’s kinda hard not to when something this interesting is happening," Hina replied casually. "But honestly, both of your confessions just now... they were a little too broad for either of you to fully grasp what the other was trying to say. Wouldn’t it be better if you just said it outright?"

Her words struck true. Beating around the bush wasn’t going to cut it anymore.

And so, Kouhei and Yumi both opened their mouths at the same time.

The words were simple, only three of them. Yet, they carried more weight, more sincerity, and more meaning than anything they had spoken up until now.

"I love you..."

And just like that, their confession was complete. From this moment on, they were officially a couple—with Yumi now becoming Kouhei’s sixth girlfriend.