Her words echo in my mind. In my head, I already knew it. My heart was just unwilling to believe that the girl I grew up with was in love with me.

“I guess Hinae already told you.” She continues on. “So, how does it feel to have a girlfriend now.” My eyes wander downwards, realizing that she doesn’t know the truth yet. To her, she always thought I’d take that bit of advice from her. That bit of advice was her ploy to put me in this position where there would be no way to return her feelings. What she didn’t realize was that the girl who called me to them was not confessing her feelings. She was telling me the truth of the others around us.

“That wasn’t a confession.” I answer. Her eyes open wide in shock from my response. “That girl wanted to talk to me about something else. Something important in private.”

“I… See.” She gently crosses her arms over her stomach, turning away from me in embarrassment. “That’s quite a blunder for me, isn’t it?”

“Juria.” I can’t stand her not looking at me. In this position, I can’t see her face. So in a bit of a bold move, I lean towards her. My hand finds itself hooking under her chin to return her gaze back towards my direction.

It’s not meant to be a romantic move. All I want to do is see her face. Is she crying? Is she distraught about this new position we’ve found ourselves in. However, I do appear to be making a move on her. Seems like everything I do can be misunderstood, but I want to make my feelings clear to her. “Why?” I ask. “If you love me, then why do you want me to be with someone else?

“Because…” I eagerly await her response. I can’t fathom why someone would want to let their feelings for someone go so easily. It’s not even a matter of conceding to close friend. She was willing to allow it to someone she had never even seen before, let alone met. “You don’t deserve someone like me.”

“How can you say something that?” If anything, I wouldn’t deserve someone like her. A girl who’s so kind. And admittedly, one who’s more beautiful than I remember. As I’ve guided her face to look towards mine. I’m getting that same feeling that I got back on her bed again.

“You can’t deny it. I’m not a beautiful girl.” A tear runs down her functional eye. I don’t like seeing her cry. I hate seeing her cry. I’d hurt the person that would cause her to do so, but this time I’m the person who’s making her cry. And that just kills me on the inside. “You’ve grown to be such a handsome young man.” She take both her hands and holds them under my cheeks. “Anyone would be lucky to have you.”

“But you can’t?” My vision becomes blurred. Tears are forming in my eyes at the thought she would give up any shot with me. Should I feel this way when I haven’t responded to her feelings for me? Is it fair to feel bad when the chance of me rejecting her anyway is still there?

No. There’s no chance of me rejecting her. I know it in my heart now that I know there’s a girl who loves me. I know what my answer is. “Because I… I want you to have me.” Those people who talked poorly of Juria are wrong, but there is one thing they have right. Even if they never mentioned it out loud. She’s more than just a threat to them as a romantic interest to me. This girl has already captured my heart. It’s taken me way too long to realize it until now, but it’s been this way for a while.

“What?” She can’t believe what I’ve just said. Juria’s in disbelief, maybe even questioning if what’s unfolding before her eyes is real or just a dream. “You’re lying. You’re only saying that to make me feel better.”

“I’m not lying.” She’s trying to push me away, but I won’t give up. I won’t relent to her denial of my feelings. “I know that I’m in love with you because I can’t stand being without you.” Is this what love is? That’s a feeling that I only have with her. There’s no one else who moves my heart in this manner.

“Stop it!” She shuts her good eye and grits her teeth. “You said it yourself. The boys can’t help but notice my scars. I know you see it too. I know you don’t think I’m a beautiful girl.”

“You’re wrong!” Now it’s my turn to grab her with both hand. I can’t stand hearing her talk poorly of herself. If I thought the gossip of other girls about her was bad, then this is the absolute worst. “Juria, you are beautiful.” I can say that while looking her right in the eye. Her face in full view, it doesn’t scare me like it did when I was a dumb little child. “No matter what happens, I’ll tell you you’re beautiful, over and over and over and over again…” I’ve lost count of how many times I said that word. But it doesn’t matter. That’s all I can do to get my feelings across. “You’re beautiful to me in more ways than one.”

“Hideumi, you-” Before she can even respond, I lean in and kiss her on her soft tender lips. I’ve lost control of my emotions now, my self control. There is no more distance between us as I steal away her first kiss. While I wasn’t sure what to expect from kissing just about anybody. Her taste is much sweeter than I could’ve ever imagined.

“…” Finally, after a little longer than I planned on kissing her. Our lips part ways as I back up a bit. “I’m sorry.” It’s just like that moment on her bed. The closer I get to her, the closer I want to be. The less distance I want between us until there’s none left. “Did I go too far?”

“I don’t remember teaching you to be such a bold boy.” She takes her hands and brushes mine from her arms. For a moment, I fear that she’s about to slap me in the face. “But I can’t say I hate you doing that.” In response to my move, she leans in and surprises me with another kiss.

My arms find themselves wrapping around her body as she does the same to me. The two of us embrace along the river now after our confession of love.