/
Chapter 194 – Request from a Younger Boy
Maki’s PoV
After he finished his story, Riku-san looked up at the ceiling and let out a sigh.
It was my first time hearing about his past. It seemed like he experienced more setbacks and struggles during his school days than Umi or me.
He probably never talked about this with Umi.
“I know that I should’ve accepted her confession back then
 It’s just, some of the unattractive guys’ words got me, what with their speeches about how I should focus on my exam instead of trying to play around with romance
”
In a situation like that, it would be more reassuring to have a lover by your side to encourage you.
I had Umi with me. Because of her encouragements, my grades improved considerably. Yes, I fell a bit short this year, but next year I should be able to enter the preparatory class with her.
From the story he told me, back then, Riku-san was similar to me, so with Shizuku-san by his side, even when he was in a tough situation, she would be able to make him feel better at least.
It’s a shame that he took a different path.
“Back then, the thing that occupied my mind was that I didn’t want the person I love to see such an uncool side of me. What a show off. In the end, I failed the exam miserably. I managed to enter a private university though, so even when things didn’t work out as planned, the road wasn’t completely closed to me.”
It was a fact that he was a former SDF officer. Eventually, he passed his exam and managed to start working with the forces.
Little did he know that it was the beginning of another setback

“Sorry to ask this, but
 Why did you quit your job?”
“Mostly because I couldn’t get used to it. Not physically or mentally, but socially. It was hard for me to get along with my co-workers. I managed to last for three years, but one day, I eventually collapsed from the stress and after that I couldn’t work properly anymore
 So, dad told me to quit.”
“I see.”
“Don’t give me that look. I’m fine now. I’m good enough to be a good-for-nothing who plays games everyday.”
This was probably the reason why Daichi-san and Sora-san weren’t strict with him. They didn’t force him to do anything, they just waited for him to recover and make his move.
“That’s why I can’t say anything to her right now. I mean, what can I tell her anyway? I’m unemployed, I can’t even take care of myself, now I want to take care of her? What’s the use of me telling her my feelings and apologizing to her for being so pathetic back then? I’ll just trouble her. We aren’t kids anymore, we’re adults. Say that I confess my feelings to her passionately, what will happen? It’ll just trouble her, especially since she has a kid of her own now.”
“I get it
”
Honestly, I had to agree with him here. If he were to try and chase after Shizuku-san now, Reiji-kun would always be in the way. The hurdle of trying to be together with a single mother would be too harsh on Riku-san, who had never even dated anyone before. No matter how close they were as childhood friends, Riku-san would still have a hard time.
That was the reason why he said that to her back then.
“I understand. If that’s what you think, Riku-san, I respect that. Honestly, I think you made the right call there.”
“I thought you would scold me like Umi did. I don’t mind if you do, I’m well aware that everything is my fault.”
“Unlike you, Riku-san, up until recently, I was a kid who always tried to avoid making trouble for myself. I don’t have the right to scold you for anything.”
Besides, unlike him, I always have Umi by my side. I wouldn’t understand what kind of pain he had to go through by himself. I really didn’t have the right to comment about his decision.
Well, that was that, but I still had one thing that I could tell him.
“We’ve soaked ourselves long enough, let’s go, Riku-san. If we’re too late, Umi will worry.”
“Right. Seriously, that girl is too overprotective of you.”
“That part of her is cute, though.”
“Next thing you’ll say her booger is cute too. Well, please take good care of that idiot, okay?”
“I will.”
After we finished our conversation, we both got out of the bath and changed to our yukatas.
We finished everything in five minutes without talking to each other like the loners we were.
“Maki.”
“Yes?”
“Uh, you see
 Thank you for listening to me
 I never had anyone I could talk to about this kind of stuff before, so it makes me feel a bit better.”
“You’re welcome
 But my service isn’t free, Riku-san. You have to do something for me in exchange.”
“What?—”
‘Rikkun”
As soon as we exited the changing room, Shizuku-san called out to him.
She was looking at us with a bewildered expression. Clearly taken aback by our presence. She most likely didn’t expect that Umi would bring her to us.
“Maki, you
”
“Well, my request is, will you tell Shizuku-san what you told me just now? I know it’s too late, but better late than never, right? Besides, are you really sure that you want to go your separate ways at this point?”
I knew that my actions probably wouldn’t change anything. I mean, if it was that easy for them to get back to the way things used to be, this whole debacle wouldn’t happen in the first place.
If, after they talked everything through, they decided to go their separate ways, then it just couldn’t be helped. At the very least though, it would give them some semblance of closure.
Honestly, what I wanted was simple. I wanted them to consider everything calmly before making a decision. Settle everything like adults.
That was my only request as someone who was younger than them.