I remembered even less from the afternoon classes than the morning ones.\nĀ \nāActually, I realized your feelings, Mikura-san.ā(Naruse)\nĀ \nNaruse said this with a sad smile.\nĀ \nāAnd so I ended up rushing and confessing to Sakuraba-kun, but it didnāt work outā¦..ā(Naruse)\nĀ \nI know.\nBecause highschoolers arenāt as tight-lipped as you think they are.\nĀ \nāBut I want to change my mind and support Mikura-sanā¦.ā(Naruse)\nĀ \nāStrong,ā was what I thought.\nI mean it isnāt easy to find someone who can really think that way.\nĀ \nāSakuraba-kun-, He said that he doesnāt want to date anyoneā¦.ā(Naruse)\nĀ \nāOh, I seeā¦..ā(Mikura)\nĀ \nāYep. But I didnāt want to give up, so I asked him ācan I wait until you change your mindā butā¦ā¦ā(Naruse\nĀ \nThe chime signaling the end of classes rang, and each of our classmates left the classroom at their own pace.\nAll I could do was sit in my seat and look down.\nĀ \nāI was told to stop and give up.ā(Naruse)\nĀ \nNaruse seemed to be crying a little as she told me that.\nĀ \nāMikura-san, thatās why I think that you shouldnāt rush and that you should take your time to fall in love. Even if you confess to Sakuraba-kun now, Iām sure that will only make both of you very sad.ā(Naruse)\nĀ \nI was fairly certain that Naruse wasnāt lying.\nI thought so partly because of her kind-hearted personality and partly because of what Aoto told me in the cafe about her.\nĀ \nāBut maybe, if itās Mikura-san, you can get Sakuraba-kun interested in loveā¦.! Maybe he just said that as an excuse to reject me!ā(Naruse)Ā \n[TLN: I hate the way Japanese people use the personās name instead of āyouā]\nAll I could do was stare at Naruseās back as she left with a tearful smile on her face.\nĀ \nI was worried.\nI was wondering whether or not I should actually confess to Aoto like I had planned.\nĀ \nPerhaps itās a great inconvenience for Aoto.\nWhen Naruse asked if she could wait for him, he replied, ādonāt.ā\nIf those are his true, genuine feelingsā¦.\nĀ \nMy resolve, which I shouldāve solidified this morning, was now completely shaken up.\nĀ \nāMikura-san.ā(Sakuraba)\nĀ \nHearing a familiar voice, I reflexively raised my face.\nWhen I looked around, I realized that only Aoto and I were left in the classroom.\nĀ \nāO-, oh, umā¦.Aoto-kun.ā(Mikura)\nĀ \nāWhatās wrong? You look a bit troubled.ā(Sakuraba)\nĀ \nāN-, no, itās nothing.ā(Mikura)\nĀ \nāIs that so?ā(Sakuraba)Ā \n[TLN: The Japanese used āsouā but with a question mark, so this was the only way I could think of to localize it. Sorry if it sounds kinda stuck up & lmk if u have anything better]\nĀ \nSaying this with his usual composed expression, Aoto sat down in the seat next to me.\nĀ \nTaking a deep breath, I took the paperback book out from my bag and handed it to him.\nĀ \nāOnce again, thank you for lending me the book.ā(Mikura)\nĀ \nāNo, I should be thanking you. Iām happy that you read it. How was it?ā(Sakuraba)\nĀ \nāUm, yeah! It was really good! I couldnāt stop turning the pagesā¦..!ā(Mikura)\nĀ \nāReally?! My impressions of the novel were that it was something that people either completely love or completely hate, so itās good that you liked it.ā(Sakuraba)\nĀ \nAoto smiled at me, looking happy from the bottom of his heart.\nThe calm, adult-like atmosphere that Aoto normally gave off was instantly replaced with a child-like atmosphere that was filled with innocence.\nĀ \nYou really like books, donāt you, Aoto.\nĀ \nIām sure that he has no idea that the woman sitting in front of him is currently agonizing over whether or not to confess her feelings to him.\nĀ \nYes, it is one-sided and selfish, this request of mine.Ā \n[TLN: Intentional questionable grammar because the grammar was incorrect in JP as well]\nĀ \nItās just a self-centered request that ignores Aotoās feelings and tries to monopolize him.\nĀ \nāBut maybe, if itās Mikura-san, you can get Sakuraba-kun interested in loveā¦.!ā(Past Naruse)\nĀ \nThereās nothing like that, Naruse.\nIām not that confident nor am I that insensitive.\nAnd I donāt have the courage either.\nĀ \nāā¦..Mikura-san, whatās wrong? Did something actually happen after all?ā(Sakuraba)\nĀ \nāOh, um, noā¦..Really, itās nothingā¦.ā(Mikura)\nĀ \nāā¦ā¦I see.ā(Sakuraba)\nĀ \nAoto tilted his head in confusion as he looked down at my face.\nĀ \nāIf you ever need any help, you can always rely on me. If youāre fine with me, Iāll help you.ā(Sakuraba)\nĀ \nAoto is kind.\nNo matter the situation, no matter the person.\nBut I didnāt want to worry him or trouble him unnecessarily.\nĀ \nāThe next time you feel like reading something, let me know. I have a bunch of recommendations, and Iām always happy to lend them to you.ā(Sakuraba)\nĀ \nWaving at me who was still seated at a desk, Aoto smiled and left the classroom.\nĀ \nIām such a coward.\nĀ \nāHow in the world can I possibly say something like thatā¦..ā(Mikura)\nĀ \nThe only person left in the classroom, I cried, my shoulders shaking as I did.\nFrustrated, disappointed, and ashamed of myself, I broke down and continued crying.ć\n\n\n\n\n[TLN: It feels like I have so much less to say in my tl notes since Iām releasing with small gaps in between. Hereās a question for the next series ig: do yaāll want a fluffy/sugar/diabetes series, a serious/somber series, or something in between. All options are basically SOL romance btw. Wonāt translate isekai or any non-romance until the day I die or until the day I get arifureta translation rights]\n