Huh? Uhh.. Yuhi looked away awkwardly. He was planning that, but how on earth does she know that? Then again, Sumire has more experience when it comes to dating and romance.

"Yeah," Yuhi admitted. "But hear me out, will you?"

"I am listening."

He awkwardly ran his hands through his hair. "When I thought of it carefully, I do want to be with you, Sumire. I know you don't care for other people's opinions, but it is a bit strange to spend time together without dating. Also, I want to be certain that I am the only one you are considering. This may sound like I don't trust you, but I want you to be my girlfriend, Sumire. We have already skipped a lot of relationship stages, but I still want to go back to square one."

There was another reason why he was in a hurry. He wants to start dating Sumire before Atsuro, and the other guys come here.

When those guys come here, he won't get any peace with Sumire. Moreover, Atsuro will surely actively pursue her again. Atsuro is the only one who knew about Mamoru's illness and can sympathize with Sumire. The two may have had that dispute, but he knew that Sumire felt regretful. He cannot allow them to sympathize and comfort one another. It would be far too dangerous.

A situation like that where one person sympathizes with another is far too dangerous.

This may be risky, but he wants to do this while he still has the courage to do so.

Yuhi took a deep breath as he continued. He kept avoiding her gaze, not wanting to see her reaction just yet. "I know we have done things in the wrong order since you came here. No, even when we met. But I want to be in a relationship with you. Right now, I am rambling a lot because I am nervous, but I cannot imagine a world without you. Ever since I met you, I have not imagined a world without you.

The moon, the stars, the sky, everything I associate with you. Ibuki Sumire, I am not a Knight, and I can't be Tsueno Mamoru. But my feelings for you are stronger than anybody else's. At first, I thought all I wanted was to see you smile even if I wasn't the one by your side. But I have changed my mind."

Or rather, he regretted it so much.

Back then, why did he let her go?

"I want to be the one that makes you smile. I want to be the one that changes your world. I want to be the one who you wake up and see in the morning. The first one you see at the start of the day, and the last one you see at the end of the day. I want to freely walk hand in hand with you under any weather, face any storm together."

Yuhi looked up and saw it, the tears in the girl's eyes. His eyes widened, and he stood up. Yuhi took a seat beside her. Sumire buried her face in his arms and hit him. "You're so unpleasant. Why can't you wait? Why do you have to make me decide now?"

"I won't apologize, Sumire," Yuhi mumbled. "Initially, I did not want to rush things. But I cannot risk anybody having you."

"You're so silly. I don't like Atsuro." Sumire must have guessed what he was thinking. "I like you, Yuhi."

"Just like? Here I am pouring out my heart and soul for you, but I only get a like?"

Sumire's cheeks were very red, and Yuhi liked what he was seeing. He never saw her flustered like this before. For a moment, Yuhi thought some crazy things like teasing her and kissing her. But he stopped himself. The more he watched her, the more --

Thump, thump, and thump.

Yuhi felt his heartbeat increase. His heart beat so loudly that he felt like it would come out of his chest. Heat crept onto his cheeks, and he knew he was flustered too. Yuhi did not think she would react this way. He half expected

"Are--are you finished?" Sumire questioned. "I mean, shouldn't you tell me why you like me?"

Why does he like her? Yuhi paused before he brought his lips to her ear. "You know I don't like talking."

Before she came here, he seldom spoke this much. He was quiet and reserved even among his friends.

He placed his hand on her lap and gave her thighs a gentle squeeze. "I prefer action over words. Why do I like you? For one, you're very pretty." He didn't do anything but gently bite her earlobe. "Two, do you remember what I said about sex drive? You fit that criteria."

"H--H-ow, would you know."

"I can tell." He chuckled. This was fun; he never saw her like this before.

"Three, we have the same interests. So it is easier to speak to you."

The only reason why he talks to her this much is because they have a lot in common. He does not have to force himself to speak with her, and everything comes naturally.

"Four, and this is the important one. You're the only one who is willing to listen to me and tries to understand me. Many people have tried to get to know me Sumire, but they have either failed or left me halfway. You're the only one who has persisted, the only one who continues to pull me along." He trailed off when he saw her shocked reaction. "Surprised?"

Sumire looked down. "You think too highly of me, Yuhi."

"You haven't heard all of it yet."

This isn't enough; he still has so many things he wants to say to her. There are still so many things.

"I like your smile, your tears, and your angry face. I like the many sides of you and the sides I have yet to discover. The scars you are so ashamed of? I like those too. Your voice? Your voice is beautiful. I have never found it annoying. I encourage you to speak more, because I like listening to you speak. I like how once you put your mind to it, you are very dedicated and hardworking.

I like how you don't realize how much I like you, and how many good qualities you have. Everything you see as a flaw is not a flaw in my eyes. For me, everything about the woman named Ibuki Sumire is beautiful."

When he finished his sentence, he noticed that Sumire had wrapped her arms around his neck. "Idiot, Idiot. Why did you have to sound so sweet? I.. I can't say no if you say it like this."

"Then say yes."

Tell me yes, Yuhi screamed in his head. Say yes and end this torture already.