You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone

ritted my teeth, desperately trying to swallow these emotions swirling within me with a sigh.

Crying in front of Kuraki, whom I have nothing to do with, will only make things awkward for her.
It’s also extremely pathetic.
Yeah, I thought so…

“It’s okay, just let it out.
You’ll never get relief if you keep bottling it up.”

My widened eyes darted back to her, yet all she did was look at me with warm eyes and a worried expression.
Her gentle words urged me to spill out these swollen feelings.

“We… we’ve been together for so long, I thought we’d stay like that forever.”

“Mhm.”

“So, when she suddenly up and left my life, I felt lost.
I don’t know what to do…”

“I, I’ve been—hic—together with you for so much longer… hic… I thought forever… hic… I… I…”

Once a droplet fell on the floor, it never stopped.
Thoughts became words, then tears, and they stained the floor without reprise.
I let out my messed up mind, which I myself could barely understand, all while an uncoherent babble of words parted my lips.

I looked down, embarrassed by my shameful display.
However, as my eyes met the ground, I felt a warm sensation on my head.

“It’s lonely, isn’t it? I’m sure anyone would cry if they were in your position, so it’s okay… It’s okay to cry,” she softly said while gently running her fingers through my head.

I cried so hard I couldn’t even think, and with the momentum to throw it all out.
And while I let go of every single bottled frustration, confusion, and sorrow, she kept sitting by my side, stroking my head with care.

A chime rang.
It seemed all afternoon classes came to an end, and since no one ever came to the rooftops except during lunchtime, I skipped two hours’ worth of classes while crying pathetically.
By this time, my jumbled mess of a mind gradually put itself back together and embarrassment soon overtook me.

“K, Kuraki-san, um, I… uh…”

“Hmm? Didn’t you calm down after crying?”

“Um, eh, I’m sorry.
I’m embarrassed for making you go through that with me…”

“Well, I’m not.
When you’re sad, you want someone to listen, right?” She didn’t make fun of me once.
Her words and her poise were very mature to me.

“You’re so mature, Kuraki-san.”

“What’s with that, we’re the same age.”

“No, I mean more in terms of mental age.”

“Well, I’ve been called a lot of names, so I’ve learned not to be upset at anything they throw at me.”

“Y, you’re having a hard time…”

“I’ve heard them ask, ‘how much for a night?’.
What sort of question is that? Disgusting.”

“Ugh, wow.
I didn’t want this graphical picture in my head.”

“Don’t say that, I listened to you, didn’t I?”

“Yeah.
Thank you very much for that.
I’d be delighted to hear your story, Kuraki-san!” I shot back like a machine gun.

She giggled at my quick response, and I laughed along with her.
I wondered how many days it’s been since I’d laughed.
At least I can finally turn my mind back on.

“Now, for real.
Thank you, Kuraki-san.
I feel like I’m a new man.”

“You’re welcome to visit anytime, fellow skipper.”

“Ahaha, that’s right.
Oh, but I want to properly give my thanks, so, do you have anything you’d like?” I offered.

“Anything I’d like, hmm~?”

“What do you want me to do~? Anything’s fine!”

“Well then, first things first, nice to meet ’cha!”

T/L: Before anyone says anything, he’s a teenager, so of course he’s emotionally immature and doesn’t know how to go about life.
He won’t choose a perfect way of dealing with things, and neither would 90% of other guys his age.

He wasn’t angry with Suzuka, but rather sad and confused.
So no, he’s not an incel or a nice guy, if that’s what someone thinks.

If you want to support us, please download our awesome cultivation game Taoist Immortal!