I don't know how long I was kneeling after her question which I didn't answer but when the sniffing sounds from Miyako stopped, I felt her hands drop on my shoulders as she tried to pull me up.
"Ruki… Even if you kneel forever in front of me, I will not forgive you… That's why stop this useless act."
Her voice was still a bit broken from how she cried. It even sounded like she's choking on her own words. Even so… the meaning behind her words was properly delivered.
She's right. No matter how many times or how long I kneel in front of her, it will not erase any of the things I did to her.
Even if I said I'm not looking for her forgiveness, perhaps deep inside me, I also wanted to hear those words from her which led me to do this. Though I was asking her to spare the other girls from her hatred on me, I might also have that intention.
I was actually using them to evoke some kind of compassion from this girl.
Haa. I'm really this selfish.