Meeting Sumi

Over the past two weeks, Kazuya has made a couple of attempts to get Mami's attention.

From 'accidentally' passing each other to meeting in the library hall while finding a good spot for a review session, these were a few examples of his attempts.

He made a few preparations, even researching relationship advice online and taking notes, determined to apply what he learned to win her back.

However, Lady Luck was not on his side, as there was no progress with his plans at all.

The best exchanges he had with Mami were mostly simple greetings.

The longest one was when he asked Mami about topics from the previous lessons they had in the library.

'Man, this is much harder than I initially expected.'

'Should I just man up, walk up to her and make a conversation?'

'But that's weird, right? Talking to your ex for no reason.

How good would it be if somehow there's a situation where we would require to interact with each other?

Like a group project or even just a drinking party?'

'Asking Kibe or Kuri would be impossible since they've already told me to move on.'

Since he made a decision to win her back, there were no opportunities for Kazuya to have a normal conversation with Mami.

She has her own circle of friends, and so does he. There were no opportunities at all for the two groups to meet.

In addition, their two circles had no direct connections to each other, which meant lesser chances for the two groups to go to the same drinking party.

Asking a friend of a friend was also out of the question since he didn't know anyone from Mami's side, and he was afraid he might come off as a creep for asking either way.

'Being passive is tiring. Should I try to get opportunities from the other friends of Kuri and Kibe?'

Kazuya was about to make a turn so he could get to his final class, but he suddenly stopped as he heard his name from the other side.

He chose to listen as it sounded like one of Mami's friends.

Friend A: "Hey, Mami. Earlier, that was your ex, Kinoshita-san, right? The one we kept running into?"

Friend B: "Yeah, I don't think he's given up."

Mami: "Uh, yeah."

Friend B: "He's nothing to you now?"

Friend A: "Ha Ha! You player!"

Mami: "Uh, yeah."

Upon hearing these words, Kazuya's hands clenched.

"So, I am nothing to you now, huh?"

"I guess it's true that there's someone else already."

Doing his best not to tear up, he went back to where he came from and walked to the restroom instead.

Feeling the anxiety creeping from his hands, crawling its way up to his arms and chest, he rushed to the sink to wash his face.

From his previous experiences of anxiety attacks, doing this one helped a lot in calming him.

However, for some reason, it was not as effective as what he experienced in the past.

Kazuya stared at his reflection in the mirror of the restroom, trying to force himself to calm down. But his anxiety only seemed to be getting worse.

The restroom didn't provide much relief for Kazuya's frayed nerves. He felt like he was suffocating, like the walls were closing in on him.

He needed to get out, to escape.

He decided to walk out of the building and wander aimlessly on the campus.

The sight of the setting sun casting a warm glow over the campus was breathtaking.

The orange and pink hues blended together seamlessly, making it feel like Kazuya was walking in a painting.

But his silhouette in this painting made the whole vibe a bit lonely.

He kept rubbing his numbing hand to relieve the creeping feeling while glancing at the beautiful sunset and somehow, it was working.

He kept aimlessly wandering and after a while, he found himself on a secluded path and sat on one of the benches available.

Thinking back to how cold Mami's voice was earlier, Kazuya kept rubbing his numbed hand and even rubbing his numbing chest.

He never had heard Mami sound so cold like that in the past. Gradually, his body relaxed.

He leaned sideways and lay his back on the bench. He could see the sun setting behind the clouds.

"So that's how it is." he said to himself.

While looking at the beautiful sunset in the horizon, he raised his hands towards it, as if he was trying to capture the sun with his hands.

Afterward, he looked at his right palm and saw the long scar. He decided to keep it as a reminder that whatever he decides to do in the future, he will have no regrets.

Realizing a lot of things while looking at the scar, made his clouded judgment a little clearer somehow.

"It's not as if my effort this past two weeks were in vain. Yes, nothing happened. Actually, I got even hurt much more compared to the past."

"But even if nothing happened, even if there was no progress between me and Mami, I stayed true to myself and I did what I had decided to do."

"Living without regret, that's what is more important."

Going through this train of thought, Kazuya realized,

"Even if my mind changes later, it's still good that I've realized a few things."

(Author's note: It was shown multiple times that Kazuya is capable of doing self-introspection. It means examining one's own conscious thoughts and feelings. Even in the pilot episode, he did this. If it weren't for Chizuru slapping the shit out of him, we may have a different Kazuya in the series.)

After spending time to himself, he sat up and checked the time on his phone. School's almost done and it could be considered that he skipped his class already.

Regardless, they were allowed to skip a couple of times as long as they can manage and do well.

He decided to leave early and go to his recent favorite spot. There was still some daylight so he could go for a quick round then go home early to get more rest for the day.

Upon arriving, he greeted the staff and the owner before proceeding to his usual secluded spot.

Kazuya: "Hey Oyaji. My spot's free?"

Owner: "Of course, Kazuya. You know that's always your spot."

Staff #1: "The usual, Kazuya?"

Kazuya: "Yeah. But I might leave early this time."

Staff #2: "Sure thing. Let us know if you need anything else."

Kazuya nodded and sat down at his usual spot. The izakaya bar was his haven, a place where he could escape the pressures of his life, even if it was just for a few hours.

The warm, comforting atmosphere of the bar was like a salve for his anxious thoughts.

As he waited for his food and drink, Kazuya's thoughts drifted back to Mami.

He couldn't help but feel disappointed that his attempts to win her back had been unsuccessful so far.

He had hoped that his efforts would at least make her notice him again, but it seemed like she was indifferent to his presence.

"I guess it's really over between us," he thought to himself. "But why does it hurt so much? Does that mean my realizations is not enough if I haven't truly moved on?"

As he pondered this question, his food and drink arrived. He ordered his usual dish of yakitori and a cold beer. T

he first sip of the beer was like a balm for his soul, and he savored the refreshing taste as he ate his food.

This immediately put the questions he had earlier at the back of his head.

After finishing his meal, Kazuya decided to leave early and head to the train station.

As he walked, he noticed a group of guys harassing a girl with reddish-pink hair.

When he sees that girl being harassed by a group of guys, he feels a sense of protective instinct kick in, and rushes to her aid without thinking twice.

He pretended to be her friend, pulling her hand and leading her away from the group.

Somehow, this worked, and he doesn't have the time nor the concentration to think why. Perhaps, his built now feels different as he began working out earlier.

As he pulls Sumi away from the group, he tries to ask her for her name and other information but notices that she is extremely shy and has trouble speaking up.

Despite this, he finds her timidity endearing and cute.

Finally, the girl muttered a name he almost didn't hear. They stopped walking, and he tried to get nearer to her face so he could hear what she was trying to say.

This made the girl blush even more, but eventually, she was able to say what her name was.

"S...Su...Sumi.."

"Sumi, huh?" When Sumi finally manages to say her name, Kazuya smiles and repeats it back to her, feeling a sense of warmth spreading through his chest.

He's glad he was able to help her and finds himself enjoying her company despite the short interaction.

Kazuya couldn't help but feel a little amused by her timidness, but he also found it endearing and adorable.

Due to the influence of alcohol, Kazuya never realized that he tried to hold Sumi's hand again as they walked towards the closest station from their location.

On the other hand, Sumi's face has reddened even more as her interaction with Kazuya is the most difficult interaction she has had in her life.

As they walk to her station, Kazuya tries to make conversation with Sumi, asking her about her hobbies and interests.

He finds himself laughing at her adorable shyness and feels a sense of connection with her, despite having just met her.

Kazuya: "So, what do you like to do in your free time?"

Sumi: **mumbles incoherently

Kazuya: "Sorry, I didn't catch that. Could you speak up a little?"

Sumi: **blushes and whispers...points at the bookstore.

Kazuya: "Oh, that's cool! What kind of books do you enjoy?"

Sumi: **nervously fidgets with her finger

Seeing that Sumi is having difficulty answering a question that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no or through visual aid, Kazuya finds himself laughing internally.

As he caught Sumi looking at him while blushing, he chuckled.

"You don't have to be so nervous around me so.. Just imagine you're talking to a brick wall and take it easy." He said while smiling at her.

Sumi: **nods silently while looking down then looking sideways seemingly in thought.

When they arrived at the station, he asked her again if this is her station.

As she is having difficulty on speaking up, he waited several seconds and have decided to go to other one a couple blocks away.

But Sumi suddenly tugged his clothes which took his attention.

He glanced at her and saw her pointing out the station above them while looking down at the ground.

This made him immediately realize what she is trying to convey and he smiles at her while he pats her head.

He smiled and waved goodbye while leaving Sumi just petrified and blushing from all the interaction she had to face and endure today.

Sumi kept looking at his back and after a while, she suddenly realized she wasn't even able to thank him or even ask for his name.

This made Sumi cry internally, blaming herself for the atrocity she had done.

Knowing there's nothing to be done, she gathered all her resolve and hoped she could meet him again so she could thank him properly for his help and ask for his name.

After a while, Kazuya arrived home. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of Sumi.

But his smile was short-lived as he just remembered he didn't ask for her contact details.

He felt a sense of disappointment that he forgot to ask since he realized he's interested in getting to know her better.

He sighed and just accepted his situation, deciding to leave it to fate if she was just going to be a passing stranger or an acquaintance.

Kazuya decided to take a shower to clear his mind before taking an early rest which he initially planned earlier.