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The double doors clang open, causing a reverberation around the lobby. Even the older woman at the front desk turns to see what had caused it, and at the same time, we both watch Koutarou make strides towards me. His suit jacket flaps back behind him, and his tie bounces in midair with every step he makes.
"(Y/N)!" He calls out, though he's already reached me by the time it leaves his mouth.
"Koutarou? Why—"
"Is this really what you want?" He interrupts, and a look of surprise appears on my face.
"... Koutarou, I said no, didn't I?" I murmur, looking down at the floor between us.
"(Y/N), I've known you for so long. If you really didn't want something, you'd make it clear." He says, and it brings my eyes back to his.
"I know," I respond.
"Well then," he sighs exasperatedly, "Why doesn't it feelclear?"
Koutarou's eyes look troubled beneath his intense glare, and it only starts to make my mood worse. Why can't this nightmare just be over?
"How much clearer do I need to be, Koutarou? What else means no more than the word 'no' itself?" I reply through gritted teeth.
"(Y/N), don't fuck around with me."
"I'm not fucking around!"
The sound of my voice echoes throughout the room, and in my own shock, I look to my left, where the old woman at the front desk sits. She appears to have been listening with widened eyes, only turning away once my attention is on her.
I look back at Koutarou, and the same look of surprise is on his face. I relax my face slowly, trying to compose myself with a deep breath before answering.
"Koutarou, you know, our friendship has meant so much to me—"
"No, come on. Don't do that." He says, looking away momentarily. I watch his eyebrows push together, and I don't know whether it is a clear marker of his struggle or a distraction from the glassiness of his eyes.