[ The words are exactly those that Kokomi hoped against hope she would hear, all the while telling herself that the outcome would be whatever it would be. They're answered by a twisting, anxious feeling in her stomach, a wide-eyed look in his direction, a dry mouth heralding the fact that she has no idea whatsoever what she is supposed to say to him now, because—
He has feelings for me — My feelings are genuine He has feelings for me — My feelings are not genuine He has feelings for me — I cannot understand my own
He has feelings for me
Oh, she hoped for this, but she did not expect this, despite Ms. Hina's encouraging words, despite the fact that the advice columnist already seemed to know— by the gods, how could she possibly know such things? Is it just that Kokomi was blind to all that was sitting right in front of her?
She closes her eyes, takes a steadying breath— and then another, because the first did nothing at all to help her, and a third, because the second wasn't much better— before opening them once more, looking at him in a quiet solemnity, trying to piece together the right words in her head. Despite having drawn up so many outcomes and strategies, she feels like she is walking on grounds unknown...
Perhaps the right thing to do is a joke, she thinks. To break the tension.
And so she smiles, a gentle expression (albeit, despite herself, a little twisted from her internal struggle) manages a slight laugh as she comments: ] I suppose in hindsight it was quite odd of me to suggest you spend time with the girl in question on your days off, then...
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Oh, she hoped for this, but she did not expect this, despite Ms. Hina's encouraging words, despite the fact that the advice columnist already seemed to know— by the gods, how could she possibly know such things? Is it just that Kokomi was blind to all that was sitting right in front of her?
She closes her eyes, takes a steadying breath— and then another, because the first did nothing at all to help her, and a third, because the second wasn't much better— before opening them once more, looking at him in a quiet solemnity, trying to piece together the right words in her head. Despite having drawn up so many outcomes and strategies, she feels like she is walking on grounds unknown...
Perhaps the right thing to do is a joke, she thinks. To break the tension.
And so she smiles, a gentle expression (albeit, despite herself, a little twisted from her internal struggle) manages a slight laugh as she comments: ] I suppose in hindsight it was quite odd of me to suggest you spend time with the girl in question on your days off, then...