Epilogue: I don’t suit you, but

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Translator: Soafp

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Three days had passed since I saw Sota's LINE.

Thursday morning. I woke up like always, got ready like always, and left the house like always.
The sky was clear — a break in the rainy season at the end of June. The air was humid, but the breeze felt nice.

Just like always.

A morning where nothing had changed.

— That was a lie.

Everything had changed.

On Monday, when the screenshots of Sota's LINE started going around, I learned about it earlier than anyone else in my class.

The words lined up on the screen that a girl from Class Two showed me before homeroom.

‘She's just clumsy lol'

‘She's so cold. Well, she always was lol'

‘Bad at handling things'

All of them — Sota's words.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't surprised.

But I also wouldn't call it a devastating shock.

Because, somewhere in the back of my mind, I had known.

I knew Sota was the kind of person who talked badly about others.

I just believed he wouldn't say those things about me.

That trust — was a mistake.

That's all there was to it.

After school on Monday, Sota apologized to me.

I said what I needed to say and turned my back on him.

I wasn't angry.

And I wasn't sad anymore either.

It just felt like more than ten years of time had quietly come to an end.

It's not that I started to hate Sota.

I just — lost the reason to stand beside him.

---

First period. Classical literature.

My textbook was open, but the words wouldn't enter my head.

It had been like this for three days.

And what filled my thoughts — wasn't Sota.

It was Fujimiya Ito.

His confession on Saturday.

In front of the community center at sunset. The marigolds in the flower bed.

‘I used to be a pI@yb0y, and I might not be someone worthy of you, Himuro-san.'

‘But — I like you. I like you.'

I kept replaying his voice from that moment, over and over.

It had been trembling.

His palms were sweating.

His eyes were straight on me — and he never looked away.

It wasn't the confession of someone used to flirting.

It was a confession from a man who had talked to a hundred people, yet stood in front of just one person searching for the right words.

I told him to give me some time.

That I wanted time to sort things out.

Four days had passed since then.

Had I — sorted them out?

… I think I have.

No — maybe I haven't.

But the answer is there.

It was probably there from the beginning.

I was just afraid to admit it.

---

Lunch break.

I was eating in the classroom with Yui.

As she picked at her tamagoyaki like always, she kept glancing at me.

For three days, Yui hadn't asked me anything.

Not about Sota. Not about Fujimiya.

She just stayed next to me and acted like always.

And for that — I was grateful.

“Yui.”

“Yeah?”

“There's something I want you to hear.”

Her chopsticks stopped.

She looked surprised for a second — and then smiled gently.

“Okay. I'm listening.”

“Fujimiya — confessed to me.”

“…Yeah.”

“After the volunteer work on Saturday. In front of the flower bed.”

“…”

“I put my answer on hold. I said I wanted time to sort things out.”

“Mm.”

Yui only nodded. She didn't rush me. That helped.

“I — thought Fujimiya Ito was a pI@yb0y. Someone who's kind to everyone. Someone who shows the same face to everyone. Someone who can only build relationships that don't have to be with me in particular.”

“…”

“But — I was wrong.”

I put down my bread and looked at my hands.

The hands that dug into the soil of the flower bed with him on Saturday.

“In front of me — he didn't lie. He told me honestly that it started with ulterior motives. He didn't hide his past as a pI@yb0y. His relationships with his exes. The number of people he dated. Everything — he told me in his own words.”

“Yeah.”

“He read the three books I said I liked and brought them back covered in sticky notes. When I asked what he thought — he understood the most important part of that novel.”

My voice trembled a little.

Even I was surprised.

“‘And still, morning will come.' He was the first person who understood the meaning of that line the same way I did.”

“…”

“He put himself on the flower bed watering duty. I didn't ask him to. He didn't even tell me. He just — took care of something important to me as if it were important to him too.”

Yui listened in silence.

I pretended not to notice that her eyes were getting a little wet.

“I thought we didn't suit each other. That we could never match.”

“…”

“Our hobbies, our personalities, the way we interact with people — everything is different. I'm clumsy, I can't be honest, I keep pushing people away. He gets along with everyone, laughs easily, and is always at the center of a group.”

“Yeah.”

“But — the face he showed me wasn't the face he shows everyone.”

That's where my voice caught.

“He stumbled, got lost for words, his ears turned red. Someone who never struggled talking to a hundred people became awkward only in front of me. And that —”

“…”

“That — I think all of it was real.”

Yui quietly set down her chopsticks.

“Rin.”

“What?”

“You already have your answer.”

“…Yeah.”

“Then go.”

“…Now?”

“Now. You've made him wait four days.”

Yui smiled.

Her usual — slightly mischievous, warm smile.

“It's the first time I've seen you be honest with your own feelings. You look really — good right now.”

“…I don't.”

“You do. Go look in a mirror.”

“I won't.”

“Haha. Still stubborn.”

I stood up.

I'd leave my bag. I'd be back for fifth period.

“Yui.”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. For everything — thank you.”

Her eyes widened — and then she smiled like she was about to cry.

“Go get him.”

---

I walked down the hallway toward Class Three.

My heart was loud.

This — had never happened before.

Not before tests. Not before club matches.

It had never pounded like this.

I reached the front of Class Three.

When I peeked inside, about half the class was still there for lunch break.

Fujimiya Ito — was there.

At a window seat, talking with Ozaki-kun next to him.

He was smiling. That usual friendly smile.

But — when I looked closely, he seemed a little tired.

Faint shadows under his eyes. The edge of his smile was just slightly forced.

Four days.

He had been — waiting, feeling anxious.

I took a deep breath.

And stepped into the classroom.

“Fujimiya.”

The moment I called his name, the air in the room changed.

Several people looked our way.

Fujimiya Ito raised his face.

He saw me — and froze for a moment.

“Himuro…san—”

“Do you have a minute?”

“Ah, yeah. Of course.”

He stood up.

Ozaki-kun started to say something, but Fujimiya stopped him with a small shake of his head.

We left the classroom and walked down the hall.

Without saying anything, we headed toward a quieter area.

The end of the connecting corridor. A silent place where you could see the courtyard through the window.

We stopped.

Facing each other.

“…………”

“…………”

Silence.

His eyes — wavering between anxiety and hope.

He wasn't even trying to hide it. Honest eyes.

I — took a breath.

“I came to give you my answer for Saturday.”

“…Okay.”

“Before that — there's something I want you to hear.”

“Anything.”

“Do you know about Sota's LINE?”

Fujimiya lowered his eyes slightly.

“…I heard about it. That it had stuff badmouthing me, and that it also—said things about you, Himuro-san.”

“Yeah. Sota apologized on Monday. I told him — we can't go back to how we were before.”

“…………”

“I don't hate Sota. But — I can't stay beside someone who laughs at the person he likes behind her back.”

Fujimiya listened in silence.

He didn't interrupt. He didn't badmouth Sota.

— This person would never do that.

Even if someone saw him as an enemy, he wouldn't speak ill of them.

That — is the kind of person Fujimiya Ito is.

“So — I thought about you. For four days.”

“…………”

“When I heard the rumors that you were a pI@yb0y, I got scared. That I'd just be someone you'd get bored of too.”

“…………”

“But — believing what I've seen with my own eyes is what the protagonist of that novel did, right?”

Fujimiya's eyes widened slightly.

“Not the rumors — the you I've seen was someone who worked seriously at the volunteer activity, who honestly said ‘I had ulterior motives,' who read the books I loved, who put himself on the flower bed watering duty, who laughed with me about cats, and who only fumbles when he's in front of me.”

“…………”

“You didn't look like a pI@yb0y to me.”

My voice was shaking.

I was embarrassed that it was shaking — but I couldn't stop it.

“I thought we didn't suit each other. That we could never work.”

“…………”

“But — all of that was wrong.”

Fujimiya Ito's eyes were wet.

He looked like he was desperately holding back tears.

That confident smile he always wore — was on the verge of collapsing.

“So —”

I took one step closer.

“I — like you too.”

I said it.

I actually said it.

My heart felt like it was going to burst. My face was burning. My ears were probably bright red.

This had never happened in my life before — saying something like this on my own.

Fujimiya Ito — didn't move.

Three seconds. Five seconds.

And then — he covered his face with both hands.

“…Are you serious?”

His voice was muffled.

“…Are you crying?”

“I'm not.”

“You are.”

“I'm not. I'm not — just give me a second.”

— This person.

The one who never struggled talking to a hundred people.

The one who should be used to dealing with girls.

Was standing there with his face in his hands, his shoulders trembling.

“…Sorry. I—can't. I'm too happy, my brain can't keep up.”

“…You're exaggerating.”

“I'm not. This is the happiest I've ever been. No question.”

He lowered his hands.

His eyes were red. His nose too.

The cool, good-looking face from earlier was nowhere to be found.

And yet — I thought I liked this face the most.

“Himuro-san.”

“…What?”

“I'll — do this properly. I swear. I'll never make you regret this.”

“…………”

“It might not sound convincing coming from someone who used to be a pI@yb0y, but—”

“It is convincing.”

He looked surprised.

“Because there wasn't a single thing you said that was a lie. And from now on — that won't change, right?”

“…Of course.”

“Then I'll believe you.”

A breeze passed through the connecting corridor.

The trees in the courtyard swayed, and the dappled sunlight fell over us.

Fujimiya Ito — smiled.

Crying, and smiling.

Awkward, pathetic — and more sincere than anything else.

“…One more thing.”

“What?”

“Can I call you by your name?”

“…Do whatever you want.”

The fifth “do whatever you want.”

But this time — it wasn't a phrase to push someone away.

“Rin.”

He said my name.

Just that — and the inside of my chest felt so warm.

“…Ito.”

I returned his name softly.

His face crumpled.

He looked like he was about to cry again.

“…You really are a crybaby.”

“Shut up. It's your fault.”

“—Don't say ‘you' like that.”

“Oh — sorry. It's your fault, Rin.”

“…………”

For some reason — I laughed.

I realized I was laughing and hurriedly covered my mouth.

But it was too late. He saw.

“You just smiled.”

“I didn't.”

“You did. You totally did. I saw it.”

“You didn't. You're imagining things.”

“There's no way I imagined that. It was insanely cute.”

“—!”

My face was burning.

No way. If I stayed in front of him any longer, I wouldn't be able to keep myself together.

“…Fifth period is about to start. I'm going back.”

“Ah, wait. After school — can we walk home together?”

“…Do whatever you want.”

“I will.”

He smiled.

An awkward smile, tear tracks still on his face.

I turned my back and started walking.

My steps got faster as I moved down the hallway.

When I turned the corner — I stopped.

I leaned my back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling.

My heart was loud.

My face was hot.

My hands were shaking.

But — I was smiling.

I could tell I was smiling.

I couldn't stop.

I thought we didn't suit each other.

That we could never work.

But — “not suited” was never a reason we couldn't become “suited.”

I remembered the last line of that novel.

‘And still, morning will come.'

Morning — had come.

---

After school.

In front of the school gate stood Fujimiya Ito — Ito.

His bag slung over his shoulder, looking at his phone.

The moment he noticed me and looked up, a huge smile spread across his face.

…He makes that face for everyone.

No — that's not it.

That smile, right now, is only for me.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“I didn't wait at all. Like thirty seconds.”

“Liar. You were here at least ten minutes.”

“…Five.”

“You're honest.”

“…You're annoying.”

We started walking side by side.

The late-June breeze was a little cool.

The sky was high, the clouds beginning to turn the color of the sunset.

“Ito.”

“Yeah?”

“Water the flower bed again next week.”

“Of course. It's my turn.”

“…Yeah.”

“Let's do it together. It'll be faster with two people.”

“…………Right.”

We walked next to each other.

On the road home I used to walk alone, there was now another set of footsteps beside mine.

With this person — what kind of time is waiting for us from now on?

I don't know.

There's no guarantee that a former pI@yb0y and a clumsy girl like me will work out.

We might fight. We might miss each other. Things might not go well.

But — that's okay.

I'll do what I can properly.

Other people's attitudes and opinions don't matter.

Because I think — it's the same for love.

“Hey, Ito.”

“What?”

“The sequel to that novel comes out next month.”

“Seriously? I'm buying it. Absolutely.”

“…Want to read it together?”

“—Of course.”

He smiled happily.

I — was probably smiling too.

June was ending.

When the rainy season is over, summer will come.

The story of two people who didn't seem to fit — becoming a perfect match has just begun.

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“You're Not Right for Me”

Part One — End

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