Great Mangaka

"I want to marry you!"

Takumi couldn't help but take a step back when he heard this.

Shiori's simple and direct confession instilled fear in him. He had an instinctive resistance to love; it was a self-protection based on past memories.

Shiori noticed that Takumi's face was slightly pale. She didn't understand why Takumi seemed so shaken, but that didn't stop her from acting.

"Why take a step back?" Shiori took a step forward and asked: "Do you hate me that much?"

"No..." Takumi shook his head, his mind in a mess.

"If you don't hate me, then do you like me?" Shiori continued asking: "You like me too, right?!"

She took another step forward. In that somewhat dark street, Shiori, close to Takumi, was like a tiger, advancing with momentum. 'If it had been any other boy, he would have been scared and nodded.'

But Takumi reacted in time.

"I like you very much." He quickly calmed his fear and his face gradually returned to normal: "But that's the love between friends, Shiori, I'm sorry...".

He apologized a little: "I don't like you as a lover, and I can't meet your expectations."

It was a blatant rejection. Takumi knew those words would hurt a girl a lot, but at that moment, he thought it would be better for both of them to be honest.

The scene fell silent.

"I know."

However, shortly after, Shiori suddenly laughed and took two steps back: "I know you don't like me; you've never looked at me... If you accepted, I'd feel uncomfortable."

"I don't want my future husband to be a man who doesn't reject a woman." Shiori shook her head. She looked at Takumi with bright eyes: "I don't like playboys."

"Luckily, Takumi, you're not...".

Shiori had a lot of self-confidence. She believed it with her beauty. Confessing to any man would make their heart pound. She was very satisfied with Takumi's attitude. Takumi could reject her, so he definitely wouldn't be easily seduced by other women.

Just as she expected...

Shiori smiled. Takumi looked at her like that, with a very complex expression: "You are a weirdo."

He had never heard of a girl who could laugh after being rejected after confessing her love. Shiori was the first, and perhaps the last.

"I'm not a weirdo." Shiori shook her head and said: "I'm just a little different from others, and I have some things to hide. I always feel limited."

She turned around and walked forward: "As long as you say it, everything will be easy. Takumi, now that you don't hate me, I'll start pursuing you tomorrow."

Takumi felt a little dizzy. 'Other girls confessed to get results, but Shiori confessed just to free herself from restraints?'

"Give up, Shiori..." He followed her and said: "I know what you're thinking. I'll be alert in the future. Wouldn't it be good if we were friends?"

"I don't want to be friends."

Shiori looked at Takumi and smiled: "Since you know I like you, I can openly pursue you, invite you to dinner as a couple, watch a film, go shopping, call you, write to you... ambush you in the middle of the night... Anyway, I like you, is all this normal?"

Takumi was stunned: "Wait, how is the last one normal...?"

"You don't like night raids?" Shiori looked at him curiously and then said: "Don't worry, I'll put on my underwear before I come into your room. If you can't help it, it's not my problem...".

Shiori left after finishing speaking. Takumi looked at her slender back, imagining the scene of her entering the room in her underwear, and suddenly felt a slight pressure; he couldn't help but maintain a three-meter distance from Shiori.

Luckily, Shiori didn't continue talking, and Takumi felt relieved.

There was a subtle atmosphere between them. Passing by a park, Shiori suddenly stopped: "I'm thirsty; will you buy me a bottle of water?"

There was a vending machine nearby. Takumi bought two bottles of mineral water and sat on a bench with Shiori to drink.

He always felt that something was wrong with Shiori and didn't want to talk. He thought about going back to bed early; maybe Shiori would go back to normal tomorrow. But Takumi said nothing, but Shiori broke the silence.

"By the way, Takumi, can you give me some photos?"

"What are you going to do?"

"Put it in the case or on the table. I want to see you more. It's not bad to use it for masturbating at night..."

Takumi immediately spat out the water from his mouth. He turned his head and looked at Shiori in astonishment. The girl was sitting beside him with a serene face, as if she were talking about something very normal.

"I rarely masturbated before, but lately I've been thinking about it..." Shiori turned her head and stared intently at Takumi: "Is this natural behavior for people in love?"

"No, I don't know..."

Takumi wiped the sweat from his face and took another sip of water. 'How would he know something like that?' But even if it was natural, Shiori must have been abnormal to say something like that.

"I can also lend you my photos tonight..."

Takumi pouted and spat out water again. He wasted half the mineral water, and his pant legs were wet.

"Are you a psychopath?"

But Takumi didn't care. He was a little crazy. He stood up and said to Shiori: "Well, Shiori, maybe the movie affected you. You're not well. Let's go back quickly!"

'How could such a woman exist in this world? It was fine when she wasn't confessing, but once she did, she became a completely different person. Shiori's image as a pure and innocent girl was shattered in Takumi's heart.'

"I'm not in the right state..."

However, Shiori remained unmoved. She took a few sips of mineral water and then threw the bottle into the trash can.

"I'm sorry, Takumi..." Shiori stood up and exhaled a couple of times: "You're right. I thought I was open-minded, but as expected, I felt very uncomfortable when you rejected me in person."

"You forgot what I just said." Shiori patted her head and smiled bitterly: "The truth is, I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't feel safe. I'm afraid you'll ignore me when you get home. I'm afraid you'll kick me out tomorrow."

"Takumi, did I say many things you hate?"

A trace of nervousness and worry crossed Shiori's beautiful face, and Takumi shuddered.

"No, it's okay"

He couldn't say anything he hated. 'Perhaps no man would have the courage to hurt Shiori.'

"You're so gentle, Takumi..." Shiori looked at him and slowly smiled: "If that's the case, can I be more willful?"

Suddenly, Takumi wanted to slap himself.

Shiori chuckled and walked towards Sakura Garden Community. In the night, the girl's back stopped again.

"But Takumi, perhaps it's because I know your gentleness that I dare to say those words." Shiori turned, standing in the wind, showing a sweet smile.

"I repeat, you're the one I like the most!"

Takumi's heart skipped a beat, his eyes fell on the girl with long flowing hair, and suddenly, he didn't know how to deal with her.

"But..."

"Shiori, you're a weirdo..."

- - - - - -

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