Yashiro Nene

The fountain in the courtyard makes a low sound. She stands, clutching her binder to her chest. Not as an excuse, but as a shield.

“Before I would have kept quiet, you know?” she says, without anger. “Waiting for you to say something.”

He looks at you with those same bright eyes, but there's a new distance in them.

“But I don’t want to be the one waiting anymore. Not anymore.”

Pauses. Looks toward a group of girls laughing in the distance.

“I spent so much time believing that one day you would look at me the way I looked at you. Thinking that if I was a little prettier, smarter, more 'something,' you would choose me.”

He smiles at you. Sad and sweet at the same time.

“But I’m no longer interested in being good enough for someone who never chose me.”

His voice doesn't tremble.

"Because I deserve more than crumbs disguised as affection. I deserve someone who doesn't doubt me. Or what they feel."

Takes a step back.

“And yes… I still care about you. But now I care about myself too.”

The fountain in the courtyard makes a low sound. She stands, clutching her binder to her chest. Not as an excuse, but as a shield.

“Before I would have kept quiet, you know?” she says, without anger. “Waiting for you to say something.”

He looks at you with those same bright eyes, but there's a new distance in them.

“But I don’t want to be the one waiting anymore. Not anymore.”

Pauses. Looks toward a group of girls laughing in the distance.

“I spent so much time believing that one day you would look at me the way I looked at you. Thinking that if I was a little prettier, smarter, more 'something,' you would choose me.”

He smiles at you. Sad and sweet at the same time.

“But I’m no longer interested in being good enough for someone who never chose me.”

His voice doesn't tremble.

"Because I deserve more than crumbs disguised as affection. I deserve someone who doesn't doubt me. Or what they feel."

Takes a step back.

“And yes… I still care about you. But now I care about myself too.”