"Um... Senpai, I'd like to tell you my side of the story as well."
"Yes. There was something you wanted to say to me, wasn't there?"
Now it was my turn.
"Yes... it might sound a bit like a life story, but I want to be honest with you. If we're going to get along from now on, I feel like I need to be truthful."
To be honest, I was worried she’d be disillusioned, but after everything she’d shared with me, I knew I had to speak up. I looked her straight in the eye, steeled my resolve, and began.
"Did you know that I'm isolated in class?"
"I didn't think it was quite to the point of isolation... but given that incident on the Rooftop when we first met, I figured there were problems in your class."
She nodded slightly as she spoke. I'd hinted at it before, after all. And if I was always alone, she was bound to notice whether I wanted her to or not.
"In my current class, it wasn't like anyone did anything to me at first. It was just that I didn't fit in—or rather, I was carrying the baggage from my Middle School days, and I started out by despising everyone in the room."
There was a lot about Middle School I couldn't say, and just as much I didn't want to. But I couldn't explain this without touching on it at least a little.
"Is this about your time as a Middle School Student?"
"Yes. Right at the start of my 3rd Year of Middle School, I was involved in some trouble that left me isolated. I didn't think I'd done anything wrong, but I was shut out anyway. After that, I was ignored and excluded from everything."
"I had no idea..."
"My current classmates are just like the people from back then. That's why I hated them, and why they hated me back. That's why they were making fun of me on the Rooftop."
Senpai listened in silence. She didn't look away once, giving me her full attention. Now for the part I was afraid to say.
"The atmosphere in class shifted toward following those idiots, and I grew more and more disgusted. I ended up isolated again. I didn't want to be with them anyway, so I just kept running away from the Classroom. The Flowerbed was just a place I happened to find. I only started watering the flowers because I had nothing else to do."
"With Grandmother, I just happened to see her in front of me. Part of me felt like I couldn't just walk away, but it was also driven by this compulsive fear that people would judge me if I just passed her by. And the reason I didn't listen to you and ran away... that was just my own twisted inferiority complex. I'd convinced myself that no one would ever truly see me for who I am."
I probably didn't need to be this honest. But after what she’d told me, I wanted to be truthful with her.
"So, even though you’ve praised me for so many things, the truth is—"
"Nothing you say will change my opinion of you, Takanashi-san."
Senpai, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. I'd been braced for her to be disappointed, but her words were unexpectedly reassuring.
"I told you I believe in you. Besides, hearing about your Middle School days makes me feel like we're even more alike than I thought."
I'd felt it too while listening to her story. It seemed she’d seen the same reflections in mine.
"Whether it was the Flowerbed, Grandmother, or that little girl—regardless of what triggered it, Takanashi-san, you acted. That is the important part. And you didn't do those things because you were forced to, did you? I see that as a sign of your kindness. It was the same today. Even though you were avoiding me, you still came to my rescue, didn't you?"
I hadn't expected her to view it so positively. I'd been prepared for her to be disappointed, even if she didn't hate me. The sheer relief caused all the tension I’d been holding to drain away.
"No matter what you say, I believe in you and I accept you. My opinion isn't going to change. Do you understand?"
"...Yes... I do..."
Before I knew it, I was crying. I was crying because she really saw me. Because she felt that way about me. Because she believed in all of me. The person I had been searching for all this time was finally here. I was so incredibly happy.
Senpai stepped closer and began to pat my head.
"Heh... so this is what it feels like to pat someone's head."
"Sen... pai..."
She gave me a gentle smile and continued while stroking my hair.
"You didn't give me an answer earlier, so I'll ask again. From now on... will you continue to be my friend?"
"Yes... of course."
"I'm glad. I look forward to spending more time with you."
And until I finally stopped crying, she stayed there, smiling like a Goddess and patting my head.