The End of Their Pretend “Mutual Love”
Shocked by Chigira’s preposition, all Maaya could do was agree but Chigi cut her off by telling her that he wants them to date for real.
Still confused by his words, Maaya took it as Chigira forcing himself because he was bound by his promise to her. That he only said he likes her because he wants to keep their pretend game. Because the lie is already ingrained in him. She felt bad that Chigira was pushing himself and sacrificing his own wishes for her so she turned him down.
Maaya’s Confession
She said she was aware that he only said that so he could keep pretending with her. She assured him that she was okay and it was her turn to protect him so he should cherish his own feelings. Chigi tried to correct her but Maaya kept talking about how what he said was actually what she has always wanted so hearing that made her happy.
She couldn’t face him and tried to go to school to explain everything to her friends when Chigi stopped her. He insisted she tells him how she actually feels and with that, Maaya took her resolved to confess even if it means they can no longer go back to their old ways.
She finally told him she likes him. That Chigi has finally made her get over her old love. That she really wished they would stop pretending and actually be in love with each other.
Chigi’s Confession
Happy from Maaya’s confession, Chigi told her the first time he met her was last year when she was crying while reading the “Tomb of Chrysanthemum” book on the train. He said he was going through a rough time physically and mentally back then and looking for Maaya every morning was what kept him going. One weekend, they were on the same train and Maaya ran after him when he was leaving the station because he forgot his umbrella inside the train.
Maaya tried to remember what happened and just realized that the guy back then was Chigira. She said she was in a hurry to return the umbrella so she thought she was talking to some dad since the umbrella was of a kid’s and Chigi said the kiddie umbrella was his sister’s.
To continue, Chigi said he has been thinking of Maaya ever since that day and he didn’t know he was going through an unrequited love since that was an unknown territory for him. He wanted her to get over her broken heart and even offered to pretend that they like each other. But looking back, he realized he was just really desperate to avoid her from subconsciously falling for someone else.
When Maaya told her about how people who are in love tend to become a stalker before, that was the first time he finally realized that he likes her. Maaya told her before that she didn’t need to be in a mutual love or have a boyfriend so Chigira respected her wishes and kept their “pretend mutual love” going if that’s what would make her happy but in truth, he didn’t want a fake relationship with her.
He officially told her he likes her. They hugged each other. He asked Maaya to tell him her feelings again and she said “I love you, Sui-kun” while Chigi replied back with “I feel the same way. I love you so much.”
Finally Official
Overwhelmed with what was happening, Maaya asked Chigi if they were in a dream. She told him how she finally made her resolve to stop their whole pretend game even if Chigi were against it and even if they end up burning the bridge. Still, she knew she couldn’t stop her feelings from liking him so she even accepted the fact that she’ll never get over his feelings for him even if they were all grown up which is why she was having a hard time accepting reality right now.
To ease her worries, Chigi gave her a hickey on the arm as proof that everything is not a dream since the hickey won’t disappear for days. In exchange, he also asked her to give him one HAHA.
As for Tezuka who was still looking for Maaya, Ohara texted him that Chigi finally found Maaya which gave him a huge relief thanks to our stupid couple. With that, the chapter ended with the two ending their pretend game but now moving forward as an official couple.
