May 5, 2026.
The classroom was quiet.
The teacher continued explaining the lesson at the front of the room, while the students carefully copied notes.
But Kentarou wasn't listening.
His pencil rested between his fingers, completely motionless.
His eyes were fixed on his notebook.
Yet his mind was somewhere else.
May 16th...
The date kept repeating in his head.
Only eleven days remained.
Violet was going back to Japan.
Kentarou slowly lowered his gaze.
What am I supposed to do?
He had spent so much time avoiding the answer.
He had convinced himself that giving up was the right thing.
He had told himself that Gen loved her too.
He had even decided that he would stop approaching Violet.
But then—
His grandfather's words returned to him.
> "The greatest regret doesn't come from losing."
> "It comes from convincing yourself you've already lost... before taking the final step."
Kentarou's hand slowly tightened around his pencil.
He finally understood.
There was only one thing he could do.
"I have to tell her."
His heart began beating faster.
"Before it's too late."
He looked toward the classroom window.
The sky outside was clear.
Somewhere beyond that sky was Japan.
And somewhere in Japan...
Violet would soon be returning.
Kentarou took a slow breath.
I'm scared.
What if she says no?
What if she doesn't feel the same way?
What if everything between us changes after I tell her?
A thousand questions filled his mind.
But this time—
He didn't let them stop him.
He closed his eyes for a moment.
Then opened them with determination.
"No."
"I don't want to regret this."
He quietly put down his pencil.
Today, after school...
I will see Violet.
And I will tell her how I feel.
For the first time in a long while—
Kentarou wasn't thinking about running away from his feelings.
He was finally preparing to face them.
-----
After School
The final bell rang.
Students slowly left the school grounds, but Kentarou had somewhere else to go.
He walked through the streets with his backpack hanging from one shoulder.
His destination was already decided.
Mrs. Kubo's house.
Today...
He was going to confess.
At least, that was the plan.
---
A few minutes later—
Kentarou stood in front of the familiar house.
He stared at the door.
His heart began beating faster.
Okay...
Just press the doorbell.
He raised his hand.
His finger hovered over the button.
Ding dong.
He suddenly pulled his hand back.
"...No."
He took a deep breath.
What am I even going to say?
"Violet, I love you."
Too direct.
"Violet, I've had feelings for you for a long time."
Too serious.
"Violet, before you go back to Japan..."
Kentarou covered his face.
"Why is this so difficult?!"
He looked at the door again.
Okay.
I'll just press it.
His finger slowly moved toward the doorbell.
Almost there...
He stopped.
What if she opens the door immediately?
He imagined Violet standing in front of him.
"Kentarou? What are you doing here?"
His face became red.
"No, no, no..."
He stepped backward.
Maybe I should practice first.
He turned around and faced an imaginary Violet.
"Violet..."
He paused.
"...I love you."
He immediately shook his head.
"That sounded terrible."
He tried again.
"Violet, there's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time."
He nodded.
"Better."
Then he imagined her asking:
"What is it?"
Kentarou froze.
"..."
His brain completely stopped.
"Uh..."
He looked at the actual door.
"...Maybe tomorrow."
He turned around.
Then stopped.
"No!"
He turned back.
"Today!"
He raised his hand again.
His finger approached the doorbell.
Then—
He noticed something.
The curtains were closed.
The house looked unusually quiet.
Kentarou tilted his head.
"...Is anyone even home?"
He looked around.
No one.
He checked his phone.
Nothing.
He sighed.
"Maybe Violet isn't home today."
He waited another minute.
Then another.
Still nothing.
Finally, Kentarou lowered his head.
"...I'll do it tomorrow."
He turned around and started walking home.
After taking a few steps, he stopped.
He looked back at the house.
"...Definitely tomorrow."
He nodded firmly.
Then continued walking.
A few seconds later—
He muttered to himself:
"...I hope."
----
6th May, 2026
The next morning, Kentarou woke up with a completely different determination.
He looked at himself in the mirror and took a deep breath.
"Today..."
He clenched his fist.
"I'm going to confess my love to Violet. No matter what happens."
He nodded firmly.
"I'm not running away this time."
---
After School
Once again, Kentarou stood in front of Mrs. Kubo's house.
He stared at the door.
His heart started pounding.
"Okay..."
"Just press the doorbell."
He raised his hand.
His finger moved toward the button.
Then stopped.
"What if she opens the door immediately?"
He imagined Violet standing there.
"Kentarou? Why are you here?"
Kentarou's face turned red.
He pulled his hand back.
"No... I need to think."
He walked a few steps away from the door.
Then came back.
"Okay. I'll do it."
His hand rose again.
He stared at the doorbell.
"..."
Five seconds passed.
Then ten.
Then thirty.
Kentarou was still standing there.
At this point, he looked less like someone preparing for a confession...
and more like someone trying to defuse a bomb.
"Maybe I should knock instead."
He raised his fist.
Then lowered it.
"No. The doorbell is more normal."
He raised his hand again.
Then—
A woman walking with her young child passed by.
The child looked at Kentarou.
Then looked at the house.
Then back at Kentarou.
The child tugged at his mother's hand.
"Mom!"
"Hm?"
The child pointed directly at Kentarou.
"Look!!"
Kentarou froze.
The child stared at him for a moment.
Then loudly declared—
"A stalker!"
Kentarou's eyes widened.
"What?!"
The mother looked at Kentarou.
Then at the house.
Then back at her child.
She calmly nodded.
"Yeah..."
Kentarou's soul practically left his body.
"YEAH?!"
The mother and child continued walking.
The child kept looking back at him.
"Mom, he's still there!"
"Don't worry. Let's go."
Kentarou stood completely frozen.
His hand was still hovering near the doorbell.
He slowly lowered it.
"...This is getting embarrassing."
He looked at the house one last time.
"Maybe Violet isn't home."
He paused.
"...Again."
He turned around.
And started walking home.
After a few steps, he muttered to himself:
"Tomorrow."
He stopped.
"No."
He looked back toward the house.
"I'll definitely do it tomorrow."
Then he continued walking.
A few seconds later, he quietly added:
"...Hopefully."
And once again, Kentarou went home without even ringing the doorbell.
-----
May 7, 2026
The next morning, Kentarou sat at his desk, staring blankly at his notebook.
His pencil hadn't moved for several minutes.
He had only one thing on his mind.
Violet.
How am I supposed to confess to her?
He had already tried twice.
And both times, he had returned home without even ringing the doorbell.
Kentarou sighed.
During a break, he turned toward Senku.
"Senku..."
"Yeah?"
"How do you confess your feelings to someone?"
Senku stared at him.
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because I don't know what to do."
Senku thought for a moment.
"Honestly... I don't know either."
Kentarou's expression fell.
"Great. That was helpful."
Senku shrugged.
"I've never had to confess to someone."
Kentarou sighed again.
Later, he even asked Yui Takamura for advice without telling her the real reason.
"Yui...."
"Hmm?"
"If someone wanted to tell someone else how they felt... what do you think they should do?"
Yui thought about it.
"Just tell them honestly, I guess."
Kentarou froze.
"That's it?"
"Yeah. Why make it complicated?"
Kentarou looked away.
If only it were that easy...
---
That Evening
After school, Kentarou returned home.
The entire evening passed normally.
But his mind remained occupied by the same problem.
Later that night, his family sat together for dinner.
While everyone was eating, Kentarou's father suddenly spoke.
"Oh, I almost forgot."
Kentarou looked up.
"What?"
"We've been invited to a wedding on Monday."
"Monday?"
His father nodded.
"May 11th."
Kentarou continued eating.
"Whose wedding?"
"An old Japanese friend of mine. He's marrying a Korean woman."
Kentarou nodded casually.
Then his father added,
"Quite a few Japanese people have been invited. Most of our old acquaintances will probably be there."
Kentarou's hand suddenly stopped.
His eyes widened.
Most of the Japanese people...
His thoughts immediately went to Violet.
Violet is Japanese.
Her family is going back to Japan soon.
If they're invited...
His heart began beating faster.
She might come.
Kentarou slowly lowered his chopsticks.
For the first time in days, he felt a spark of hope.
May 11th.
The wedding.
It could be his chance.
His one real chance to see Violet before she returned to Japan.
And this time—
He wouldn't run away.
Kentarou quietly clenched his fist beneath the table.
"I'll confess to her there."
He looked down at his plate, trying to hide the small smile forming on his face.
Perhaps...
his chance hadn't disappeared after all.