How often had this scene replayed for Mirai? How many times with how many different girls? Miyume had wanted to give him something different, something positive, but all she'd done was enable him further. Maybe Mirai had been right all along about her not having the knowledge or understanding yet to teach him what he needed to know. She was only a fifteen year old girl after all whose only real experience with love and commitment had been a close friendship with another girl. She was too old and too far away to stay with Ayana and too young and inexperienced to stay with Mirai. And Miyume didn't trust herself to stay on any kind of life path without a firm, guiding hand from someone else anymore than the general public did.

Mirai's touch managed to distract her somewhat from her internal loop of anxiety and depression but didn't draw her out of it completely. Being touched where her senses weren't completely dulled always felt more pleasant than it probably should. She closed her eyes and leaned into, just focusing on her breathing to calm herself down enough to simply enjoy it. It had been such a good day, awkwardness at lunch aside, up until Taue had blundered into her personal life and set her off.

"I feel better now," she said in a small voice. "I'm sorry for being so difficult. I really should have just stayed home tonight instead of going out upset."

Miyume hugged herself, head bowed and hair falling forward to hide her face. She just sat there, her slumped posture conveying just how lost and miserable she really was living alone at Chitoku under strenuous circumstances.

"And thank you, Mirai," she added after a slight pause. "I appreciate it."