Kiyotaka watched Kei walk away, her shoulders slumped, her head bowed. He felt a pang of guilt, a sense of responsibility for the hurt he had caused her.
He had never been one to play with people's emotions, but he had also never been one to express his own. He had always kept his feelings hidden, buried deep beneath a facade of indifference.
But Kei was different. She had somehow managed to break through his defenses, to awaken something within him that he had never known existed.
As he watched her disappear into the crowd, Kiyotaka realized that he couldn't let her go. He couldn't let her walk away without knowing how he truly felt.
He ran after her, catching up to her just as she was about to turn a corner.
"Karuizawa-san," he called out, his voice urgent. "Wait."
Kei stopped and turned to face him, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and apprehension.
"I... I need to tell you something," Kiyotaka said, his voice trembling slightly. "I've been thinking about what you said, and I realize that... I feel the same way."
Kei's eyes widened in disbelief. "You do?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," Kiyotaka replied, his gaze unwavering. "I like you, too, Karuizawa-san."