Chapter 72: Chapter 72
They sat at the table, with Sonoko and Ran on one side and Lin Yi alone on the other.
Looking at the three bentos on the table, Sonoko asked, "Did you prepare these three bentos so quickly?"
"I just heated them up... it's quick," Lin Yi replied.
He just heated them up?
Does that mean these bentos were prepared a long time ago?
"Then, how did you know it was us knocking on the door?" Ran asked.
"Because only you would come to my house," Lin Yi said.
This made Sonoko and Ran fall silent. They caught the hidden message in his words and felt a pressure in their chests.
"Well... let's eat first. Itadakimasu," said Lin Yi, opening his bento and starting to eat.
After saying "Itadakimasu," Sonoko and Ran also opened their bentos.
Suddenly, they realized that these bentos felt familiar.
Especially Ran, whose rice in her bento was not the typical rice, but shaped like a little bunny.
Ran was stunned, and as she looked at the other dishes, she realized that this bento was hers.
She looked at Sonoko's bento and saw that it also contained the dishes that Sonoko usually ate.
Soon, Ran remembered... they were the bentos from the day Lin Yi transferred to their school!
Ran was originally a very sentimental person, and she had been pushed to her limit with so many paintings that evoked memories, and now, with the bento from that day, this became the final blow.
Tears began to fill Ran's eyes, and she could no longer contain her emotions, starting to sob.
Sonoko, noticing this, felt her heart completely soften. If Ran hadn't been there, she would have probably thrown herself into Lin Yi's arms and cried uncontrollably.
When had someone remembered her in such a detailed and meaningful way?
This was too much! How could this be fair!
The more Sonoko thought about it, the more moved she became, and her eyes began to redden as well, completely overwhelmed with emotion.
"Why are you crying?" Lin Yi asked, pretending not to know the reason. He put down his chopsticks and took out some tissues, handing them to the two girls.
Sonoko and Ran took the tissues and wiped their tears, not forgetting to thank him even at that moment.
The atmosphere was already set.
Lin Yi no longer hesitated, and with a serious expression said, "I have been looking for the right moment to tell you all this... but I didn't have the chance before you discovered it."
Lin Yi's words resonated deeply within them, and both felt a mix of emotions: relief, gratitude, and a bit of sadness for what they had misunderstood.
Sonoko, with a trembling voice, asked, "Why didn't you tell us earlier?"
Lin Yi sighed, responding, "I didn't want you to feel bad. Everything I did was because I really care about you. I didn't expect things to unfold this way, but I also didn't want to lose you."
Ran, still with tears in her eyes, added, "If you had spoken earlier, maybe we wouldn't have misunderstood so much."
Lin Yi nodded, showing understanding. "I know, and I'm really sorry. I didn't want to hurt you, but I realized that the truth always finds a way to come to light."
There was a moment of silence, during which only Ran's soft sobs could be heard. Sonoko, still moved, tried to regain her composure.
Finally, Sonoko broke the silence: "What matters now is that we understand your intentions. And although all of this has been very confusing and difficult, we want you to know that we care about you too."
Ran nodded in agreement, wiping away her last tears. "Yes, Lin Yi. Thank you for being honest. Maybe we can find a way to move forward, together."
Lin Yi smiled, relieved and grateful for their understanding. "Thank you, it really means a lot to me. I promise that from now on, I will be more open with you. I don't want there to be any more misunderstandings between us."
The three of them looked at each other with new eyes, aware that, although the path had been difficult, they had found a new foundation for their relationship. The scars of confusion and pain would begin to heal, and in their place, a deeper understanding and a stronger bond would grow.
The emotions had been intense, but now there was a feeling of hope and possibility in the air. As they finished eating, they promised each other to be more honest and communicative in the future, knowing that despite the difficulties, they were willing to work together to build a stronger and more sincere relationship.
"I deceived you... I'm really very sorry."
"You may not believe me, but... since the day I met you... my hell has been filled with endless music."
"So, please go out with me!"
He leaned forward.
In the end, Sonoko and Ran did not give an answer.
To be precise, neither Sonoko nor Ran had time to respond, as they ran out crying.
They were so moved that they didn't know how to respond or how to reciprocate Lin Yi's sincere heart.
To be honest, their reaction exceeded Lin Yi's expectations.
Logically, they should have been so touched by their own performance that they couldn't hold back and, without thinking too much, would have agreed to his request.
But after all that he thought, he didn't expect the two of them to run out crying.
Although the results were different, judging by their behavior, the effect had already been completely achieved!
From the entrance, it began to provoke memories, and during the process, he added a bit of his own "emotional experience."
Even though Lin Yi said nothing, through his "emotional experience," Sonoko and Ran automatically understood... or perhaps mentally completed how Lin Yi felt when he met them.
With that double impulse, the impact was doubled.
Moreover, the careful recreation of the bento was a precise hit for both of them.
If that wasn't enough, Lin Yi also planned to take out the jacket, pants, and leather boots that Sonoko had worn, and bring back the delivery uniform with which he met Ran on Sunday, to provoke another round of memories.
Unless one is a cold and heartless person, how could one not be moved?!
Even I was deeply moved by this plan, you know?!
As for the bento... it was something Lin Yi hastily finished upon seeing them arrive through the crystal pendant.
Above all, Sonoko's 5-star beef, he could only sear it a bit, and Lin Yi suspected that the inside was still not well-cooked; if Sonoko bit into it, she would probably have discovered it.