"I love you."

The words surprised even the one who said them. You.

But it wasn't too big of a surprise. The words had been at the tip of your tongue a bunch of times. It was just a question of when they would tumble out.

And it turned out to be a very normal day. Said unprompted when the two of your were making dinner together in your apartment after a long day of teaching.

Though what you weren't ready for was the absolute dumbstruck look on Satoru's face. Had he not looked so seriously disoriented, you would have laughed. But he did, even worryingly so. And instead of laughing, you, too, worried.

The admission shouldn't have been this surprising, to render him speechless. He was smart, stupidly so, he must have noticed the obvious signs.

Though of course you didn't know, the reason he was like this. He didn't think you'd ever be out with it. And he hadn't wanted you to be out with it.

Very carefully, he had treaded, to ensure a day like this wouldn't come. Played the perfect fuck-boy act you hated to somehow ensure you'd never confess.

All because he didn't want to put your friendship and safety in a jeopardy.

And now you had gone and ruined it all!

You were his sole constant since childhood. The one thing he liked about it, you were his fondest memories. You were the one he secretly admired and the one he wanted to protect most of all. He really wasn't ready to see his delicate house of cards come crashing down like this.

But it had.

"I-I just remembered, I had a mission to go to," He stupidly blurted out before he could even think about how ridiculous that sounded. "I'll see you later, see ya!"

And he vanished.