I understand. But... [Minato doesn't sound unsure of himself like before and he's smiling now, but his eyes tell a completely different story.
His heart aches. It had been easy for him to think that he had a second chance back when he had first come here, to make friends, to go on dates and live again...Things might seem the same for his friends now, but the realization that his friends won't remember him when they leave has cast a shadow on his return, trailing behind and ahead of him like a haunting reminder that his days are numbered.
And few people both cause more happiness and pain than the one standing in front of him. Caring for Yu and his friends and wanting to help them is effectively the same thing as sacrificing himself, and he's truly not prepared to deal with that heartbreak for the rest of his stay here.
The smile doesn't leave his face, and neither does he move.] I might not be able to return your feelings. I can't say if things would have remained the same had nothing changed, but...it might not have made a difference in the end. [It hurts Minato to do this and his smile slips if only for a while, but now their positions are reversed and he's offering a chance for Yu to let go, to find someone else.]
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His heart aches. It had been easy for him to think that he had a second chance back when he had first come here, to make friends, to go on dates and live again...Things might seem the same for his friends now, but the realization that his friends won't remember him when they leave has cast a shadow on his return, trailing behind and ahead of him like a haunting reminder that his days are numbered.
And few people both cause more happiness and pain than the one standing in front of him. Caring for Yu and his friends and wanting to help them is effectively the same thing as sacrificing himself, and he's truly not prepared to deal with that heartbreak for the rest of his stay here.
The smile doesn't leave his face, and neither does he move.] I might not be able to return your feelings. I can't say if things would have remained the same had nothing changed, but...it might not have made a difference in the end. [It hurts Minato to do this and his smile slips if only for a while, but now their positions are reversed and he's offering a chance for Yu to let go, to find someone else.]