Alright.
I've had enough.
—
There's only so much "it's okay" a person can say before it stops meaning anything.
And Ren?
Yeah.
He's dangerously close.
—
We're walking along the street today instead of sitting at the pier.
Progress?
Not really.
He's still staring at his phone like it holds emotional answers.
Spoiler: it doesn't.
—
"You're doing it again," I say.
"Doing what?"
"Being safe."
He frowns. "What's wrong with that?"
I stop walking.
"That," I point at him, "is exactly what's wrong."
—
Mio slows down beside us. "Aio…"
"No," I say. "We're fixing this."
Ren sighs. "There's nothing to fix."
"There is," I reply. "You're not saying what you actually feel."
"I am."
"No, you're not."
—
He looks at me, annoyed now. "Then what am I not saying?"
I cross my arms.
"You're not saying that you don't like talking less."
Silence.
Hit.
—
"You're not saying that you miss her more when she's busy."
More silence.
Bigger hit.
—
"And you're definitely not saying that you hate pretending you're fine with it."
Ren looks away.
Yeah.
Exactly.
—
Mio speaks softly. "He doesn't want to make her feel guilty."
I nod. "I get that."
Then I look back at Ren.
"But there's a difference between being considerate and being fake."
"I'm not being fake," he says quietly.
"You kind of are."
—
His phone buzzes.
We all look.
Obviously.
—
Yuna: Sorry, today's really busy…
—
He reads it.
Expression tight.
—
"Here we go," I mutter.
He types.
—
Ren: It's fine. Don't worry about it.
—
I grab his arm.
"Stop."
"What?"
"Delete that."
"Why?"
"Because it's not real."
—
Mio watches carefully. "Aio…"
"I'm serious," I say. "You keep saying 'it's fine' when it's clearly not."
Ren pulls his arm back. "What do you want me to say?"
"The truth."
"And what's that?"
—
I look him dead in the eye.
"Say you miss her."
—
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
—
He looks at his phone.
Then at me.
Then back at his phone.
—
"That's too much," he says.
"No, it's not."
"It is."
"It's honest."
—
Mio adds quietly, "Honest doesn't mean pressure."
Ren exhales slowly.
Thinking.
Actually thinking.
—
He deletes the message.
Good.
—
Types again.
Slower this time.
Careful.
But real.
—
Ren: It's okay, but I miss talking to you.
—
He stares at it.
Doesn't send.
—
"Do it," I say.
"I don't know—"
"Do it."
—
Mio nods gently. "It's okay."
—
He closes his eyes for a second.
Then—
Sends.
—
We all wait.
Yes.
Still a group activity.
—
His phone buzzes almost immediately.
—
Yuna: …I miss talking to you too
—
I grin.
"There."
Ren doesn't say anything.
But his shoulders relax.
Just a little.
—
Mio smiles softly.
"That's better."
—
We start walking again.
The air feels lighter.
Not perfect.
Not solved.
But… better.
—
Summertimes are coming.
And maybe—
Just maybe—
Saying the right thing isn't about saying the safest thing.
—
It's about saying something real.