She Didn’t Reject Me… She Came Back With Her Name

This time, she didn’t look away. Our eyes met.

“………………”

But a long silence followed.

She seemed to be looking at me, yet also looking through me at something else. Her gaze was a bit unfocused.

Truth be told, I couldn’t keep the smile on my face much longer, but I forced myself to hold it. It was a little painful.

Ahaha…

I let out a dry laugh inside my head, still completely confused.

What was going on here…

I’d just confessed, and now we were suddenly discussing the definition of “like.”

What kind of confession was this… It was so strange.

Sigh, so stupid…

Better stop daydreaming.

I stood up, picking up the empty can from the table, a wry smile on my face.

“So it’s only natural that you’d reject me… I don’t exactly have any good points to attract you anyway.”

But unexpectedly, she quickly stood up and came after me.

“Ah! Please wait! I… didn’t reject you!”

“Cough, cough, cough, cough!”

Huh?

Meow meow?

Could it be? Did I actually make it through?

After standing up, she seemed to realize what she’d said sounded a bit off. Blushing, she lowered her head, fidgeting nervously as she spoke.

“Well… I still don’t know how I feel about Ming Qi-san right now… So I’d like to start getting to know you from now on…”

She looked up slightly, peeking at my expression, and asked cautiously.

“Is that… okay? Would that be… too sly?”

Ah…

I’m revived.

She didn’t agree… but she didn’t reject me either!

That means there’s still a chance!

And she was the one offering it!

Yeah, this answer was good enough for me. More than good enough.

“Of course.”

A smile bloomed on her face. It was a radiant smile, and the whole atmosphere around her brightened, unlike the gloomy mood when she first walked in.

“Thank you!”

How strange. I was the one who confessed, and the answer I got was just a maybe.

So why was she the happier one… The world is truly peculiar.

“Well, we’re friends now, right? So you don’t need to call me ‘san.’ Just call me Ming Qi. Or Xiao Ming, A-Qi, whatever.”

“Mmm… okay, then… Ming… Qi…”

She stumbled hesitantly over the name, barely getting it out… Was my name that hard to pronounce…

My name was probably the simplest name ever.

“Ugh… Ming… Qi… Ming Qi… Ugh!”

Suddenly, she let out a cute squeak and covered her mouth, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

Huh? Did she bite her tongue?

No way, you can bite your tongue on the sounds “Ming Qi”? … Pfft…

It was too adorable. How could she be this adorable?

I used to think sexy and cute couldn’t exist in the same person, but who knew someone with this kind of figure and angelic face could be this cute.

“Um… are you okay?”

“Ah, I’m fine. It’s just, well, calling you by name directly feels a bit strange…”

But she immediately clenched her fists and placed them in front of her ample chest, a determined look on her face.

“But I’ll work hard to get used to it!”

Pfft… Hehe… Ah… my stomach hurts from holding in my laughter…

She had to work this hard just to say a name… Hahahaha!

I thought she was a cool, icy beauty, but she was actually an airheaded, adorable girl?

Yet it didn’t ruin her vibe at all. How strange.

“Good luck.”

“Okay!”

By now, it was almost three in the morning. Our conversation seemed over, and she looked ready to go home.

I shrugged and walked back to the register, tossing my empty can into the trash as I spoke.

“You’ll be okay walking alone this late? Need me to walk you?”

“My home is nearby, so it’s fine.”

So she lived around here too.

“I see… Stay safe.”

She nodded, then bowed to me very formally.

“Thank you so much… You’re the first person to ever say those things to me.”

“I’m glad it helped. Speaking of your hair, what are you going to…”

She pulled some of her hair forward and looked at it.

“Actually… I don’t feel any particular way about this white hair. Long hair or short hair, either is fine…”

Then she looked up and met my eyes.

“But from now on, I’ll think about it carefully.”

“Yeah, that’s good.”

She gripped the can of coffee in her hand tightly.

“And, um… about the confession… I’ll think about it carefully too.”

Ah, that…

It’s okay if you don’t think too hard about it…

It wouldn’t hurt to let me keep hoping.

After all, the higher the hope, the greater the disappointment.

If I ended up rejected, it would hit me even harder…

Ah well, no need to mention that to her.

It was a good thing she was willing to think it over and give me an answer.

“Then, thank you.”

“I should be the one thanking you. Truly…”

Seeing her about to bow again, I quickly waved my hand to stop her.

“Alright, alright, this could go on forever. Go on home now. Be careful.”

“Yes… I’ll take my leave then.”

She looked like she wanted to say something else, but in the end, she just said goodbye.

We nodded to each other, and she left, still holding that can of coffee.

She turned back to look at me every few steps, and I kept waving.

Finally, she walked out of the convenience store, her figure slowly disappearing into the night.

I absentmindedly returned to my spot behind the register.

Ah… right, I still didn’t know her name…

How pathetic. Not only did I not get her WeChat, QQ, or phone number, but I didn’t even get her name… Ahaha…

All I could do was laugh bitterly.

I probably wouldn’t see her again.

Just as I was thinking that, through the store’s glass door, I saw her running back.

She came back into the store, bent over to catch her breath with her hands on her knees, and then looked up at me.

“Um! I suddenly remembered I haven’t told you my name! How rude of me!”

She came all the way back just to tell me her name? That was really sweet.

“No problem. It’s not too late to tell me now.”

“Yes. My name is… Kaori.”

She pulled out her phone, opened an app, and then showed me the QR code on her profile.

Her profile picture was a cute white cat, and her username seemed to be her actual name, Kaori.

She held the phone up in front of her and said.

“It’s written like this… Um, could we… add each other as friends?”

“I’d be delighted.”

I can die without regrets now.

…

On her way home.

Kaori reflected on what had just happened… and a smile unconsciously spread across her face.

That person was attracted to her looks.

Just like the other men she’d met before.

In essence, there probably wasn’t any difference.

But… why?

When he complimented her, she felt happy, and her heartbeat quickened…

She had been complimented on her looks many times. Beautiful, pretty, cute—she’d heard words like that countless times.

Every time she heard such praise, her heart felt nothing.

Because she knew that was the only quality she had as a ‘product.’

It was because of this outstanding appearance that she had been chosen… After ‘maturing,’ after ‘packaging,’ she would be ‘sold at a high price.’

A product didn’t need its own will.

She had never been allowed to have her own will. She couldn’t decide anything, didn’t have the right to decide anything.

She didn’t belong to herself.

Deprived of personal freedom.

Without a will.

So, it was easier not to think too much. Just not think about anything at all…

Just keep going like this, treating herself as a product, as always.

That’s how it should have been…

Kaori wanted to get to know that person…

No, it shouldn’t be like this…

It shouldn’t…

She gripped the coffee can in her hand. Her body heat had long since warmed it.

But she felt that this can of coffee was so warm…

Warm enough to touch her heart.