Magically cured

[Shimizu Susumu]

Doing what?

[Alva Ren]

Being attractive

>:(

[Shimizu Susumu]

Ah.

And that
makes you angry?

[Alva Ren]

If I say yes does that make me sound more mysterious?

[Shimizu Susumu]

More puzzling than mysterious, I'd say.

[Alva Ren]

Ah
Then it doesn't make me angry

It also
Doesn't help...
Doesn't help me not feel guilty about flirting with another guy so soon after breaking up

I feel kinda
Scummy

[Shimizu Susumu]

That's
understandable.
You have a warm heart. And... it's a fresh wound, isn't it? So of course it...

Don't feel scummy, though. You know we're not in a rush to do anything.
For now, we're just partners. Right?

[Alva Ren]

Right! Yes. We're just partners, yes. No rush. Absolutely.

I suppose I feel extra bad because I was
Very attracted to you even when Rae and I were together.

It feels like
I could've tried harder
Or could be trying harder... You know?

[Shimizu Susumu]

Do you still
Want him?

[Alva Ren]

I

I want the old him.
I want the man I thought he was

But
that's silly isn't it?

That man is gone. I won't get him back.

And maybe I'm not the person he thought I was either.

[Shimizu Susumu]

People can change a lot over the years.

I don't think it's silly at all. I've had similar thoughts.

[Alva Ren]

What stopped you from getting back together? How do you
keep moving forward instead of looking back?

[Shimizu Susumu]

I made the mistake of going back several times, actually.
I can't say what made the last time the final straw for me.
Something in me just snapped.

[Alva Ren]

I'm sorry, I don't mean to drag up bad memories for you. It's just that

Rae is
was
my first serious boyfriend, and I don't know what to do with myself right now. I know there'll be other people. Maybe even better people

like you

My head knows that but my heart
is stupid

[Shimizu Susumu]

Ah, first serious boyfriend. That is a big deal.