Izuru and Chiaki had been dating for about a month. However, the two had yet to make any progress towards their new relationship. Their usual video game sessions continued as always, but the achievement for kissing, holding hands, or any other form of intimacy had yet to be cleared.

To Chiaki, it felt like they were stuck in the tutorial phase. Their lack of progression didn't bother her in the beginning, as the reality that she was Izuru's girlfriend was still setting in. After all, it's not every day that the Ultimate Hope just comes up to you and asks you out. Chiaki assumed that Izuru wasn't interested in dating given his attitude and outlook towards people. Her classmates and even her teacher had noticed that he seemed more tolerant of her than most, but Chiaki didn't take it as romantic interest.

Although Chiaki was okay with taking things slow, her mind couldn't help but be clouded with doubt. What if Izuru didn't want to progress their relationship? If that was the case, then why did he bother to ask her out? It didn't help that her long-haired boyfriend rarely exhibited any emotion and that his body language made him unapproachable. Even when he did speak occasionally, his tone was always so matter-of-fact that it came off as blunt and cold. Another person would have immediately called it quits and pursue someone else, but Chiaki wasn't that type of girl. Giving up wasn't a part of her agenda. Despite the type of person Izuru was, she genuinely enjoyed being around him. He never did anything that made her feel uncomfortable; he didn't mind listening to her ramble about video games, and although he rarely spoke, she liked how he phrased things in a semi-poetic way.

Chiaki figured that going on a date might gain them some experience however, Izuru wasn't the type to be easily impressed. That, and the fact that he wasn't much of a people person. Going out to dinner was her first choice, but the chance that Izuru might say something egotistic made her fear the possibility of them getting kicked out.

Movies were nice too, but she could see Izuru wondering why this or that happened when this was the most logical. The last thing she wanted was to get into an argument.

Okay, so maybe going out was a bad idea. Was their entire relationship going to revolve around video games? Although Chiaki loved video games, she had to admit that even that was boring. Breaking up was one option that she didn't want to consider, but at the rate things were going, maybe it was the best choice?

After classes had ended for the day, she and Izuru stopped by the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for dinner. Before Izuru became her roommate, Chiaki would often stop by the convenience store to get her meals as she was often too lazy or tired from staying up late to bother cooking. She liked things that were quick and easy to eat, so she would get the ones that she could just warm up in the microwave or eat right away.

Izuru wasn't much of an eater himself, which made Chiaki often worried about his well-being. He would assure her that he was fine, but she would take it upon herself to make sure he ate. In a way, they looked after each other.

The walk back to the dorms was a quiet one, which wasn't uncommon. Izuru wasn't one for conversations, which Chiaki knew, and it never bothered her. She knew that, yet why did she feel so irritated by the silence today? Did she want him to say something in particular?

No. She was just waiting for him to say the words she didn't want to hear. She was trying to prepare herself for the moment the phrase would escape his lips, but it wasn't coming. The event could trigger at any time, but she wouldn't know when it would happen. It not only scared her but irritated her as well.

"…Have I agitated you in some way?"

Chiaki snapped out her thoughts and looked over to Izuru, who was walking beside her. His eyes were focused forward and his face was expressionless as it always was.

"What makes you think that?" Chiaki asked, pretending to play dumb.

"If you do not wish to talk about it, then I will not pry any further."

Chiaki slowed down her pace, eventually coming to a stop. Izuru stopped a few feet away from her but did not turn around to face her.

"You can read people easily. You probably know what I was thinking about, right?"

Izuru didn't respond.

Chiaki's grip tightened on the small bag she was holding that contained some of the ingredients for their dinner.

"I… I think we should break up."

Instead of turning around or waiting a few seconds before giving her an answer, Izuru immediately replied.

"Very well."

The bag that Chiaki was holding fell from her hand as she stared at Izuru in bewilderment. She should have been prepared from all the dating sims she played, but video games and reality are two different things. She could feel a stinging in her chest that she desperately wished would go away. She could feel the tears start to fill her eyes, beginning to blur her vision. So many emotions were hitting her at once that she didn't know what to say or do in this situation.

Without giving Izuru so much as a single word, she turned around and began to walk away. Chiaki wasn't sure where she was going, but she just wanted to get far away. She didn't want to see his face or hear anything he had to say.

She didn't want him to see her crumble.