Waiting should be illegal.
I'm serious.
There should be rules against this.
—
Ren has been walking for… I don't even know how long.
Too long.
Mio and I followed him at first, but he kept moving like he was trying to outrun his own thoughts.
Didn't work.
It never does.
—
We finally find him near the edge of town, sitting on a low wall, staring at absolutely nothing.
Or maybe everything.
Hard to tell with him.
—
"You look dramatic," I say, walking up.
He doesn't respond.
Mio sits beside him quietly.
"You didn't have to come," he mutters.
"Yeah, we did," I reply. "You're bad at being alone."
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
Mio nods slightly. "You're not."
—
His phone is in his hand.
Screen dark.
No new message.
—
"How long has it been?" I ask.
He checks.
"…Thirty minutes."
I stare at him.
"You're kidding."
He doesn't laugh.
Okay.
So this is serious.
—
"She said later," he says again.
Like repeating it will make time move faster.
"It hasn't been that long," Mio says gently.
"It feels long," he replies.
Yeah.
That's the problem.
—
Waiting stretches time.
Makes minutes feel like hours.
Makes thoughts louder than they should be.
—
I sit down on the wall beside him.
"Alright," I say. "Let's distract you."
"Not interested."
"Too bad."
—
I point at the street. "That guy just dropped his bag."
Ren doesn't look.
"Riveting," he says flatly.
"Wow," I reply. "Tough crowd."
—
Mio glances at Ren. "Do you want to call her?"
He hesitates.
Then shakes his head.
"No."
"Why not?" I ask.
"Because she said she'd tell me later."
"And?"
"And I'll wait."
—
That word again.
Wait.
I hate it.
—
His phone suddenly lights up.
All three of us freeze.
Yes.
All three.
This is still a group event.
—
Ren looks at the screen.
Doesn't open it immediately.
Just… looks.
Like he's preparing himself.
—
"Open it," I say.
"I know."
"Then do it."
"I will."
"Now."
Mio sighs. "Aio…"
"What? I'm helping."
—
He finally taps it.
Reads.
His expression—
Doesn't change.
That's worse.
Way worse.
—
"Well?" I ask.
He doesn't answer.
Just hands me the phone.
—
Yuna: I got selected for something at school… I didn't know how to tell you.
—
I blink.
"That's it?"
Ren takes his phone back.
"That's not 'that's it,'" he says quietly.
—
Mio smiles slightly. "That's good news."
"It is," he agrees.
But he still looks… off.
—
"What's the problem?" I ask.
He exhales slowly.
"I should be happy."
"…But?" I press.
"But it means she'll be busier."
—
Ah.
There it is.
—
I lean back against the wall.
"So you're upset she's doing well?"
"I'm not upset."
"You sound upset."
"I'm not," he repeats.
Mio speaks softly. "You're afraid of being left behind again."
Ren closes his eyes briefly.
Doesn't deny it.
—
His phone buzzes again.
Yuna: It's kind of a big deal…
He stares at it.
Then types.
No hesitation this time.
—
Ren: That's amazing. I'm proud of you.
—
He sends it.
And this time—
It's real.
—
I grin.
"See? Growth."
"Don't start," he says.
Mio smiles.
—
The tension fades a little.
Not completely.
But enough.
—
Waiting still sucks.
That hasn't changed.
But maybe—
Not every "something to tell you" is bad.
—
Summertimes are coming.
And yeah…
I still hate waiting.
But at least this time—
It didn't break anything.