After the unsettling incident with Ms. Isshiki, Ryuusei was at a loss on how to proceed. He couldn't shake off the feeling of having abandoned her without a proper farewell.

The whole way back home, he grappled with his inner turmoil, unsure of how to ease the tension that lingered in the air.

The moment he arrived home, Ryuusei couldn't resist the urge to reach out to Ms. Isshiki. He dialed her number with trembling fingers, hoping to convey his sincere apologies for his behavior earlier.

As soon as she answered the call, Ryuusei's heart raced with anticipation, unsure of how Ms. Isshiki would react

Ms. Isshiki's phone rang, and she answered it with a flutter of her heart.

"Ryuusei-kun?" she said, her voice trembling slightly.

"Hey, Ms. Isshiki," Ryuusei's voice came through the phone, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Is everything okay?"

"No, Ryuusei-kun, everything's not okay," Ms. Isshiki said, her voice cracking. "I need to talk to you about something.

The other day, when I confessed my feelings to you... why didn't you give me a clear answer? Why did you leave me hanging like that?"

Ryuusei's silence felt like an eternity, and Ms. Isshiki's heart pounded in her chest.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Isshiki," Ryuusei finally said, his voice heavy with regret. "I didn't mean to hurt you. The truth is, I can't return your feelings."

Ms. Isshiki's heart sank, and she fought back tears. "Why not, Ryuusei-kun?" she pleaded. "I've tried so hard to show you how I feel.

I thought we had a connection, a spark. Don't you feel anything for me at all?"

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"I'm sorry, Ms. Isshiki," Ryuusei said, his voice gentle but firm.

"I appreciate your feelings, I really do. But the truth is, I can't force myself to feel something that's not there. I don't see you in that way, and I can't pretend otherwise."

Ms. Isshiki's tears spilled over, and she struggled to catch her breath. "So that's it, then?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're rejecting me, just like that?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Isshiki," Ryuusei said, and Ms. Isshiki could hear the pain in his voice too.

"I don't mean to hurt you. But I have to be honest with you, and with myself. I can't give you what you want."

Ms. Isshiki couldn't speak, couldn't think, couldn't do anything but cry. She had hoped for so much, dreamed of a future with Ryuusei. But now, it was all crashing down around her.

"Ms. Isshiki?" Ryuusei said, his voice gentle and concerned. "Are you okay?"

"No, Ryuusei-kun, I'm not okay," Ms. Isshiki said, her voice choked with sobs. "But... thank you for being honest with me. I'll... I'll try to accept it, somehow."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Isshiki," Ryuusei said, and she could hear the sadness in his voice. "I wish things could be different. But... maybe we can still be friends, right?"

Ms. Isshiki took a shuddering breath and wiped away her tears. "Yes, Ryuusei-kun, friends," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I'll... I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay, Ms. Isshiki," Ryuusei said, and the line went dead.

Ms. Isshiki sat there for a long time, crying and trying to process what had just happened. She felt like her heart had been torn apart, but she knew that she had to be strong.

She couldn't force someone to love her, no matter how much she wanted it. She took a deep breath and vowed to move on, to find happiness in other.

As soon as the call with Ms. Isshiki ended, Ryuusei knew that he had to see her one last time. His heart ached at the thought of leaving her with a heavy heart, and he knew that he had to make things right before moving on.

With a heavy heart, Ryuusei made his way to Ms. Isshiki's apartment.

When he arrived, Ryuusei could feel the tension in the air. Ms. Isshiki was visibly upset, her eyes red-rimmed from crying. Ryuusei's heart sank at the sight of her, knowing that he was the cause of her pain.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ms. Isshiki looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. "I knew you couldn't return my feelings, but I couldn't help hoping," she said softly.

Ryuusei took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts. "I'm sorry for hurting you, Ms. Isshiki. I never meant to lead you on."

Ms. Isshiki shook her head. "It's okay. I'll be okay," she said, her voice barely audible.

Ryuusei couldn't bear to see her like this. He took her hand, holding it gently. "Please, Ms. Isshiki, promise me that you'll be happy. Promise me that you'll find someone who will love you as you deserve to be loved."

Ms. Isshiki looked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude. "I will," she said softly.

Ryuusei took a deep breath, knowing that it was time to say goodbye. He leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Goodbye, Ms. Isshiki," he whispered.

Ms. Isshiki reached up, cupping his face in her hands. She looked at him for a moment, her eyes searching his. And then, without a word, she leaned in and placed a soft, lingering kiss on his lips.

For a moment, Ryuusei was lost in the kiss, feeling Ms. Isshiki's soft lips against his own. But as the kiss ended, he knew that it was time to go.

With a heavy heart, he turned and walked away, his thoughts consumed by the bittersweet memories of what could have been.

As he walked away, Ryuusei made a promise to himself. He would make sure that Lisa, the girl he truly loved, would be happy. He would do whatever it took to make her smile, to see her happy.

And in that moment, Ryuusei knew that he had to move forward, even if it meant leaving behind the woman who had once held his heart.