"...Eh?" I manage a tiny noise of confusion.

His eyes look straight into mine. Despite the curtain of wet tears, they find my watery eyes and pierce them.

Like in the coffee shop. But it seems a bit different.

My heart skips a small little beat and my mouth runs dry. The tears stop falling, even the left overs. Whatever falls through meets the dams that are his fingers. Cradling my face on both sides.

"You are not weak." He repeats, a little strength in his hands.

I stare at him with a cloud of blank thoughts floating in my mind.

I am not weak.

"You aren't weak." He repeats. "You are strong."

I am strong.

He sighs and shakes his head. "I'm actually surprised at how strong you are. You seemed so weak-willed. Back in high school."

A spark.

I ball up a light fist and punch him. Its more of a puff of air than a punch. "Underclassman... Looking down on me."

"See? There you go." He chuckles, and releases his hands from my cheeks. Our lines of sight, both at the same level, break off. But as my eyes fall, I feel my arm get pulled upward.

"Uwah?!"