Another little despairing laugh. "Yeah, I can."

"Do you want another hug?"

That startles him badly enough he physically starts. "I-I-I mean, I—why? I thought—"

"Thought what?"

"...that you'd never want anything to do with me again beyond the bare minimum."

"...no, not especially. If you're running a weird con I don't think I can protect myself from it by asking you nicely to go away, and I don't actually think you're doing that, and in the world where you are not doing that, I want to give you a hug because you look sad and because -

- it sounds like I would've loved you."

He draws in a sharp breath that mutates into a sob halfway in and covers his mouth. So much for that whole "stopped crying" thing. "I, I, I, I—"

Haru decides not to ask for permission again and just hug him.

Iwasaki hugs him back, and this time doesn't hold back on the crying, at all, doesn't try to stop himself or abort it prematurely or regain his composure.

It might take him a while.

Poor guy.

He cries himself out, then keeps holding Haru for a bit while he waits for his breathing to get stable again, and then finally, after what feels like an eternity, relaxes his hold, though he—doesn't quite pull away, exactly, so much as make it possible for Haru to do so.

Haru pulls a napkin out of the napkin holder and offers it to Yutaka.

That makes him laugh again, and it's still not a happy laugh, but it's the closest one to that Haru has seen on Iwasaki's face. "Thank you, Haru."

Weak smile. "You're welcome."

"I suppose I can—resume time, then?"

"I think so."

Iwasaki lets go of the string—

—and isn't looking puffy and like he's just bawled his eyes out anymore. Also, the toast is gone.

Sorry, I just felt really embarrassed to look like I'd been crying in front of Ren so I spent a while washing my face.

Ren startles. "Goodness." Then she checks the time and resumes eating her toast. "Iwasaki-kun, do you want a ride to school, if you go to the same one?"

—sorry. Shouldn't I have? I'm sorry—

His face is kind of frozen for a second while he telepathies that but then he turns his smile to Ren. "I couldn't possibly continue to impose so much."

"Up to you!"

I'm maybe hypersensitive at the moment? There's nothing wrong with washing your face I just didn't know to expect it.

I'm sorry, I'll tell you in advance if I think about anything like that ever again— His mind voice isn't quite hysterical but that's definitely the axis it's travelling in.

"I think it might not be a great idea for me to be seen walking out of the same car as Haru, at least for now. It might invite some questions."

"That makes sense. Well, have a lovely day at school anyway!"