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[birdish]

Hello! Excuse me! I think the way you're using 'side character syndrome' isn't nice!

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[birdish]

[Some slow nodding. Tachibana-san seems to understand. Nitori hesitates a moment.]

I don't know what his relationship with Nanase-san was... but... I think he's... holding himself back.

[Rin definitely wouldn't like hearing that. Nitori feels guilty just confiding it.]

[orcaptain]

[Nitori's words makes Makoto smile again though it's a sad one.]

Rin has his reasons. [Which he doesn't really talk about.] I just hope he'll be okay.

Aiichiro-kun, I know it's much to ask, but can you please do us a favor?

[birdish]

...Mmm. I hope so, too. [His shoulders are drawn up awkwardly. He wishes that Rin would confide in him.

But he looks up quickly.] What is it, Tachibana-san?

[orcaptain]

Could you please watch out for Rin for us? He really doesn't talk to us and well...

[He really just worries and he's quite sure the others would also like to make sure that Rin will be okay.]

[birdish]

[It doesn't talk to me much, either, Nitori thinks, a little distraught.] Of course I... I want to do that. I would definitely do whatever senpai needed... if I could. I want to make sure he's all right.

[orcaptain]

Thank you. You're a good friend to Rin.

[birdish]

He— He's a good teammate... and a good mentor... I'd like to be of help to him. [But it's flustering, to be told that. Still, it feels good.] He doesn't... talk much.

[orcaptain]

That does seem to be how he is nowadays.

[He smiles a bit sympathetically to Nitori. If only he can apologize for Rin's behavior but even though Makoto often does so for others, he just feels that it would be wrong if he did. Much as Rin is his friend, he's not he's keeper.]

[birdish]

Still, though. He's amazing. Really... amazing! So I will do my best for him!

[And he quells a bit.]

Thank you. For also looking out for him, Tachibana-san.

[orcaptain]

Let's both do our best, Aiichirou-kun.