With a head full of steam and a heart filled with resolve, Kaori got dressed and walked out the door of her house, just before 5. She all but stomped her way down the streets, as she rehearsed what she would tell Ash in her mind.
"Look," she thought, pretending the woman was right in front of her, "I understand that at the end of the day, it's your choice, but, I just wanted to tell you... Nah. Maybe, 'I understand that it's just your choice, and yours only, but..."
She knew what she wanted to convey, but she struggled to find the right wording for it. Ultimately, it was to be some short speech about how she wanted Ash to stay, but she didn't want to force her into it. She was worried, however, that anything she said could be taken as overly needy, or selfish.
But... Wouldn't anything I say just be selfish? The entire point is that I want her to choose me.
