No, but he showed it so obviously, and I didn't notice it. Maybe I'm really slow. Come to think of it, I've never seen him pursue a woman.
"Indeed, that guy has a bad habit. Once he likes someone, he will pursue them immediately, so it's hard to tell. But he used to definitely avoid heterosexuals. This time he also said he would never tell you, so I acted as the middleman to let you continue being friends."
"Uh, even if you say so..."
Hearing that Mr. Daniel was serious about me, I felt very confused and could only look around and lower my head.
"Oh, don't worry about that guy."
"Saying not to worry, but..."
The next time we meet, I don't know what expression to use to face him. I even hope not to meet for the time being, but would that be too selfish?
"What is liking, after all?"
"Oh, you're being too extreme with your words."
Hearing my words, Carl laughed with wide eyes.
I don't understand the feeling of liking. What does it mean to love someone?
Now, it seems that I have forgotten this feeling somewhere a long time ago, or I don't really understand it and have been confused all the time.
"Extreme?"
When I asked the same question, Blake showed a very sad expression. I still don't understand what he meant. Could it be that, as Carl said, I have withered?
Suddenly thinking of Blake again, I felt down and my shoulders drooped. I didn't want him to show such a sad expression.
"Hahaha, you're so depressed. This kind of conversation is nostalgic, reminding me of our school days."
Carl seemed to be making fun of me, who was downcast, propping his face with his hand and smiling with narrowed eyes. I looked up and glared at him, and he shrugged and let out a dry laugh.
"Did you guys have a fight?"
"Well, not exactly. Rather than a fight..."
I don't think it was a fight, but a lack of communication, or a disagreement somewhere, but I don't know what the reason is.
No, there is a reason. Probably that question of mine.
"When do people feel that they like someone?"
"Ah, this is a very difficult question. Are you really... a fossil?"
Carl held his head and looked dejected, and I heard him sigh. Rather than saying I have withered, I think it's more appropriate for him to say I am a fossil. It seems that I have forgotten something important somewhere, and time has stopped since then.
"This kind of thing is not something you think about with your head. If you like someone, you just like them. Whether it's love at first sight or after getting along for a long time, your boyfriend and Daniel's feelings are the same, right."
"But I always feel there is some difference."
Mr. Daniel's feeling of liking me and Blake's feeling of liking me seem the same but also somewhat different.
"What's the difference?"
Carl also tilted his head and looked at me as I muttered softly.
"Even if it's the same kind of liking, can there be a difference?"
"Of course there is a difference."
Carl put the large cup, which I don't know how many he had had, back on the table and looked at me again with his hand propping his face. Seeing his rarely serious expression, I looked at him puzzledly, but heard him sigh.
"I probably understand what's going on, but to be honest, Ben, what do you really want?"
"Ah? What do you mean. I'm troubled because I don't know!"
I couldn't help showing a helpless expression to Carl, and my voice became louder. However, Carl just stuck his index finger in his ear and frowned.
"From my point of view, well... you don't understand, and it's useless for me to say it."
"What are you talking about?"
I stared at Carl, who stopped talking, and he shrugged. I didn't understand what he was saying at all.
"Do you want to try dating Daniel?"
"Why with Mr. Daniel?"
Carl suddenly said this, and I looked at him in surprise, but he happily shrugged.
"You'll know if you try. But, to be honest, I think it's better if you don't go. That guy moves fast. However, if it's Ben, he might not make a move."
"Don't talk nonsense."
Carl's joking words made me helplessly drop my shoulders, and I pressed my heavy head. Carl looked at me like this and raised his hand again to hand the empty cup to the clerk.
"For example, your boyfriend."
"Blake?"
"Yes, Blake. Even if Daniel confessed to you before him, your feelings now wouldn't be any different, right?"
"Different?"
I didn't understand what Carl meant at all. But for me like this, he muttered "no way" and turned to me.
"Don't think too complicated. Liking or loving and such things can't be explained clearly with reason. Besides, you're thinking too much now. What you really care about is not this."
"Care about?"
Carl pointed at me, who tilted my head, and stared at me tightly. But I still didn't quite understand what he meant. I didn't know what I cared about, why Carl understood but I didn't. Or what I was really troubled about.
I don't really want to know the meaning of liking or loving and such things now. - What I really want to know is.
"He said he didn't know. When I asked him why he liked me, he just said that."
"Well, your boyfriend said that?"
Carl was stunned by my random words, and then said "ah" as if he remembered. He looked at me nodding and muttered softly, gently scratching his hair.
"So that's it. Ben was hit by this."
"Well, not really, hit or something..."
I stammered in response to Carl's words, and suddenly he looked at me with narrowed eyes. He seemed to see through my heart, making me feel very uncomfortable. Hearing what he said, I understood. I was hit because I didn't understand Blake's feelings.
"You suddenly thought like this because Daniel said it was the suspension bridge effect, which made you feel uneasy, right?"
"What do you mean?"
I tilted my head and asked, and Carl's temple trembled slightly.
"Ah -! Ben, you're still so slow when it comes to your own affairs!"
"What are you suddenly saying?"
I didn't understand what he meant and asked him back, but Carl painfully lay on the table. Then he hugged his head, moved around on the table, and muttered something.
"Carl?"
Carl suddenly became quiet, and I called him in confusion. He suddenly sat up and stretched his fingertips in front of me.
"Ben, you're not troubled about whether you like that guy, but whether that guy really likes you!"
"Ah?"
"I've made it so clear, but you idiot still don't understand!"
Carl finished speaking in one breath, panting and patted my head. But I was even more surprised by his words, widened my eyes, and froze.