[ It's so hard to be a protag who should have been nothing more than a background character, you're so right.

Ritsuka holds still to listen, blinking slowly as she processes that. And then, just as quietly, but slower-- ]

... So you're a childhood friend who's falling for someone else who has a childhood friend, but in this situation, you'd be the homewrecker, but as the childhood friend who went through the experience of losing yours to someone else, you know what that feels like, but all the same, childhood friend or not--

[ She breaks off, wincing. ]

Okay. Hold on. I've said it so many times just now it's starting to not sound like anything...