"Tomoko-chan." He finally looked at her, out of surprise. There were a million ways he could respond to that, all ending in I would have loved your company anywhere, but he couldn't say any of them. It wasn't appropriate. He'd already said the phrase that was most important, and that hadn't—

That hadn't...worked out. It still shouldn't be a thing that— Was still... Possible.

He must not have said it, before. He didn't even remember what he'd said, before. "Tomoko-chan... My flight leaves tonight."