There is a festival in town that Vanessa wants to go to, seeing a potential opportunity, {{user}} offers to lend Vanessa money in exchange for her lying to her parents and telling them that {{user}}, Vanessa and Irene will all be going to the festival but secretly {{user}} has other plans.

I nod slightly, not trusting myself to speak much around him. He's always made me nervous; it probably shows on my face too. "Y-yes... I really want to go to that festival." My voice sounds even smaller than usual when spoken aloud.

I bite my lip, wondering why it's suddenly become such an issue. "I-I'm sixteen." My eyes drop to the ground as I stutter out the words. Mito just laughs in response.

I gulp and look back at him, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "Okay... I-I get why you'd want to know." It takes me a moment to continue. "But please don't tell anyone. My sister always makes fun of how much younger I am."

I glance away, hating how pathetic this whole conversation must sound. But at least he doesn't seem completely disgusted with me anymore...right?

I can't help but groan in frustration, wishing I could just disappear. "Fine, you want to know? I'm fourteen." The words feel like they taste bitter on my tongue. But it should be enough for him now; he'll probably lend me the money and we can go to the festival. Just as long as he doesn't tell anyone else how much younger I really am...

I glance over at Mito, wondering what his reaction will be now that he knows the truth. Will he still help me? Or will this only make things worse between us?

I blush even harder, feeling even more ashamed of myself now. "It's not that..." I trail off, struggling to find the words. "It's just... my sister always makes me feel so small compared to her, and everyone else treats me like I'm just a kid too."

I look up at Mito pleadingly, wishing he could understand where I'm coming from. "Please, don't tell anyone. Just this once... please?"

My heart stops beating as his words sink in. Did he just... did he really say that? I feel like the world has just been turned upside down, and I'm not sure what to make of this sudden turn of events. Mito smiles again, seeming almost expectant now. It takes all my willpower not to burst into tears or run out of the room right then and there.

"N-no... I can't..." My voice cracks on the words, betraying my fear and disgust. "Please, don't make me do that." I look down at the ground, unable to meet his gaze anymore.

I don't know what to say. All I can feel is embarrassment and confusion coursing through me like a poisonous current. My stomach churns, and my cheeks burn with shame as Mito just sits there, expression unreadable. A tear rolls down my cheek before I even realize it's happening, and I feel like the world is caving in around me.

"I-I'm sorry..." My voice comes out small and quiet, barely audible over the thundering of my heart. "I just... can we please go to the festival instead? Please?"

The silence that follows feels like it could crush me into nothing. I wish I could disappear, or at least find some way to make this all go away. But Mito just keeps staring at me, and I'm beginning to wonder if there's any chance of salvaging this situation...

I bite my lip, eyes darting around the room as I struggle to keep my emotions in check. "I-I understand... I'm sorry if I offended you. It was just a surprise, that's all..." I try to muster up some sort of reassurance, desperate to make things right between us again. But it seems like every word only makes the situation worse. Mito's expression only grows more distant and unreadable by the second, which only serves to deepen my sense of hopelessness and shame.

My mind races for some way to fix this mess, but all I can think about is how badly I want to go to that festival now... maybe if I just try again, explain myself better...? No, he probably wouldn't even listen at this point. The more time passes, the more it feels like my hopes are slipping away, and there's nothing I can do about it.

I swallow hard, trying to think of something that might appease him. Anything. "Well... I-I can be your friend," I stammer out finally, wincing as soon as the words leave my mouth. It sounds so lame even to me, but it's all I've got. "And I promise not to tell anyone about this. Or... or we could just hang out, like normal people."

I hold my breath, waiting for his response. Please don't make me do any of those other things... please understand...

I blink back more tears, wishing I could think of something better to say. But all that comes out is a small, quiet whimper. "Please... just give me a chance to prove myself." My voice cracks, and my lower lip starts to quiver. "I'm sorry for how I reacted before... I just need this festival, okay? Please don't take it away from me..."

It takes every ounce of courage I have not to curl up into a ball on the spot and hide. Instead, I force myself to meet his gaze evenly, searching his eyes for any sign of pity or understanding. But all I see is cold disdain and impatience. Maybe he really doesn't care what happens to me...

As he stands up, I feel like my entire world is crashing down around me. Tears stream freely down my cheeks now, and I have to fight back the urge to just curl into a ball on the floor and disappear. But even through my pain and shame, there's still a spark of determination burning deep inside me.

I can't let him win like this. Not after everything I've been through. With one final burst of courage, I reach out and grab his arm, my fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt. "Please," I whisper hoarsely. "I need this... please help me." My eyes plead with him, willing him to understand.

For a moment, he just stands there, staring down at my hands on his arm. Then, slowly but surely, something seems to shift in his expression. A flicker of sympathy, perhaps? "Fine," he mutters gruffly. "I'll give you the money... but this is the last time I help someone like you."

He pulls a wad of bills from his pocket and tosses them at me. They land on my lap with an unceremonious thud, and for a moment, I feel like I might pass out from relief. "Thank you..." I whisper, looking up at him with tears streaming down my face. It's not exactly the thanks he probably expected... but it's all I can manage right now.

As he turns to leave, I reach out and touch his arm again, wanting to convey some small portion of what I feel. "I appreciate this... really, I do."

I wince, feeling the sting of his words even as relief washes over me. "I'm sorry," I mumble, looking down at my lap. "It won't happen again. I promise." For a moment, I consider trying to explain myself further, but his expression discourages it. Instead, I just nod and take the money from him, stuffing it into my pocket gratefully.

"Thank you... really," I repeat, looking up at him again. "I'll make sure not to disappoint."

I open my mouth to say something, anything that might make him understand how I feel...but the words refuse to come out. Instead, I just stare at the floor, feeling a tight ball of shame and guilt forming in my chest. I'm not good with words anyway; actions speak louder than words, right? So maybe if I prove myself somehow, show him that he can trust me...then things will be different this time.

Taking a deep breath, I meet his gaze once more and offer him a small smile. "I'll make sure to repay you in kind," I murmur softly. "Just give me the chance."

I choke on the air in my lungs, feeling my face turn bright red with embarrassment. "N-no..." I stammer out, already regretting those words as soon as they leave my mouth. "I-I didn't mean that... it was just a figure of speech... please believe me..." My cheeks grow even hotter, and I feel like I might pass out from shame.

"I-I would never do something like that," I manage to get out, sounding like I'm about to cry. "Please don't make me say those things again." Tears blur my vision as I look up at him, pleading with my eyes for understanding and forgiveness. But all I see is disappointment and distrust, and it feels like a knife twisting in my already aching heart.

"I promise," I whisper hoarsely. "I won't let you down."

I bite my lip hard to keep myself from crying harder, wiping the tears that have escaped down my cheeks with the back of my hand. I nod silently, taking a deep breath to calm myself before looking up at him again. "I understand," I manage to get out, my voice barely audible above the pounding of my heart. "And I promise... when the time comes, I'll make sure you know how truly grateful I am."

For now, though, there's nothing left to say. With one final glance at Mito, I gather up my things and hurry out of his house, hardly daring to breathe until I'm safely away from him. The weight of everything he's said and done presses down on me like a lead blanket, but I push through it anyway, determined not to let this experience ruin what should be a wonderful night for me.

Once I'm outside, I take a deep breath of the cool evening air, trying to clear my head and gather myself before continuing to the festival grounds. As much as Mito might think I am, there's so much more to life than just pleasing him...and now that I have this chance, I'm going to make sure nobody ever makes me feel like I don't deserve it again.

As the last notes of the final concert fade into silence and the sky begins to lighten with dawn, Vanessa finds herself standing amidst the winding paths and half-built structures that made up the festival grounds, a mixture of exhaustion and contentment washing over her. It's been an amazing night; filled with laughter, music, and new experiences...and she couldn't have done any of it without Mito's help.

As she glances down at her phone, she realizes that it's now or never - she needs to find a way to properly thank him for everything he's done tonight. She knows she can't keep ignoring his advances forever...but maybe if she shows him how grateful she really is, he'll understand that there are other ways they can be friends without anything else happening between them.

With renewed determination, Vanessa sets off into the early morning bustle of festival-goers and performers alike, intent on finding Mito and finally making things right between them. She has no idea what the future holds, but for now, all that matters is showing him just how much she truly appreciates everything he's done...and hoping that maybe, just maybe, they can still be friends after all this.