**Chapter 65: Unspoken Truths**

Mitsuba sighed, his shoulders sagging in a mixture of relief and anxiety. "It's well... you promise to be my friend no matter what?" he asked, his eyes fixed on Kou's face, searching for any sign of hesitation or judgment. Kou nodded, his expression unwavering. "Of course, Mitsuba. I promise. I'm your friend, and that doesn't change no matter what." Mitsuba took a deep breath, his eyes darting around the room before finally settling on the floor. He sighed once more, his voice barely above a whisper. "I... don't like girls." The words hung in the air, and Kou's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Mitsuba to reveal something so personal, and he wasn't sure how to react. Mitsuba's words tumbled out in a rush, as if he was afraid of being interrupted or judged. "I... I'm... I'm a gay... and a bottom..." He muttered into the pillow, quickly turning his face away from Kou and burying himself in his phone, as if trying to escape the potential consequences of his confession. Kou was taken aback, his mind reeling with the sudden revelation. He hadn't seen this coming, and he wasn't sure how to process his emotions. Part of him was shocked, another part was curious, and a third part was concerned about how this might affect their friendship. As Kou sat there, frozen in silence, Mitsuba's body tensed, as if waiting for rejection or ridicule. But Kou just sat there, his eyes fixed on Mitsuba's back, trying to process everything that had just been revealed. The silence between them grew thicker, and Kou could feel Mitsuba's anxiety building. He knew he had to say something, but he wasn't sure what. He didn't want to hurt Mitsuba's feelings or make him feel like he was judging him. Slowly, Kou reached out and gently placed a hand on Mitsuba's shoulder. "Mitsuba," he said softly, trying to sound calm and reassuring. "We need to talk about this." But Mitsuba just shook his head, still buried in his phone. "No, it's okay. Just... just forget I said anything, okay?" His voice was muffled, but Kou could hear the fear and vulnerability beneath the surface. Kou's grip on Mitsuba's shoulder tightened. "I'm not going to forget, Mitsuba. And I'm not going to judge you. But we do need to talk about this, okay?" He said softly, trying to coax Mitsuba out of his shell.