This is when he starts talking about regret, and not knowing how much time he's got left, and so on. He's taking a long time to get to the point. I brace myself for whatever calamity might be about to unfold. I even wonder for a moment if it's going to be something about his past with Hino. But he's so intense, won't break my gaze the whole time, and then

then

I don't hear what he says next. My heart's racing, I'm trying to get my breath back; it's not easy for me to concentrate. Then I think how silly it all seems, me going dokidoki like some high school crush. People don't do elaborate confessions of love after the age of, oh, I don't know, about seventeen? Who but Date-san would even think it was a good idea to lock me in an office, maybe he's got some sort of princess in a tower fantasy.

I'm not a princess. And didn't he just say-

"What?"