I Thought She Was the One, but It Turned Out to Be a Fake Confession, so I Decided to Break Up With Her
I guess excitement is a different storyโspicy food is just spicy.
Well, it was nice for me to be so close to Hina, but putting up with the pressure from behind was a real pain.
I switched to a different train line and headed toward the town where I used to live.
As I got closer to my destination, all sorts of memories flashed through my mind.
โWhat was it like when you came here with Kotone?โ
โWell, first of all, she gave me a real earful just for putting herself on a packed train.โ
It wasnโt the kind of cute grumbling Hina does.
It was more like a tiradeโa one-sided scolding.
These days, if a boss spoke to a subordinate like that, they could easily be sued for workplace harassment.
โPlus, the place I lived wasnโt a tourist spot or anythingโjust a regular residential neighborhoodโฆโ
She spent the whole day looking grumpy, just glaring at me in silence.
Aside from her scolding on the crowded train, there wasnโt a single conversation that felt like a date.
Unless you count being blamed one-sidedly as a conversation, that is.
โThatโs when I realized that my desire for her to get to know me better was, in the end, nothing more than self-indulgence.โ
Looking back now, it makes perfect sense.
Kotone wasnโt the least bit interested in me.
I was just being selfish, and she was only putting up with me.
โItโs not self-indulgence, you know?โ
โHuh?โ
Hina, standing right in front of me, gently linked her fingers with mine and said,
โAt least I want to get to know you better, Daiki. In fact, Iโm really happy that youโre the one telling me about yourself.โ
โHinaโฆโ
Even though we hadnโt even arrived yet, I felt a sting in the back of my nose.
Looking at Hinaโs expression, I could tell she wasnโt just trying to comfort meโshe really meant it.
Hina let go of my hand, stood on tiptoe, and ruffled my hair teasingly.
โThere, there. Boys arenโt supposed to cry so easily.โ
โAre you my mom or something?โ
โYep, Iโm your mom~โชโ
She was probably just being considerate so we wouldnโt stand out too much on the crowded train.
Realizing how kind Hina was, I returned the joke.
But Hinaโs jokes gradually escalated.
โIf Daiki rubs my breasts really hard, maybe Iโll actually start producing breast milk like a real mom?โ
โNo wayโitโs not like anythingโs going to come out just from rubbing. Besides, donโt say stuff like that in a place like this.โ
โSo, what do you say, Daiki? As a souvenir of our trip, why donโt you transform my body so it produces breast milk?โ
โWhat kind of souvenir is that?!โ
โWe go as a couple and come back as a trio. Isnโt that the real thrill of a couplesโ trip?โ
โArenโt you setting the bar way too high for a couplesโ trip?!โ
As I was calling out Hinaโs outrageous jokes, my voice got louder without me even realizing it.
โฆIn the end, we ended up getting dirty looks from the other passengers on the train.
ใโโ
Hina Honjo and Daiki Fujimori got off at their destination station and walked for about five minutes.
The more they walked, the wider Hinaโs eyes grew.
That was because the area was lined with vast, sophisticated mansions that were instantly recognizable at a glance.
โDaiki, you lived in a place like this?โ
โYeah, sort of.โ
Sheโd heard about it from her cousin Misaki, but seeing it with her own eyes left Hina feeling overwhelmed.
It was one of Tokyoโs most exclusive residential neighborhoods.
The cars that occasionally passed by were invariably luxury imported models.
โItโs such a quiet place.โ
โYeah. The adults always said they liked how quiet it was, but there were times when it was too quiet for my taste.โ
โReally?โ
To Hina, it seemed as though Daiki had a slightly lonely look on his face.
Hina wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him.
She hugged him tightly, making sure he could feel her touch.
โIโm here now, so itโs noisy, isnโt it?โ
โAbsolutely, itโs noisy. Now I think I understand why adults prefer quiet.โ
โThatโs mean!โ
They both chuckled at the same time.
Noticing Hinaโs thoughtfulness, Daiki gently stroked her head.
Hina said nothing, simply closing her eyes slightly to savor the sensation.
โAnyway, Daikiโs family really is rich, isnโt it?โ
โโฆWell, I wonโt deny it.โ
โAh! I donโt want you to get the wrong ideaโIโm not dating you just because your family is rich!โ
โI know that.โ
โI wouldโve fallen for you even if you were living in a cardboard box on the riverbank! No, waitโIโd actually live in that cardboard box with you!โ
โAm I some kind of stray cat? I mean, if I were a stray cat, youโd pick me up and take me homeโnot live with me on the riverbank.โ
Their conversation and laughter echoed through the quiet, upscale neighborhood.
Meanwhile, Hina felt a strange sensation toward Daiki.
(Even though heโs the heir to a prominent family, heโs quite different from Kotone.)
Kotone had been sheltered from the outside world due to her mother, Asamiโs, strict controlโuntil Daiki began teaching her last year.
As her childhood friend, Hina had tried to teach Kotone various things when they were kids, but she remembered being issued an intimidating warning by Asami.
โIf you try to fill Kotoneโs head with unnecessary ideas, Iโll cut her off from โso be warned.โ
Those were the words she was told when Hina tried to read a manga magazine with Kotone.
Hearing that, the young Hina became terrified of the idea of being cut off, and from then on, she only played with Kotone within the limits Asami allowed.
That habit became ingrained, and until she entered her first year of high school, Hina hadnโt even been able to teach Kotone the most basic things.
(Daiki has changed for the better, hasnโt he?)
A year ago, when she first met Daiki, he was unnecessarily arrogant despite having no real talent, and he treated others in a bossy, commanding tone.
Now that she knows his background, Hina can understand to some extent why he was that way.
At his school in Tokyo, acting that way was probably the norm.
However, back then, her classmatesโwho had no way of knowing Daikiโs backgroundโfound him creepy and kept their distance. Eventually, they began showing signs of full-blown bullying, such as deliberately bumping into him or knocking over his desk while pretending it was an accident.
Back then, Hina, too, had felt uncomfortable when Daiki suddenly spoke to her in a commanding tone, so even though she didnโt participate in the bullying, she was one of those who avoided him.
(โฆโฆTo beat Kotone, who changed Daiki, I have to try harder.)
That thought also carried a sense of atonement for her own role as a bystander back then.
Daiki accepted her apology, but emotional wounds donโt heal that easily.
Especially since only a year had passedโthe wound probably hadnโt even scabbed over yet.
Daiki pointed to the path leading off to the right and said,
โThereโs a park this way. Want to go? Itโs got a really nice atmosphere. There are plenty of benches, so we can rest there.โ
โSounds good! Letโs go!โ
With their arms linked, the two of them headed toward the park nestled among the upscale residential neighborhoods.
Maigetsu