Episode 10 – the worst

A Cheeky Junior Denied Me My Entire Life, so I Tested What Would Happen if I Jumped off a Rooftop to Vent My Anger

Asama Ion was in a good mood.

After school. On her way home from school, a familiar sight. Under the blue sky, she was whistling happily as she walked towards the flat where Aoi Susumu was waiting for her.

“Kanon?”

She stopped at the sound of a voice. When she turned around, there she was, a familiar blonde girl. She is short, but not unstylish. She knows how to present herself, and has a carefree smile that reminds one of childhood.

Usa Ririka, Susumu’s childhood friend, approached Ion as she walked by whistling. Ion’s bright red eyes twitch with amusement and she replies.

“Yes. The Pfaffelbel canon. It’s been playing at a café in my neighbourhood recently. The sound has been stuck in my ears.”

Ion’s answer is very ordinary. But Ririka can’t help but step back.

“I heard a rumour that …… you are taking care of Susumu-kun …… Aoi Susumu, is that true?”

“Yes, it is. Aoi kun, he seemed to be in trouble because he didn’t have anywhere to go, so I decided to help him out.”

“That means you and Susumu-kun are living together, right?”

“That’s right. As Aoi-kun’s girlfriend, do you mind it?”

Ion’s white hair sways in the wind. Ririka thought it was beautiful and averted her gaze as if to run away.

“Well, I don’t like it. But… more than that, I don’t understand. But…more than that, I don’t understand. Why are you taking care of Susumu-kun, a stranger? Are you a good person who would help anyone if they were in trouble, even if they weren’t related to you?”

“Yes, I am. I’m a good girl.”

“…….”

After being told this, Ririka can’t help but fall silent. She has been looking for Susumu for a while now, just like Yana. However, there was no result and she still couldn’t find him.

That’s why she made up her mind and called out to Ion, who Rengo had said was with Susumu, but Ririka was already swayed by Ion’s atmosphere.

“Fufu”

Ion laughs. With a smile that melts in, she says.

“That’s a joke, a joke. I saved him because he’s Aoi-kun. He’s special.”

“…… about the painting? I’m sorry, but Susumu-kun can’t draw anymore. ”

“No, no. I have yet to see a picture that Aoi-kun has drawn. …… But from the looks of it, you seem to be attracted to his drawings, not to the man himself, don’t you?”

“…… Well. I don’t like geniuses. I don’t like pictures drawn by geniuses either.

Ririka unconsciously squeezes her hand tightly. With quiet eyes, Ion looks up at the sky, which is slowly turning into an angry shade of red.

“Genius, huh? …… I also want to ask you one question, you and Aoi-kun are childhood friends, aren’t you? If so, you must know why Aoi-kun can no longer draw.
But you didn’t try to help Ao-kun. Why is that?”

“…………”

Ririka did not speak back. Ion doesn’t seem to mind and continues.

“If you care about Aoi-kun that much. Why don’t you go to the extent of making dark circles under your eyes and go looking for him? Wouldn’t it have been better if you had been kind to him from the beginning? Or… Was there a reason you didn’t want to do it?”

Ion takes one step closer to Ririka. Ririka also backs away.

“…… People like you won’t understand. People on the side of the have things can’t possibly understand the feelings of those who do not have. …… That’s right. Susumu kun has betrayed everyone’s expectations. The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment when you betray them. Nobody needs a genius nowadays!”

“Fufu, don’t shout so loud, you’re scaring me.”

“…….”

Ririka then realises that she is getting emotional and lowers her gaze in shame. There were no people in the area, and their shadows, illuminated by the setting sun, wavered.

“…I do feel sorry for Susumu-kun. But I’m not a good enough girl to stand by a poor boy for years. Whatever the reason, there are people who can’t stand up for themselves. He’ll be left behind. That’s all I have to say, right?”

“Fufu. You’re a lot colder than you look, aren’t you?…Yeah. I don’t hate that either. But that doesn’t mean that cheating is acceptable based on that logic right?”

“That’s …….”

“If you really believe that in the first place, then it’s strange that you’re going out of your way to search around for Aoi-kun, the person you left behind, isn’t it?”

If Ririka was acting according to her own words, she would have broken up with Susumu long ago and started dating Rengo, who started to show his head in high school. Yet she lingered and stretched out the relationship and did not even try to help Susumu, who was getting sick.

“You want to deny it. If that tall boy from before has an inferiority complex, you have an aversion complex. You are genuinely afraid of something that denies your values. Cute and to the point. You realized that being good and being loved by everyone means nothing in front of the real thing.”

Ion takes one step closer to Ririka. Ririka unconsciously swallows the spit in her mouth.

“I don’t know if you really loved Aoi-kun or not….No, if you really loved him, you wouldn’t cheat on him.”

“I said, cheating—“

“If all you did was hold hands, it wouldn’t matter. ……I don’t want to ask you if that’s really all there is to it, but you’re disrespecting Aoi-kun when I think that, aren’t you?”

“That’s …….”

Ririka tries to argue, but is unable to articulate it well and lowers her gaze.

“Maybe you think you’re doing well because you’re skillful. Or maybe girls like you will succeed in the future. But no matter how much time passes, you’ll never be satisfied.”

“…… I don’t want you to say that to me.”

“Yes, I do. I’m not like everyone else, and I don’t know what you’re going through. …… But what are you going to say when you find Aoi-kun? He already has me.
He is already alive without you. …… or maybe you still think you’re special?”

“……!”

Ririka glares at Ion with eyes that seem to shoot through her. Yet, Ion laughs. Like a predator in front of its prey, its mouth twists as if it is about to split open.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Aoi-kun will come to see you in the not-too-distant future. So you’d better think of an excuse for when that happens, instead of looking around for him like this. You cheat on him, and when he tells you he’s going to break up with you, you claw your way back miserably. I wouldn’t want to see a woman like that either.”

“Shut up …… ! I don’t want you …… to say that to me!”

“It’s better than being told by Aoi-kun, isn’t it?”

“……! Shut up! Shut up! Don’t talk to me like you know anything, ……”

Ririka turns away as if to run away and starts running towards the opposite direction of the house. Ion let out a small, gasping breath.

“That girl won’t last long either….But I wonder if the pictures Aoi-kun drew are really that amazing. I’d like to see them sometime.”

Ion walks home, whistling again. It was a natural gesture, as if she had already forgotten about Ririka.

“It’s later than I expected. Aoi-kun, I hope he doesn’t run into any troubles… But anyway, Aoi-kun, is he okay?”

Ion walks for a while as it is, and returns to her usual mansion.

“Fufu”

She noticed something strange right away, but didn’t seem to panic. As usual, she open the front door with a practiced hand. Then, there was Susumu, bleeding and lying on the ground, and a long-haired man wearing a coat for the first time.

Ion laughed.

“You guys still suck, don’t you?”

“……!”

Ion grabs the man’s head. The man tries desperately to resist, but it is too late. The man’s head was crushed, and Ion threw the man’s body away as if she were throwing away rubbish.

“Oh no, I’ve messed up the room again. How are you feeling ……? Aoi-kun.”

To this question, Susumu replied in a somewhat elated voice.

“── I feel the worst.”