I Thought She Was the One, but It Turned Out to Be a Fake Confession, so I Decided to Break Up With Her
In the end, I didnโt really get to enjoy the fireworks.
I was just standing there in a daze, and before I knew it, they were over.
โIโll walk you home. Or is there somewhere else you want to go?โ
Still, I had to do what I had to do.
After all, I probably wasnโt the only one looking forward to the fireworks.
โHmmโฆ Maybe there is somewhere Iโd like to go?โ
โWhere?โ
Hina whispered softly in my ear.
โDaikiโs house! Iโm going to take care of Daiki, since heโs feeling a little down.โ
โNo, Iโm not really downโฆโ
โLiar. Itโs written all over your face.โ
Is it that obvious?
I thought I was pretty confident in my ability to keep a poker face.
Maybe Hina can tell because sheโs been observing me all this time.
โWere you shocked that Kotone rejected you earlier?โ
โItโs more than thatโฆโ
I searched for the right words to explain.
โItโs more like Iโm disappointed in myself.โ
โDisappointed? Why?โ
โWhen I saw someone whoโd always looked down on me like that crumbleโฆโ
Hina gave a light โahaโ laugh and spoke for me.
โYou actually got happy about it?โ
I nodded quietly.
Then Hina gave my cheek a quick peck and continued.
โI guess we really are pretty similar after all.โ
โIn what way?โ
โActually, I felt happy just now, too. Iโve always been losing to Kotone, havenโt I? But there was one thing I could win at. At least when it comes to my feelings for Daiki, I completely outshone Kotone.โ
โHinaโฆโ
You couldnโt exactly call these feelings beautiful or desirable.
But since weโre lovers, we can carry this burden together.
It means this isnโt a cross I have to bear all by myself.
โIn that sense, Iโm going to serve you well today! After all, I know all of Daikiโs weak spots, donโt I?โ
โHaha, please go easy on me.โ
And so we returned to my place and continued our evening date.
ใโโ
Left alone in the shrine, Kotone stared blankly at Hinaโs handkerchief, which Hina herself had refused and dropped to the ground.
Noโeven though it belonged to Hina, it was Daiki who had handed it to her.
Kotone clutched the handkerchief with trembling hands.
โWhat on earth am I doingโฆโ
Since Hina had been acting strangely, sheโd considered the possibility that the two of them had become close very quickly.
No, actually, sheโd been certain of it ever since she saw a photo of the two of them in the group chat.
But when she actually ran into them face-to-face, her rational mind went out the window.
Any plan to apologize and confess her feelings had completely flown out of her head.
Instead, a different thought filled her mind.
โFujimori-kun is mine!
โEven though sheโs my friend! You thieving cat!!
โEven though Iโm here, of all people, heโs cheating on me with Hina!?
โNo, no, no, no, no!!
Like a child whose favorite toy had been taken away, I just threw a tantrum.
In the end, I didnโt even realize the meaning behind the handkerchief; I just acted on impulse.
The final fireworks marked the grand finale, signaling the end of summer vacation.
Kotone just sat there on the ground, trembling, unable to do anything.
(Was I too lateโฆ?)
Was she really destined to just watch the two of them from afar like this?
Even if she clung to Daiki and cried out to him, would he even turn around to look at her?
Tears she couldnโt control wet the ground.
That was when it happened.
Amid a rustling sound from the bushes, she heard footsteps.
โFujimori-kunโฆ?โ
Did you come back again, just like during that sudden shower?
Kotone immediately stood up and approached the bushes.
โOh, sorry~ Itโs me. You havenโt come back, and I havenโt heard from you at all, so I came to look for you.โ
โโฆโฆโ
Kotone couldnโt hide her disappointment and let out a deep, obvious sigh.
Nanami quickly glanced at Kotoneโs expression and scanned the shrine hall.
โLooks like it didnโt work out, huh?โ
โโฆYeah.โ
โIf youโd like, Iโd be happy to listen at my place.โ
Kotone nodded slightly.
Then, sitting side by side on the veranda, she poured out what sheโd seen at the shrine, almost as if venting her frustrations.
โWell, I guess thatโs a shock. By the way, that girl, Hina? Sheโs no ordinary girl either, is she?โ
Kotone hugged her knees and asked.
โโฆโฆWhat should I do?โ
โNormally, if your boyfriend cheated on you, youโd just say, โIโm done with him!โ and thatโd be the end of it. Well, you forget old loves with new ones. Sometimes time just heals everything.โ
โIs that soโฆโฆโ
Why didnโt I treat him more gently?
Why didnโt I just express my feelings honestly?
Why didnโt I do anything for Daiki?
A wave of regret washed over her, engulfing Kotone.
โKotone-chan, what I just said is just a general observation. What matters is what you want to do. Giving up now and marrying my brother is one option, right? Iโd be happy to have you.โ
โIโฆโ
Kotone simply couldnโt bring herself to sort out her feelings.
Nanamiโs words were absolutely correct, but they werenโt enough to stop her tears.
โI donโt knowโฆโ
Even if she struggled here, did she really stand a chance?
Hadnโt Daikiโs heart already drifted so far away that it was beyond repair?
Still, her feelings werenโt so shallow that she could just forget him easily.
But it was obvious that if she just left things as they were, sheโd only suffer.
โI donโt understand anythingโฆ!!โ
Kotone began to cry out loud.
Nanami tried to comfort her with a gaze as if she were looking at a child.
But her sobs only grew louder.
There was only one person who could stop her tears.
Nanami realized that fact as well.
ใโ
Summer vacation ended, and the second semester began.
Kotone went to school with her tear stains covered by makeup, but her gloomy mood remained.
As she entered the classroom, a conversation she didnโt want to hear reached her ears.
โHey, lookโI heard Fujimori-kun and Honjo-san are dating!โ
โTheyโre actually a pretty good match! I totally thought heโd be with Shimazaki-san forever, though~โ
โYeah, right? Fujimori-kun was chasing after her so hard. Well, I guess that means Shimazaki-san wasnโt interested in him after all.โ
โTrue. She is the young lady of the Shimazaki family, after all. Maybe someone like Fujimori-kun just isnโt good enough for her?โ
Thud!
Kotone jumped to her feet without thinking.
Her chair flew backward with such force that it toppled over.
โW-whatโs wrong, Shimazaki-san?โ
The girl sitting next to her asked timidly.
Kotone could only tremble her lips; she couldnโt answer right away.
She couldnโt bring herself to say that she was seriously in love with Daikiโor that, in truth, that โfalseโ confession wasnโt actually a lie at all.
โโฆโฆI just remembered I have something urgent to do.โ
โOh, okay, I see.โ
Kotone left her seat and stepped out into the hallway.
Paying no heed to the frozen atmosphere in Class 2, she headed toward Class 4.
Hina was in Class 4.
Kotone strode into Class 4 with heavy footsteps.
The students around her murmured, โHuh? Whatโs going on?โ and โShimazaki-san?โ
Kotone strode right up to Hinaโs desk and spoke to her with a hostile expression.
โI need to talk to you for a second.โ
โI donโt have anything to talk about, though.โ
Seeing Hina play dumb with a blank expression, Kotone clenched her fists tightly.
โJust come with me already!!โ
As soon as she said that, Kotone roughly grabbed Hinaโs wrist.
Maigetsu