The Day After My Girlfriend Cheated on Me, My Female Friend Suddenly Started Seducing Me. ~The Protagonist’s Struggle Begins With a Revenge Drama~
“Rei kun.”
Kaori comes to my seat after school. She looks strangely unhappy, or maybe it’s just my imagination.
“Would you like to go out for a bit today? I have somewhere I wanna go.”
“With me? ….Shouldn’t you invite some of your friends to go with you?”
Kaori was clearly unhappy with my response. She crossed her arms and stared at me between the eyes, her cheeks puffed out.
“Mou, Rei kun is as straightforward as ever. I’ll forgive you.”
“Why’s that? Did I do something bad?”
“Rei kun has been doing bad things all the time. As punishment, please come with me.”
“Oh, hey, hey, hey !”
Kaori roughly grabbed my arm and forced me to stand up. I left the classroom as if I was being dragged. The gaze of my classmates who were tailgating me was like a piercing pain.
“…Heh. You’re more aggressive than I thought.”
▽▼
“What were you talking about today?”
It seemed strange to bring up the topic so abruptly, but the words came from Kaori. Kaori probably noticed the question mark on my face next to her, so she added.
“During break. You were having a fun time with Ruri chan and your friend.”
“Ah. …You saw that?”
“Eh, no, no, I just happened to see…”
“….I see. It was just an ordinary thing.”
Who is the person you like? I don’t have the courage to ask her straight. I turned away, giving off an aura not to pry any further, but that had no effect on Kaori, who was able to control the energy of the sun.
“What’s that? Don’t hide it from me, tell me.”
“I-it’s really just a silly story ! It’s nothing worth mentioning…..”
“Can’t you tell me?”
I stopped in my tracks at those words that echoed heavily in my head. The red glowing eyes of Kaori pierced through me.
There are pressures that cannot be expressed in words. Is it because of the difference in ability between my and my opponent, or is it because she is upset? I exposed my shame as a weak person in front of her.
“Is that something you can’t tell me?”
“…..N-no.”
“Which is it?”
Had I ever been attacked by a more urgent YES or NO before? And have I ever been approached by someone of the opposite sex like this? My heart rate accelerated with a feeling different from a crush.
The answer I came up with in the midst of the sense of crisis and avoidance that was dizzying me was an expletive.
“…..It’s a rumor. I heard that you have someone you like…so I was curious and. I don’t mean to be weird.”
Kaori looked a little perplexed by my words, which I spat out as if trying to escape. It could be described as a soldier going crazy due to an unexpected blow, or perhaps I should describe it as a cuckoo clock going out of tune. It was refreshing to see her confused by the sudden turn of events.
“…..Insensitive.”
“See…..I told you it’s just a trivial conversation.”
“…Are you curious?”
The first shock was like being hit in the head with a blunt instrument. The shock was so simple that it would be a cliché to describe it, so simple indeed, yet so destructive.
“….He is a wonderful man. Someone who is always by my side. He is a little insensitive and has bad instincts, but I love him so much.”
The second shock was sharp and felt like a numbing sensation throughout my body.
Kaori, who had never spoken of such things herself, even though she had had opportunities to do so before, spelled out the words from her own mouth. The destructive power of these words easily destroyed my thought process. Perhaps due to the fact that we were alone in this situation, the afterglow lingered for a long time.
“…Hey, Rei kun?”
“…Ah, no, I never thought there would be one.”
“…Insensitive.”
I started walking again with Kaori poking me in the side. There’s no point in confirming the truth of the rumors…but is it okay for her to play with me if she likes someone else? If it’s true, isn’t the place she’s going to today the place she wanted to go with the person she likes? Thinking about it like that, I feel a bit sorry.
“Here we are.”
While I was pondering, we arrived at our destination. I looked up and saw a café with a long line of people standing in line.
It had a modern exterior, and I could see the inside from the glassed-in terrace seats. It was a stylish space that I had never been in before.
“I heard that this is a very popular store right now. They have limited-edition pancakes that are really good !”
“Hehe, a limited menu…”
Kaori has a big sweet tooth. I’ve heard that she often goes on sweets tours with other girls in her class.
Kaori and I lined up at the end of the line and were able to get inside within a few minutes. Apparently, if you make a reservation, you will be given priority guidance.
Kaori and I were guided by the staff and sat on the terrace. It’s a bit embarrassing that it’s completely visible from the row on the other side.
“Here is the menu. If you have decided, please call us.”
“Okay. Rei kun, what would you like to drink?”
“Black coffee.”
“Huh~, that’s cool~. Excuse me.”
Kaori, who has decided what to order, immediately calls the staff. A staff came from the counter.
“What would it be?”
“Um, one black coffee and one cocoa. And these pancakes…”
“Yes. A lovey-dovey pancake exclusively for couples.”
“Hah !?”
I couldn’t believe my ears. I looked twice at the menu list to make sure the names were correct.
Then I doubted Kaori. I wondered if she was an idiot. Kaori looked at me as if she was trying to match me.
“This menu is for couples only. You two are…”
“We are a couple !”
It would be unnatural to deny it here. More than anything else, the waitress is a little suspicious of me because of my strange voice.
It’s a little suspicious. There’s nothing I can do. Let’s just accept it here.
“Okay. Black coffee, cocoa, and lovey-dovey pancakes ! Please wait a moment !”
It’s even more embarrassing when it’s read out loud. The stares from the people in line hurt.
After confirming that the waitress had entered the store, I shot Kaori an angry glare.
“…..You’re too excited.”
“Of course. The pancakes here are a super annoying menu that only couples can eat, but the taste is exquisite ! An influencer accidentally posted a photo and caused a stir !”
“I don’t need that last bit of information. ….You know, this is a place where a lot of our students pass by. What if they see us?”
“Let’s just say we’re dating.”
“No, we can’t. I’ll get killed.”
Kaori looks at me in protest, looking at me in shock. It seemed like she didn’t really like being rejected.
If it turns out that I’m dating Kaori, I might be killed by her fans, and worst of all, people who know about me and Ririko’s relationship will look at me coldly, thinking I’m a disgusting guy who’s going to break up with my girlfriend and move on quickly. I don’t want that to happen, even as a joke.
“….Rei kun, are you dissatisfied with me?”
“It’s not that. It’s just a matter of appearances.”
“Then it’s fine ! Forget about your ex-girlfriend and switch to me.”
I turned away and hid my face, unexpectedly struck by Kaori’s words. There is no mirror, but the heat in my cheeks shows my condition.
It’s impossible for me to forget about my ex-girlfriend. The time I spent with her was really long, though it passed in the blink of an eye. I can’t say that the feelings of “love” that I had for her were a lie. She maybe didn’t, but I really enjoyed that time with her.
Above all, she was my first girlfriend in my life. I will have to think of her face for the rest of my life, no matter what I. It’s a curse.
“….I wish it were that easy to forget.”
While I was muttering this, pancakes were brought to the table. Coffee and cocoa are placed on the table, and finally the pancakes take center stage. The pancakes, with a heart painted in berry sauce, were a perfect couple’s menu item.
“Let’s eat ! I’ll cut it into pieces.”
The pancakes were too large for one person to eat by themselves, and were apparently meant to be eaten as a couple while being cut into pieces. According to Kaori’s explanation, half of the pancakes are strawberry flavor and the other half are blueberry flavor.
After cutting the pancake into pieces, Kaori offered it to me. I protest that the size of the pancake is a bit smaller than hers.
“…Aren’t yours a little bigger than mine?”
“Rei kun, you’re a sinner, so that’s why you got that size. You should reflect on that.”
“You just wanna eat it yourself, don’t you? Well, I wasn’t planning on eating much, so it’s fine.”
I reluctantly began to eat.
I cut the pancake with a fork and knife, which I’m not used to, and put a slice in my mouth. The softly spread sweetness and the sweet and sour berry sauce were well seasoned and enhanced each other without overpowering one another. This is a taste that everyone can agree.
Kaori seems to be very satisfied with the pancakes, and her eyes light up as she enjoys them with her big mouth.
“Hey, look, is that couple on an after school date?”
“It’s true. They’re eating the limited menu! I wish I could have spent my youth like that…”
I heard a voice from the line showing there was a huge misunderstanding. I wouldn’t be able to say anything if someone misunderstood me while I was eating the limited edition menu, but when someone looked at me like that, I felt a tingling sensation in my heart.
(….No good. At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before the students find out. Let’s ditch early…)
“Rei kun, aaahn.”
“….Yes?”
Maitoshi