Twelve hours…? That’s during the time I’ve been working my part-time jobs…
“Let me make this clear! All of you in this class are absolute garbage! You look down on the people who work the hardest, mock them, and think it’s funny? No one has the right to make fun of Riku! It’s you who should be ashamed!”
Silence fell over the room.
Kana had said everything I’d wanted to say.
She voiced the words I should’ve been able to speak.
“You damn b****!”
Yūji raised his hand, swinging his fist with full force.
But I jumped in, taking the hit instead.
“Riku-kun!?”
“Damn… that hurt.”
My mouth was split open inside, but that didn’t matter.
I’d protected Kana. I felt like a man for once.
“Kana, are you hurt?”
“N-No, but why?”
“I’ve made my decision too.”
“So, then!”
“What are you yammering about, you piece of crap!? You’re just a walking wallet!”
“Yūji, you can keep whatever you stole from me. But you’ll never lay a hand on my girl again.”
“Riku…”
I grabbed Kana’s hand and started heading toward the rooftop.
She smiled, her face lighting up as she walked by my side.
Once we were on the rooftop, I handed back the game she’d given me yesterday.
“Um… about that…”
This is nerve-wracking.
Even though I’d had a bit of time to prepare myself, it was still a confession.
Inside the game case, there was a letter.
In it, she wrote that she liked me and that she’d actually been watching me all along. She had also been cheering for me from the shadows.
“I’ve liked you for a long time… but since you only had eyes for your childhood friend, Saki, I gave up on you.”
“W-Why would someone like me…”
“Didn’t I tell you yesterday? People who work hard for others are really cool, and I think that’s amazing.”
...Oh, I see.
Thanks to Kana’s encouragement, I finally understood.
“I think you’re amazing too, Kana. You’re stronger than anyone else... I don’t think I’m good enough for you.”
“That’s why—”
“That’s why I want to try. Let me work hard to become a guy who deserves to be with you.”
“What?”
“Because I like you too, Kana.”
Her cheeks flushed red as she quickly averted her gaze.
Did she think I was going to reject her? Tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes.
“S-So! Does this mean... we’re a couple now?”
“Y-Yeah, I guess so.”
“...”
“...”
Why was this so awkward? We couldn’t seem to talk like we usually did.
How could confessing make things this tense? And why did Kana have to confess so suddenly? Sure, I kind of liked her, but now that I was fully aware of it, my heart felt like it was going to explode.
“I’m still inexperienced, so please take care of me, Riku-kun.”
“Y-You too!”
We looked at each other. One thing was certain—we were both thinking about each other now.
* * *
After that, Yūji was suspended for his violent behavior in public. The incident triggered an investigation, uncovering his mistreatment of teammates and other wrongdoings, which eventually led to his expulsion.
And soon enough, the whole school found out about my relationship with Kana—it was a huge deal.
“...What do you want, Saki?”
I had been called to the back of the school building by my childhood friend.
Normally, I would’ve ignored her, but when someone says they want to die, you don’t really have a choice. But this would be the last favor I’d ever do for her.
Her cheek was bruised even worse than before. I could guess what happened. Yūji, after being expelled, had probably hit her again.
“I-I was stupid. You’re way better than some guy who hits people. Please, let’s get back together… okay? You still like me, don’t you?”
“There’s no way you actually mean that.”
“T-That’s...”
She faltered. It was clear she wasn’t being sincere. She was just trying to play me again.
As for me, I didn’t care about Saki anymore. I didn’t want anything to do with her.
“I-I’m pregnant… help me, please.”
I looked at her coldly, turned around, and walked away.
Saki, desperate, grabbed at my clothes, but I shook her off.
“Don’t touch me.”
Just then, Kana appeared, walking toward me.
Wait… is she angry?
I stopped in my tracks, and Kana immediately ran up to me, hugging me tightly and clinging to my arm.
“Am I interrupting something?”
“No, just cutting ties for good.”
“I see! Well, let’s go home then!”
She pulled on my arm like she always did. She wasn’t mad at me; she was furious at my pathetic excuse for a childhood friend behind us.
“Oh, and just because she’s your childhood friend, don’t forget—Riku’s mine now, so don’t come near him again.”
“Ugh... hick…”
We walked home together, though, unsurprisingly, we ended up heading to the arcade instead.
On the way there, Kana gave me a slightly apologetic look.
“Sorry about earlier. I called you ‘mine’… did that make me seem clingy?”
“No, not at all.”
“R-Really? Well, as an apology… Kana belongs to you too, Riku. You can do whatever you want with me, okay?”
“O-Okay.”
She smiled brightly as she held onto my arm.
Maybe, just maybe, Kana had a bit of a yandere side to her.
[The End]
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