Chapter 36: Volume 2 - CH 1.8

“Huh? Eh, why—oh, I got it. It was when you asked me to date you, wasn’t it?”

After being rejected once by me, this girl did an inquiry about me to people who knew me in order to confess again. As a result, she found that the key to success was Robot Buster, then she used that to confess to me once more.,.

It seemed that my conjecture was correct, and Yuzu nodded her head.

“Yes. When I was investigating Yamato-kun, of course, I talked to Hiiragi-san, who was in the same middle school as you. But, what do you think Hiiragi-san said to me then? ‘You can’t ask me that. I don’t know anything about him,’ she said. What a blatant lie. She even hid the fact that you were on the same basketball team.”

Oh…I see.

That was not entirely wrong either.

“I see… Hina said that about me?”

That felt a bit bitter. Because there were definitely moments when we understood each other. I had no regrets about how things had ended, but I guessed I’d still feel sentimental about it.

“I don’t think Hina is lying. There was a time in middle school when I was trying my best to socialise. Didn’t I tell you before?”

“…Yeah. I heard.”

As expected of a girl who could read the air, perhaps sensing that my mood had changed, Yuzu listened to me with a more serious attitude than before.

“Hina is a friend of mine from those days. Then, when I retired from club activities and stopped working hard on socialising, I cut off my relationship with her along with all the others. In other words, she’s my victim. She didn’t know what was going on, and for what reason I’ve rejected her.”

“Yamato-kun…” Although she was angry until just a moment ago, Yuzu peered at me with somewhat caring eyes.

But for me, those things from back then were already over. I wouldn’t be sensitive over this topic now.

“Well, that’s why it’s true that Hina said she didn’t know me… Just now, both of us were simply keeping appearances.”

No matter how harmonious the conversation might seem on the surface, in my mind..and probably in Hina’s as well, we knew perfectly that our behaviours were nothing but keeping up appearances.

The disconnection that had been created a year ago still existed between us.

“…I see. Yeah, I’m sorry I asked about something delicate.”

In particular, Yuzu, who was in the process of repairing her friendship, seemed to have something to resonate with my story, and she cheerlessly apologised.

“Well, that’s fine. I would have told you sooner or later anyway.”

When I ended the topic, Yuzu seemed to be in a better mood this time, and stopped making a pouting face.

“Hmm… I’m a little relieved now. So you two really weren’t anything special; you didn’t think anything of each other, she was just clubmate A?”

It took me a while before I answered, “…You’re right.”

“Here comes the oversized pause! That was a silence more eloquent than any words I’ve ever heard! There’s definitely something going on here!”

“No, no, no, it’s not like that. I was just wondering if it’s okay to say that nothing happened because we did have a friendship between us!” I hurried to make an excuse, but it seems that I could not dispel Yuzu’s suspicion with that reasoning.

“Then, let me ask you, what’s with the suggestive hairpin?”

What a keen eye Yuzu had, she immediately hit on the vital point.

“…I gave it to her a long time ago.” I couldn’t lie to her, so I told her honestly.

In an instant, Yuzu staggered as if she had been shot.

Yuzu ruefully grunted and said, “Honestly, I half knew it was coming, but I’m shocked! I’m feeling so defeated!”

“No, lose at what?”

“Because I have never received a gift from Yamato since we started dating! But a girl who seems to have some special circumstance appears, and she’s got a gift from Yamato? This feeling of defeat is overwhelming!”

Indeed, from Yuzu’s point of view, that was a really unfavourable thing to know.

However, that hairpin didn’t warrant her to overreact like this.

“Um, I gave that hairpin to her more than three years ago, and the thing itself is a cheap one; I bought it at 100-yen-store. It’s not that big of a deal.” I explained how it wasn’t something to be concerned about, but Yuzu’s expression became even colder.

“Wow, she’s still using that cheap hairpin you gave her three years ago.”

“Huh??”

“Hiiragi-san is so amazing. That cheap stuff won’t last for years unless she takes good care of it and cherishes it.”

Huh, what? My explanation should’ve cleared the situation, but I couldn’t help but feel like I’d just dug a grave.

“I don’t mind though, even if Hiiragi-san is more important than me. We’re not really dating anyway, are we? Yamato-kun only went out with me for the game; rather than giving me a gift, you probably would choose to use the money to buy a game.”

Oh no, she was starting to say things in sarcasm. This was clearly a sign saying ‘Pay attention to me!’, so I couldn’t possibly leave her be.

“That’s not true, Yuzu is the most important to me.”

“You really mean that?”

It seemed that my guess was correct, and Yuzu was willing to engage in dialogue with me even though she was green with jealousy.

“Really, really. See, I love you so much.”

“I can’t help but think those words are too unreliable.”

Yuzu glared at me as if to doubt my sincerity, but perhaps she was angry and tired, she sighed and relaxed her expression.

“Haaa… whatever. Besides, this fit of full-blown jealousy has made me discover new things about myself. The jealous me is also cute. That’s the harvest today.”

“You do have a peculiar way of bringing yourself back in a good mood, you know that? I didn’t think I was pardoned due to that reason.”

I felt like I’d just seen the essence of narcissism.

While I was strangely impressed, Yuzu jabbed her finger at me.

“However, it hasn’t changed the fact that I still feel jealous and defeated. Yamato-kun, please make sure you give me a nice present someday. This is your task as my boyfriend.”

“Okay, ma’am!”

In addition to the cultural festival, I obtained a new task to complete.

“All right! Then let’s get to the executive committee quickly. Work! Work!” Perhaps her mood had improved to some extent, Yuzu began to walk with her usual lightness.

I followed her in her wake and looked back at the gym just once.

─ The social relationships that I had left behind in middle school; Yuzu’s group which was still in the process of restoration; the restart of our fake couple relationship.

What will this cultural festival be like, where everything comes together and collides?

I thought about that future for a little while.