CH 30

Yuki says it’s Kaho I like.

That’s true.

But then Mikoto-san turned her head.

“But Sakurai-san also likes Akihara-kun, right …? Is it okay for you if… Akihara-kun and Sasaki-san are dating?”

Before she could finish, Yuki glared sharply at Mikoto-san.

“If you think I like Aki-kun, then that, too, is a misunderstanding.”

“Because yesterday…”

Yuki’s words yesterday, in Mikoto-san’s eyes, could only be thought of as her liking for me, apparently.

So for once, I don’t think it’s just assumptions.

“What I want is for Kaho to be next to Aki-kun.”

I interrupted.

“Why are you so obsessed with my relationship with Kaho?”

“I’ve always wanted to be a childhood friend like Aki-kun and Kaho. Someone who has been with me since I was little and understands everything about me. I wish I had someone like that.”

Yuki stood up and flapped the hem of her skirt.

Seeing her, I thought again, but Yuki is really small.

She is much smaller than me, Mikoto-san and Kaho.

Yuki smiled sadly.

“But I don’t have any childhood friends.”

“When you were in elementary school, you kept changing schools, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. I’m not in love with Aki-kun, I’m in love with the relationship between Aki-kun and Kaho.”

Yuki said in a quiet voice.

I didn’t know if that was Yuki’s true intention or not.

We remained silent for a while.

I think the first period class had already started a long time ago.

It was Mikoto-san who broke the silence.

“Unlike you, Sakurai-san, I don’t lie about my feelings.”

“Eh?”

“Akihara-kun told me that I could do whatever I wanted with my relationship with him. So … I want to be … Akihara-kun’s lover.”

Then, Mikoto-san made a startled face.

I and Yuki also looked at Mikoto-san with astonished expressions on our faces. 

What did Mikoto-san just say?

If I heard her correctly, she said she wanted to be my girlfriend.

Mikoto-san looked shocked, and then her cheeks turned bright red.

She must have been very embarrassed.

But Mikoto-san did not look away from Yuki and me, and continued.

“No, that was a misstatement. I’m pretending to be Akihara-kun’s girlfriend because I want to. It is not to give Akihara-kun to Sasaki-san, that’s for sure.”