After Being Dumped With the Insult, “You’re So Clingy!” and Finding Her in Despair, I Kept Encouraging My Beautiful Classmate and as a Result, That Beautiful Girl Started Directing Her Heavy Emotions Toward Me Instead, but Since I Like Emotionally Heavy Girls, It’s No Problem - 11

Chapter 11: Jujoji’s Reaction

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

After finishing my talk with Senkawa, I decided to head home. I went down the stairs and made my way toward the shoe lockers. Hardly any students remained inside the school building, and only the sound of my own footsteps echoed through the hallway.

“Kokonoe-kun, are you heading home now?”

As I was changing from my indoor shoes into my sneakers at the lockers, someone suddenly called out to me from behind. It was Jujoji.

…Just moments ago, I hadn’t sensed anyone around. Where had she been? Startled by her sudden appearance, I answered her.

“Huh? Oh—yeah.”

“I’m heading home now too. Would you like to walk back together?”

“Sure, I don’t mind…”

“Yay!”

When I accepted her suggestion, she happily lined up beside me. We walked side by side across the schoolyard bathed in the evening sun, chatting casually. Even so, I was troubled over how to bring up my earlier conversation with Senkawa.

From talking to him, I had learned that he was the type to take his stress out on objects and the people around him. Senkawa had completely rejected Jujoji’s existence. If she tried to approach him again, he might fly into a rage and possibly even hurt her. If I thought about her physical safety, it would be wiser to tell her.

But it hadn’t been that long since she had been harshly dumped. The wounds in her heart were still in the process of healing. If she learned that the man she once loved was rejecting her entirely, it was easy to imagine her heart being deeply wounded again.

The image of Jujoji from the day before yesterday—her face as if her entire world had ended—flashed through my mind. She had finally started smiling again. I wanted to avoid pushing her back into the depths of despair. Her “physical safety” or her “emotional stability.” Which should I choose?

After thinking it over, I chose her physical safety.

…I would just have to desperately encourage her again on the emotional side.

We exited the school gate and reached the crosswalk in front of the school. Right then, the light turned red. We stopped and waited for it to change. The signal here took a long time to change. Figuring it was a good opportunity, I steeled myself and decided to tell her about my conversation with Senkawa earlier.

“Jujoji, actually… I was with Senkawa just now.”

How would she react? Either way, it probably wouldn’t be a positive response.

…Or so I had thought, but Jujoji’s reaction was unexpected.

“Yes. I know.”

“…Huh?”

For a moment, my mind froze. What did she mean by “I know”? I hadn’t told anyone about my talk with Senkawa. So how did she know?

“I followed you—…no, I happened to see you two going into the empty classroom. I got curious and peeked in.”

“So you know what Senkawa and I talked about?”

“Yes. From beginning to end.”

She answered with an unbothered expression. I hadn’t expected to be seen entering the empty classroom. The one person I least wanted to know had heard everything we discussed.

…And yet, Jujoji’s reaction was surprisingly indifferent. I had expected her to be much more upset. Unsure what to say to her unexpected response, I managed to reply.

“Um… sorry. I was hoping I could somehow help you and Senkawa make up…”

“You did it because you were thinking of me, right? Thank you. But… It’s fine now. About him..”

“Huh?”

The words that followed surprised me even more.

『About him, it’s fine now.』

If I took that literally, it meant she had moved on from Senkawa.

“Because the one who matters to me right now is Kokonoe-kun. So no matter what he says about me anymore, I don’t really care.”

Jujoji said that and smiled brightly.

“I-I see…”

I didn’t know how to respond. She was smiling, but there was no way she wasn’t hurting. The person she had loved had told her he’d hated her all along. If it were me, I’d be so shocked I’d be lying down for days. So she must be desperately trying to overcome that pain by focusing on something she liked… in this case, taking care of me, to maintain her peace of mind.

That was how I chose to interpret her words.

In that case, there was only one thing I needed to do: help her heart heal as quickly as possible.

The light turned green. We crossed the street together. Once we crossed this intersection, my apartment was just up ahead. I had chosen it for its proximity to school, but on days like today, when I walked home with a friend, I sometimes wished it were a little farther. That way, we could talk longer.

“…We’re here already. Jujoji, see you tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

We arrived in front of my apartment. Reluctantly, it was time to part for the day. I thought about asking her for something—anything—to help her heart heal. But the distance from school to my apartment was too short, and nothing came to mind.

After saying goodbye, I climbed the rusted stairs of the apartment building. My room was 201 on the second floor. I took out my key, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.

“I’m home.”

“Yes. Welcome back♪”

I had meant to say it to an empty room. Yet a cute voice greeted me from behind. Startled, I turned around.

“Jujoji? Why?”

For some reason, Jujoji had followed me. Ignoring my stunned expression, she smiled sweetly, took off her shoes, and entered the room.

“Kokonoe-kun, what were you planning to eat for dinner today?”

“Huh? Cup noodles, I guess…”

The moment she heard that, Jujoji shot me a disapproving glare.

“I knew it… I was right to come. Even if your cold is better, if you keep eating such unhealthy meals, you’ll just end up sick again. So from now on, I’ll cook for you, Kokonoe-kun!”

“Seriously…?”

I didn’t say, “I feel bad, so I’ll decline.” If letting her take care of me would help heal the wounds in her heart, then I would gladly accept it.

“…Alright. I’m counting on you.”

“Yes. Leave it to me! Ufufu♡ Now then… that’s the first checkpoint cleared.”

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing. Now, I’ll put my heart into cooking!”

Jujoji took an apron out of her bag, put it on, and began preparing dinner.

◇◇◇