After Distancing Myself From the Childhood Friend Couple Who Looked Down on Me, I Started Interacting With a Small Animal-Like Beautiful Girl - Chapter 30

[Daiki’s Side]

These days, as the days have gotten longer, it only starts to get dark around 7 PM.

It’s really nice to be able to walk down the still-bright road feeling good. I can immerse myself in the afterglow of today without any unnecessary worries.

I’m used to it because there were times when my dates with Serika ended when it was already dark outside.

Today, I had an after-school date with Yuika.

We went to a shopping mall that was a decent walk from school, and since it was getting hot, we enjoyed a course similar to that of lovers, eating ice cream at the food court, browsing apparel stores, and playing at the arcade.

The shop that Yuika said she wanted to go to was the same place I had visited with Serika on a previous date. I wondered if girls just have a shared interest in those kinds of places.

“If I became your real girlfriend, I’d love to try having a date at home.”

Yuika clings to my arm and lets out a sweet voice.

As soon as I hinted to Serika that I was already planning to do so, this happened. That person was the same, but the ones I go after are way too easy to manipulate.

I patted her head and said, “Later,” before parting ways with Yuika.

Yuika is better than I imagined.

As the karaoke lyrics say, she goes out of her way to fill the void in my life. The response to my sweet words and actions is a reply that, while still retaining a sense of freshness, never forgets to make me happy. She even said she would make me a treat for the upcoming sports festival, so I can’t complain.

Yokokawa is really pathetic as he did nothing despite going this far.

If I can get that done quickly, Yuika will officially become my girlfriend.

Shall I just finish it over LINE today?

While I was thinking about that, I was already in front of my house.

“–––Daiki.”

A familiar voice, but less lively than before.

Standing where I turned was Serika. She was wearing a casual outfit of shorts and a short-sleeved shirt.

“Got something else you need? I mean, showing up when I’m leaving? Are you a stalker or something?”

I look at Serika with a sigh.

Actually, today, just before my date with Yuika, Serika stopped me and said, “I want to talk to you,” but I have my top priority, so I couldn’t pay her any mind. When I brushed her off by saying I had plans to hang out with a female friend, she left with a clearly disappointed look on her face.

But it seems this person hadn’t given up.

“I want to talk to you. No matter what.”

From the way Serika is staring straight at me, I can tell she’s desperate.

I have a rough idea of what the story is about, but… it’s a good opportunity. After I listen to her, I will take care of my own business too.

“Got it. So, what is it?”

I softened my tone and put on an air of resignation as I faced Serika.

Serika stepped forward and tightly clenched her hands, which had been crossed in front of her chest.

“…I’m sorry for not accepting you back then, Daiki.”

As Serika moves, her bright brown hair falls with a swish.

Serika continued with her head bowed.

“I said I would do anything for Daiki, but I messed up. I won’t do anything like that again, I will accept all of Daiki’s requests. So, please don’t push me away anymore…”

Then, her voice had turned into a tearful one.

I look down at Serika as she is pleading while slightly trembling.

I can’t help but smile.

Really, what a devoted, foolish, and cute person she is.

“That’s enough, Serika. It’s already been understood well enough.”

Serika suddenly looks up.

With eyes shimmering as if she had found a ray of light, she calls my name with a voice full of expectation.

While smiling, I confronted reality.

“–––I’ve already figured out that you’re an incorrigible idiot.”

“…Huh?”

With a deeper smile, I say to the frozen Serika.

“I’m tired of hearing those kinds of apologies. At first, I was willing to forgive you if you truly reflected on your actions… but I’ve changed my mind.”

After a pause, I clearly tell Serika.

“Let us break up.”

Serika’s eyes widened as if she might fall out.

I watched as the emotions drained from her face, all while keeping a smile plastered on mine.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

[Serika’s Side]

I didn’t understand what was said for a moment.

I want him to say it’s a lie.

“…T-this is a lie, right?”

I ask, almost tripping over my tongue.

Breaking up, he says? It’s obviously a joke.

While grabbing my chest which makes an unpleasant thumping sound, I stare at Daiki, who is smiling.

“It’s not a lie. I’m serious.”

With his usual smile, Daiki revealed his brutally honest feelings.

I gasped.

“There’s no point in keeping a liar as my girlfriend forever. Besides, what you hate is losing your place in the class, right? I haven’t seen you hanging out with Kimura or Ueno lately, so you’re probably avoiding them anyway.”

“N-no…!”

“Is that not right? A couple at the center of the class, members of the upper caste group. Otherwise, there’s no way they’d stay close, right? You’re scared of being alone, so you at least don’t want to lose your position as my girlfriend, right?”

I shake my head so hard it feels like it might come off at the twisted smile of Daiki as he rambles on.

It’s lonely being alone in class. It is also true that I was shocked to find out that Nanako and Ami weren’t really friends in the true sense.

But more than being alone in class, I don’t want to be abandoned by Daiki.

Even though I like him so much, does Daiki only think I’m clinging to him to secure my place in class?

“I… I like Daiki, I want to be with you, so…!”

“We’ve already spent enough time together. Before being lovers, we were childhood friends.”

“Why do you think that’s okay?! To me, Daiki is special… Isn’t that what being in a relationship is about?”

“Don’t jump to conclusions, it’s annoying… At least, to me, you’re not special.”

–––I’m not special?

Thump! A shock runs through me as if I had been hit on the head with a metal bat.

“Since we’re at it, I will say it. I don’t really have romantic feelings for you. If there’s a cute girl with a good figure around you who likes you, you’d think about dating her, right? The higher the level of the girl, the more it becomes a bragging point.”

Daiki scratches the back of his head irritably.

“I’ve already found someone, no, someone better than you. If you really insist, I might consider being friends with benefits with you.”

Even though I don’t want to hear it, my ears clearly catch his voice.

The words I received from Daiki so far have been sharper and colder than any other.

I realized that he really didn’t care about me at all.

My arms droop limply, and my neck bends forward.

I heard Daiki snicker at me.

“Yeah. Then, let’s just go back to being childhood friends. –––Thanks for everything, Serika.”

Before I knew it, I had turned my back on Daiki and started running.

I came home and, without answering Mom’s question “Where have you been all of a sudden?” I ran into my room.

Right after closing the door, I slumped down on the spot.

“S-sniff, um, ahhh…”

I cry out loud in a disgraceful manner.

My heart hurts. It hurts so much, I can’t stand it.

The more I cried, the more the wound seemed to open, yet I couldn’t stop.

When I was in second grade, I once fell hard and scraped my knee while playing tag with my friends in the schoolyard. It was Daiki who helped me when I couldn’t get up properly due to the pain and embarrassment.

I was so clumsy, but he carried me on his back to the infirmary while laughing.

I felt like the knee wound that hasn’t fully healed was finally getting better.

The boy with the brightness and warmth of the sun is no longer here.

Even if it was temporary, he healed my wounds, but now he has become someone who can inflict pain on others with a calm face.

I also tried to be liked by someone like Daiki. I hurt Yuki, the other childhood friend, and my confidant.

…This is a punishment.

I prioritize my own love and treat an important person carelessly. It’s only natural that I face the consequences.

That is the truth. Of course.

“…I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I’m sorry, help me, I’m sorry…”

Words of apology and pleading spill out of my mouth.

Carrying a heart that was gradually increasing in pain, I continued to utter words that were utterly unforgivable in front of Yuki.