After I Picked up a Notebook Filled With Intense Emotions, the Girls Started Acting Strange - Chapter 48

I walked all the way around the lake, but we couldn’t find anything that looked like what we were searching for.

I hung my head in disappointment.

Rei was walking beside me and didn’t smile at all. I felt tired.

“It’s tough to find. Do you want to take a break?”

“Yeah. Let’s sit over there.”

The two of us sat down on an empty bench.

Many students were gathered in the rest area.

Some were lying on the grass, enjoying the warm sunlight.

Some girls were chatting and eating snacks, while some boys chased each other like little kids, and others spent quiet time together as couples.

Everyone looked like they were having fun.

“Can we really find this ‘Ring of Light’…?”

“I’m not sure. There are still places we haven’t gone yet. Not just around the lake, there’s a small pond connected to it, and also the woods over there. We haven’t checked those?”

“Then after we rest a bit, let’s go there too.”

“Alright… Oh, before that, I’m going to the restroom. Can you watch my things for a moment?”

“Yeah, I’ll watch them.”

“And don’t open anything.”

“I-I would never do that!?”

“Ehehe, really, don’t.”

I panicked and was wondering if she had seen me opening Yuu’s backpack earlier.

Rei took only a pouch out of her bag and walked toward the restroom.

“Do I really look like the kind of guy who digs through someone’s bag? How rude. I mean, Shiomi might do that, but I would never!”

A perfect boomerang.

A sharp boomerang was thrown from a 45-degree angle, hitting me right in the head.

I muttered to myself, not even realizing it had struck me.

“But if she warns me that much, it actually makes me curious.”

I glanced at Rei’s backpack.

It was just a normal leisure-style backpack. The pastel colors made it look cute, probably a woman’s bag.

Rei had always seemed like a mysterious beauty.

Of course, I was curious about her private life.

And while looking at her bag, I noticed something.

Maybe Rei hadn’t closed it properly earlier, because the zipper was half open.

“This looks like she’s telling me to look. Well, I’m a gentleman, so I won’t. I’ll just close the zipper for her ─Gasp!?”

And then, I saw it.

Through the half-open bag, I spotted a navy-blue notebook.

And I realized something.

The cover had the word “Ethics” written on it.

“W–why…?”

It was the same kind of notebook I had found in Yuu’s backpack.

Why did Rei have the same one?

And her strong warning earlier made it feel even more suspicious.

“N-no. I can’t just touch her stuff…? No, it is her notebook…?”

My reason and curiosity fought inside me.

Even though I had opened Yuu’s and Mizuki’s bags without a second thought, I strangely hesitated with Rei.

If she found out, she might hate me.

That fear held me back.

But in the end, my true nature was to follow my curiosity.

I convinced myself that because it belonged to Rei, I had the right to look.

Then I reached my hand into the bag.

I looked around carefully and picked up the notebook.

When I glanced toward the women’s restroom, I saw a long line.

There were many students here, and this was the only restroom in the area.

It looked like Rei wouldn’t be back for quite a while.

“If I put it back before she returns… it should be fine…?”

I couldn’t hold back my curiosity anymore.

It was the same notebook I had found in Yuu’s backpack.

Its contents were creepy.

There was no way I wouldn’t wonder why Rei had the same one.

I swallowed hard and slowly opened the notebook and turned the page.

◇

“How to Make Him Mine and Mine Alone”

:

He belongs to me.

He was born for me and me alone.

If he smiles at anyone else, it’s a mistake.

If he talks to someone else, it’s meaningless.

He only needs to look at me.

He only needs to think about me.

He only needs to love me.

For that, I can throw everything away.

Friends, family, even my future.

If I have to, I’ll tie him down.

If I have to, I’ll break him.

As long as he stays by my side.

If he ever tries to run from me… I’ll make sure he can’t.

Because only I can make him happy.

Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely.

:

:

:

I’ll never let anyone else have him.

◇

“─Gasp. This one too?”

It was madness.

A list of heavy and obsessive feelings, just like the one I saw earlier.

“Why does she have something like his?”

The contents were a little different, but it still felt creepy.

I had no idea why she had the same kind of notebook.

“…Wait, isn’t this her feelings about me?”

If that was true, it was seriously intense.

But still.

“What the. Rei has a cute side, too.”

I couldn’t stop grinning.

I always thought obsessive feelings were a bit too much… But thinking that the quiet and emotionless Rei cared about me this deeply.

There was no way I wouldn’t feel happy.

“Hahaha, maybe I should read a little more.”

Knowing her true feelings made me feel safe and warm inside.

She had asked me for a lot of strange favors before, but now I thought it was all because she cared about me.

With that conclusion, I happily flipped through page after page as I was driven by curiosity.

◇

The first goal.

To reach it, I need to learn everything about him in detail.

:

:

On the last page, my feelings got too strong and I wrote a lot of useless things.

From here on, I will write clearly about “How to Make Him Mine and Mine Alone.”

What I need to do is simple.

Everything that was taken from “him.”

I will take it all back for him, every last bit.

His honor, his trust, the affection he lost, his confidence, everything.

For that, it doesn’t matter how much that nuisance suffers.

I must make them feel the pain of hell.

No, hell is too gentle. I will carve a lifetime of regret into them.

I will take revenge for “him,” since he is too kind to do it himself.

Then I will steal everything from that person and give it all back to “him.”

This time, I will be the one who takes.

So that “he” will never be hurt again.

When everything “he” lost is returned to him, he and I will be together.

That is my plan.

◇

“A-a nuisance…? Who is she talking about? And this plan…?”

The moment the notebook moved on to the second goal, the whole atmosphere changed.

Up until now, everything she wrote was heavy, obsessive love directed toward “him.”

But after that, the writing turned dark and frightening.

Even the pressure of the pen strokes had grown stronger and harsher.

I swallowed hard and turned the page.

◇

I will write the whole plan here.

1 Learn Everything About “Him” Again

While I was separated from him, many things happened. I need to research all of it in detail one more time.

This is the most important part.

I must double-check everything. To make sure the information is correct.

Also, I need to watch him closely.

2 Control That Person

Making them fall is easy.

With their personality, they will destroy themselves sooner or later.

But that alone is not enough. Not nearly enough.

They must regret everything they have done.

They must completely understand their own sins.

To do that, I need to make their arrogant nature grow even stronger, so that they lose everything in the end.

Yeah, even if it means making their reputation rise for a while.

3 Let “Him” Live a Normal Life

Until the plan begins, I want him to live normally.

Spend time with friends like usual, smile like usual.

I want him to forget what happened that day.

However, he must not get too close to any girl.

4 Adjust the Plan

Unexpected things will always happen.

If something can be used, then I will use it.

No matter what it is.

…Even if it might cause problems in the future.

5 Break All of That Person’s Relationships, Then Give Them to “Him”

I will return everything that person did to others.

The pain of losing people they were close to.

The cold stares from everyone around them.

I will make them feel it all.

And then he will receive everything they lost.

6 Become Close to That Person

To create an even worse hell, I need to endure it.

When that person becomes lonely, I will reach out to them.

I will act so that our relationship looks almost like that of lovers.

Even if it makes me sick, even if I break out in hives, I must endure it.

Endure, endure, endure, endure, endure, because the future lies beyond that.

And in the end, I will push that worthless Shindou into complete despair.

I will tell him everything, all of it.

:

:

:

Hey, Yuu-chan. Once everything is settled, I’ll come get you.

So wait for me.

◇

“W-what is this…”

That was where the page ended.

My heart was pounding wildly. My breathing was ragged. Was everything written here really true…?

“Shindou-kun. What are you looking at?”

“─Gasp.”