Fallen from the Top Group Due to Cheating and False Accusations. The Only One Who Stood by Me Was My Little Sister’s Best Friend, Who Had Always Adored Me.

Chapter 14: Sakagami’s Anxiety and His Ex-Girlfriend’s Hesitation.

Soccer Club Coach (Sakagami Kazuhiro)’s POV.

As I stepped into the reception room, the first thing I noticed was the vice-principal politely urging the girl to take a seat before him.

I’d heard before that the higher a person’s position, the broader their tolerance and the more humility they show due to their composure—but even so, I was genuinely surprised. For the next principal-in-waiting to treat a student who had come forward with a report that wasn’t even confirmed as fact with such courtesy… it was impressive, to say the least.

“Thank you for your consideration,” the girl said with a small, polite bow before lowering herself into the chair.

“Not at all. Well then, Sakagami-sensei, shall we take our seats as well?”

“Ah, yes.”

Only after confirming that the girl had sat down did the vice-principal gesture with his eyes for me to sit too. I lowered myself into the chair beside him, directly facing the girl.

Now then… I wonder how this is going to unfold.

“Well, I would very much like to get straight to the main topic, but since the person directly involved—Rindou Arata-kun—is not present, I’ve asked his homeroom teacher, Inagaki-sensei, to join us as a proxy. Let’s wait a little longer until he arrives.”

Inagaki…? Ah, I think there was a new teacher named Inagaki Junichi who started last year. If I recall correctly, he teaches history. Well, it doesn’t really matter. Just hurry up and get here already.

What bothered me more, however, was how completely unhurried the vice-principal appeared about the passage of time. He showed not even the slightest hint of impatience.

Of course. His goal was probably to create the impression that he was generously giving the student plenty of time and approaching the matter with great care. His desire to look good was so obvious it was almost laughable.

To me, though, this was nothing but a nuisance.

Unlike this man who didn’t have a class to manage, I still had my own homeroom responsibilities. The amount of work waiting for me was on a completely different level, yet here he was, leisurely making me wait simply because he could leave at the end of regular hours every day. This was exactly why I couldn’t stand loose, easygoing old men.

The only saving grace was that I was a physical education teacher. While being ordered to let the students do self-study or play dodgeball was irritating, the truth was that I often handled classes that way when I was swamped with work. It was a common tactic for PE teachers. While the students were absorbed in playing, I could knock out the paperwork I was supposed to finish in the evening. It was killing two birds with one stone.

If other teachers found out, it might cause a bit of trouble, but almost no one would openly complain about me—the coach who contributed so much to the school through the soccer club. The only person who might raise an issue was probably the guy sitting right next to me.

For now, I’d have the second-year Class B students play dodgeball during first period. The real question was just how long this meeting was going to drag on.

I wanted to focus on watching the club’s evening practice.

I could only hope this would end as quickly as possible.

***

Ex-Girlfriend’s (Karen)’s POV.

My chest felt tight, almost suffocating, as I followed closely behind Arata.

After parting ways with that unfamiliar girl at the shoe lockers, Arata walked up the stairs alone. Somehow, his back looked smaller and more shrunken than it had earlier. Maybe being alone made him feel uneasy.

After everything that had happened, the fact that he could still come to school… The mental damage he must have suffered should have been devastating, pushing him to his limits. Yet here he was.

I watched his figure with disbelief, my eyes narrowing.

Gradually, I felt blood rushing to my head.

The cause was obvious—the scene I had just witnessed.

Just who the hell was that girl…?!

I didn’t recognize her at all. She still had a bit of youthfulness in her features, so she was probably a new first-year student this year. Still, it was strange for anyone to approach him so soon after he’d been labeled a DV bastard.

Don’t tell me… she had been aiming for the moment we broke up from the very beginning?

If that was the case, it was clear she had a terrible personality. Taking advantage of Arata when he was mentally vulnerable like this was seriously messed up.

Of course, I knew I had no right to say anything. After all, I was the one who had betrayed him.

Still—

A single thought refused to leave my mind:

Maybe… it’s not too late to go back to how things were.

If I told him the truth right now and apologized properly, Arata might forgive me.

Besides, before entering the classroom, he had stopped for a moment on the landing of the stairs. It was probably just my imagination, but I couldn’t help thinking it was proof that he was emotionally broken.

He must be in so much pain right now.

If I ran up to him in this state and whispered sweet, comforting words… maybe…

Maybe we could start over.

After all, Arata and I didn’t become childhood friends for nothing. We had spent so many years together.

Being lovers meant supporting each other’s strengths and weaknesses, filling in what the other lacked. That was how it was supposed to be.

Yeah… When I thought about it that way, it started to feel like he really might forgive me.

Once I made up my mind, the decision felt firm.

I would apologize. Today, without fail.

I pressed a hand to my chest and stepped into the classroom.

I’ll show that random girl just how strong and unbreakable the bond between Arata and me really is!