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 18: The Promised After-School Date (Part 1)

Naturally, the shoe lockers were completely deserted.

The moment the bell signaling the start of sixth period rang out, we stepped onto the school grounds. A refreshing feeling washed over me. While the majority of students were still stuck in class, the two of us were heading home. More than that, Yuuka’s fierce display earlier had struck a deep chord within me.

Adrenaline was still pumping through my veins, leaving my entire body buzzing with excitement. Yet the girl walking beside me was the picture of calm—almost unnaturally so. The imposing back I had seen earlier had returned to its usual delicate, slender form. So this is what they mean by a sleeping lion, I thought as I stole a glance at her profile.

“…What’s wrong? You’ve been staring at me for a while now.”

Yuuka hugged her arms to her chest and looked up at me with a puzzled expression. I quickly waved both hands, desperately trying to show that I didn’t mean anything strange by it.

“No, I was just thinking… you were really cool back there.”

“Is that so? Thank you… is what I’d like to say, but let me give one piece of advice to my dense senpai. When complimenting a girl around my age, you’ll make her happier if you say she’s ‘cute’ rather than ‘cool,’ you know?”

“…Sorry. But you’ve always been cute—that’s nothing new. I guess I got excited discovering a new side of you I hadn’t seen before.”

“I-I see… Well… in that case, I’ll forgive you. Thank you.”

Yuuka turned her face away as she spoke. I shook my head gently.

“No, I’m the one who should be thanking you. You really saved me back there. Honestly, I was mentally at my limit… If I had stayed in that classroom any longer, I might have lost my mind. So, thank you. You’re so much stronger than someone like me. It actually makes me feel pathetic.”

I naturally reached out and took Yuuka’s hand. She didn’t pull away, but her gaze dropped to the ground. After a moment, a faint, almost vanishing voice slipped out.

“…No. I’m not strong like you think I am, senpai.”

“Eh?”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. The hand I held began to tremble faintly.

I sensed a clear dissonance in her words.

“To be honest… I was really scared earlier. When I stood in front of that blonde senpai, my legs nearly gave out. It’s pathetic, isn’t it? No matter how determined I am to face things head-on, or how much I try to fuel myself with anger, that loser mentality deep inside me hasn’t disappeared. Humans can’t change their core nature so easily. You’re the one who’s suffered far more, and clearing your name is only just beginning… yet here I am, nothing but a burden.”

I tugged her hand firmly. We had only just passed through the school gate.

There was a real risk that any conspicuous behavior here could spark more ugly rumors. Still, I couldn’t hesitate.

“Senpai…?”

I pulled Yuuka’s small, soft body into my arms. The scent of osmanthus I had only smelled yesterday felt strangely nostalgic now.

Come to think of it, yesterday she had been the one to hold me like this when I needed encouragement.

“Sorry, Yuuka.”

“…Yes?”

“I’m sorry for being so weak. I failed to notice Karen’s infidelity. I failed to see Hayato’s betrayal. I was right beside them both, yet I didn’t realize anything. It’s all my fault. And then I placed too heavy a burden on you, someone who just started high school, and made you go through something terrifying. What Kawakita said… wasn’t entirely wrong. I’m the kind of scumbag who makes younger girls anxious. I’m hopelessly clueless.”

I felt Yuuka’s arms wrap around my back. Her entire body fit perfectly in my embrace— so fragile that it seemed like she might shatter if I applied even a little too much strength. Like delicate glasswork.

Seeing her like this reminded me that she wasn’t just younger in age; she was a vulnerable girl in every sense. The realization of how much I had forced her to endure filled me with intense regret.

“No… that’s not—”

“It is. I made a truly foolish choice—one I’ll regret for the rest of my life. If only I had taken your hand back in middle school when you confessed to me, none of this would have happened. Instead, I trampled on your feelings, pushed you away, and treated you in the worst possible way.”

“…………”

“So when you tell me you still feel the same way, I’m incredibly happy… but I can’t say something so selfish anymore. I don’t have the right.”

I gently stroked Yuuka’s head. Her sweet scent tickled my nose, and I could hear her soft breathing right beside me. How blissful it would be to simply surrender to this warmth and forget everything.

I wanted to keep feeling this affection, this warmth of her skin, forever.

But more than anyone else, I couldn’t allow myself to do that. I didn’t want to tie Yuuka down any further. I refused to let my problems destroy her life.

“The person who should accept those feelings is someone you’ll meet in the near future—someone who will cherish only you from the very beginning. You should save that kindness for the person you fall in love with then. So—”

You’d be better off not getting involved with me. Before I could finish, Yuuka’s arms tightened around me even more. I could feel her gripping the back of my uniform with surprising strength.

Suddenly, a childhood memory flashed through my mind: the day I was first taken to kindergarten, desperately crying and refusing to leave my parents.

That’s right. No one finds it easy to part from the people they care about—family, friends, or the one they love. Giving up is even harder. That’s only natural.

But the fact that I had once failed to answer Yuuka’s feelings was an unchangeable truth that would follow me for life. I couldn’t just say something like, Since I got cheated on, let’s date now. I had no right to say that. And yet—

“…I don’t want that.”

A cold sensation spread across my chest. At first I thought it was sweat, but I was wrong. Yuuka had begun crying in my arms, tears streaming down her face.

“I did say I was scared. But I never once said I would give up. So please… stop deciding my future for me. Who I fall in love with and who I devote myself to—that’s something I decide for myself…! Who decided that once you’ve been rejected, you’re not allowed to like someone anymore?!”

“That’s…”

“Of course I’m not so insensitive that I’d try to date you right after your breakup. But once this whole mess is over, I want to get to know you again from the beginning. I want us to go on lots of dates, laugh together, have fun… and when the right time comes, is it really so wrong for me to tell you how I feel again…!”

Her voice cracked with sobs.

I never meant to make her cry. A crushing sense of frustration washed over me. What words could I possibly say? Which choice was the right one?

I didn’t know. I just didn’t know.

All I wanted was for Yuuka to smile again in my arms. I wanted to smile with her. Like we used to, without overthinking complicated things—just enjoying each other’s company.

Whatever relationship awaited us—friends, lovers, or something else—wasn’t something we needed to decide right now.

Remember, I asked myself. What was it that Yuuka was really trying to tell me just now?

That’s right—she was scared.

With my mind finally clearing, I looked at the reality in front of me and nearly felt sick at my own stupidity. I had meant to comfort her, yet here I was making her cry instead.

Something was wrong with me. The mental strain from spending the whole day in that classroom must have affected me more than I realized. I felt like I wasn’t myself.

The pent-up anger with nowhere to go finally reached its limit. I punched myself in the face without mercy.

“…Senpai? What are you doing…?!”

As I raised my fist for another hit, Yuuka stopped me with a startled expression. Blood dripped from my nose onto the ground.

Sorry—I nearly said it on reflex again, but held it back. I turned to face her properly.

“…Let me correct what I said earlier. I think I’ve been messed up for a while now.”

With a self-deprecating smile, I awkwardly pulled Yuuka back into my arms once more.

“I’m sorry for scaring you. From now on, I’ll protect you better. When things get hard, I’ll be by your side. So don’t hold it in—tell me.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah. And forget everything I said earlier… My head’s finally cooled down. You were right. Your future is yours alone to decide. I have no say in it. So let’s talk about the future again once everything is resolved. We can think about it slowly, the two of us.”

Is that okay for now? When I asked, Yuuka gave a relieved smile and nodded gently in my arms.

“…Yes. That’s fine with me. Right now, clearing your name is the most important thing.”

A soft, gentle smile finally returned to her face. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Yes. For now, this was enough.

We could figure out the rest when the time came. There was no need to rush.

“Alright, now that that’s settled, Yuuka—”

“Yes…? What is it?”

I took her hand, tilting my head playfully as if just remembering.

“We still have a promised date to go on.”