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 4: Self-Destruction and the Follow-Up False Accusation.

“Just kill me already…”

After Kayama and Karen’s figures disappeared into the distance, the rain suddenly stopped.

It was already too late for everything.

What had I done wrong? That question echoed endlessly in what remained of my consciousness as I walked home on autopilot.

Even after splashing cold water on it, my nose was swollen bright red like a reindeer’s. There was nothing funny about it.

I headed to the bathroom so my family wouldn’t see my battered body, then carefully washed the blood-stained button-up shirt in the bath with arms that had lost all strength.

I could already predict what would happen next—because Kayama himself had told me. It was common knowledge that Kayama Hayato, the central figure of our class group, had a massive number of followers on SNS. In comparison, I barely used social media at all despite being part of the same circle. The odds were overwhelmingly against me.

It was easy to imagine: by tomorrow, there would be no place left for me in that school.

If only it had all been a dream… I thought, while my mind conjured up the worst possible scenarios. My family.

If the video spread along with the label “DV boyfriend who assaulted his girlfriend,” it was only a matter of time before it reached the eyes of the parents. That would cause trouble for Dad and Mom too.

The only small mercy was that Sayu attended a different high school. If she had been at the same one, I would have caused her immense trouble.

No—even that was too optimistic. I realized a fact I had overlooked. Yuuka, Sayu’s best friend, was a first-year at my school.

Once the video spread like wildfire, it would inevitably reach her eyes, and that might even crack the friendship between her and Sayu.

If there was one thing I wanted to avoid at all costs… it was that. But I had no moves left.

All I could do now was pray to the heavens.

Standing at the edge of such overwhelming despair, I suddenly felt that washing the blood out of my clothes didn’t matter anymore. I collapsed into the bathtub like a broken doll.

***

Time passed whether I wanted it to or not. The more I resisted, the faster it accelerated.

I had heard this on TV before: unless the physical injury is extremely severe, humans tend to break more from mental stress than physical stress.

In the end, I crawled into bed intending to sleep like the dead, but I didn’t manage a single wink until morning.

If I had slept deeply, maybe I could have convinced myself that last night’s tragedy had all been a nightmare. But unfortunately, my consciousness had remained unbroken since the previous evening, forcing me to accept that yesterday’s events were harsh, undeniable reality.

Exhausted and depressed, I forced my worn-out body to move and left the house. The option to stay home crossed my mind many times, but I didn’t want to cause my family any unnecessary worry.

“Hey, look at that… It’s the rumored DV guy.”

“The manager probably couldn’t refuse because he was the next ace of the soccer club. Poor thing.”

“Disgusting… Just die.”

“A while ago, one of my friends was totally crushing on him after seeing him play in a match. I’m glad I told her to stay away back then.”

I had expected it, but I never imagined the false rumors would spread so far in just one night. I fled toward the classroom, only to realize that the classroom itself was the biggest nest of enemies. There was no peace to be found there.

“Uwah, he actually showed up… Matsunami-san, if anything happens, you can always rely on us. We’re on your side.”

Fortunately, Kayama wasn’t in our class. But the people under his influence, as well as the boys and girls who had been in the same group as me until yesterday, now directed clear hostility my way.

Behind them, Karen stayed silent, almost erasing her presence. She wouldn’t even meet my eyes.

“Don’t look over here, you trash!”

“We won’t let you lay a single finger on Matsunami-san.”

“And don’t talk to us anymore. Just disappear.”

The whispers in the hallway turned into loud, deliberate voices inside the classroom, clearly meant for me to hear.

Was there really no one left? No ally who still believed in me…?

I covered my ears, buried my face on the desk, and endured a day that felt like hell.

Without knowing that an even deeper hell awaited after school.

***

“You’re quitting the soccer club. Effective today.”

The third-year captain, Ishizaki Ren, delivered the verdict in front of the clubroom. I wasn’t even allowed inside.

From the back of the room came the voices of seniors who had treated me kindly until yesterday, juniors who had once asked me for advice, and people laughing loudly beside Kayama. This place, too, had become filled with nothing but my enemies.

But I couldn’t back down here.

“…Unless the coach tells me himself, I can’t accept that! I didn’t commit any DV!”

When I protested, Ishizaki-senpai looked at me with clear annoyance.

Deep in those dim eyes, there was no longer any trace of the person who had once confidently said he could entrust me with next year’s captaincy. All that remained was obvious wariness and hostility.

“I used to trust you more than anyone. But after a video like that spreads, we can’t keep someone with such a violent image in the club… Please understand.”

And so, I lost the very reason I had chosen this high school—my dream of soccer.