I Broke Up With My Girlfriend Who Was Cheating On Me, But She Was So Deeply Sorry That I Couldn't Help But Forgive Her. - Chapter 3: Sunday's Twilight.

Sunday’s Twilight.

Sunday.

I’m really glad I don’t have school today.

I couldn’t sleep at all and my face looked like something out of a horror movie as I stood in front of the mirror.

I went to the living room and found my mother there.

“Good morning. Here, coffee for you.”

I guess Marin must have told her about what happened to me, since she didn’t ask me any questions when she saw my face.

“Good morning. I’m going to go out for a bit after I finish my coffee, so you don’t have to prepare lunch for me.”

“Sure, be careful on your way.”

My mother understood more than anyone else how much I wanted to be alone right now.

I rode my moped to the beach.

I didn’t bring my phone.

I didn’t feel like contacting anyone right now.

Daichi might be worried that I’m not replying to him.

How many hours have I spent listening to nothing but the sound of the waves coming and going?

“Hmm? Umi-senpai?”

Suddenly a voice called out to me.

“Huh? Ah, Amemiya.”

Amemiya Hibari.

She was a freshman in the photography club along with a member of the newspaper club who came to cover a couple of second-year seniors.

When she took my picture, she had a lot of problems with me because my hair was over my eyes, making it hard to capture them, so we started talking every once in a while whenever we saw each other at school.

But we’ve known each other for less than a month.

“What are you doing here in the twilight, Senpaiii-?”

Her short brown hair was tied up high and accented with a side pony.

The oversized hoodie and shorts somehow matched her image.

“What are you doing here, Amemiya?”

“Don’t just answer a question with another question! By the way, I came here to take pictures.”

“Haha, you answered me properly though. Well, I just came to see the ocean.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Well, I don’t know. I’m sure I’ve been here since before noon.”

“What?! It’s 5 o’clock in the evening… What on earth are you doing here?”

“Well… something happened… everything is not so important anymore… I guess.”

“You’re seriously hurt, Umi-senpai. I have to do something quickly…”

“No, please don’t treat me like this.”

“So, what happened? Your lovely junior colleague will listen to you for free, what a deal!”

“That sounds like a good deal. But you seem to be too loose-tongued because of your connection with the newspaper club.”

And then after a short pause.

“…I won’t tell anyone.”

She suddenly turned serious.

Somehow I thought I could trust her.

“My girlfriend was cheating on me.”

“That was a heavyweight punch right out of the box.”

“So I’m trying to sort out my feelings about breaking up with her.”

“You’re breaking up?”

“Can you overlook the fact that you have been cheated on and forgive the person, Amemiya?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been in a relationship before.”

“I know right…”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.”

“But… thanks.”

“Ehh?”

“Just having someone listen to you is a great comfort, junior.”

“I see… thank you for your wise words, Senpai.”

After looking at the sea in silence for a while, Amemiya started talking again.

“Hey, Umi-senpai.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you free next Saturday?”

“Well I don’t have anything in particular to do.”

“If you do break up with your girlfriend by next Saturday, please go out with me on Saturday to take pictures of some hydrangeas.”

“Hmmm, I’ll do my best to make sure my lovely junior doesn’t become a loner that day.”

“I’ll be rooting for you. Oh, please tell me your contact information. Now you can get the contact information of your lovely junior for just a can of juice.”

“I guess I’ll have to pay for it. And I didn’t bring my phone with me.”

“Huhh… here, this is my number and ID. Please message me first and foremost when you get home.”

“Okay. I’ll give it priority over saying I’m home to my family or washing my hands.”

“Fufuu~ you look much better now, don’t you?”

“Oh… I was terrible after all, wasn’t I?”

“You went from looking like a pitcher who gave away a home run in the Koshien finals to looking like someone who dropped their wallet with 10,000 Yen inside in it.”

“I know I look terrible now, too.”

“Then I will be going home. It seems difficult to expect you to give me a ride home since you seem to be using a moped.”

“Oh, well, have a safe trip home.”

“Oh, lastly…”

*Camera Clicking*

“The title is ‘Umi and Sea at the Twilight.’ Well then, well then…”

After lowering the camera, Amemiya smiled, waved, and walked towards the station with light steps.

I watched Amemiya’s back until I couldn’t see her anymore.

Then I listened to the sound of the waves for a few more hours until it eventually became dark.

“Guess it’s time…”

I have to thank Amemiya for making me feel much lighter.

I went home, and as promised, sent a message to Amemiya.

No, just a stamp will do?

I sent a stamp of an ugly dog thanking her with a shy face.

Sure enough, Daichi called and messaged me every hour or so from about mid-afternoon.

Umi: Thanks for your concern. I’m alive, so don’t worry.

I sent him a message.

There was also a message from Ayaka, but I couldn’t bring myself to read it

Umi: Sorry, I left my phone and went out. Good night.

That’s all I sent.

Then I received a reply stamp from Amemiya.

An ugly cat was saying thank you in a high-handed manner.

Haha, Amemiya had this series of stamps too?

I felt like I could sleep a little better today.