I Ended Up Pretending to Be the Boyfriend of a Beautiful but Tough Classmate for Just a Month, but It Seems That She Has Awakened Her Yandere Tendencies Because of That. - Chapter 27

Chapter 27

“What’s this? None of my charm comes through at all. Write more about how great I am!”

When I handed over the draft, Takamiya skimmed through it and immediately frowned, beginning her critique.

“Well, I’ve never done this before, so give me a break.”

“You really lack talent for writing. You need to boldly express how superior I am to Maria. And while you’re at it, throw in some insults about her.”

“That would just start a fight.”

“This is already a fight. Besides, Maria started it.”

“Even so, no one’s going to vote for someone who bad-mouths others. You should focus on emphasizing your strengths.”

As we sat side by side, debating like this, my mom came in with freshly brewed coffee.

“You’re working hard. Here, have some cake too, if you’d like.”

“Thank you. Oh, if you’re making lunch later, I can help.”

“Really? I was thinking of making something simple like pilaf today.”

“Pilaf sounds delicious. Please teach me how to make it.”

“Sure, I’d be happy to. I’ll call you when I’m ready, so you two can keep working for now.”

After saying that, Mom left the room. Takamiya’s broad smile softened slightly, becoming gentler.

“Your mom’s really nice. I’m so jealous of someone like her.”

“Praising your own parent feels awkward, but she is a good mom.”

“Exactly. So you should show her more appreciation, like giving her a Mother’s Day present.”

“…Hey, can I ask you something? Are you not close with your parents?”

I’d been wondering about this for a while. From Takamiya’s words, I’d gotten the sense that her family relationships weren’t great. It was a sensitive topic, and I’d held back from asking, thinking it wasn’t my place to pry.

But in the end, I couldn’t resist.

“…My parents are divorced.”

Her words left me at a loss. I’d vaguely suspected as much, but hearing it directly from her made me unsure of how to respond.

A heavy silence hung between us. Just as I started to regret bringing it up, Takamiya spoke again, her body trembling as she steadied herself with both hands.

“My dad… was having an affair. And I accidentally walked in on it, right there in our living room. I don’t remember much after that, but every day after, my parents fought. Eventually, my dad left.”

Her lips had turned pale as she forced the words out. Unable to watch her struggle, I interrupted.

“That’s enough. I get it.”

“…Sorry. You shared something painful with me, but I couldn’t.”

“No, my story doesn’t matter.”

“No, it does. Pain is pain. But talking about it is still hard.”

After admitting that, Takamiya took a sip of her coffee and murmured, “It’s warm.”

“Yeah, I’m fine now. Sorry I couldn’t explain it properly.”

“You said more than enough. I’m the one who should apologize for asking something weird.”

“Then let’s call it even. But don’t pity me, okay? Remembering it hurts, but my life now is relatively normal.”

“I see.”

I decided not to press further. Changing the subject, I excused myself to go to the restroom.

Takamiya’s story was fragmented, giving me a rough picture of what happened, but still leaving important pieces missing. Even if I knew more, though, there was nothing I could do. Seeing someone who had endured so much yet still moved forward made me feel small in comparison.

I’d foolishly thought I could talk to her as equals.

But it was painfully clear we lived in completely different worlds. Now I understood why she harbored such deep resentment toward men.

Maybe my worrying and expectations were pointless.

Still, if staying here with us gave her any sense of peace, that would be enough for me. As long as Takamiya wanted to stay, I’d let her live as she pleased.

“Hey, is it good? It’s good, right? If it’s good, say it’s good!”

Takamiya had made pilaf with Mom and was now pressing me for feedback, just like she did at school during lunch.

“It’s delicious. I’ve been saying that, haven’t I?”

“No, you haven’t. You’ve only said things like, ‘It’s alright,’ or ‘Not bad.’”

“Those mean it’s good.”

“If it’s good, you have to say it outright. There are things you can’t convey without putting them into words.”

Watching us argue, Mom chuckled and said, “Enjoy your meal,” before leaving the kitchen.

Soon after, she called out, “I’m heading out now. If you two go out later, don’t forget to lock up,” and left the house.

“She’s being considerate, I guess.”

“Your mom really is amazing at cooking. Ugh, I wish I could live here.”

“Don’t joke like that. If Mom hears, she’ll take it seriously.”

“I know. I wouldn’t actually say that to her.”

After popping the last bite of pilaf into her mouth, Takamiya frowned slightly as she cleared her plate. I finished my meal and headed to the sink, where Takamiya was already washing dishes, staring intently at the sink.

“…”

“Hey, I’ll finish the dishes.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. I’m almost done. Hand me that, too.”

“You seem distracted. Are you still thinking about my mom?”

“It’s nothing. Anyway, let’s finish your draft and head out.”

“What happened to studying?”

“Not today. Just finish the draft quickly.”

“Fine, fine.”

I handed her the last dish and went back to the living room.

As I walked away, I noticed the sound of running water grow a little stronger. Turning back, I saw Takamiya.

She seemed to mutter something, but without looking my way, she continued washing the dishes silently. Thinking I must have imagined it, I left the kitchen.