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 82

♡

“Hehe, it looks great. As expected of you, Mika.”

“Oh my, do you like it? When Riara becomes a college student, you should try coloring your hair too.”

“Really? Then Mika, you should come to the same university instead of going to a vocational school.”

“Our family doesn’t have that kind of money. I need to learn a trade and start working as soon as possible.”

“Well, it’s still three years away. Hehe, maybe I should study with Suzukaze-kun next time.”

As we talked like that, my haircut was finished. After washing my hair, Mika was drying it.

But then, Mika’s hand holding the dryer stopped.

“…Suzukaze-kun is with you for everything, huh?”

“Huh? What? I didn’t hear you.”

“No, it’s nothing. More importantly, if we don’t finish soon, we won’t have time to enjoy the amusement park.”

Mika started moving her hands again and continued drying my hair.

“Alright, all done. Suzukaze-kun is probably getting tired of waiting.”

“Hehe, you’re right. I’ll go check on him.”

“Hey, Riara.”

Just as I was about to stand up after the haircut, Mika called me back.

“What is it, Mika? I need to hurry to Suzukaze-kun.”

“Between Suzukaze-kun and me, who is more important to you?”

“…Huh?”

It felt like time had stopped.

Mika was smiling faintly, but I had no idea how to answer.

I didn’t even understand why she was suddenly asking me this.

“Did you not hear me? Who is the most important person to you, Riara? Is it Suzukaze-kun? Or is it me? Which one?”

“W-What’s wrong with you, Mika?”

“You can’t answer? Is that how much he means to you? Is that all our friendship is worth?”

Through the mirror, Mika’s face looked calm, but I felt so nervous I could barely breathe.

“W-What difference does answering make?”

“You really can’t say it? In the end, you like guys more, huh, Riara?”

“M-Mika…?”

I swallowed hard.

After a brief silence, I looked at Mika again.

Her smile was gone.

She was just staring at me.

Seeing her like that, I realized—

I had to answer.

She was testing me.

So, I decided to be honest about my feelings.

I turned around.

“Mika, I—”

“Just kidding!”

“…Huh?”

“Ahaha, surprised? I read a novel about a clingy girlfriend yesterday, and there was a scene like this. I just wanted to try it.”

“M-Mooou! Stop it, you seriously scared me!”

“Ahaha, sorry, sorry. But you know, Riara, you have that kind of clingy personality, so you better not do this to Suzukaze-kun.”

“I-I won’t! Both you and Suzukaze-kun are important to me!”

“Yeah, thanks. Alright, let’s go back to the living room.”

Back to normal, Mika and I went to the living room together.

There, we found him, sitting alone, hunched over, drinking coffee.

“Oh, you’re done?”

“Geez, you should at least say something about it first.”

“A-Ah, sorry. You… kind of look more mature now?”

“Do I look pretty? Cute?”

“…You’re both pretty and cute.”

Seeing him say that with a troubled expression made me smile.

Yeah, I really do like Suzukaze-kun.

But as for how I was going to answer Mika’s question back then—

That’s something I’ll never tell anyone.

Because Mika and Suzukaze-kun are both important to me.

Choosing between them is meaningless.

Really, Mika is so mean.

She knows how much I love her, and yet she still asks things like that.

“Alright, alright, lovebirds, stop flirting in my house and get going to the amusement park.”

As I was talking to Suzukaze-kun, Mika came over and practically pushed us out of the house.

“Okay, okay, we’re going! We’ll bring back souvenirs!”

Waving to Mika as she saw us off,

Suzukaze-kun and I headed for the amusement park.

“Hey, Mika is really a genius, isn’t she?”

“For real. If she opened a salon right now, it’d be a hit.”

“Totally. I can’t imagine anyone else cutting my hair. I’ll be with her forever.”

And of course, with Suzukaze-kun too.

Thinking that, I looked at him—

And he smiled, saying, “You really love Mika-san, huh?”

Seeing him smile like that, I smiled too.

And together, we walked to the station.

♣

“Haa… In the end, I just couldn’t do it. I got too scared to hear Riara’s answer.”

If I had listened to her answer back then—

I probably wouldn’t have been able to suppress these feelings.

Even if she had chosen me.

Even if she hadn’t.

The future wouldn’t have changed.

That’s why I cut her off.

I really am an idiot.

And I even dragged my dad into it.

I made him play the bad guy.

But well,

He could at least indulge his daughter’s selfishness a little.

“Dad, I’m heading out. Just eat the frozen rice today, okay?”

Calling out toward the back room,

I left the house too.

—

Chapter 83

♤

“Wow, it’s so big! Hey, hey, what should we ride first?”

As soon as we entered the amusement park, Takamiya was already excited.

“Hmm, let’s not do the roller coaster for now.”

“What, are you scared?”

“I am. Besides, I don’t get why people pay money just to be scared.”

“Hmm, so you’re a coward.”

Takamiya said that as if provoking me, then looked up at the roller coaster passing right above us.

“Do you want to ride it?”

“W-Well, sort of. I mean, when you think of an amusement park, you think of roller coasters, right?”

“Do you? I’d say the Ferris wheel is more iconic.”

“W-We’ll ride that later too. Come on, let’s get in line.”

“Wait, I have to ride it too?”

“Of course! Now, come on.”

Takamiya pulled my arm firmly and lined up at the end of the roller coaster queue.

The estimated wait time was about twenty minutes, and most of the people in line were couples.

“See? Thrill rides are a must for dates.”

“I don’t think that applies to everyone.”

“No complaints. Hey, aren’t you getting excited?”

“If anything, I’m feeling nervous.”

“Ugh, you’re such a downer. But don’t bother trying to escape.”

Takamiya gripped my arm tightly and clung to me.

“H-Hey.”

“Nope, not letting go. It’s an amusement park date, after all. Oh, I should take a picture and send it to Mika. Maybe she’ll get jealous.”

Just as Takamiya started taking a selfie—

I suddenly remembered my conversation with Mika’s father earlier.

“…By the way, what were you and Mika talking about while she was cutting your hair?”

“Huh? Just normal girl talk. What, are you worried she said something weird?”

“N-No, that’s not it…”

“Mika’s been reading some kind of emotional drama novels lately. She suddenly asked me, ‘Who would you choose, Mika or Suzukaze-kun?’ She totally cornered me with that.”

“S-She really asked you that?”

“W-Why are you shouting? That scared me.”

“S-Sorry… So, what did you say?”

“Heh, you’re curious, huh? Too bad, before I could answer, Mika just said, ‘Just kidding!’ I mean, there’s no way Mika was being serious about something like that.”

Takamiya laughed brightly, but I couldn’t bring myself to laugh along.

I didn’t know what kind of atmosphere they had when talking, but to me, it didn’t sound like a joke at all.

“…Maybe I’m overthinking it.”

“What’s up? Oh, wait, are you worried that you might not have been chosen?”

“N-No, that’s not it. But—”

“It should be, though. I’m greedy. I choose Mika, and I choose Suzukaze-kun too. You’re both important to me.”

After saying that, Takamiya suddenly turned red, as if embarrassed, and lowered her face.

“Yeah, that makes sense. I think Mika understands that too.”

“R-Right? Hehe, we better buy her a nice souvenir.”

As we talked, the line moved forward.

I was feeling restless inside.

This was my first time on a roller coaster, and I was never good with heights to begin with.

Just thinking about getting on something I knew would be terrifying was making me anxious.

But then—

“Jeez, why do you look so pale? If you’re scared… well, um, I guess you can hold my hand if you want.”

Seeing Takamiya say something so bold while looking so cute—

Maybe riding the roller coaster wouldn’t be so bad after all.

There was no turning back now, anyway.

…Might as well take her up on that offer.

❤︎

“Hoh, still flirting as always, huh?”

“Maria-san, give me back my binoculars.”

“It’s getting good, so shut up. Sanae, you should buy another pair.”

“You have the money. Buy one yourself.”

This was my first time at an amusement park.

Just me and Sanae.

But this wasn’t just for fun. It was a rehearsal for when I go on a proper date in a place like this someday.

That’s not an excuse—that’s my real reason.

It’s definitely not because, like Sanae, I’m curious about what Riara is up to.

Definitely not.

“They really look happy together. Do guys like it when girls link arms like that?”

“At least in Asou-kun’s case, if you did that to him, he’d be head over heels. You should try it next week.”

“N-No way, that’s impossible! I need to study that loose woman’s moves a bit more first.”

“Hurry up and return my precious binoculars.”

Sanae quickly snatched them back.

Then she immediately looked through them and said, “Hmm, they’re just about to get on. Oh, Vice President looks really scared while holding onto the President’s hand. This is good too.”

Seeing how lively Sanae was, I figured I could indulge her for a while.

Watching people’s happiness might be the quickest way to find your own.

Now, I kind of understood what Sanae meant by that.

Envying someone won’t get you anywhere.

Fighting with someone is just boring.

So I should also… huh?

“That person…”

Among the people who had just passed by, I thought I saw a familiar face.

The woman who spoke to me at the café yesterday.

Her name was… Enjouji Itsuki.

…A coincidence?

No, probably not.