I Got Cheated On, so I Thought I’d Cheat Back and Went to a Group Date, I Ran Into a Classmate Who Used to Boss Me Around and Now We’re Living Together

On the way home, after leaving Umi’s apartment and riding the train, my heart was racing with excitement, but at the same time, I felt heavy guilt.

…I had turned Umi down.

I must be the most selfish guy around.

Who else would reject someone like her? People would probably call me blind, and maybe I really had thrown away something precious.

Even so, there’s someone I love even more than Umi. Someone who shaped the person I am now. I want to walk through life closer to her, side by side. I can’t lie to that feeling. That’s why I couldn’t choose Umi. Of course, I feel sorry for her. But do I regret it? No.

I believe I made the best choice.

So now, I need to focus on getting home.

When the train reached my stop, I was the first one to jump onto the platform. I rushed through the ticket gate and ran under the streetlights.

Tonight is the day I decide.

After getting Mishiro-san’s encouragement and after facing Umi properly. This is how it has to be.

After about five minutes of running, my apartment building came into view. Another minute and I was standing at my own door.

The lock was set, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t home. I always told her to keep it locked for safety. I slid my key in, and the light from the living room spilled out. Relief washed over me. She was home. Maltvono had told us they’d close early today for the Obon holiday tomorrow, so it made sense.

I took off my shoes. As I did, I thought about how I should confess my feelings. But the moment I stepped on the hallway floor, I shook my head.

I don’t need a plan.

All I need is to say what’s in my heart and right away. Setting the stage or acting cool won’t change anything. Why had I run here so fast? Because I wanted to tell her as soon as possible.

With that thought, I stepped into the living room—

“Ah, Sousuke, welco—”

“―I like you!”

I cut off Nene-san’s greeting as she stood in the kitchen preparing dinner.

It was reckless and too straightforward, almost like charging headfirst into a wall. But this was the only way.

And then Nene-san—

“…Huh?”

Nene-san froze with wide eyes, and the potato she was peeling slipped from her hands and hit the floor with a thud. Of course, she’d react like that. But I didn’t back down.

“I like you, Nene-san.”

It was too important to say only once, so I said it again.

She blinked quickly, like her mind was catching up, then suddenly gasped.

“—W-what?! …Y-you’re joking, right? This is some kind of joke…?”

Her face turned bright red as she bent down, picked up the potato, and tried to act calm while rinsing it under the tap.

“It’s not a joke. Why would I play a prank when no one’s even watching?”

“B-but…”

“You’re the one who was reaching out to me first.”

“…Y-you noticed?”

“Of course. Anyone could tell from the way you acted every day.”

“I-I see…”

Staring down at the potato under the running water, Nene-san spoke hesitantly.

“So you… Really said you like me?”

“I did.”

“…But what about Tokitou-san.. You have her.”

“I turned her down just now.”

“—!”

Nene-san was startled again as she dropped the potato into the sink with a splash.

“Y-you turned her down… And you’re okay with that?”

“I’m okay with it… Because the one I like is Nene-san.”

“That makes me happy… but… I don’t know what to think.”

Nene-san picked the potato back up again and was still flustered.

“I mean… I used to boss you around like crazy. I was such a terrible person to you.”

“That so-called terrible relationship actually gave me something in return. It wasn’t as bad as you think, and I told you before that I don’t hold a grudge. Besides, the person I am today only exists because of who I was back then.”

I had promised myself not to just be someone’s errand boy anymore. I wanted to live with my head held high.

That resolve pushed me into my high school debut and helped me grow into who I am now.

The one who gave me that turning point was Nene-san back in middle school without a doubt.

Even if she hadn’t meant it that way, when I look back, that was clearly the moment my life began to change.

Of course, that’s not the only reason I fell for her.

Living together now, I got to see all her different sides with Nene-san having turned over a new leaf.

She’s good at cooking, great at cleaning, lively, cheerful, and chasing her dreams with all her strength.

She’s so different from the girl I knew in middle school. That gap is probably what drew me in even more.

“That’s why… without a doubt, I like you, Nene-san. But… What if all this time you were just teasing me? Just making fun of me while we lived together?”

What if everything until now was just her way of finding me amusing—

“—Of course not!”

Nene-san cut me off right away while shaking her head.

“Of course not… I’m serious… I really, seriously like you, Sousuke. That’s why I kept trying to show it, little by little… but—”

“…But?”

“Because…I used to treat Sousuke like an errand boy back then. I always thought someone like me had no right to show you how I felt…”

…So that’s it. Because of the guilt she carried, she never let herself confess outright…

“…It’s not a lie. I really do like you, Sousuke. You even forgave me for how I treated you back then… and you saved me from Iijima’s harassment too. How could I not fall for someone like that… it’d be impossible not to…”

“Then…”

“But, if someone like me stood next to you…”

Even now, Nene-san whispered like she was still carrying her past on her shoulders, like a cross she couldn’t put down.

That’s why I knew I had to tell her this.

“Look, you’ve already been a huge part of my daily life for a long time now. Isn’t it too late to say something like that?”

“That’s…”

“You’re overthinking it. I told you I don’t care anymore, so Nene-san doesn’t have to either.”

“…Is it… okay?”

“It is. Because I’m the one saying so. And I want to walk into the future together with Nene-san.”

I want her to stay by my side from now on.

I want to be there to watch over her, wherever she goes.

With that feeling in my heart, I stepped closer to her.

“So, will you go out with me?”

“Th-that… does that mean with marriage in mind…?”

“Ah, no… nothing that heavy. But… if we ever got that far, I’d think it was the best outcome.”

We were only first-year university students. Just imagining that kind of future was already overwhelming.

But in the end, that would of course be the happiest result, and if we could aim for it, why not try?

“What do you think? You don’t have to answer right away…”

“Are you really sure… that you want me?”

“Of course.”

“But… isn’t Tokitou-san the one who shares your hobbies more?”

“Sometimes when two people are too similar, it just causes clashes. And you don’t really grow that way either. Learning about something totally new from the person you like. That’s one of the best things about dating, I think.”

“You sound… so mature.”

“Well, I do have more experience than you.”

“Ugh… that’s kind of irritating.”

Nene-san frowned for a second, but right after, her cheeks softened into a smile.

“…In that case, I can expect you to take the lead, right?”

“Yeah. I’ll do my best.”

“Then, I guess… I’ll be in your care. Please treat me well…”

Looking shy, Nene-san bowed her head slightly.

Yes… We were official.

Inside, I was pumping my fist over and over.

Then we hugged each other, and without knowing who moved first, we kissed.

Dinner was forgotten after that… You can probably imagine what happened.

Later, when that blissful time had passed, Nene-san lay next to me playing with her phone. She seemed to be sending messages to Umi and Mishiro-san, letting them know about our relationship.

Not to brag, but more like to show her thanks and maybe an apology too. She must have realized how much the two of them had stepped back and quietly cheered us on.

“Ah… Mishiro-san just sent back a simple congratulations, but Tokitou-san is spamming me with angry-face emojis…”

“…Just think of it as her own way of giving praise.”

“But, are you really okay with me… I think she’s liked you ever since high school… probably all this time…”

“Yeah… I know. That’s why… if there’s ever something I can do for her, I want to. Whatever it might be.”

I didn’t know what that would look like yet.

But if she ever asked me for help, I’d do my best to grant it.

That’s probably the only real sincerity I can show her now.

“…Anyway, thank you, Nene-san, for saying yes to me.”

“No… It’s me who should be thanking you.”

We looked into each other’s eyes, and once again, we kissed without needing words.

Over and over, holding close the warmth of finally being with the person I loved.

Wishing silently that this bond would never come undone.