I Hope You’re Still Alive When Tomorrow Comes - 8

Chapter 8: For You

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For a brief moment there, my brain seemed unable to process the meaning of ‘proactive’. 

“….No, no, no,no. What are you talking about?”

Proactive? In cuckolding? What is she talking about? 

“Well because, Tsuchiya-kun can’t give up on her yet, so… That’s the only way we have left, right? It’ll be fine. They’re not married or anything legal yet. A high school romance is a fragile thing anyway. Let’s do our best! I’ll help too. Let’s snatch Nanami-san back!”

Kiho said with an encouraging smile on her face and her fist clenched. Her face looked really optimistic and her voice sounded clear and bright too. 

I was taken aback at her overly positive reaction that the only thing I could do was gaze dumbfoundedly at her face. 

“Urm…. Are….Are you serious?”

“Of course. I believe the possibility is not null. After all, Tsuchiya-kun and Nanami-san were really close, right?”

“No, I mean, Kiho… Are you really okay with this?”

“Yes. If I can help Tsuchiya-kun feel better then I don’t mind. Tsuchiya-kun’s feeling is what matters the most to me.”

I don’t get it. Don’t you like me? So much so that you even transferred schools just to be with me?

“Well then. Now that we’ve decided on that, shall we start brainstorming for a plan?”

Ignoring the clear confusion on my face, Kiho opened the cream roll she had brought.

“First, we need to drive a wedge between them. It would be great if the boyfriend-san has a flaw that we can use against them.”

Kiho pondered while biting into the cream roll.

“No, wait.”

“What’s the matter?”

“We can’t. It’s impossible. It’s too late now.”

“Too late? But they only started dating yesterday though?”

“No, I’m not talking about that. Nanami and I… We’ve already known each other for fifteen years.”

Fifteen years. We had known each other since nursery school, all through elementary and junior high school. 

I never did anything typical of boys in puberty, which was being cold or bullying the girl they liked. I was always kind to Nanami, some might even say I was too kind even. For fifteen years, I kept acting the same without any change. Because I always acted the same, I even lost against some new guy simply because he was ‘kind’ to her. 

How could I possibly change the way I acted now? I couldn’t just turn things around now.

“But that boyfriend-san is not even that handsome. In fact, I don’t think Tsuchiya-san is losing in the looks department.”

To be honest, I also thought the same. Although I could only see him from afar, but he wasn’t particularly handsome or anything. He was just ordinary. Mediocre. However, precisely because of that the heartbreak felt even worse. If his looks were mediocre then that meant I truly lost against him simply because he was ‘kind’. 

“I like Tsuchiya-kun’s face more. You’re winning in the looks department by a landslide.”

“…. Well but still, that’s not the point. Nanami-“

But the moment I was about to utter the next word, my chest tightened painfully. I lightly bit my lip, unable to continue. 

“I’ve been by her side for fifteen years and yet, she still didn’t fall for me. I don’t even know what I am supposed to do now.”

“Well, that’s certainly true.”

As if adding salt to my already bleeding wound, Kiho nodded her head without any hesitation. 

“….Then, let’s focus on her boyfriend instead.”

“Huh?”

“I will snatch Nanami-san’s boyfriend. That’s right. Let’s go with this.”

She spoke calmly and took her smartphone from her skirt pocket.

“…Huh? What??”

Ignoring my stupefied silence, Kiho continued on.

“Tsuchiya-kun, if there’s anything you know about her boyfriend then please tell me. Like his name, what class he’s in, what club he’s in, anything, really.”

Kiho skillfully operated her smartphone with one hand as she spoke. She was opening the Notes app. It seemed she was trying to jot down the information about Nanami’s boyfriend.

“Huh? What? You’re seriously going to do it?”

“Of course. Since Tsuchiya-kun cant move on from Nanami-san, this is the only option we have left. I will steal Nanami-san’s boyfriend and then while Nanami-san is wallowing from her heartbroken, Tsuchiya-kun will slide in there, comfort her and win her over. Yeah, sounds like a plan! Let’s do this!”

“Huh? N-No… Wa-Wait, but…”

I couldn’t bring myself to ask her if she really liked me or not. Why would she help me in winning Nanami over?

While I was staring at Kiho’s face, confused beyond belief, Kiho kept smiling confidently instead. 

“Leave it to me, Tsuchiya-kun. I will do my best so you will have the spirit to live another day!”

She exclaimed with her fist clenched tight. Her determination left me flabbergasted.

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T/N: Her love exceeds her greed to have you for herself…