I Tried Pulling When Pushing My Childhood Friend Didn’t Work, and It Totally Broke Me Inside - Chapter 3

Day 2 of keeping distance from Yuna.

I got to school early again today and started messing with my phone. Maybe it was obvious that something was off because Tanaka spoke up.

“Hey, Daisuke, did you fight with Shiraishi-san?”

“No, not really…”

“Then why have you been coming to school early lately?”

“I don’t know… I just felt like it…”

“Don’t lie, you always hung out with Shiraishi-san during breaks and lunch.”

“Did I?”

“Yeah, I mean, suddenly acting cold to someone you confessed to twice a week. Isn’t that weird?”

“How do you even know that?!”

“Come on, it’s kind of famous.”

“Seriously…?”

I thought my confessions were secret since I always did them after school when there weren’t many people.

“So, why are you keeping your distance from Shiraishi-san?”

Well, maybe it’s okay to tell Tanaka. He’s not the type to spread rumors.

“Don’t tell anyone, okay?”

“Relax, I won’t.”

I explained how I’d been struggling after being rejected over and over, how Yuna’s mom had given me advice, and how I was following it by keeping some distance.

“Haaa… You’re too dumb. I can’t even say anything.”

“I just did…”

“Stop with that.”

He looked at me like he was pitying me.

“Don’t you think about how Shiraishi-san feels?”

“Yuna’s feelings…”

“You two have been childhood friends, right? If you suddenly act cold, don’t you think it would hurt Shiraishi-san?”

I realized…

I had only been thinking about myself, wanting Yuna to notice me.

“Well, if it’s fine with you, then whatever.”

Tanaka said what he wanted to say and walked away.

Maybe I had been hurting Yuna without realizing it.

I wanted to apologize to her. I didn’t know if she would forgive me, but…

I thought about it. But that day, Yuna didn’t come to school.

☆

On my way home, I sent Yuna a message, <Are you okay?> She replied, <Come to my house.>

So she wanted me to check on her?

I had a feeling she was pretty angry.

When I got to her house, I pressed the intercom.

“Yes.”

Yuna’s mom appeared.

“A-ah, Daisuke-kun, um, well, you see…”

Something seemed off.

“Hello, um, Yuna asked me to come…”

“R-right, um… I should apologize first. I’m really sorry.”

She apologized out of nowhere.

“Eh, wait, what do you mean…”

“I can only apologize. Yuna is upstairs, so take care!?”

And with that, Yuna’s mom rushed off.

I had no idea what was going on. Her health didn’t seem great. Why would she just leave?

As I was thinking that, my phone buzzed.

It was Yuna.

<Come to my room. Lock the front door, and put your shoes in the shoe rack.>

Shoes? She’d never asked that before.

Still, I’d better do as she said…

<Got it.>

I locked the door, put my shoes in the rack, and went upstairs to her room.

Standing in front of her door, I felt something tense, like a bad aura.

“U-um, Yuna?”

“Come in.”

When I opened the door, Yuna was standing there with her arms stiff at her sides.

She looked mostly fine, but… 

Her eyes seemed a little dull…

“You look okay, though.”

“Come in.”

I went into her room and did exactly as she said.

“Sit down.”

I sat, and somehow ended up kneeling properly on the floor.

“Um, Yuna…”

Click.

The sound of a lock closing.

“Y-Yuna?”

She didn’t look at me at first and just said quietly.

“I finally caught you…”

“Um, Yuna, san?”

Then she turned to face me.

“I… won’t let you escape ever again.”

This might be bad…