I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 100

Chapter 100   Shinohara and Reina 2

“How about it, Senpai? Trying out a trial relationship with me for a set period?”

“No.”

“That was fast!?”

Shinohara looked utterly shocked, then slumped to the ground in defeat.

“I was just starting to get closer to you… and now I’ve lost my chance to bond even more.”
“Look, I can’t take up your time just so I can gain experience for myself.”

If it were a paid arrangement, like with a rental girlfriend, that might be different. But if it’s done out of goodwill, there are better ways to spend that time.
Asking for something without offering a clear return in value feels too selfish, no matter how you slice it.

That said, I’m not exactly in a position to lecture, considering how much of my own time I waste—and how much of Shinohara’s time I seem to waste on a daily basis. Still, knowing she works as a salon model and has unique talents, I feel certain there are other, more meaningful ways for her to invest her efforts.

“I want to gain experience, too! If I’m okay with it, doesn’t that make it a win-win?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Why are you saying it like it’s some anti-drug campaign?!”
“Maybe for Yuuta-kun, it kind of is like a drug. You might already be a lost cause.”

Reina chimed in with a teasing smile before continuing.

“Like I said earlier, it was just a hypothetical example. Mayu-chan, you don’t have to take it so seriously.”
“No, I am serious. This is the perfect opportunity for me.”

There was a rare intensity in Shinohara’s expression that felt… off.

“…What’s going on?”

When I asked, Shinohara hesitated, then looked down, clearly torn about whether or not to speak.

The silence stretched, and Reina and I exchanged glances before she gently asked, “Did something happen?”

“It’s… it’s not like anything happened. It’s just… a change in how I feel.”

Shinohara finally spoke, her voice directed at Reina.

“I feel like I’ve learned a lot from Reina-san.”
“From me?”
“Yes. I mean, it’s not a dig or anything! If it sounded that way, I’ll totally get on my knees and apologize.”
“N-No need to go that far. But… I see. If I could be of any help to you, I’m happy to hear that.”

Shinohara’s comment about learning must have stemmed from observing what had happened between Reina and me. While it’s clear from her quick apology that such remarks could rub people the wrong way, Reina, surprisingly, responded with gratitude.

—As always, she’s remarkably open-hearted.

From the moment we met, Reina had this innate ability to envelop others with her kindness. She might deny it herself, but at the root of her composure and generosity lies her broad-mindedness.

After blinking in surprise at Reina’s response, Shinohara suddenly threw herself into an apology.

“Reina-san, I’m sorry about the other day. I said some really rude things.”
“The other day?”

Reina tilted her head in confusion, though I understood immediately. Shinohara had previously told me about confronting Reina rather bluntly.
Her impulsive actions, while inappropriate, had indirectly encouraged me to meet Reina again, so I couldn’t be entirely displeased.
But from Reina’s perspective, Shinohara’s behavior must have seemed outright disrespectful.

Soon, Reina seemed to realize what Shinohara was referring to and shook her head gently.

“It’s okay. Honestly, I was a little happy about it.”
“Huh?”
“Because I think your actions came from a place of genuine affection for Yuuta-kun. It reminded me of how charming he really is.”

I let out a small sigh at Reina’s words.

“You really have no trouble saying embarrassing stuff, huh?”
“But it’s true,” Reina replied with a glance and a smile.

Still, Shinohara didn’t seem entirely satisfied with Reina’s response and pressed further.

“Reina-san, why aren’t you angry at me? I mean, even if there were reasons, if someone treated me coldly even once, I’d probably want to avoid them altogether.”
“Hmm…”

Reina tilted her head slightly, her gaze drifting upward. After a few seconds of thought, she finally spoke.

“If there weren’t any circumstances, I’d hate it too. And even when there are, some things are forgivable, and others aren’t. But like I said earlier, what happened the other day actually made me happy.”

“…How can you be so considerate of someone else’s perspective?”

“I guess it’s just that I don’t want to dismiss things outright. I’ve experienced regret myself, thinking that maybe if I’d considered the other person’s situation, the outcome might have been different.”

—I feel like I understand what Reina’s words are hinting at.

A veiled message, or perhaps something more direct.

“Reina-san, someone as accepting as you couldn’t possibly be a bad person.”

With that, Shinohara leaped toward Reina.

“Whoa!” Reina yelped as Shinohara clung to her. The unexpected action left me speechless.

At first, Shinohara simply looked up at Reina silently, but then she wrapped her arms around Reina’s waist. “This feels so comforting…” she murmured. Reina, though flustered, hesitated before gently patting Shinohara’s head.

“I really wanted to do this back when we met at the ramen shop…”

“You were thinking about that? You should’ve just said so.”

“What am I even watching right now…” I muttered, lowering my voice.

To an outsider, the affectionate exchange between Reina and Shinohara might look heartwarming. But for someone like me, who knows them both well, it was an oddly unsettling sight.

That said, Shinohara, who had seemed on the verge of saying something drastic earlier, now appeared far more at ease. Her conversation with Reina had evidently cleared whatever was weighing on her heart.

“Heh. She’s like a little animal—so cute.”

“Reina-san’s chest is so soft…”

“Ah! Hey, stop that. Come on, behave yourself!”

As Shinohara buried her face further into Reina’s chest, Reina hurriedly tried to pull away. But Shinohara was surprisingly persistent, and Reina eventually gave in with a resigned smile. It was the kind of playful interaction only possible between two women—if a guy tried the same, it’d be straight to jail.

Feeling the stares of the other circle members on my back, I grew increasingly uncomfortable. At least no one was close enough to overhear.

“Hey, Senpai.”

From somewhere deep in Reina’s embrace, Shinohara mumbled at me. I hesitated to respond to my junior in such a state.

But Reina shot me a sharp look, silently urging me not to ignore her. Resigned, I replied, “What is it?”

“If all Senpai has are memories of someone as charming as Reina-san, I can see why your future dating life might be a concern.”

“None of your business.”

“But it’s the truth!”

Honestly, lately my thoughts have been so consumed by everything involving Reina that I haven’t had much time to think about future relationships.

With someone always by my side in this fortunate environment, I haven’t really felt lonely or yearned for physical closeness.

Even though there’s a vague thought in the back of my mind about wanting a girlfriend, I haven’t seriously considered what’s next. Having a girlfriend still feels like a distant concept—something far off in the future.

But when I stop and think about it, this period of having women around me so often probably won’t last forever.

I’m aware that I lack the kind of constant charm that draws people in. Yet, for some reason, I’ve always had women around me—undeservedly so.

If I think of this as an opportunity, maybe I should try to find a girlfriend while I can.

From a detached perspective, this sounds logical, but in reality, it’s a pretty lowly way of thinking. Still, that’s how men often are.

As long as such unsavory thoughts remain private and never make their way out into the open, I figure there’s no harm.

“I’m not planning to get a girlfriend right now.”

And yet, this is undeniably my honest feeling.

Even though there’s a vague desire for a girlfriend, as long as that desire remains unclear, I’d rather stay single.

The Christmas season brings all those couple-centered events, and the thought of spending it alone lingers in the back of my mind. When the temperature drops, humans are apparently wired to instinctively seek companionship.

But right now, it’s getting warmer, and there aren’t any big romantic holidays on the horizon.

It’s only natural that my motivation for relationships has dropped. Sure, the thought of romance crosses my mind occasionally, but most of the time, I don’t find myself longing for a partner.

And besides—

“Yeah, I figured,” Reina replied.

Her tone carried a slight sense of relief, or at least that’s how it felt to me.

Reina herself is part of the reason I don’t feel the need for a girlfriend.

It’s easy to understand that if someone you’ve reconnected with suddenly finds a new partner, it would stir up complicated feelings.

That’s why, regardless of my actual motivation, I know I shouldn’t get a girlfriend for a while.

Maybe this is just self-satisfaction on my part, but if it helps maintain harmony between us, then it’s a small price to pay.

“That’s none of my business,” Shinohara said, lifting her face from Reina’s chest and turning toward me.

“What kind of attitude is ‘none of my business’ from someone directly involved?”

“Bleh!”

Shinohara stuck her tongue out at me.

“Are you mocking me?”

“You could say that!”

“At least deny it!”

Shinohara burst into laughter, then dove back into Reina’s chest.

Reina, who initially seemed flustered by such behavior, now let a smile creep onto her lips. For someone like Reina, who rarely finds herself getting close to others so quickly, this must be a unique experience. But judging by her expression, she didn’t seem to mind it at all. Shinohara really does seem to click well with older people.

Still, one word lingered in my mind:

“None of my business.”

Was that just her usual lighthearted banter? Or was it a statement made after understanding everything about my situation?

Even if it were the latter, her stance wouldn’t be wrong. From Shinohara’s perspective, all of this drama between Reina and me might as well have taken place on another planet.

“So then, can I try Senpai out for a bit as a test run?”

…It’s probably her casual mindset that allows her to say such things so freely.

“Wait, that conversation’s still going?”

Feigning exaggerated exasperation, I made a face, only for Shinohara to pout and say, “Don’t just end it on your own, Senpai!”

“I have this one insecurity,” she started.

“Everyone has at least one. No need to dwell on it,” I replied.

“Being logical doesn’t fix everything, you know!”

Shinohara snapped at me with a huff, though her attachment to Reina made her look more like an adorable little critter than someone genuinely upset.

Her words lost their bite, and I found myself exhaling deeply.

“Mind if I tell you a little story from my past?” she asked.