I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 101

Chapter 101   Shinohara and Reina 3

I glanced at the court. The game was still in the first half.

Even if I got a chance to play, it wouldn’t be until later, so for now, I had some time to kill.

“Well, if it’s just until the next match,” I replied.

“Were you really that into basketball, Senpai?” Shinohara asked skeptically.

“Of course. I was in the basketball club all through middle and high school.”

Having played basketball for so many years, there are still moments, even now in a different environment, when I get the urge to pick up a ball. I originally joined this basketball club because I could participate whenever I felt like it. While I didn’t attend much at first, especially when I had just met Shinohara, I’ve been showing up more often recently.

“I played basketball back in middle school too, but it doesn’t make me feel like that at all… Anyway, I’m getting sidetracked.”

Shinohara shook her head and launched into her story without waiting for Reina or me to respond.

“Once upon a time, I dreamed of being a princess.”

“Every girl does at some point,” Reina said with a gentle smile.

Shinohara seemed a little flustered by that response but managed to settle for a simple, “Yeah, I guess so.”

If I had been the one to say that, she probably would’ve snapped back with, “Being right doesn’t make you any less annoying!”

In an apparent attempt to reset her mood, Shinohara gave her cheeks a light slap. I decided to listen seriously this time.

“My views on romance don’t line up with other people’s. I’ve known that for a long time.”

“Oh… Yeah, you’ve mentioned that before.”

Was it back in January? I came home one day to find Shinohara watching a romance show on TV.

“That’s when you said something about suspecting your views on love were out of sync with everyone else’s.”

“I’d been thinking about it for a while, but that’s when I first brought it up, cautiously. I didn’t want anyone to freak out, but now, I think it’s fine. You and Reina-san, you’re both okay with it, right?”

Reina and I exchanged a glance and nodded.

Even if her perspective on romance was unconventional, it wouldn’t change anything between us. While I couldn’t claim there was zero chance of being surprised, it wouldn’t drive me to distance myself from her.

Reina, who had only recently gotten to know Shinohara, wasn’t the type to judge someone based on their romantic views or treat them differently because of it. I knew that better than anyone.

Perhaps Shinohara sensed that intuitively, or maybe it was just a sign of her trust in me. Either way, she seemed to extend that same trust toward Reina as well.

“When you first hear it, you might be put off, but I promise it won’t make me keep my distance.”

“Normally, wouldn’t you lie and say you wouldn’t be put off at all in a moment like this?! So typical of you, Senpai!”

Though her tone was exaggerated and theatrical, she couldn’t hide the pleased expression on her face.

Shinohara clearly didn’t want the atmosphere to become too serious. She continued speaking in her usual cheerful tone.

“I’ve got a pretty good idea why my feelings are so out of sync. It’s been that way since I was a kid. I even had a few hiccups because of it.”

Shinohara looked up at the ceiling of the gym.

The high, orange roof seemed to stretch endlessly upward, lending a warm, sunny ambiance to the space. She stared at the light, similar to sunlight, long enough that it narrowed her field of vision. Just as her expression slipped out of view, she began to speak again.

“I rushed to change myself and ended up failing. I guess most people grow from experiences like that, but I never did. I’ve been dragging it along all this time. That’s why I see university as my last chance. It’s my final opportunity to change who I am.”

University offers a rare abundance of free time, especially compared to the busier years of middle and high school. Considering that, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that university life provides the most time to focus on oneself.

Perhaps that’s why Shinohara had drawn a line, marking the end of university as her deadline.

While it’s true that there’s still time to change even after entering the working world, constantly telling yourself “there’s always next time” could lead to never changing at all. Sometimes, putting yourself under pressure is necessary.

I’d sensed Shinohara’s desire to shift her mindset from time to time before. If she’s serious about it, I want to support her—as a senior and as a fellow human being.

“I’ll support you. Changing yourself is tough.”

For some, taking romance seriously might seem laughable. They might scoff and wonder why someone would put so much effort into something like that.

But at the very least, Shinohara is serious about it.

And when a junior takes something seriously, it’s a senior’s duty to listen earnestly.

While I’m not entirely on board with the idea that being a senior inherently comes with responsibilities, I do feel a genuine desire to do something for Shinohara.

After all the time we’ve spent building this relationship, it’s only natural to feel that way.

“Then please try dating me as a trial run.”

“No way.”

“That was definitely a setup for you to agree just now, wasn’t it?!”

Shinohara said this and stamped her foot in frustration.

If the attention hadn’t been focused on the game, people would have likely been puzzled by what the three of us were talking about.

“Well, if we’re going to pretend we’re dating, should I check with Reina-san first?”

Shinohara said this and turned toward Reina.

Reina looked a bit surprised by Shinohara’s words, but then shook her head.

“I don’t have the right to stop that.”

…Since we’re not romantically involved, I can’t stop it.

It’s a perfectly reasonable answer, but I couldn’t help but lower my gaze. While it might not be what Reina wanted, I’d likely be tormented by guilt for a while.

However, Shinohara seemed unconcerned, asking Reina without changing her tone.

“So, what’s the desired duration? I’m guessing something too long wouldn’t be ideal, right?”

“…Maybe about two days.”

“Two days!? That’s way too short!?”

Shinohara was surprised, but I was shocked for a different reason.

“Wait, how are we moving forward with this while the person involved is right here? You should at least listen to my opinion, right? And didn’t I just say no earlier?”

“You didn’t say that.”

“I definitely did!”

I couldn’t help but call out to my oblivious junior. How could they forget something so recent?

“Well, if it’s two days with unlimited body contact, I guess that’s fine.”

“Listen to me!”

“Yuuta-kun, it’s fine.”

Reina said quietly, with a single phrase.

Both Shinohara and I stared at Reina in shock.

“W-What’s going on with you two?”

“Reina-san… thank you! Now Senpai will take action!”

Shinohara dramatically spread her arms and jumped into Reina’s embrace again.

“Wait a minute, why are you doing that?!”

“Yuuta-kun…”

Once again, I was quietly called, and I swallowed the words that were about to come out of my mouth.

At this moment, the person with the most influence in this situation was Reina. Both Shinohara and I were waiting for Reina’s words with bated breath.

“The trial period I mentioned earlier for Yuuta-kun… it might have sounded like a joke, but I was actually pretty serious about it.”

“Why would you get serious about something like that? Reina, you—”

I tried to ask, Is that really okay? but stopped myself.

I shouldn’t connect my concern for Reina to asking her about this. I shouldn’t be the one asking at all.

No matter what kind of answer I got, there’s no way I could solve this.

“Yeah.”

Reina smiled softly and nodded, as if she could tell what I was thinking.

Shinohara, having moved away from Reina, grabbed my arm firmly.

“Come on, Senpai, let’s go.”

“Seriously, wait! I’m definitely going to play in the next match. We’ll talk after that.”

“Then, I’ll change into my usual jersey!”

Shinohara said this and quickly released my arm.

I could see the familiar bulging shape of her bag, which seemed a bit bigger than usual, hanging from her delicate shoulder. She must have prepared in advance.

I hadn’t mentioned that I’d be joining the club activity today, but maybe she had checked the schedule on the calendar in my room.

Shinohara greeted the nearby club members, including Toudou, as she ran toward the changing room.

Watching her retreating figure, Reina murmured quietly.

“…For a moment there, I thought that ‘the mouth is the source of misfortune’ might be true.”

“Well, if that’s the case, I’ll go turn her down now.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“To make you… consider me again as one of your options, I’ve been thinking about how I can make that happen. The conclusion I came to is this, right now.”

My feet, which were about to chase after Shinohara, came to a sudden stop.

—Reconciliation.

Most couples break up, but sometimes there are those who get back together. It had always been clear to me that Reina wanted to reconcile, but hearing her say it out loud for the first time left me unsure of how to respond. No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t come up with a response that felt right.

“I’m sorry, I know this is probably confusing for you.”

Reina said this and shrugged her shoulders.

In the past, Reina and I had let unspoken feelings fester between us, leading to misunderstandings. But even so, having everything laid out in words might not be the best thing either.

“Choosing the right words is difficult.”

“Yeah, it is,” I replied.

When I answered, Reina shrugged again and said, “It can’t be helped.”

If only I could visualize the perfect balance, things might be easier—but that was just a thought that came and went without any real solution.

The sound of the whistle signaling the end of the match seemed louder than usual.