I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 50

Chapter 50   Ayaka Mino – Past 5 Passion

“Hey, are you going out with Mino?”

The question, spoken with a hint of hostility, came during the break before our next PE class. How many times had I been asked this already this month?

“…We’re not dating.”

“Really? Mino said the same thing, though.”

I held back the urge to confront him about asking Mino too.

I just wanted them to stop.

Mino had stopped coming to the usual spot in the courtyard during lunch. I had no idea where she was eating, but it definitely wasn’t with anyone from my class.

At first, no one believed the rumor that Mino had a difficult personality, but lately, people were starting to take it more seriously. Someone from her usual group must have agreed with the rumor. Otherwise, there’s no way such a petty rumor would last this long.

“Well, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. But if you both say so, I won’t push it.”

Then don’t ask in the first place.

I wanted to say that to his retreating back.

Whenever I talked to Mino at school, I always felt like someone was watching. It was definitely because of people like the guy who just asked me that question.

If this keeps up, I’m afraid I’ll start seeing talking to Mino as a source of stress.

It was around the time I started feeling that way that Mino stopped approaching me.

“Hasegawa!”

I paused as I was changing from my uniform into my gym clothes.

It was Sakakishita who had called out to me.

“What’s up?”

Sakakishita was one of the more popular people in class. I had managed to get along pretty well with him since we entered our second year of high school. Being part of his central group helped me avoid being isolated, even with the rumors about me and Mino spreading.

It was actually because of something Sakakishita had said that most of the other guys stopped hanging around Mino. And yet, here I was, still under the protection of his group.

I did feel guilty, of course.

But putting yourself first is only natural.

Mino’s words were what supported me now.

“Well, you’re filling in as the class rep for PE today, right? If you don’t go ahead of everyone else, the teacher’s gonna get mad.”

“Oh, right. Yamashita’s out today.”

When a member of the PE committee is absent, their substitute has to help the teacher manage the class during gym. That means leading the warm-ups in front of everyone and handling the preparations. Thinking about Mino had caused me to completely forget about that responsibility.

“Spacing out like that, Mino’s gonna hate you,” someone teased, and a few of the guys around me, who were also changing, chuckled.

Lately, I’d been getting teased for being the only guy brave enough to talk to the isolated Mino. In other words, Mino had become a sort of taboo topic among the guys.

It was all just boys messing around; no one actually said anything to Mino directly, and they didn’t expect the girls to join in on the jokes. You could tell from the way Mino still talked and laughed with the girls like nothing had changed.

But even so, it was clear that this “self-defense” had gone too far. Maybe the stress from the looming entrance exams was getting to everyone, and they were looking for an outlet for their frustration.

Most of the students were finding healthier ways to vent—hanging out with friends, playing sports, or gaming. This kind of behavior was just plain crude.

I wasn’t the only one in the class who thought this way. But no one was speaking up because they didn’t want to get dragged into it themselves.

Some might be criticizing this behavior behind the scenes, but that doesn’t change anything. To shift the mood, either one of the popular kids would have to stand up against it, or someone would have to speak out in front of the whole class and make a strong enough case for everyone else to follow.

Most people weren’t the center of attention, so the only option left was the latter. And if they failed, they might get ostracized by the other guys.

There was no one in this class bold enough to take that risk.

If someone like Sakakishita, one of the class leaders, stepped in and stopped this, things might change. But that wasn’t going to happen. After all, Sakakishita had been rejected by Mino.

He wasn’t joining in on the teasing, but he wasn’t trying to stop it either.

“Alright, I’ll head out first.”

Ignoring the joke that someone tossed my way, I left the classroom. I walked down the hallway and descended the stairs. Once I reached the landing, I let out a deep sigh.

It was much more comfortable here than in the classroom.

“That’s a big sigh.”

Looking down from the stairs, I saw Mino standing alone. The girls’ changing room was one floor below the boys’ classroom.

It had been a long time since we last talked.

Without waiting for me, Mino started walking down the stairs. I hurried to catch up and walked alongside her.

“Is this okay?”

“What is?”

When I asked, Mino smiled.

“It’s nothing. It just feels like it’s been a while.”

“…Yeah, we haven’t talked much recently.”

Saying it out loud felt like a knife to the chest.

I pretended not to notice the emotional wound slowly bleeding inside me.

“Yeah, if you’re up for it, let’s go to the arcade sometime,” Mino said, then dashed away from me.

“But since you usually have club activities, it might be a tough ask. Well, the girls are in the gym today. Glad to see things are going well for you,” she added.

I didn’t quite understand her last comment, so I responded with an awkward smile.

As soon as Mino walked away, Sakakishita and the others came down the stairs.

“You’re still here? You’re really gonna get in trouble,” he said.

“…No, it hasn’t been that long,” I replied.

I wondered what kind of expression I was making as I spoke. That thought only seemed to make my face feel even more stiff.

◇◆

Today’s PE class was the 50-meter dash. All the athletes were in high spirits, passing the time chatting while waiting their turn. The PE teacher had declared, “Today’s a free day,” so he didn’t bother to stop them.

Normally, the teacher would never allow chatting during class, but his lenience only fueled everyone’s excitement, making the wait for the race even more lively.

Sakakishita was standing next to me, and to an outsider, it might have looked like we were having a fun conversation.

“So, when did you first meet Mino?” he asked.

I laughed and answered, “We met normally in first year. But we only got close in second year.”

“Oh, right. We were in the same class in first year, huh,” he replied.

Sakakishita was popular with the girls because of his good looks. Plus, his easy-going personality made him well-liked by the guys too. By May of our first year, he had already become one of the class leaders.

“I’ve been friends with Mino since first year, so we go way back. It’s December now, so it’s been nearly two years,” he added with a slight air of pride as he tied his shoelaces.

I didn’t understand it. Recently, Sakakishita hadn’t been talking to Mino at all.

“Have you talked to her since she rejected you?” I asked, wondering if this might annoy him. But to my surprise, Sakakishita just laughed lightly.

“Of course. Sure, she rejected me once, but things are going well again now. We’ve been messaging on LINE every day recently,” he said.

“Really?” I replied.

“Yeah. She’s a cool person. Actually pretty funny, too.”

When it comes to messaging on LINE every day, Mino only does that with people she’s close to. If what Sakakishita said is true, then their relationship has already mended.

“Haha.”

A smile spread across my face, relief washing over me as a ray of hope appeared. It felt like the first time in a while I was genuinely able to laugh.

“You should tell people about it. Lately, Mino hasn’t really been talking to the guys. You probably don’t know this, but a lot of guys were influenced by something you said, and that’s why they’ve been avoiding her.”

While Sakakishita wasn’t intentionally fueling the bad atmosphere, it all started because he mentioned to someone that “if you’re around her too much, you might start liking her, so it’s better to stay away from Mino during exam season.” That remark had a ripple effect.

But since Sakakishita started it, if he denies the bad vibe, it’ll have a huge impact. He’s the center of the class after all. If he spreads the word that things are fine now, the mood will shift quickly. It’s only a matter of time before Mino starts talking to the boys again.

──Maybe I didn’t need to worry about this from the start.

Without my knowing, Mino and Sakakishita had already reconnected. Everything was fine now. A sense of relief made my shoulders relax.

“No, I’m not gonna tell anyone,” Sakakishita said.

“Huh?”

I couldn’t help but ask again, reflexively. I was so sure that after realizing he had unintentionally started the bad rumors, he’d agree right away. But his immediate refusal left me confused.

“It’s embarrassing, y’know?”

──From Sakakishita’s perspective, that wasn’t unreasonable.

After all, he had been rejected by her. And now they were messaging each other every day. For a second-year high school guy, it’s natural to feel some embarrassment about that.

But this was the one chance I had to do something for Mino.

“…Please. I’m begging you. You’ve been messaging her, so you must realize that she’s been having a hard time. She won’t say it, but──”

Mino never voiced any complaints. That was a sign of strength, but also a weakness, because it meant she couldn’t rely on others. However, Sakakishita could be someone she could lean on. Maybe, if it’s him, Mino might be able to depend on someone.

“I don’t know, man. Mino doesn’t talk to me about deep stuff like that,” Sakakishita replied, his tone carrying a faint trace of bitterness.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“Hasegawa, you’ve talked with Mino about all kinds of things, so I guess you understand how she feels. But I’m telling you, I don’t get it.”

Sakakishita let out a cold smile and continued.

“I thought if I created this kind of situation, I’d be able to have deeper conversations with Mino, but there’s still a wall between us.”

──Did he just say created this situation?

“What do you mean by that?”

I could feel my eyelids twitching. I was struggling to contain the emotion welling up inside me, and my voice came out slightly strained.

“Just between you and me. I’m telling you this because I trust you, Hasegawa—I’m the one who made Mino isolated.”

I already knew that Sakakishita was partly responsible. I had figured out that he was the indirect cause of the situation. But I…

“I thought you weren’t aware of it.”

If he didn’t realize, he wouldn’t join in on the bad jokes. But he also wouldn’t stop them. That’s what I had thought.

“Not aware? Of course I knew. It’s all calculated,” he said.

“Calculated?”

I parroted the word back, dumbfounded.

“Yeah. If people suddenly start avoiding her, she’s obviously going to get hurt, right? Mino rejected me once, so to create a situation where I could confess again, I figured being kind to her while she’s in that vulnerable state would be more effective.”

So that’s what this was about.

Mino’s face, the one that had become so troubled…

“Since a lot of other guys had been rejected by her too, it ended up working out better than I thought. I was surprised by how much of an effect it had. And then those guys started making things worse with their bad jokes.”

Mino never voiced her weaknesses. But there was that one time.

On that rainy day, when she rested her head on my shoulder.

──Thank you.

That was her SOS. Back then, Mino didn’t turn around. She didn’t show me her expression. Now that I think about it, she…

“And when we finally started talking on LINE again, she was way more energetic in her replies than usual. That’s when I knew I had her.”

I had reached my limit.

“You bastard!!!!!!”

I lunged at him, putting all my weight behind the punch. My fist collided with Sakakishita’s face as he crouched, knocking him to the ground. I straddled him and raised my fist again.

The gym teacher, noticing the commotion, shouted something. Sakakishita’s expression shifted from shock to anger in an instant.

“You—”

Sakakishita twisted his body, slamming his fist into my solar plexus in an attempt to break free. The strength drained from my raised fist.

But so what? This pain is nothing compared to what she’s been through.

I grabbed Sakakishita’s face with both hands and headbutted him square in the center. His attempts to fight back grew sluggish. One punch, two punches—I kept hammering at him. As I raised my fists for the third strike, a powerful force hit me from the side, sending me sprawling to the ground.

“What the hell are you doing? Calm down!”

One of Sakakishita’s group had tackled me. They had no idea, so why were they interfering?

Even in my enraged state, I understood the answer immediately: Sakakishita had more people on his side than I did. From the outside, it probably looked like I had just suddenly attacked him out of nowhere.

I sprang back to my feet and lunged for Sakakishita again, reaching out with both hands. But this time, someone grabbed me from behind and locked me in a firm hold. Then the teacher stepped in, and I couldn’t do anything anymore.

──I couldn’t do anything for Mino.

Images of that pure, happy time in the summer flashed through my mind. The bench in the courtyard, a refuge from the blazing sunlight. There, Mino was laughing. Everyone was laughing.

Me too. Even Sakakishita.

What should I have done? I didn’t know. How could I have protected that everyday life? I would probably spend a long time thinking about that.

But there’s only one thing I know for sure right now: I had been avoiding Mino too.

Our conversations were fewer. I didn’t try to get close. Even when Mino reached out, I cut the conversations short, unconsciously distancing myself.

All for the sake of protecting myself, afraid of the looks from those around me.

I was just like them.

Just like these bastards.

Something hot welled up behind my eyes, and I clenched my teeth.