I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 51

Chapter 51   Ayaka Mino – Past 6 Best Friend

The evening after the commotion.

I had been given a one-day suspension from school and was lying face down on my bed at home.

Some teachers had suggested that suspension might be a more appropriate punishment, but the gym teacher apparently managed to suppress those voices.

My homeroom teacher even offered some kind words, saying, “If it hadn’t been during class, it probably wouldn’t have been noticed.”

From the perspective of those around me, it must have looked like I suddenly lunged at Sakakishita.

The truth is, I was the one who threw the first punch, so I’m okay with the punishment.

“At least it’s better than being suspended. And it’s only for one day.”

Mino placed a cup of coffee beside my pillow.

“…Thanks.”

“No problem. It’s a little apology gift for your suspension.”

“Seems a bit cheap for that.”

“Stop complaining.”

Mino chuckled and sat down on the chair by my desk.

One day of suspension.

Even though I wasn’t sick, I could guess why Mino had come to visit me after school.

“…Hey, Hasegawa.”

“Sorry.”

“Huh?”

“Punching him didn’t change anything.”

Mino didn’t know why I fought with Sakakishita. Even the guys who were there didn’t know the reason.

When Sakakishita was bombarded with questions afterward, all he said was, “A lot happened.”

Not only that, but he went and told the teacher, “It’s because I provoked him,” which probably helped to lighten my punishment.

If it had been Sakakishita, he could’ve easily pinned all the blame on me, but he didn’t. Maybe he still had a shred of conscience left.

So, Mino only heard later about the fight between me and Sakakishita.

Still, she must have figured it out, which is why she came to visit me.

Mino’s voice already carried a hint of apology.

But I couldn’t let her apologize.

Mino hadn’t done anything wrong, so she had no reason to apologize.

“…You’re so kind.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Then what is it?”

“Stubbornness.”

“What? That’s weird.”

Mino furrowed her brows and smiled awkwardly.

It was a facial expression I’d never seen before.

“Well, thanks.”

“That’s better. Now I can accept it without any trouble.”

“I didn’t raise you to be someone who can’t accept gratitude.”

“Are you my mom or something?”

“Haha.”

It was the first conversation we’d had in a while.

Not exactly the kind of talk you’d expect during a suspension, and I found that amusing again.

“Stop making me laugh, you’re just the same as always.”

“I’m good at hitting your sweet spot.”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s just a coincidence. Nothing to brag about.”

Mino said that as she pulled a canned drink out of her bag.

After watching her take a sip, I got up from the bed.

“Hey, Mino.”

“Hmm?”

“I should be the one apologizing, right? You’re the kind one.”

That’s right.

I had distanced myself from Mino, even if it was just for a short time.

I should have known how she felt each time someone close to her drifted away.

Even hitting Sakakishita had just been the result of my own selfish impulse.

Punching him didn’t resolve anything.

And yet, Mino not only treated me the same as always, but she even tried to apologize herself.

Just to keep me from feeling any burden.

“You’ve been texting Sakakishita, right?”

“Huh?”

“Texting. Sakakishita said you talk every day.”

If the texting was really a sign that their relationship had healed, I could be happy for them.

Sakakishita might think everything is back to normal now.

But Mino probably didn’t feel the same way.

“…Yeah, we do. Even now.”

“Is that for my sake?”

If I was just being full of myself, then I’d only end up embarrassed.

But if it really was for me…

Then I’d owe Mino more than I could ever repay.

After blinking a few times, Mino replied, “No.”

“It’s for me. Just like you guessed, what I text Sakakishita isn’t how I really feel.”

“…So in the end, I’ve been saved because of that.”

I, who had stayed close to Mino until the very end, probably earned Sakakishita’s envy.

The tone of his voice during that P.E. class says it all.

Yet, why had I been able to stay in Sakakishita’s group for so long?

Today, when I couldn’t go to school due to my suspension, I had been thinking about it all day.

Sakakishita’s expression during our fight was one of someone looking at an enemy. Of course, in a fight, it’s natural for your expression to twist in anger.

But to me, it seemed like his face showed something that had been building up inside him for a long time.

In that situation, I had been right beside him the whole time.

I wasn’t ostracized. For Sakakishita, excluding me would have been an easy thing to do.

The conclusion I reached was that Sakakishita was afraid that if he pushed me out while he was rebuilding his relationship with Mino, that relationship would fall apart again.

Even though Sakakishita’s way of thinking and actions were warped, his feelings for Mino were genuine.

If that was the case, it was only natural that he would want to maintain the relationship he had worked to rebuild with Mino.

In the end, I had been protected by Mino’s presence.

“…I’ve been reflecting.”

“On what?”

“On how I’ve been stubborn, insisting ‘this is who I am, this is me.’ And in the end, I hurt both myself and you.”

Mino lowered her head and sighed.

But when she raised her head again, her eyes were filled with determination.

“That’s why I’m going to change. I don’t know exactly how yet, but if I keep causing you trouble, then I’ll stop being ‘me.’”

So her friendly texting with Sakakishita was part of that plan.

—It really was for my sake, wasn’t it?

Minou said she would abandon herself.

I used to think I didn’t want Mino to lose the way she was.

I had even selfishly wished that she would keep her unwavering honesty, treating everyone the same, expressing her opinions directly—something I could never do.

But this outcome is Mino Ayaka’s own answer.

She thought it through on her own, and decided on her own to change.

No one knows how Mino Ayaka will change from now on.

But no matter how she changes in the future—

I know the reason behind Mino’s decision.

And the process of it was so very “Mino” that I couldn’t help but smile.

No matter how she changes, the foundation remains unchanged.

Mino Ayaka is not going to change at her core.

That core, that essence of her, is still shining brightly to me.

“But if I mess up again, and if the same thing happens, you can leave me alone next time. I’ve already told you, putting yourself first is natural.”

Minou’s essence remains unchanged.

If that’s the case, then my actions were already decided.

“The kind of person you put before yourself—that’s what a friend is, right?”

This time, I won’t fail.

As long as we’re in the same environment, I—at the very least—will stand by Mino’s side.

Mino looked at me, confused, as if she didn’t understand what I had said.

She was trying to figure out what I meant.

“To put it simply,”

Taking a deep breath, I spoke in a powerful tone, making sure my words would reach Mino’s heart.

“If the same situation happens again, I won’t leave you alone. I’ll help you perfectly. Because we’re friends.”

Mino’s eyes widened.

“Is that what friends do?”

“Isn’t it?”

“So, would you help everyone if they were in the same situation?”

“…Honestly, that’s impossible.”

“Is it just because it’s me?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Why?”

“Maybe because I want to get closer. A relationship that’s a step deeper than just friends.”

Wanting to see the scenery beyond the boundary of friendship together.

That desire alone is surely enough to deepen the relationship.

“…I see. So, that’s what you’d call a best friend?”

“Maybe. The name doesn’t really matter, though.”

It’s not like they were going to go around telling everyone, “We’re best friends.”

Unlike lovers, it’s hard to distinguish best friends from an outside perspective.

And that’s why, as long as the two of them shared the understanding that they were more than friends, that was enough.

Mino was silent for a moment, then smiled.

Her expression was refreshingly bright.

“…Yeah, you’re right. In that case, I’ll count on you. If any trouble comes up, I won’t hesitate to drag you in.”

“Hey, that’s kind of a scary declaration.”

“What? We’re more than friends now, right?”

With that, Mino energetically jumped off the chair and threw her bag roughly over her shoulder.

“Well, I’m heading out. See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see you, Mino.”

When I said that, Mino lowered her hand from the doorknob for a moment.

“…Ayaka is fine.”

“Huh?”

“When it’s just the two of us, you can call me ‘Ayaka’. But while we’re at school, I’d like you to stick to using my last name in front of everyone.”

Mino’s cheeks were slightly red as she turned around.

“Well, actually, either way is fine. …Anyway, see you. Don’t just spend all your time reading manga, okay? And make sure to study properly for today’s classes!”

“You sound like my mom!”

When I teased her, Mino laughed and left.

“…Next time we meet, I’ll call her…”

I might get a little nervous, though.

By the time I get used to calling her by her first name, I wonder what kind of relationship we’ll have.

It’s bound to be different from the one we have now.

Thinking about our future, I dove onto my bed.