I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 80

Chapter 80   The Meaning of Tears 3

“I never expected you’d reach out to me, Yuuta.”

Reina Aisaka said, her ash-gray hair catching in the breeze. It was the same color Toudou used to have, though Reina’s was now a touch lighter. The bright new shade, so different from when we were together, made me avert my gaze for a moment.

“Sorry for leaving so abruptly that time,” I apologized.

Reina looked at me in surprise, her lips parting slightly.

“No, not at all… After you left, I thought it was perfectly natural from your position,” she said with a faint, rueful smile, her eyebrows drawing together as she glanced around, as if recalling something familiar.

We were meeting at a small park tucked deep into a residential area, close to Reina’s apartment. This place was so secluded that even Reina had stumbled upon it by accident while we were walking together. The tiny park, with just one bench, was a spot we’d often taken a break at when we were dating.

“Feels nostalgic, doesn’t it?” she said softly.

It had probably been over half a year since I’d last been here, so the feeling was mutual.

“…Yeah,” I replied.

Reina sat down on the bench.

“I regretted it too,” she said quietly. “I wish I could’ve expressed myself differently. When I was in front of you, I got nervous and couldn’t get my thoughts straight, so I ended up just saying whatever came to mind to keep things going.”

“Oh… yeah, I’ve had moments like that too.”

No matter how much you plan in advance, sometimes nerves just erase everything, especially when it’s personal rather than something formal, like a lecture. There’s only so much mental rehearsal can do.

Looking back calmly, it’s something I understand now. Maybe I’d have handled it differently if I’d prepared myself for that encounter, but that’s all hindsight. I was able to see things from her perspective now, thanks in part to my talk with Natsuki.

Whether she knew it or not, Reina continued.

“Recently, Natsuki said she was sorry. She said she made you feel uncomfortable,” Reina said.

“I wasn’t really uncomfortable,” I replied.

There had certainly been moments during lectures and at the ramen shop where Natsuki’s subtle attitude made me think, but now, I appreciated it. Since entering university, no one had pointed out my flaws as quickly as Natsuki did. Even Ayaka would point things out from time to time, but there was always love behind her words, so I rarely felt a sense of crisis. Natsuki’s cool attitude, in the long run, might guide me in the right direction.

“I’m not bothered by it. Just tell her I’d be happy if she treats me like she always does,” I said.

“I got it. I’ll tell her,” Reina said, a small smile tugging at her lips as she sat down next to me.

“Natsuki and I have been friends since middle school. We were always in the same group throughout middle and high school, so we’re really close,” Reina continued.

“Yeah, I figured. I’ve only recently started talking to Natsuki, but I can tell she’s on your side,” I responded.

Reina nodded thoughtfully.

“That’s right. For you, she might be in the same position as Ayaka is for you,” she said.

“…That makes a lot of sense,” I said.

Without Reina’s presence, I doubt Natsuki would have gone out of her way to voice her disapproval of my actions. It’s natural to have concerns about a friend from time to time, but Natsuki is the type to keep those thoughts to herself and handle things subtly. I could imagine that from her ability to maintain a wide circle of friends, even while having reservations about that Green circle.

But the reason she spoke up to me was because she prioritized something more than her own position—something that, for her, was Reina.

“She’s a good friend,” I said.

“She is. When we were dating, I’ve mentioned Natsuki a few times,” Reina replied.

Surprised, I asked, “Really?”

“Well, I didn’t mention her by name. I’d just say ‘my friend,’ so it’s no wonder you didn’t know,” she added with a small chuckle.

“She’s surprisingly emotional,” Reina said.

Shinohara had said the same thing. When I first met Natsuki at the Christmas mixer, I hadn’t noticed it. I didn’t realize it until after things with Reina, and perhaps that was because Natsuki hadn’t opened up to me back then.

As I was thinking about this, Reina spoke up. The earrings near her ear shimmered in the light.

“If it’s okay with you, Yuuta-kun… it might take some time, but could you listen to me?” she asked.

— Of course.

That’s why I came to meet Reina.

I nodded, and Reina smiled before looking up at the sky. I followed her lead and gazed at the night sky as well. As I searched for the stars whose light was drowned out by the street lamps, Reina laughed softly.

“I’m a bit nervous,” she said.

After saying that, Reina quietly began to weave her words together, speaking slowly, as if savoring each one.