I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 92

Chapter 92   Atonement and Strength

“That was so good!”

As we stepped out from under the yellow curtain and into the sunlight, Reina stretched her arms high above her head. The bright sunlight illuminated her hair, giving it a radiant glow.

“Do you have any plans after this, Yuuta?”

“I’ve got classes all afternoon today.”

“I see. What about the day after tomorrow?”

On that day, I only had classes until the second period. Though I wasn’t as meticulous about credits as Ayaka, I’d kept up well enough to avoid having full days of lectures in my third year. Normally, I could head home by lunchtime on such days, a privilege for the lazier among us. But this week, it coincided with my basketball club’s practice.

“I’ll probably head to the basketball club in the afternoon.”

“Basketball, huh? Now that you mention it, I’ve never actually seen you play before,” Reina said, tilting her head slightly as though sifting through her memories.

“Can I come and watch?”

“Huh?”

Caught off guard, I blurted out a dumbfounded reply, assuming she’d asked out of idle curiosity. However, seeing my reaction, Reina quickly shook her head.

“No, no, just kidding. There are probably people there who know me…”

She was likely referring to the affair—an acknowledgment of her concern that her presence might reflect poorly on me.

“You’re worried about me?”

When I asked, Reina blinked a few times, then shook her head decisively.

“No, it’s not that.”

“I see.”

I was certain now that her answer was a lie.

Just as Reina could sense what I wanted to say, I could see through her lies.

It wasn’t because of the length of our relationship. Over that year, Reina had spent the most time with me, more than anyone else.

We’d shared that much time together.

That’s why when I thought she’d cheated, I felt crushed. But even though the reasons might have been different, I was sure Reina must have felt just as devastated.

And that’s why, I thought, it was only right for me to make sure the truth about my relationship with Reina was understood. It was the least I could do.

“Shall we go?”

“Huh?”

“I’ll take responsibility for telling the truth about what happened with Reina. I don’t think it will make up for everything, but I want to do at least that much.”

When I said this, Reina lowered her gaze slightly.

For a moment, it seemed like she had something on her mind, and a brief silence passed between us.

Finally, Reina spoke, and her voice was soft.

“I’m happy you feel that way. But… if it’s about atonement, I don’t want that.”

I was about to respond to her quiet words, but she continued first.

“It’s not a misunderstanding, though. I definitely told you I cheated, right? So it would be weird for just you to have to atone.”

“But the cause of it was—”

“It doesn’t matter where the cause came from. And it’s no good. I’ve already accepted that what happened was cheating, so…”

“Even so, there’s a big difference between just holding hands for one day… and repeating it over and over, going all the way to the end. That’s just a fact. And you’re misunderstanding too, Reina.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve only talked about the cheating with one person in the club.”

The only person in that group who knew Reina’s face was Toudou.

The seniors from the women’s university festival who had met Reina were all gone from the club by now.

And I hadn’t told anyone except Toudou about the affair.

“Only one person knows about you, Reina. So it’s not as complicated as you think. It’ll be over soon.”

“Could it be… Toudou-kun, who’s come up in conversation a few times?”

“Yeah.”

When we were dating, I would often talk about what happened during the day, so Reina knew a lot about my social interactions.

Though Reina and Toudou had only met a few times, it seemed those encounters had left an impression on her.

“If it’s just him, it doesn’t seem like he’d spread it around to anyone.”

“Yeah, he wouldn’t do something like that.”

Toudou is one of the most well-connected guys I know, even among my close friends.

At first glance, he might seem like a flashy guy due to his looks, and some people misunderstand him as being superficial. But that contrast is part of his charm. He’s one of the few people I can fully trust.

“…Then, is it okay if I rely on you? I’ve always wanted to visit the club you talked about.”

“I don’t think you’ve ever said that before.”

“I just thought about it, but I didn’t say it. I figured it’d be better not to intrude on your space.”

Reina smiled and continued.

“Friends have a lot of qualities that only friends can have. Knowing that, I always thought I shouldn’t be there.”

Even after we broke up, I should be thankful for her consideration.

I’ve seen people who, once they get into a relationship, start neglecting their friendships. If it’s something they choose to do, it’s not really a problem, but sometimes it’s because they’re trying to accommodate their partner.

I didn’t understand that at the time, but in the end, it was because Reina had been considerate of me that I didn’t go down that path.

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“I just wanted to put into words what I’ve been thinking. Earlier, you said you were the one who caused our breakup…”

Reina took a breath before continuing.

“I feel the same. We didn’t say enough to each other. From now on, I’ll make sure to say what I want to say.”

“You’re strong, Reina.”

When I said this, Reina’s lips softened into a smile.

“I’ve decided. After the day we broke up… I want to someday be able to look back and say that it was a good thing, no matter how it turns out.”

After answering, Reina looked up at the sky.

The moment I followed her gaze and looked up, the sunlight seemed to fade.

“What do you think, Yuuta-kun?”

When I glanced at her sideways, her expression was unreadable from her elegant profile.

“…I think I want to learn from you.”

I answered briefly, then turned to head back to university.

Even I felt it was a vague response.

But that was truly how I felt.

I, too, must act like Reina—taking the past and turning it into something that leads to a better future.

From behind me, Reina’s voice called, “I’ll message you again,” and I waved back, trying to cover up my thoughts.

As I walked, I found myself thinking ahead to the day after tomorrow.