I Was Oblivious to the Subtle ‘Yandere’ Side of My Nonchalant Sex Friend Gyaru - Chapter 50-51

Chapter 50: 

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

♡♡♡

“Yuzu, where are you going?”

“…Arisu?”

It was nighttime. Just as I left the house, planning to head to his apartment to match the end of his part-time shift, Arisu called out to me from behind.

“Surprised?”

“…Where are you going at this hour?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? You’re going to Minato’s place, right?”

“Where I go has nothing to do with you, Arisu.”

“Ahaha, how cold. I’m not here to get in your way or anything. I just…I  really wanted to talk to you properly.”

Seeing Arisu’s soft expression, I let down my guard a little and walked toward her.

“Is this about Aoyama-kun?”

“What else would it be? Hey, you and Minato aren’t dating, right? But I mean… If you’re going to his place at this hour, then, well, you’re probably doing stuff… Right?”

She asked shyly, but it didn’t feel like she was going to laugh it off and drop the subject. I took a breath and braced myself a little.

“Yeah, sort of.”

“Since when?”

“Not long after we started high school.”

“So it really was since back then?”

“Back then?”

“I actually saw it too—that moment Minato helped you.”

Arisu said that as she looked up at the dark night sky.

“…I see. So you saw that.”

“Yeah. But I was too scared to do anything. I just stood there and watched. Back in middle school too… I knew you’d lost your place in the club, but I couldn’t do anything. All I could manage was pretending not to notice and acting normal around you.”

“That’s how most people are. If anything, you were kinder than most.”

“But Minato was different. He stood up to those scary upperclassmen without flinching, and even though you two didn’t seem that close, he helped you without hesitation. I saw him from afar as he walked away so coolly, and… I was smitten. Ever since that day, I couldn’t stop thinking about Minato.”

“What a coincidence. I’ve been thinking about him too, ever since that day.”

“Well, I guess that’s what happens when someone helps you like that. I sort of knew… Still, I tried so hard to talk to him and keep him from getting close to you. I didn’t give you a chance. But… You’re more forward than I expected.”

“Maybe. I just… I wanted to make him mine before anyone else could. I wanted to belong to him, even if it was just one-sided.”

“If I had gone to Minato’s place first, would I have become that for him?”

“You wouldn’t have done something like that. You’re the kind of person who treats herself with care. I just got lucky because I’m not.”

“…I see. That recklessness…I guess that’s what shook Minato’s heart.”

She let out a long sigh and Arisu looked up at the sky again.

“Good luck, Yuzu.”

She said it like she was exasperated.

“…Sorry, Arisu.”

“It’s okay. In the end, no one’s really at fault. But just so you know—if things don’t work out with you and Minato, I’ll start going to his place too.”

“What?”

“Well, you’re not his girlfriend, right? Then there’s no reason I can’t do the same thing you’re doing. That’d make us even.”

“…I’ll make sure it doesn’t come to that.”

“Heh, it’s okay. Minato is a really kind person. That’s why I’m sure… He must care about you too…”

Her words trailed off there and then, Arisu quietly began to walk away.

“Arisu…”

“See you at school. Say hi to Minato for me.”

Only Arisu’s slightly trembling voice lingered in my ears. And before long, she vanished into the darkness.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Chapter 51: 

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

◇◇◇

The morning of the festival. When I woke up, Kurenai was sleeping peacefully beside me.

“…Morning.”

I greeted her softly as she slept, then got out of bed and opened the curtains. Even though it was still early, things were already noisy outside. The streets, usually quiet and empty, were now crowded with people—probably setting up for the festival.

This is… This is more than I expected.

“…Nn. It’s too bright.”

“Ah, sorry. Did I wake you?”

“No, it’s fine. Is all the noise coming from outside?”

“Yeah. A ton of people are out for the festival.”

“This area always goes wild. Seriously, what a pain.”

Everyone walking outside looked full of life. Kurenai, sitting on the bed, looked far from it.

“You don’t have any good memories of festivals?”

“I don’t have any memories, really. If I had to say something, maybe just that club activities were canceled. So that part was fortunate, I guess.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s how it is. I don’t even remember having good memories to begin with.”

After muttering her complaint, Kurenai headed over to the fridge for a drink. She took a few gulps from a bottle of water, then turned to me and said.

“It’s a pain to go home with so many people around. Can I stay?”

“Yeah. I don’t have any plans either.”

“Then I’m gonna sleep. What about you?”

“Same here. I was sleep-deprived from exams anyway.”

As the sunlight got brighter, we closed the curtains and got under the covers again. Then, Kurenai did something unexpected. She turned to face me.

“What is it?”

“…If the one you helped that day had been Arisu, would she be the one here now?”

“What are you even talking about?”

“Nothing really. But if she had come over to your place instead of me, would you have ended up being… You know, friends with benefits with her too?”

“…I don’t like ‘what if’ scenarios.”

“What, is it hard to answer?”

“…Not really.”

“Then answer me.”

“That’s…”

It wasn’t like I’d never thought about it. If the one I helped that day hadn’t been Kurenai… If someone else had shown up at my place like she had…  Would I have ended up in the same kind of relationship?

I’d asked myself that hypothetical over and over, but the answer was always the same.

“If it hadn’t been you, I wouldn’t have done anything.”

“So… You’re saying it’s okay to make a move because it was me?”

“More like… I didn’t want to make a move, unless it was you.”

“Because I don’t matter to you?”

“Because you do.”

Saying it made my body flush with embarrassment.

“…What part of me did you like?”

“Who knows. Maybe it’s that you smelled the same as me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t reek like some sweaty guy, you know.”

“Not like that.”

“I know. Thanks.”

She said that, then turned her back to me. And for a while, silence filled the room. Eventually, I heard her peaceful, steady breathing again.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー