I Was Unreasonably Dumped By My Girlfriend And Had My Heart Broken. When I Rescued A Beautiful Girl Who Was My Former Classmate And Idol In My Class From A Group Of Yarisa, My Gray College Life Started To Shine - Chapter 60
Episode 60: [Extra Edition] Summer of My Second Year, My First Girlfriend
―Before the summer of my second year, after the school festival.
Spring had come to my class unseasonably.
In short, everyone was still caught up in the excitement of the school festival. When I looked around the class, I saw several couples happily together. Even though it was right before the midterms, the atmosphere was lively and full of color.
As for me, I had nothing.
Since starting high school, I had successfully blended into my class, made friends, and could even talk to girls.
However, when it came to dating someone, it was a different story. I had no experience and couldn’t imagine having a girlfriend.
So, I was completely left out of the spring-like atmosphere.
That day, I was heading home alone. My usual friend, who I walked home with from the Going-Home Club, had left early for a date.
Typically, we would study together at a shop before tests, but today I decided to study alone. I went into a fast-food place near the school’s station, and there I ran into someone.
“…Ah.”
“Hey.”
We both spoke up.
Sitting at the seat right by the entrance was a classmate of mine.
Asuka Umeno.
She had her textbook open, but she was fiddling with her phone in one hand and holding fries in the other. Her fingers were shiny from the oil.
“Want to sit here? There are no other seats available right now.”
Umeno pointed to the empty seat across from her with a fry.
Sure enough, looking around, the place was quite full. Even if I find a seat, taking one just to study for a long time would be inconsiderate.
“Ah… then, I’ll do that.”
I placed my bag down and lined up to order. After getting my food, I sat across from her.
The atmosphere was somewhat heavy. Though I had talked to Umeno since our seats were close, we had never spoken alone before.
But the primary purpose was studying.
I opened my social studies textbook, checked my notes, and started to study when I noticed Umeno reaching for my fries.
“Sorry… reflex.”
“…It’s fine. But how can you eat so much?”
On the tray in front of her were two empty fry containers. She had clearly overindulged.
“Is that your usual character, Umeno?”
“…No. I’m just stressed. I got dumped by my boyfriend.”
She sighed deeply, repeatedly tucked her long hair behind her ear, rested her head on her hand, and started to talk.
According to her, she had been dating a senior who was now busy with entrance exams and had broken up with her.
“But I saw on social media that he went to Kyoto with another girl from his year.”
Wow, I thought.
The entrance exam excuse was probably just a cover. He likely broke up with her because he had found someone else.
“…That’s awful.”
Since I only heard her side, I didn’t know the whole story.
But I didn’t know the senior either, so the best thing was to listen to her.
I just listened to her complaints until suddenly,
“Hey, what about you?”
“What about me?”
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
“…No. Even though everyone around me seems to have one.”
“Hmm, you seem like you would have one.”
“Don’t say random things. I’ve never had one. …Alright, let’s study.”
We went back to studying. By that time, the hamburger I had ordered was cold and mushy.
♢
For a while after that, Umeno and I would frequently meet at the fast-food place.
We didn’t make plans to meet, so we didn’t leave the classroom together.
I would head to the fast-food place to study a bit, and she would already be there.
Or, if I arrived first, she would come later and sit across from me without hesitation.
It became a routine.
“Do you get this? Do you understand?”
“Oh, yeah. That formula should…”
We studied for a few hours, chatted a bit, and that was it. Even when a friend saw us together once, we both said, “We just happened to be here.”
Umeno didn’t seem to have any special intentions. She still talked about her ex and vented to me.
Then, on the day before the test, she suddenly said,
“Hey, why don’t we go out?”
It was a completely unexpected confession.
Right there in the fast-food place, while eating fries, she abruptly said it.
I was too stunned to speak.
I gulped down the orange juice I was drinking and stared at her.
She didn’t seem serious. She wasn’t blushing or anything, just her usual self.
“What kind of joke is that?”
I responded.
“I’m not joking.”
She replied.
I thought about it seriously. I didn’t dislike her, but I didn’t particularly like her either. We had gotten closer, but still within the bounds of friendship.
“…Sorry. But I—”
I started to decline, but was shocked when I saw her eyes filled with tears. Her eyes were red, and her eyelids were swollen.
Others in the store noticed and started giving curious looks. Even those pretending to eat were glancing our way.
If she cried here, it would draw a lot of attention.
“…Let’s go outside.”
I decided to move.
Leaving our stuff behind, I draped my blazer over her and led her outside.
I took her to a nearby shrine where it was quieter.
Looking at her face again, she was fully crying now.
Usually cheerful, seeing her like this was a first for me.
“What’s wrong?”
I asked, confused.
“Nothing.”
But her voice was shaky. She buried her face in her long hair, clearly distressed.
She was clearly at her breaking point.
I handed her a handkerchief, trying to understand her feelings.
And I had a guess.
Maybe she was under a lot of pressure.
Even though we casually studied and chatted, she was probably at the edge.
Like in those old detective dramas, where the suspect is cornered at the end.
She might have confessed to me in a desperate state.
Of course, I couldn’t fully grasp her heart.
But I had listened to her a lot, so I had an idea. She was hurt by her ex. Now, facing rejection from me, her heart was breaking.
She was at the brink.
“…Sorry.”
I didn’t know what to say.
She looked up at me from below.
“If you’re sorry, then date me.”
“…Why? You don’t really like me.”
“I do. I like you. Please, go out with me. Or do you… hate me too?”
Tears streamed down her face, she said.
It seemed like she had reached her limit.
What should I do in this situation?
If I refused, she might completely break. She was already close to breaking. Refusing might push her over the edge.
But accepting without genuine feelings felt wrong.
After thinking about it, I opened my mouth.
“…Alright.”
And.
“I’ll go out with you.”
I chose to avoid breaking her heart now.
A cruel kindness… perhaps.
But it’s better than doing nothing good.
“I can’t bend my resolve,” I didn’t want to become, and couldn’t become, someone who wouldn’t stop a person about to jump off a cliff.
In response to my decision, Umeno takes small steps closer to me and leans her face gently against my shoulder.
“…Thank you.”
She whispered, crying again.
―And so, that summer of my second year,
I got my first girlfriend.
The circumstances were unique, but we were dating.
I decided to cherish her.
So, I made an effort to like her. Even if she was a bit demanding, I tried to be patient and face her sincerely.
Eventually, I truly fell for her―.
And we decided to attend the same university.
Not knowing what awaited the day after our entrance ceremony.