I’m Betrayed by My Childhood Friend Who is Also My Lover, but My Other Childhood Friend Healed Me, So I Feel Like I Can Recover and Be Happy ~Is it True That Friendship Between a Man and Woman is Impossible? - Chapter 16

Feelings

Airi’s POV

—the first time I met Akito, I thought that he is a quiet person.

However, it turned out that he’s quite pushy.

The first day we met, he immediately took me around, showing me the park and shops around the neighbourhood.

When I got a bit tired from all the walking, he quickly noticed it and suggested we take a break.

He’s really understanding.

By the end of the day, we ended up becoming friends and started calling each other by our first names.

But strangely, I didn’t feel uncomfortable or awkward about it.

The next day was my first day to school, I was actually nervous, but when I found out that Akito would go to school with me, I felt relieved.

Along the way to school, I met Akito’s childhood friend, Chitose-chan, and we introduced ourselves to each other, but I got nervous and ended up not talking much to her.

Fortunately, I ended up in the same class as Akito and Chitose-chan at school.

After that, I was able to get along well with both Akito and Chitose-chan, but my other classmates teased me about my hair and eyes, so I didn’t feel like talking to them and decided to ignore them.

How could they make fun of the colour of my hair and eyes which I got from my mother.

That’s unforgivable.

Because I didn’t want to be teased of my appearance, I kept my hair short and started acting like a boy so people wouldn’t think that I was weak.

Only when I was with Akito and Chitose-chan I was able to be my true self.

When we advanced to the next grade, it was Akito’s usual remark that gave me the opportunity to fit in with my new class.

“Airi, you’d look absolutely beautiful with longer hair.”

His words made me blush so much that I felt like my face was on fire.

Of course, I was happy to hear Akito say so, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I would get bullied because of it.

That’s why I was reluctant to grow my hair out at first.

Then, Chitose-chan told me that my hair and eye colour resemble those of a princess in a game.

She insisted that I would surely look cute and beautiful if I grow my hair out.

In the end, I was convinced and started growing my hair.

The first thing that made me happy after growing out my hair was when Mitsuki-san complimented it.

She taught me how to take care of my hair, something I had never paid attention to before.

During summer break, we went shopping together.

She picked out beautiful and cute clothes that would look good on me.

At the first day of school after summer break, I felt incredibly embarrassed and nervous wearing those clothes.

I felt nervous that I wanted to go back home.

However, when Akito and Chitose-chan complimented me, I felt a lot better.

It was truly ‘remarkable results’.

Chitose-chan has also done a lot of things for me, such as introducing me to her friends.

The girls in the class complimented me as if everything before had been a lie.

Despite feeling a bit sceptical about the sudden change in attitude, when I talked to them, I realized that they are just normal girls.

I was the one who built a wall around me myself.

Thanks to both Akito and Chitose, I was able to adapt to school life without any worries.

Three years had passed since I moved here.

In my last year of grade school, a turning point occurred…

During the visit to my mother’s grave on the day she passed away, my father suddenly suggested that we go and thank the firefighter who saved me.

To be honest, I didn’t want to go.

After all, I resented the firefighter who didn’t save my mother.

However, it is a fact that he was the one who saved me.

So reluctantly, I agreed to go.

A few days later, for some reason, my father told me to dress in black.

Then, we went to Akito’s house next door.

Inside the house, there were many adults dressed in black, including a bhikkhu.

(TN: Bhikkhu is a Buddhist Monk)

Akito was also dressed in black, sitting quietly.

I wanted to call out to Akito, but I was led by my father to go to where Mitsuki-san was.

After my father bowed to Mitsuki-san, they began to talk quietly.

“Isn’t it a bit too soon for Airi-chan?”

“No, I believe that Airi can handle it now.”

“I see…”

As they were talking seriously, I stepped back and looked around.

Even though I’ve been to Akito’s house many times before, it was my first time entering that spacious room.

In the centre at the back of the room, there was a platform, adorned with beautiful flowers on both sides just like Mom’s.

On top of the platform, there was a photo of a man with a smile reminiscent of Akito’s.

As I’m looking at the photo in a daze, my father who had finished talking to Mitsuki-san called me.

“Airi…”

“Hey, Dad, that person over there…”

I asked about the man in the photo on the platform.

“Yeah, that’s the person who saved you, Airi.”

“No way. That means…”

Akito once told me that his father is helping people in a distant place…

Ah, I see…that ‘distant place’…

He’s in the same place as Mom.

“Yeah, Asahina Hoshiaki-san. That’s the name of the person who saved you, Airi. He’s Akito-kun’s father.”

The moment I heard those words, my heart raced. I found it hard to breathe.

“How did…Akito’s father—”

—pass away?

I wanted to say that, but feeling of disgust towards myself made me sick.

“Hoshiaki-san was also…badly injured in that fire that day…”

Even though I couldn’t finish my words, Dad understood what I wanted to say and explained the reason for his passing.

But who caused him to get severely injured?

He saved me, didn’t he?

My breathing was getting heavier, I couldn’t control it, so I lowered my head.

Dad went down on his knees, looking worried.

I lifted my head, trying to not worry him.

What I saw when I looked up was…Akito’s father in the photo.

Akito’s father in the photo is smiling gently, just like my mother in the photo.

“Akito, I’m really sorry.”

The one who killed your father was…

“…me.”

With that, I lost consciousness—

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

—when I wake up, Akito is there in front of me.

“Since when have you been watching me?”

“Since Airi started crying.”

I realized that I’ve been crying in my sleep.

“Hah…I’m such a mess.”

“Why are you suddenly drowning in self-loathing?”

“I’m reminded of Akito’s dad.”

I told Akito the truth.

“I see. So that’s why you were crying in your sleep and drown in self-loathing.”

I instinctively look up at Akito and then lower my gaze.

“…how did you know?”

“I may not be as perceptive as Airi, but I still pay a close attention to you.”

“I see.”

“Hey, Airi, you’re the one who saved me. You gave me the strength to get back on my feet. You helped me regain my courage to face Chitose.”

“However, I might have hurt Akito even more than Chitose. I have taken someone really important from Akito. I might take something really important to you again, Akito.”

“No, that’s not true at all, you didn’t take my dad away from me. You didn’t hurt me at all. Airi, your feelings reached me. I know that you cherish me more than anything else, you even put me before yourself. There is no way those feelings could hurt me. So, once again, thank you, Airi.”

Hearing those words, I instantly feel happy.

Even though I just stopped crying, I feel like crying again.

“You’re so unfair, Akito.”

“Also, about Airi saying that you might take something from me again, the truth is, I’ve received so many precious things from you, Airi. So much that I can’t possibly repay them all. That’s why, be prepared, because from now on, I’ll do my best to return the favour. If you ever try to leave me on your own, I won’t forgive you.”

“Yeah, me too. I’ve also received so many precious things from Akito.”

With that said, we finally managed to laugh together.

In the end, I realized once again that I’m helpless without Akito.

After that, since we’re getting a bit noisy in the infirmary, the school nurse, Keiko-san, clears her throat.

Then, we awkwardly return to the classroom.