My Childhood Friend Who is My Girlfriend was Stolen by My Best Friend. From Now on, I'll Flirt with My Ex-Best Friend's Little Sister! - Chapter 23

The Episode Where My Former Best Friend Gets What He Deserves

After leaving the Nakajo household, we returned to my house for a while.

Then, we go out again to buy other necessities, such as toothbrush and other things.

After getting everything Rinka needs to stay over, we once again head back to my house.

On the way, we get to an intersection where a convenience store comes in to view.

Suddenly, Rinka stops in her tracks.

“Senpai. Is it okay if I stop by the convenience store for a bit?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Do you need anything else?”

“No, well, just a bit…ah, please wait here, Senpai. I’ll go shopping by myself.”

“It’s fine, I’ll come too.”

“I-I’m fine! Just wait here, okay?”

“Hmm…? Ah, then I’ll just look at some electronics over there.”

I don’t understand why she wants to go to the convenience store alone.

Perhaps she is buying something she doesn’t want me to see?

In that case, it would be best to let her go alone.

“Is there anything you want to buy, Senpai?”

“Just a little something.”

“Why are you hiding it?”

“If you tell me what you’re buying, I’ll tell you what I’m getting as well.”

“F-Fine, I understand. Then I won’t ask. Can we meet up again in about ten minutes?”

“Yeah. Actually, my house is just close by, so maybe we can just go home by ourselves from here.”

My house is less than a five-minute walk from here.

“Sounds good. Then let’s do that.”

“Here, take this.”

I take out my keys from my wallet and hand them to Rinka.

“Is this okay? Then you won’t be able to come into the house, Senpai.”

“It’s fine, it’s a spare key. You can keep it, Rinka.”

“…I’ll treasure it for life.”

“Ah, no…I just meant to give it to you while you’re staying at my house.”

“I don’t really understand what you’re talking about, Senpai.”

“Well, that’s alright. Don’t lose it.”

“Okay. See you later!”

“Yeah.”

After parting ways with Rinka, I head to the electronics store.

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

After finishing my shopping, I return home.

It took a bit longer than expected, Rinka should’ve already arrived home by now.

I arrive at the apartment and climb up the stairs.

When I arrive at room 203, I meet someone unexpected.

It’s not Rinka—

“You’re late, Toshiya.”

He’s a strikingly handsome guy. Wearing glasses, he has a sharp, intelligent look about him.

“Why are you here?”

“When I got home, I notice Rinka’s shoes weren’t there. I had a bad feeling about it…so I came here right away.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. She might just be out having fun.”

“Yeah. Plus, when I got home, Mom didn’t come out of the living room. I thought maybe you or Rinka has said something unnecessary to her. My intuition is usually spot on.”

His words don’t based on logic. He acts on mere speculation.

However, my former best friend’s intuition is eerily accurate.

It seems that Rinka still hasn’t returned home. If that’s the case, now’s my chance to get rid of this guy.

“Then your intuition is wrong. Rinka isn’t here.”

“Looks like it. Well, since I’m here, why don’t we talk for a bit?”

“There is nothing to talk about.”

“You’re misunderstanding my relationship with Tsukimiya-san. I want to clear up any misunderstandings you might have.”

Even though I didn’t say anything about it, he suddenly brings up the topic.

Did he hear about it from my childhood friend, or did he figure it out on his own?

“Misunderstanding…? What are you talking about?”

“When I think about it, it makes sense. The change in Toshiya’s behaviour started this Monday. You were pretending as if nothing happened, but since that day, you’ve been a bit strange. You saw me and Tsukimiya-san together on Sunday, didn’t you?”

“…yeah.”

I just simply said so and nod.

There is no need to lie or hide that fact.

“I’m sorry, Toshiya. I’ve caused you a great misunderstanding. I want to clarify that Tsukimiya-san is definitely not cheating on you.”

“…are you kidding me?”

After what happened at the family restaurant, their affair is confirmed.

While neither of them said it directly, there is no doubt that they are in a relationship.

Ah, but he doesn’t know that Rinka and I were eavesdropping.

So that why at this point, he thinks he still can make excuses.

“Where did you see me and Tsukimiya-san?”

“Coming out of the hotel.”

“I see. That day, Tsukimiya-san came to me for advice. She said she wanted to take you to a place you would enjoy.”

“And?”

“While we were looking around, we accidentally ended up entering the hotel. I realized it right away and left, but it seems we were seen by you at a bad moment. We didn’t do anything wrong, I’m sorry for appearing suspicious.”

What a lame excuse. I can’t bear to listen to it.

Just like my childhood friend, I wonder if he really thinks that I’ll be fooled by such a fabricated lie?

Just how big of a fool do they think of me?

“You’re saying this even after you held hands and kissed her?”

Suppressing my anger, I glare at him.

“Holding hands was a spur of the moment decision. I thought we would get in trouble if we went to the hotel as a joke. So, we decided to pretend we are dating for a while…I’m sorry, I know it’s really awful, but I have no ill intentions.”

“So that kiss is just for an act?”

“Kiss…? No, I don’t recall that. Maybe you mistook a scene where I picked up some trash for a kiss?”

He continues to lie with a completely nonchalant expression on his face.

However, with how confident he is, it almost makes me believe him a little. Perhaps it’s because, unlike my childhood friend, he can quickly retort even when I’m pressing him…

At that moment, a voice suddenly comes from behind me.

‘We’re just in a mutually beneficial relationship. We relieve each other’s stress and satisfy each other’s desires. We’re not real lovers.’

Rinka, who has come up the stairs is holding her smartphone tightly.

With her belongings in one hand, she hides behind my back.

In that instant, my former best friend’s expression crumbles.

He realizes that the voice coming from Rinka’s phone is his own.

“W-Why…do you have that—”

My former best friend is stunned. Then, the recording continues.

‘I know that. I wouldn’t want someone like you as my boyfriend anyway.’

‘Glad we’re on the same page…though in my case, there’s also my grudge against Toshiya.’

‘A grudge? What’s that about? I’ve never heard of that before.’

‘Ah, you don’t know? Rinka has feelings for Toshiya.’

‘Yeah, I know that. It’s obvious just by looking at her. That’s why I’ve been subtly keeping her in check.’

‘Toshiya’s not a bad guy, but I can’t accept him messing with Rinka’s feelings. Basically, continuing this relationship with Airi is just a way vent my frustrations.’

‘Your grudge is totally baseless. And seriously, you’re just so creepy, Shintaro.’

At that point, Rinka stops the recording.

Hiding behind me, she holds her smartphone tightly. I stare intently at my former best friend.

I won’t let Rinka’s support go to waste.

Looking directly into his eyes, I ask.

“Now, how are you going to explain this, Shintaro?”