After a Heartbreak, My Bitter Childhood Friend is now Sweet Like Sugar - V2 Chapter 6.15

Chapter 6.15

After that, Reika laughed at me a lot, and I went home.

“I can’t believe I was wrong all along…”

“I was fooled by you too.”

“I didn’t mean to deceive you. We just misunderstood each other.”

“But in the end, you fooled me. If you hadn’t reacted this way during lunch, I wouldn’t have been deceived like that.”

“Are you blaming me for all that? I didn’t deceive you at all.”

“No, you did.”

Kokoa insisted.

Well, it’s true, but I didn’t mean to do it that way.

“It’s getting a little late, so why don’t we have ramen for the first time in a while on the way home? It’s too much trouble to prepare dinner now.”

“Okay.”

Instead of going straight home, we stopped by the Ten Ten Restaurant.

“Welcome. Oh, you two seem hot-hot again today.”

Ten came over and handed us some cold water.

“Manager, hot ramen and a bowl of hot half-fried rice for these two hot people. Also, an order of hot bean sprouts.”

“Ayeo.”

“Wait, we haven’t ordered anything yet?”

Ignoring my grumbling, Ten went back to the kitchen.

No, that’s what I’m ordering.

Also, I didn’t need to add ‘hot’ for every meal.

“I didn’t even get to order anything. I’ve known this place for a long time, but I feel like I’ve finally become a true regular.”

“I’m both happy and not so happy.”

Thinking about it, I’ve been eating their ramen and fried rice for quite a while.

They serve authentic chicken shoyu ramen without any additives. And yet, it tastes quite good. In other words, it’s a taste we’ve grown accustomed to. 

It was the type of flavour that never changed, and if it did, it would become a problem.

The taste of this restaurant has become part of my flesh and blood that has shaped the person I am today.

The person I am today is a continuation of each and every meal. When I think about it that way, the food I used to eat vaguely seems like the most precious thing in the world.

I thought about what I had been eating the most lately and immediately realized that it was Kokoa’s cooking. I am greatly influenced by her.

What was in her cooking was her kindness and love for me.

I know how she feels when she cooks for me.

So when I told her I would cook for her, she looked a little sad at first, and when she saw that Reika had brought me lunch, she put a lot of effort into making an even better lunch- so much so that she caught a cold.

Come to think of it, what Kokoa gave me when I was having a bad day was also food.

She made porridge when I was sick.

That porridge gave me a chance to move forward.

“Hey, Kokoa. Can we pass by the park after we finish this?”

“What’s wrong? I don’t mind, though.”

“I have something important to tell you. ” 

◆ 

By the time we left the store and headed for the park, the surroundings were already turning dark. I walked along the paved road of a quiet summer residential area and arrived at a quiet park.

I sat down on the swing set and started to paddle. Kokoa, who sat next to me, started swinging as I did. It was a regular thing that she did whenever she came here.

“So, what’s the important thing to talk about?”

Kokoa asked me in a slightly heated voice.

After all this time, I already knew how she would react if I told her I had something important to discuss since I knew how much she liked me.

No matter how dull I was, I had become so used to my childhood friend that I couldn’t imagine any change, but I was already able to read the subtleties of her heart.

Kokoa is expecting it.

She expects to hear happy words from me. She hopes I can tell her how I feel, that we can be happy together.

But…

I mustered up the courage to open my mouth.

“I thought about it, but I think we should stop.”

“Eh…? What do you mean?”

At first, Kokoa didn’t seem to understand what I was saying, but slowly she came to understand the meanings.

After a long pause and pondering, she finally came to a conclusion.

I’ve been trying to move on. I knew I had to move on. I knew that if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to apologize to my Senpai, and I would regret it for a lifetime.

So, I was looking for a replacement for what I lost.

Even though I thought it was to return Kokoa’s favour. Even though I made excuses because I was sorry for her affection, I was always thinking about myself.

I was dishonestly using Kokoa’s feelings as a means to sort out my own selfishness to forget about Senpai.

I was using her…

To fill the gap in my heart and move on.

“I can’t go out with you, Kokoa.”

Kokoa’s expression froze.

The swaying swing stopped moving.

“Why… do you… Why?”

Kokoa asked me in a strained voice.

It was a muffled, faint voice.

Her dumbfounded eyes gradually became watery, and drops began to form in the corners of her eyes. She was crying.

“I thought it would be better.”

“I don’t agree!”

It was a natural reaction and one I had expected.

I felt sick to my stomach. I was wiping out her goodwill. 

I was ready to be thrashed, and I was determined to make her sad. Because I thought this was the best way to go.

“Have you grown fond of Reika-chan?”

“No, I don’t.”

“You still can’t forget about your Senpai?”

…

I thought for a while.

“Yes.”

“…!”

Kokoa ran out of the park, crying.

I know it will make her cry… but,

I’m sorry, it’s harder than I imagined it would be.

But it’s better than letting her stay with me. A person like Kokoa will be able to find a good partner in the future.

I’ve got to move on, too.

While thinking about this, I headed home.

End of chapter 6

[TLN: I’ll freaking kill this MC]

(ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻

[EDN: Rip]