The Boy Who Gave Up on Romantic Feelings ~I’m Done Because I Was Betrayed by The Girlfriends I Used to Date~

Chapter 7

“Hah…”

Even during class, I can’t help but to remember unpleasant things.

Even now, the events that happened more than a year ago still occasionally haunt me as nightmares.

Especially the memories involving Hanamoto and Otsuki…no, I can’t dwell on that any longer.

Ever since that incident, I haven’t spoken to Hanamoto. Mainly because I’ve been avoiding her.

Well, it seems she’s avoiding me as well, so we hardly ever run into each other.

When I think about it again, Shinozaki’s words back then were quite heartwarming.

Well, I don’t really feel anything anymore towards her because of her betrayal.

But judging from the situation this morning, it seems like something might be up.

However, I don’t really care anymore.

Perhaps my heart has already become numb to everything after all.

‘—please, believe me! I still have feelings for you…’

After seeing that, you expect me to believe in you?

When I return home, I casually open my computer and delete all of the saved photos—my memories with Shinozaki. They are no longer needed.

Then, I turn off my computer and open my smartphone. Just like what I did in my computer just now, I deleted all of my photos with Shinozaki.

Those days are now all in the past.

That time of my life will eventually become a page of my youth, likely to fade away from my memory.

Well, I hope it fades away quickly.

After seeing what Shinozaki did behind my back, it wouldn’t be strange for me to think that way.

“Hah…”

Taking a deep sigh to calm my mind, I begin studying.

If I can’t get that scene out of my head, at least I can distract myself from it.

I immerse myself in studying, desperately tyring to escape from that memory.

I continue studying for about three hours without taking a break.

Feeling tired, I leave my room, take a bath and start to prepare dinner.

By the time I finished cooking, it’s already a little past 7.00PM.

“I’m home~”

“Welcome back, Maho.”

It seems like my younger sister, Maho, just returned home.

She is a first-year student at the same high school as me.

She is a member of the tennis club, so she usually comes home around this time.

“Hey, Onii, are you okay? Did something like last year happened again? The rumours have reached us.”

“Yeah, but I’m fine. I’ve already come to terms with it.”

“You don’t look okay, though…”

“Anyway, you should go take a bath first.”

“…okay.”

With that, Maho goes back to her room.

She knows best about the tough times I went through last year.

I’m happy that she is worried about me.

Maho and Kotaro are the only people who treat me with kindness like this.

I can’t help but to feel a bit lonely, nevertheless, I’m really grateful to have them both supporting me.

I wonder if I can really get a girlfriend who won’t betray me one day…

Chapter 8

Sayaka Hanamoto’s POV

It has been over a year since that incident.

I still can’t bring myself to forgive Otsuki. He ruined my life, and on top of that, I had to break up with the person I was dating.

Because of Otsuki, we now avoid each other completely…

I truly like him. I cherish the affection he showed me.

Every day I spent with him is filled with happiness.

Nevertheless…

Right now, there is a rumour circulating about Shintani being a ‘despicable scumbag’, Otsuki is the one who spread it before transferring into another school.

Because of that, Shintani is being bullied in places where the teacher or surveillance camera can’t see.

It hasn’t got physical yet, but they are saying bad things behind his back, gave him disdainful looks, and even had some of his belongings disappear.

All of this happened because Otsuki spread a rumour saying Shintani dumped me.

If that’s really what happened, he’ll just have to accept it.

However, that is not the case at all.

What Otsuki did to Shintani is unforgivable.

I don’t care about myself anymore, I just don’t want Shintani to be unhappy.

I don’t care even if the whole school hates me. I just want to make amends to him, even if he never understands my feelings.

I’ll bury this feeling of loving him—deep within my heart.

For the sake of Shintani, I’ll do something about it.

With that determination, I begin to think about what I can do in my current situation.

The next day, after school, I go to Momogaya-sensei’s office, who is Shintani’s old homeroom teacher.

“What’s wrong, Hanamoto?”

“There’s something I’d like your help with, sensei.”

“What is it?”

“Can I file a report now?”

“Hmm!?”

The first thing I decided to do is to peel off the label that still stuck to Shintani in this school.

To do that, I have to prove his innocence.

By getting rid of the rumour that Otsuki has spread, I hope I can lighten his burden, even if it’s just a little.

What I’m doing might be bothersome for him.

But still, I won’t stop.

I don’t want to see him suffer any more.

“For whom?”

“Of course, Otsuki. I want to file a report to the police that I was raped by Otsuki. You have the video evidence don’t you, sensei? I think submitting that to the police would be enough.”

“…can I ask you why you’re doing this now?”

“…I did something terrible to him, to Maeshima-kun. Even though I was raped by Otsuki, it doesn’t change the fact that I betrayed him. I just want to get rid of the rumours about Maeshima-kun.”

“…I see.”

Then after giving it some thought,

“—I’m sorry, but I can’t help you with that.”