The Charm of the Popular Beautiful Succubus in Class Doesn't Work on Me ~ For Some Reason, This Beauty Keeps Trying to Hold My Hand ~ - 51

Chapter 51: So, Please…

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

I lay on my bed, staring up at the pitch-dark ceiling. Summer vacation had already started. Originally, my “pretend relationship” with Michihito-kun should have ended with the start of summer break…But my relationship with Michihito-kun was still continuing.

Michihito-kun… He really worked so hard…

To be honest, our school was pretty competitive academically speaking, and I never expected someone ranked in the 200s like Michihito-kun to raise his rank that much. This wasn’t just because I was a good tutor or anything like that. It was the result of all the effort Michihito-kun put in, all the hard work he did. In the end, when he really tried, he could do it… That was the kind of person Michihito-kun was.

As I thought about him, his face came to mind. Fufu… That friendly, affectionate smile he had when he came to report his test results to me… He was so cute. Before I knew it, I was already smiling without realizing it. But since summer vacation had started, it had been about three days since I’d last seen Michihito-kun. It was just a few days, but to me, it felt like an eternity. I glanced at my phone, which I had been gripping tightly in my right hand.

There were no calls from Michihito-kun… Even though he seemed like the type to stay up late, he actually had a habit of going to bed early, so he was probably already asleep… Sending a LINE message at this hour would just be a bother, right…? A phone without messages from Michihito-kun was meaningless…

I tossed my phone onto the bed with a soft plop and brushed aside the strands of hair that had fallen over my face before rolling onto my side. That was when I happened to meet eyes with an ugly “stuffed animal.”

“Oh, it’s Boo-chan…”

That plushie had now completely settled into my room. I patted its head lightly. Before I knew it, the number of things in my room connected to memories with Michihito-kun had increased… I reached up and gently touched the “earrings” on my ears. These were the ones I had begged Michihito-kun to buy for me on our first date.

They weren’t particularly expensive, but before I knew it, I was wearing them all the time—whether in casual clothes or my school uniform. That was how much I loved them. There was a time when I fiercely resisted when the school’s dress code inspection officer almost confiscated them… Well, that was a secret from Michihito-kun.

Tucked inside an album on my bookshelf was the “movie ticket.” That couple’s seat had caught me completely off guard, and I had totally panicked, but Michihito-kun had brought a blanket for me, and his kind gesture made my heart skip a beat.

Though in the second half of the movie, I had been crying the whole time… I had started projecting myself onto the movie’s heroine, and when I thought about my future with Michihito-kun, I just kept getting sadder and sadder. Even so, Michihito-kun hadn’t said anything and just waited until I stopped crying. I was really grateful for his consideration…

I held up the “promise key” pendant toward the ceiling. The trip to Onomichi that I had selfishly asked for. Maybe, even back then, I had been feeling a little anxious about our relationship. I wanted to create more memories with Michihito-kun. I wanted to go to all kinds of places with him… So I let myself get carried away when he lifted me up in a princess carry, and despite our age, we even swore eternal love to each other.

Even though I knew full well it was just a silly superstition… When did I start becoming such a hopelessly romantic girl? When had I become the kind of girl who longed for a prince?

…No.

I already knew the answer to that.

I… love Michihito-kun.

When I remembered his expression, my heart raced. When I remembered his voice, I felt a flutter in my chest. When I remembered his scent, I couldn’t help but grin like a fool. I loved him so much, to the point that there was nothing I could do about it. Hence why, when he placed 33rd in the finals this time, I was so happy I could have jumped for joy. Of course, I would never tell Michihito-kun that and I made sure not to let my feelings show. But the fact that I remembered even the exact ranking—’33rd’—made me realize just how far gone I am.

With this, I can still continue being his ‘girlfriend.’ I can still go to the fireworks festival with him as his ‘girlfriend.’ I’ve already prepared my yukata, too. It feels like it’s been years since I last went to a fireworks festival, so I splurged just a little.

Michihito-kun… Will he tell me I look cute in my yukata? Will he tell me it suits me? When I’m with him, and only when I’m with him… I can be just a ‘normal girl.’ I want to be with him forever… I want to keep dating him forever…

My time as Michihito-kun’s girlfriend had truly been wonderful. He gave me so much love. And I believe I did my best to show him my love in my own way. I didn’t want these past few happy months to become just memories. I wanted to keep smiling by his side, always. But… there was something I still hadn’t told him. Yes, about this so-called ‘Succubus Ability.’

The ability that made whoever I touched fall in love with me in proportion to the time we spent together. If he were to find out about this ability… 

I’m terrified of what kind of face he would make. He might come to hate me. He might leave me. That’s why, even when I told him about my past, I just couldn’t bring myself to mention my ‘ability.’ 

To the person who sincerely tried to face my past with me… To the person who listened to me so seriously, with such care… I lied. I made sure not to touch on the core of my ‘ability.’ Even though it was this ‘ability’ that drove Shibuya-senpai insane…

I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Michihito-kun… I couldn’t bring myself to fully trust you yet… I didn’t have the courage to tell you everything back then… I was really, really scared of being hated by you… But… I know. Michihito-kun is a kind person. If I had told him about my ‘ability’ back then, he would have accepted me, including this ‘ability.’ And because I’m weak… I know I would have ended up relying on his kindness. I… can’t forgive myself for that. Even now, knowing that, I’m still relying on him. And I hate myself for it. 

That’s why… I’ve made up my mind. This is my decision, my way of taking responsibility. I can’t let his life get any more messed up because of me. Yes… No matter what, I’m nothing more than a terrible woman who toys with people’s hearts. Like a ‘succubus’ straight out of mythology…

Someone like me had no right to wish for love like a normal girl’s.

So… God… If I can be reborn as a normal girl… Please, let me meet Michihito-kun again. Let me meet the person I love. If that wish can come true, I won’t ask for anything else.

So, please…

(Piron♪)

With the electronic chime of a LINE notification, the dimly lit room flickered with colorful light. A LINE message at this hour.

Ah… it’s happening again…

I had a good idea of who it was from even if I didn’t look at my phone.

Senpai… You still won’t give up, huh…?

I forced my leaden body upright and glanced at the words displayed on my phone.

(Thud!)

But the moment I saw the message, I reflexively dropped my phone. The message was so different from the usual.

[Kisara-san… So you got yourself a boyfriend. You betrayed me…]

What…? How does Senpai… Know about Michihito-kun…? Did he see us together? Did he follow me? Did someone tell him about us? Or is he just fishing for information?

Countless thoughts raced through my mind. At the same time, my body wouldn’t stop trembling. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself, as if trying to hold the shaking back.

Ah… I knew it. I can’t escape from this curse, can I…? God… I understand now… I understand, so… I don’t care what happens to me. But… Please… Just don’t lay a hand on Michihito-kun… Please, I’m begging you…

By the time the flashing light of my fallen phone had stopped, the eastern sky had begun to pale with the first light of dawn.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー