The day I moved on from my crush — who worked as a rental girlfriend — I ended up with a yandere

After we had fun at the Smash House, we wandered around leisurely, checking out the bookstores and ice cream parlors.

In the end, we decided to visit the ramen shop I frequently visited at some point before my mother pulled my ear and made me live a healthier life.

Since today was a weekday, and it was nearly four on the clock, there weren’t many people when we entered.

As we sat down, I gave my order, “One miso ramen with an extra egg, please.”

The cook nodded while wiping the bowl.

I turned toward Tsumiki-san before asking, “What about you?” I saw her browsing through the available dishes before she finally asked me,

“Suggest me something.”

I hummed before saying, “You like spicy, so how about kimchi ramen? It doesn’t have the sourness you would find in usual kimchi, and the extra minced meat marinated in chili oil will just hit the right spot for you.”

I have tried almost everything in this shop, so I know what she might enjoy.

Tsumiki-san smiled and nodded. “Then I will have that. A kimchi ramen for me.”

As the cook got busy making our food, I heard Tsumiki-san asking, “How do you still remember my preference? It has been quite some time since you stopped working for us.”

I chuckled. “I mean, I never visited anyone’s house as often as yours while I worked as a caregiver.”

Tsumiki-san rested her hands on the station and asked with a slight tilt of her head, “I never asked you, but why did you start working in the first place? Was it just your hobby?”

I froze for a moment and then said with a sigh, “The truth might hurt you.”

Her expression darkened a little. “So it’s about her again, huh? Well, don’t worry, you can tell me.”

I glanced at her. “Is it really important? I mean, we can skip her topic—”

“No, Kazuki-kun. It’s important for us to be carefree when sharing our burdens and regrets. I never hesitated to share mine, so you shouldn’t either.”

I continued to look into her warm hazelnut eyes for a moment before my shoulders dropped and I confessed, “Yeah, it was primarily because I wanted to impress Satsuki. There were my needs too… but the truth was, I somehow wanted to gain her attention.”

Satsuki loved expensive things. Those partners she went on dates with—they sometimes gifted her things which I could barely afford with my several months of allowance. And she kept them safely, even used them regularly.

I felt I also wanted to give her something that could make her excited and happy… I believed if having a thick wallet was all it took to have that charming smile always directed at me, then I needed to work hard.

“Kazuki-kun, can you tell me something honestly?” Breaking my reverie, Tsumiki-san asked me. “Did you like her because she is beautiful and has an endearing personality, or was it because she was unattainable?”

I… was shocked to hear that.

Turning toward her, I asked, “What do you mean, unattainable?”

She shrugged. “I mean, as far as I know you, you can sense someone’s true personality by interacting with them a few times. That girl has been with you forever, and you never judged what kind of person she was?”

I stared at her… but I wasn’t actually looking at her. I was entirely focused on the question she raised.

I… knew how she was… all this time.

Satsuki has always been the type of person who can ignore a friend for something else she believes is important. And that important thing could be as trivial as getting her nails done.

She… is selfish, always made me pay for her, never said sorry, and she was a goddamn manipulator.

Did I realize this after she stood me up two days ago?

No… not at all. I knew all this, and yet…

“Tsumiki-san… I might be a shallow person,” I said, my tone quiet and calm. “I might be chasing Satsuki… not because I actually loved her… maybe because I knew she could never be mine.”

The realization struck me way harder than the punch from that bastard two days ago.

I… couldn’t believe myself.

I have always been a loser, haven’t I?

“Kazuki-kun…” Suddenly, my hand was wrapped by an unfamiliar but comforting warmth before she added,

“You are no longer trapped by her, are you?”

I turned toward Tsumiki-san and said, “I-I don’t know my feelings anymore… I don’t know what I feel toward Satsuki… my head is going blank.”

My voice shook, my head throbbed. Guilt overwhelmed me, and so did anger.

So many years wasted because of her.

I never made friends, fought with so many because of her, never tried dating anyone because she always kept returning to me… but all this time, I was nothing but a toy in her eyes.

“It’s okay, Kazuki-kun.” My eyes widened as Tsumiki-san suddenly pressed my head against her chest, and while rubbing my back gently, she said, “Don’t worry… I am here for you now.”

My heart trembled and I couldn’t bring myself to say anything nor resist the hug.

What I failed to notice in that moment was those same hazelnut eyes I always get lost in, being completely blank when she said that.

In that moment, all I could feel was the comfort she was providing me.