The Handsome Boy I Saved from Getting Beaten on the Train… Turned Out to Be the “Prince” of an All-Girls School - V1 Chapter 32: It Hurts So Much, I Don’t Know What to Do…

Chapter 32: It Hurts So Much, I Don’t Know What to Do…

“She’s not coming again today… That Wimpy Prince…”

“Yeah…”

Monday passed.

Then Tuesday.

And now it was Wednesday.

Just like the last few mornings, the only one who came by my house to walk to school was Rinna.

“I was planning to apologize properly, but she just had to go and disappear on us…”

Even though she grumbled like usual, Rinna looked down with a troubled expression,

Her eyes drifting toward the paper bag in her hand that she still hadn’t managed to give away.

It was probably a gift meant as an apology.

Back then, when Rinna tried to take off Rei’s leggings,

It really wasn’t out of malice.

But in the end, she had stepped right into a place Rei didn’t want touched—

And now, Rei was avoiding both of us.

That fact alone weighed heavily on both our hearts.

“Any replies on your phone?”

“Not a single one. It’s like she’s vanished. Even when I message her first, she leaves me on read.”

I responded to Rinna’s question with a helpless shrug.

Lately, Rei had been texting constantly—during breaks, at night, even on weekends.

But now… silence.

“Don’t tell me that Wimpy Prince is planning to just fade out of our lives completely…”

“I don’t know… but… if that’s what Rei really wants…”

Wham!!

“Ow! Don’t just smack me in the head out of nowhere, Rinna!”

“Idiot Saito.”

“Why’d I get hit just now!?”

“I hit you on behalf of the late Wimpy Prince.”

“…Seriously? But you’re the one who said it’d be better if I gradually faded out of Rei’s life—so she wouldn’t be reminded of that assault incident.”

“That was back when I barely knew her. And besides, I don’t want it to end like this. Winning this way just feels awful…”

Oh yeah…

That whole athletic field showdown was supposed to settle who was the better girl between Rei and Rinna.

“Well, the match never finished, right? So technically, you didn’t win.”

“If the Wimpy Prince disappears from your life, then that’s a win for me.”

“Why am I the one deciding the outcome here?”

“Because…! Ugh, shut up! Anyway, if I win because I pulled some cheap move, my pride won’t let me accept it!”

It was clear she was trying to cover something up.

But still, Rinna genuinely seemed worried about Rei.

And maybe… as her friend, this was where I should step in too.

“Alright. Then let’s go ask her directly.”

With that, I made up my mind—

And gave Rinna my answer.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“We’re getting stared at… a lot.”

“Well, yeah. Two students from another school standing around outside the gates definitely draws attention.”

After school, Rinna and I had come to the front gate of Eio Girls’ High.

Luckily, our school had shortened classes today, so we managed to catch their dismissal time.

“I hope this doesn’t turn into a situation like when Eiji and the others came to our school… What if one of their teachers comes out?”

“If you were standing here alone, Saito, you definitely would’ve been reported by now. But since you’ve got a beautiful girl like me by your side, it softens the ‘suspicious person’ vibe. You’re welcome.”

…She’s not wrong.

A lone guy loitering around an elite girls’ school gate definitely raises red flags.

But then…

“Uh, Rinna… then why are you clinging to my arm?”

Just like in the mornings, she had looped her arm around mine—and wasn’t letting go.

“Simple. If we look like a couple, you come off even less suspicious. This time, the story is: we’re childhood friends—close but not dating—visiting a classmate from our old middle school. Got it?”

“Wait, do we really need that much backstory…? And do I really look that suspicious to begin with?”

Seriously, Rinna keeps throwing the word “suspicious” around way too much.

…Should I be styling my hair more? Fixing my eyebrows or something?

“Well, okay—I lied about the suspicious person thing.”

“You lied!?”

“I just wanted to lighten the mood a little, so I was teasing you, Saito.”

“What the heck… Wait, lighten the mood? You were nervous, Rinna?”

Rinna—the same girl who freezes out any guy who tries to talk to her with that icy glare—nervous?

It’s almost summer’s end… but at this rate, it’s going to snow tomorrow.

“You were thinking something rude just now, weren’t you?”

“How did you know!?”

As usual, Rinna could read my mind like a book.

“I mean… it’s scary, you know? What if I try to apologize and she won’t even hear me out…”

“Huh. So even you get anxious about that.”

“Of course I do. I’m used to getting rejected, or hurting guys who confess to me and having them hate me for it. But at least I always knew that was the cleanest way to end things for both of us.”

“Yeah…”

So that’s why Rinna always seemed cold toward anyone who approached her.

She’d rather make herself the villain than let things drag on and hurt someone more in the long run.

“But this time… I just ended up hurting her. And that’s what makes it so hard to bear…”

“Rinna…”

I noticed Rinna’s hand—still holding onto my arm—was trembling slightly.

She’d been acting tough, but deep down, it was eating her up.

“It’s okay, Rinna.”

“Saito…”

As I gently placed my hand over her trembling one,

I did my best to reassure her, to give her a little bit of courage.

“I’ll be right here next to you, Rinna. Always.”

Making up with someone you hurt…

It’s scary.

So scary, you just want to run away.

But even if you run, the regret will follow.

You’ll keep asking yourself, What if I’d just done this instead…?

With my parents, I think parting ways was inevitable.

And yet—even now—I sometimes wonder.

If only I’d done things differently…

That’s why… I can’t run away this time.

I won’t let Rinna carry the same kind of regret.

“Grabbing your anxious female friend’s hand in the heat of the moment, huh? Smooth move, Saito. Not bad for a virgin.”

“What!? That has nothing to do with anything! And don’t go throwing dirty jokes around in front of an elite girls’ school!”

Rinna gave me her usual deadpan stare and lewd jab, and I instantly pulled my hand away in a panic.

Close one…

I almost got carried away with my own emotions.

“…But still… thanks. For giving me the push.”

“O-Oh…”

Rinna turned her face away, probably trying to hide her embarrassment.

Now I was seriously starting to worry…

Was this girl really going to manage a proper apology to Rei?

“Ah! The Wimpy Prince just came out. But…”

“You’re right. Still surrounded by her usual fangirls… Wait—what is she wearing?”

It didn’t take long to spot Rei in the crowd heading our way from the front gates.

She stood out, as always.

But the moment we got a good look at her outfit, both Rinna and I instinctively held our breath.

She was dressed exactly like the first time we met—

A hoodie under her school blazer, the pants version of the uniform, and a black face mask.