The Reason Why I was Cheated on By My Girlfriend - Chapter 46

Presentation Practice-Nyan

Kaguya Sakashita’s POV

Why has Haruki-san suddenly become so kind?

What could be the reason for Haruki-san to prioritize me over Yua-san?

Did they have a fight?

No, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Their relationship seems to be better than it had been last week.

Are they trying to set me up together?

No, that shouldn’t be the case either.

Yua-san might consider it, but Haruki-san would never do such a thing.

Besides, I’m sensitive to malice, so if I knew that’s the case, I wouldn’t be as troubled as I am right now.

I feel like steam is coming out of my head.

I haven’t been this troubled since I read a difficult novel as a child.

On my way to school, I sigh.

Suddenly, I see a cat out of the corner of my eye.

For some reason, our eyes meet.

The cat stares at me for a moment before meowing.

“…must be nice to be so relaxed and carefree.”

For a brief moment, I wish I could be a cat.

Indeed, I thought that, but—

“No, I absolutely don’t want to be a cat!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the afternoon classes, during the group work session.

While practicing my presentation in front of the camera, I speak out loud for the first time in a while.

“Well, I suppose that’s okay.”

Haruki-san’s voice sounds genuinely interested.

“Impossible! It would definitely create an uncomfortable atmosphere!”

I raised my voice again.

A few minutes earlier, we decided to practice the presentation as a final touch to our presentation.

We decided to record a video to see how the presentation turns out.

Although it’s a bit embarrassing, Haruki-san suggested that if the three of us review the video of ourselves speaking, we might come up with better ideas—Haruki-san’s opinion convinced me.

As a result,

“It seems that you’re a bit tense, Kaguya-chan.”

Yua-san said so.

“How about adding ‘nyan’ at the end of sentence?”

Haruki-san suggested.

“Absolutely not!”

I denied the idea, hissing like a cat.

However, Haruki-san persists.

He seems determined to turn me into a cat, no matter what.

“If you say so, then Haruki-san, you should give it a try first!”

“Sure.”

Eh?

“Yua, get the camera ready.”

“Got it.”

Huh?

“Alright, then let’s start the presentation by Team Kaguya-nyan and our delightful friends-nyan.”

“I told you to stop doing that!”

My voice cracked.

“Kaguya-nyan.”

“Yua-san!”

I raised my voice at Yua-san.

It’s really embarrassing.

To be tormented by a single mistake like this…!

“I’ve been wondering about this for a while, but why ‘Kaguya-nyan’?”

“Haruki-san!”

I said so, hoping to get an explanation from him.

When we visited the shelter cat café, I asked Haruki-san to forget it. But Yua-san said, ‘I’ve been wondering about this for a while’.

That means the topic was brought up when I wasn’t around. I’m glad that Haruki-san talked about me—but no! That’s not it!

“I don’t remember-nyan.”

“Stop messing around!”

A voice that I had never used before came out.

“I see, that’s just how Kaguya-nyan is.”

Yua-san laughs as she says so.

I fell really embarrassed.

I bite my lip and look down.

“…please forget about it.”

I take a moment to calm down.

I sort out my feelings for a moment and realize that I’m happy.

I mean, how can I not be happy?

I still have some doubts, but I’m overjoyed that Haruki-san told me ‘I love you’.

“……”

I glance at Yua-san.

There is an expression on her face that I’ve been watching from afar for so long.

In the classrooms, on the field, people in uniforms gather together, laughing and chattering over silly things.

It’s something I thought would never have anything to do with me, yet it’s right in front of me right now.

(…I want to know.)

Yua-san seems to have gotten over it somehow.

It’s so natural that it’s almost scary.

(…what kind of conversation did they have on Sunday?)

There is no way nothing happened.

They are really close with each other.

“How about a photo of Kaguya-nyan and Yua-nyan?”

“……”

Thoughts are interrupted.

I glare at Haruki-san.

“Sounds fun! Let’s try it!”

“…eh, wait a minute.”

Yua-san pulls me along.

Haruki-san holds up the camera on his smartphone.

“Well then, let’s start the presentation by Kaguya-nyan and her delightful friends-nyan!”

“I told you to stop that!”

It feels like a normal high school life.

I’m sure if I just accept it, everything will be a lot easier. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

However, I’m not an optimistic person.

There’s always a cause for every result.

Sudden happiness falling from the sky is something only found in books.

In light novels, the protagonist would surely find happiness in the end.

However, in pure literature—it’s usually a sign of great misfortune.

Which one is it?

Which one is my life?

“Kaguya-nyan, just this once! Please! Really, just once!”

“…has the purpose of this group work changed? We are practicing for our presentation, remember?”

I feel calm and excited at the same time.

“I want to see Kaguya-nyan too.”

“…come on~”

Just a few days ago, the relationship between the three of us was distorted.

However, what about now? Objectively speaking, we seem like normal high school students.

“…just once, okay?”

Yet to me, it feels even more distorted than before.

“…let’s start the presentation practice…nyan.”

“Huh!?” (Haruki)

“Hmm!?” (Yua)

“What kind of reactions are those!?”

The only thing that remains unchanged is the flowing time, leading me towards a destination that is still unseen.

This is truly a pleasant time.

While the outside me is happily chatting away, the hidden side of me, like a protagonist in a novel, continues delivering monologues deep within my heart.