The Reason Why I was Cheated on By My Girlfriend - Chapter 48

Go Over the Answer

Kaguya Sakashita’s POV

The presentations are all over now.

The results will be announced on Monday next week.

The prize for the winning team will also be announced at the same time.

The students start to leave one by one, some head home, some go to their club activities, and some are organizing after-parties.

In the past, I would have undoubtedly gone straight home.

However, right now, Haruki-san is taking me to join an after-party which is being held in the classroom.

It’s as noisy as a zoo.

They are talking at their top of their lungs about their impressions of the presentations, what last year’s prizes were, and other such things. It’s as if they are competing with each other.

I’m hiding behind Haruki-san’s back, listening to it all.

Honestly, I’d prefer to have a conversation with Haruki-san alone, or rather, I want to protest with all my might about that unforgiveable act.

I still can’t believe he showed that scene of me imitating a cat during our presentation practice to everyone.

However, I don’t have the courage to pull him away as he is surrounded by many of his friends.

Well actually, I’m surrounded too.

I’m in an absolutely dire situation.

(…how did it come to this?)

I really don’t understand.

Haruki-san, why…I’m sure there must be a reason why he dragged me along here, but I have no idea.

(…I hope it will end soon.)

Loneliness is a strange thing, the closer you get to someone, the lonelier you feel.

So, I keep clinging onto his back and trying to get his attention.

However, he is so absorbed in his conversation with his friends that he doesn’t even turn around.

(…could it be that I’ve done something to upset him?)

After my jealousy and anger has subsided, anxiety begins to arise.

Negative thoughts start to come onto my mind one after another.

It feels like I’m sinking to the bottom of a deep sea, gradually I can’t hear the sounds around me.

Perhaps, if I just continue to sink like this endlessly…

“Hey, Haru-kun. Kaguya-nyan is acting like a cat you just brought home.”

Yua-san suddenly said so.

(……?)

The classroom is still noisy.

But it feels like the sound suddenly stopped around us.

I timidly look up.

Unknown faces. We are attracting a lot of attention.

I suddenly feel scared and look down again.

Immediately afterwards, Haruki-san who is in front of me, moves.

I look at his face.

After showing a gentle smile, he gently grabs my shoulder and pulls me close towards him.

“My girlfriend is the cutest in the world, right?”

What are you suddenly saying!?

I screamed so in my mind.

Why did Haruki-san suddenly say such thing? Moreover, we’re in front of Yua-san…!

“You’re bragging, aren’t you~?”

A male student I don’t know nudges Haruki-san and says so.

“But seriously, I was so surprised! That video was really out-of-character for Sakshita-san!”

A female student I don’t know looks at me and said so.

As I struggle to respond, she continues with a cheerful expression on her face.

“Are you always Kaguya-nyan in front of Ogura-kun?”

“……”

I bite my lip and look at Haruki-san for help.

It has been a while since someone talked to me like this.

I think the last time was when I was in my early grades of elementary school.

I have no idea how to respond.

“Ahaha, looks like you’re scaring her.”

A male student I don’t know said so to the girl.

“Ehh~ That’s not true, right?”

She quickly retorted.

I’m confused, looking back and forth between her and Haruki-san.

“Both of you, that’s enough.”

It’s Yua-san who comes to my rescue.

“Kaguya-chan doesn’t like being called that, so please stop.”

“Really? Is that so?”

“Yeah. She really went out of her way for the presentation, you know.”

Yua-san narrows her eyes for a brief moment, it’s as if she is scolding Haruki-san for not helping me.

“Then what should I call you? What about Kaguya-chan?”

“No, that’s not okay. You can start with Sakashita-san first.”

“No, no, hold on, Yua. What do you think, Kaguya-chan?”

The conversation is moving quickly.

She is looking at me with expectant eyes, but I need her to wait.

(…normally, I should be able to respond without hesitation.)

My heart is beating really fast.

I’ve never experienced such tension before.

“……”

She is staring at me.

The others are also waiting in silence as if they are waiting for my response.

There is no malice at all.

There is only 100% kindness.

However…that’s exactly why it’s difficult.

I have very little experience dealing with this kind of kindness.

“…feel free to call me whatever you like.”

After taking a full minute to sort out my feelings, I muttered so in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.

“Yay! I’m Narumi. So, call me Narumi, okay?”

The girl said so with a childlike smile on her face.

“Well then, I’ll also call you Kaguya-chan—”

“You’re not allowed.”

“Haruki!? Why!?”

The noisy atmosphere continues.

Towards the end, with Yua’s guidance, I get the chance to talk with the other girls.

It’s a very strange time.

For some reason, I’m in that group that I always watched from afar.

I’m really confused the whole time.

And before I knew it, it’s time to head home.

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

Right now, I am walking side by side with Haruki-san.

Haruki-san’s home is actually in a different direction from mine.

But he has been walking me home lately.

Of course I’m very happy.

Although I still have a few questions in my mind, there was never a pause in our conversation.

But today, I can’t speak at all.

Because, I’m completely drained.

Twenty months have passed since I became a high school student, but the time I spent talking to my classmates just now was longer than the total time I’d spent talking to them up until yesterday.

I glanced to the side.

Haruki-san, who has a somewhat satisfied expression on his face, notices my gaze and stops walking.

“…shall we go over the answer?”

After a brief pause, Haruki-san said so.

“…go over the answer?”

I asked so. Normally, I’m sure I would be able to figure it out with a little thought.

But today, I can’t even come up with the idea of thinking.

“Well, umm…how was it?”

Haruki-san said so, looking embarrassed.

I tilt my head, not understanding what he’s talking about at all.

Haruki also tilts his head, looking puzzled.

“……?”

“……??”

Both of us have blank expressions on our faces.

It’s so funny to me that I shake my shoulders in laughter.

“I have no idea what Haruki-san is talking about.”

Perhaps because of the laugh, my thoughts immediately start working again.

By answer, Haruki-san must mean promise.

I think about why Haruki-san has suddenly become so kind to me, and Haruki-san thinks about what would make me happy.

In other words, he has created that moment earlier just to make me happy.

“I think that was a very cruel form of harassment.”

I said so clearly.

But I’m sure neither of us understands what I actually mean.

“I told you I don’t like being called that, didn’t I?”

“…I’m sorry about that.”

“Why did you do that?”

If someone just listen to my words, it would sound like I’m interrogating Haruki-san angrily.

However, the atmosphere is peaceful, and I think there is a smile on my face as well.

“Because I remembered.”

“…remembered what?”

Haruki-san looks straight into my eyes and says,

“What Kaguya asked me in the library when we first met.”

“……”

“You asked me if you should act more friendly to others. That means, you want to have friends, right?”

…I look down.

“Eh, umm? Maybe, I’m wrong?”

Haruki-san continues with a flustered voice,

“I’m sorry. I apologize if I just made you feel bad.”

I can’t lift my face.

Maybe thinking I’m angry, Haruki-san speaks even more urgently.

“But I’ll just say this. I’m serious in my own way. I was thinking about how can I show others your charm…and I thought the best way is to show them how you are when you’re relaxed, Kaguya.”

I bite my lip tightly, trying to hold back my emotions.

Seeing my reaction, Haruki-san speaks even more quickly, growing more anxious.

“When you’re reading a book, you often laugh naturally, right? You’re very expressive and don’t have a cold image at all. You are very charming and fun to be around. I thought it would be best for people to see the ‘Kaguya-nyan’ side of you…but I’m sorry. It seems like I got a but too carried away on my own…”

I clench my fist and thrust it forward.

A soft puff sound can be heard.

It’s a very weak punch to his chest.

“…Kaguya?”

I hold my breath and look up.

Haruki-san has his mouth open and his eyes wide.

Just seeing his reaction makes me realize what kind of expression I must be making.

“…!”

I run off without saying anything.

Just seeing his face for a few seconds is overwhelming.

(…why?)

This has never happened before even when I first realized I’m in love.

(…why?)

This has never happened before even when on the night of our first kiss.

(…even though we’ve done so many things together.)

Even the day after we first slept together, I was still able to have some conversation with Haruki-san.

However, right now…

(…I can’t even look straight at Haruki-san’s face!)

Not a single word would come out of me.

I run as fast as I can, trying to release the emotions I can’t understand.

But soon, my out-of-shape body quickly gives up, panting for oxygen.

I hold my bag with both hands and take a deep breath, looking up at the sky.

It’s a late afternoon in October.

The road is faintly illuminated by the setting sun.

I feel the cold breeze on my flushed cheeks.

I will never forget this.

Even ten years from now, twenty years from now, I’m sure I’ll remember this moment.

This is my first love.