The Reason Why I was Cheated on By My Girlfriend - Chapter 52 ~END

The Continuation of First Love (2)

Haru’s POV

I grab Yua’s wrist and walk home.

Meanwhile, I’m desperately trying to hold back my tears.

Ever since that day, that moment, I’ve been wavering.

Even after I resolved to truly end my first love, I was easily heartbroken when Yua told me that she would end her life.

Today, I was shown the answer.

On the day it all began, I ran away.

That was the worst. That’s the beginning of all my mistakes.

I should’ve separated them and force Yua to listen to me.

Then, I should’ve told Yua what I was thinking, what I wanted.

In the end, there’s no other way.

Delaying a decision based on the other person’s reaction will only make me feel more miserable.

We arrive in front of Yua’s house.

I let go of Yua’s hand and say.

“Get changed and meet up with me.”

I won’t run away anymore. I won’t hesitate.

“Then, we go to a hotel.”

“No.”

Yua shakes her head.

“You promised.”

“…I don’t want to do this.”

Hearing that voice makes my resolve waver once again.

I bite my lip and face Yua.

“Having sex to end a relationship…and then telling your current girlfriend about it…”

“…Kaguya said it’s fine for me to choose both of you.”

“Then let’s do that. Don’t say we have to end it!”

“…I can’t do that.”

“Why!?”

On that day, I won’t deny that my heart wavers when I heard Kaguya’s suggestion.

However, what I truly felt that day is—pathetic.

I hate myself for making Kaguya say that.

And more than anything—

The kiss that night melted everything away.

The impure relationship I have with Yua was overwritten by that one moment.

“Yua, listen.”

“No. I don’t want to hear it.”

“I’m not saying that she should cut ties or anything like that. We’re just going back to being normal childhood friends.”

“We can’t go back! It’s too late now!”

Yua shouted so in a sorrowful voice.

“Even if I have sex with Haru-kun with these feelings, it’ll just be painful!”

“…then, should we stop?”

Yua’s expression distorts.

“Then you’re just going to keep kissing me every day with those feelings?”

“…yeah, I guess that’s better.”

“My feelings towards Kaguya won’t change.”

“What about Kaguya-chan? How long will she be able to forgive Haru-kun for kissing me every day?”

I take a deep breath.

“When that happens, I’ll take responsibility and die.”

Yua is shocked.

“Decide. Either keep your promise and go back to being normal childhood friends, or kill me.”

“…that’s not fair.”

Yua collapses to her knees.

“…No. I don’t want that, Haru-kun.”

She looks at me with pleading eyes.

“Yua.”

I call her name and kneel down on the ground.

“I’ve always loved you.”

“……”

I wonder when did I become aware of my feelings?

Many years have passed since then…I never imagined I’d have to confess my feelings this way.

“So please. I don’t want to hate you, Yua.”

Yua stays silent and doesn’t say anything.

“……”

After a brief moment, Yua opens her mouth slightly, then a faint smile appears on her face.

“Ah, I guess I’ve been rejected.”

That one sentence is enough for me to understand Yua’s feelings.

“…you can’t do that Haru-kun. Even though you have a girlfriend, you were going to have sex with another girl.”

I search for words.

“Don’t say anything.”

“……”

She turns her back to me and takes a deep breath.

“Promise me. From tomorrow, let’s go back to how things were.”

Her voice is trembling.

“However, don’t get the wrong idea.”

Even though I can’t see her face, I know what she is about to say.

“I’m not giving up.”

She turns around.

“If you get into a fight with Kaguya-chan, I’ll steal you away from her immediately.”

Then she shows me the smile I love so much.

“It’s going to be a piece of cake.”

“……”

“Hey, what are you doing? Come on, let’s get going.”

“……”

“Kaguya-chan is probably feeling really anxious right now.”

“……”

“Or maybe, I’m better for you after all?”

Just like always. Just like before.

Yua is trying to keep her promise now.

“Honestly, I’m a little touched.”

I said so jokingly.

“I see. Then, from now on, I’ll go with this route.”

“What do you mean, route?”

“Stealing Haru-kun From Kaguya-chan Route.”

“…should I tell Kaguya that?”

“Ahaha, maybe not. But this is just my normal self now.”

An awkward conversation.

“…it’s been a while since I last cooked dinner. I’ll cook something tonight.”

“Wow, that’s unusual. Then, I’d like to request curry.”

“Sweet or spicy?”

“Sweet.”

“Hmm—spicy it is.”

That’s the end of the conversation.

I turn around and walk towards to where Kaguya is.

My steps feel heavy.

My worries won’t go away.

In the end, I have done nothing.

With Kaguya pushing me forwards, Yua finally backs off.

I want to be stronger.

For the first time in my life, I truly feel that way.

If I were stronger, this situation would have been resolved more smoothly.

I wouldn’t have had to experience such bittersweet feelings.

So…I’m going to let it all out here and now.

—first love that never comes true.

Phrases like this is often used in romance novels.

But I think it’s a bit different.

Like or hate.

Boyfriend or girlfriend.

Love or marriage.

That’s not the only outcome of first love.

Life isn’t just a simple choice between being with someone you love or not.

“……”

After getting far enough from Yua, I let out a deep sigh.

Then immediately, I take a deep breath, turning my inexpressible emotions into a shout.

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

Yua’s POV

“…ah, what a waste.”

If I had been a little more persistent, I could have gotten Haru-kun’s first time.

“…I can’t bring myself to do that, not after he said that.”

—I don’t want to hate you, Yua.

“…unrequited love, huh?”

I can’t accept it.

Even though we both have feelings for each other, we can’t be together.

“…that’s not fair.”

Haru-kun is sneaky.

But Kaguya-chan is even sneakier.

I can’t compete with her.

After this whole thing, I truly feel that way.

“…I’m looking forward to the curry.”

I’ve hardly ever eaten anything spicy.

When Haru-kun cooks, it’s always sweet.

I want to go back to those days.

Even if it means being cursed to never be with Haru-kun…I want to go back to those days.

“…no, I don’t want this. Haru-kun.”

Tears start to flow down my cheeks.

“…don’t go. Choose me.”

He won’t hear me anyway.

So, I’ll let it all out now.

And then…from tomorrow, everything will go back to how it was.

“……”

I look up at the sky.

The cloudless winter sky is so beautiful, but I can’t see it clearly because of the tears in my eyes.

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

Kaguya Sakashita’s POV

—first love that never comes true.

A phrase that is often found in romance novels.

It makes me wonder.

How many people truly understand its meaning?

In romance novels, love is depicted as everything in life.

Being with the person you love is depicted as the ultimate happiness, and everything else is doesn’t matter.

However, that’s a lie.

In reality, even married couples have a 40% chance of divorcing. If you include people who avoid divorce only for their children’s sake, surely half of people won’t be able to find happiness.

The end of a romance isn’t about being with the person you love.

That’s why—

“…Haruki-san?”

Right now, I am walking home, trudging along.

When I see Haruki-san, a thought suddenly occurs to me.

I wonder if this bittersweet first love of mine—no, Yua-san’s and Haruki-san’s…will continue.

“Isn’t it too early?”

I ask, trying to put on a smile on my face.

“…no. That’s not it.”

Haruki-san places his hands on his knees, catching his breath.

Then he looks up at me and says,

“Yua has come to terms with it, and then…”

I place my index finger on his lips.

“Did you forget my deductive skills?”

“…haha, seriously? That’s incredible.”

Haruki-san came to me.

But it hasn’t even been thirty minutes since I sent him off.

I have no experience in that kind of thing, but…it can’t end that quickly.

(…Yua-san.)

I think of her name in my mind.

(…from tomorrow, we’ll be true friends.)

Then I look at Haruki-san.

He has a somehow cheerful expression on his face.

I want to kiss him right now.

To end with a happy kiss.

I want to have an epilogue like that.

“What should we do during winter break?”

“…eh?”

However…I want my story to be stranger than any novel.

“How about the three of us go stargazing next time?”

“……”

Haruki-san’s eyes widen in surprise, and then he laughs in exasperation.

“…let’s discuss that with Yua first.”

“Then, I’ll call her now.”

“No, that’s…”

“What’s wrong?”

Haruki-san sighs again.

“…you really are something, Kaguya.”

“To realize that now, you’re quite insensitive, Haruki-san.”

I take out my phone from my pocket.

“But I like that side of you too.”

Then I begin to search for my friend’s contact.

“So, I hope you’ll like this side of me as well.”

~The End~