What's Wrong With Interfering With My Childhood Friend's Love?

Chapter 25 : Deja Vu

There should have been almost no clues linking me and Miumi together. Even if I had left some slip-ups somewhere, someone would have had to observe very carefully to notice them.

And more than anything, there was no sign that Miumi had let anything slip without my knowledge.

No way… had they suspected us from the very beginning?

“So, it really is as I thought.”

“When did you start suspecting us?”

“Perhaps when I tailed Miumi-san recently?”

“Don’t just casually admit to stalking.”

“That day, it was raining. You must have some idea, right, Kaidou-kun?”

“Rain…? Ah.”

Thinking about the rain, something did come to mind.

It was that rainy day—when that guy tried to hit on Miumi.

By then, it was already dark, and I hadn’t thought any other students would still be around.

“I don’t usually do such things.”

“Then why did you tail her?”

“During the student council meeting, Miumi-san received a call and rushed out in a hurry. Naturally, I could assume she was being picked up by someone, couldn’t I?”

“I see. And then I showed up.”

That’s right… That day, Miumi answered my call and quickly hung up.

Combining that with what I learned today, she must have hung up and left the area to prevent anyone around her from noticing her natural personality and speech. Which means… of all people, Amagishi was there at that time.

No, thinking about it rationally, that was only natural.

After all, Miumi was in the middle of student council duties. As the president, it wouldn’t be strange for the vice president, Amagishi, to be by her side.

Why hadn’t I realized it sooner…? I had been too preoccupied with other things.

“…Even though you already knew it was me, you still accepted today’s meetup?”

“It’s precisely because I knew. I’m not so easily swayed just because Chiya-san came along.”

“Then why—”

“Before we go any further, if you insist on pretending to be a stranger, then I won’t ask anything more.”

“What?! You’re really okay with that…? Even after going out of your way to talk with me alone? Not that I’m complaining.”

“I can’t force Miumi-san to answer when I haven’t even gotten her permission.”

Her reasoning was oddly convenient for me. Could it be that she had already achieved her goal?

“…Fine, then don’t ask. So, what is your goal?”

“I simply wanted to confirm the truth. Since you’re not even dating, there’s nothing more to concern myself with.”

“…Wait, hold on. Did you agree to this meetup just to find out if Aihara-san and I were in a relationship?”

I deliberately referred to Miumi as “Aihara-san,” but Amagishi didn’t react at all. It seemed she truly didn’t know anything beyond the fact that Miumi and I were acquainted.

Which meant she had questioned me because she couldn’t ask Miumi directly.

If she were to confront Miumi, she ran the risk of being exposed as a stalker and getting disliked by her. And if our relationship was something delicate, she had to tread carefully.

“To be honest, that was my assumption from the start.”

“You’re serious?”

“And yet, Kaidou-kun, you’re still only focused on Suisei-san.”

“Wait, that part was obvious to you?”

“Thanks to that, I was completely let down.”

If she had been observing me closely, then of course she would have noticed that much. But I wish she wouldn’t say it like she was disappointed. I was serious about this.

“That being said… is that why you weren’t particularly cautious when Aihara-san and I paired up?”

“Yes. I even suggested that the winning pair should go on a date—because I was suspicious.”

“That’s ruthless. But what about Kozuka-san?”

“Nico-san? Why are you bringing up her name?”

“In the end, that pair won, but even if you were suspicious of me and Miumi, didn’t you think about Kozuka-san at all?”

She had maintained her composed expression the whole time, but was she really not worried? If Suisei and Akihito had paired up, I would have never accepted it.

That suggestion was strangely out of character for Amagishi, who was usually obsessed with girls.

“Oh my, how kind of you to be concerned about Nico-san. As expected.”

“I wasn’t looking for praise… but anyway?”

“It was also meant as a form of tough love for Nico-san.”

“Tough love?”

“As you’ve seen, she’s bad with men.”

“Well, that much is obvious.”

“I’ve been supporting her in getting used to them for some time now. And Akito-kun… is suitable for that, don’t you think?”

So she had planned to use Akito’s communication skills. Even if it was for the sake of her friend’s future, doing something that went against her own affections was quite ruthless.

No… perhaps that, too, was a form of love.

Even though there was a good chance that Kozuka-san would hate it, I didn’t sense any malice from Amagishi. In other words, it was twisted love.

“You’re ruthless… so, ‘tough love,’ huh?”

“I’m thinking about the long run. If she keeps avoiding it just because she doesn’t like it, it will only make things worse.”

“That’s a harsh reality.”

“I never expected her to fall for him so quickly, though.”

“That was totally unexpected, wasn’t it?”

“…Indeed. And yet, you used the phrase ‘tough love’—that’s quite unusual.”

“Oh?”

“Miumi-san as well, but Nico, due to her nature, is ignorant of love. I knew that, and yet… in the end, was it all just for my own sake?”

If you shower someone who doesn’t understand love with affection, it will only cause them pain.

Amagishi seemed to be realizing, too late, that she had been acting for her own satisfaction.

Was she playing on words, using “whip” and “ignorance” as a pun…? If that was her attempt at humor, she really had no sense for it.

What caught my attention was that Miumi was the same. What did she mean by Miumi’s ‘nature’? The way she acted sometimes did seem different from the Miumi I knew… Could it be that, because of her purity, there was something she was lacking?

“Well, if you truly meant to respect your friends, I think that’s fine.”

“Are you pitying me?”

“No. If you think it was a mistake, then just improve next time.”

“…Does that logic also apply to your approach to Suisei-san?”

“Oof, that one stings. Let’s just forget that.”

“Oh, I won’t. I’ll take it as encouragement from the goddess herself.”

She really didn’t want to acknowledge that it came from me. Well, if she were too straightforward, that wouldn’t be like her.

“Sigh… today has been exhausting.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“When those guys bothered us, did I seem powerless to you?”

“……”

“They underestimated me just because I’m small… That’s why I act the way I do.”

“…I didn’t think you were powerless, but I get it.”

She probably didn’t need empty sympathy, but I still wanted to show that I understood. If she was willing to share such feelings with someone she didn’t even like, then I had no complaints.

Besides, I had my own experiences with that sort of thing. Those kinds of wounds never fully heal.

Though, I was surprised to learn that Amagishi had been carrying such thoughts.

“Of course, I’m used to it by now.”

“Then that’s good.”

“Well… not everything is as it seems. Especially with you, Kaidou-kun… since you haven’t realized.”

“Huh? Realized what? That’s too vague.”

“Ah, don’t mind it. Just talking to myself.”

I had no idea what she meant, but it was probably something I didn’t need to know.

I had no reason to doubt the words of Amagishi who had just opened up her heart.

And so, our conversation concluded.

But then, I turned to Nico-san.

“Kozuka-san, are you, by any chance, the virtual streamer called Rinrin?”