When I Thought I Was Reborn, My Family Turned Out to Be a Huge Landmine - Chapter 39: Unrequited Love
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Chapter 39: Unrequited Love
“Well, I think… I may have spoken too harshly.”
“I can somewhat understand your feelings, though.”
Asakura-san had gone far away, and her figure was no longer visible. The fact that Nii-san was here meant, in essence, that he had followed Asakura-san.
“Nii-san, you seem to have taken a liking to Asakura-san, despite everything.”
“Did it seem that way?”
“Sort of.”
Thinking about it more carefully, recently, it really seemed like Nii-san was only bringing Asakura-san along. A few years ago, there were shadows of various women around him… Considering that, it’s not conclusive, but maybe Asakura-san is different from other women for Nii-san.
Nii-san sighed and, staring in the direction where Asakura-san likely disappeared, he began to speak.
“Originally, I guess I had a hand in getting her interested. Despite being a student, she was happy to spend money on someone like me… Even when I pointed that out, she only said it was because she liked me. Anyway, I messed around with her even though she had a boyfriend, and she accepted my advances even though she was taken. Well, it’s just a story of us both being nothing but scum.”
…It might have been the first time I saw Nii-san laugh so weakly. Well, perhaps it’s true that both Nii-san’s and Asakura-san’s actions could be seen as scummy. Being unable to choose one and opting for both, I might be in the same category.
Yet, even so, I wanted to convey this to Nii-san.
“Do what you like, Nii-san. No one really knows what’s right and what’s not. So, move in a way you won’t regret… It’s similar to what you told me before, but I’ll say it as it is.”
“Jeez, you say it so easily.”
“Didn’t you say it easily when I was the one in trouble?”
“You little…”
He roughly ruffled my hair. Laughing beside me, Arika and I saw off Nii-san, who had returned to his usual self. Now, I’m curious about how those two will end up… But all we can do is hope for a better outcome.
“Hey, Ren-kun?”
“Yeah?”
“Is Ryo-san sometimes harsh towards women because… No, never mind.”
“Okay.”
“Yeah.”
After that, we resumed our after-school date. We had limited time, so we just strolled around, looking at shops and going in if one caught our interest. As we left a clothing store, we saw an energetic man selling taiyaki. I hadn’t planned to buy any, but our eyes met, and he looked at me as if begging me to buy.
“Can’t help it.”
I wondered if he wasn’t selling much. Buying two taiyakis wouldn’t make much of a difference. After buying them and receiving a loud thank you, I returned to Arika.
“Ahaha, that guy is still waving. He must be really happy.”
“Yeah… No one else was buying. Maybe it’s not good?”
“Let’s find out. Let’s try it right there.”
Arika pointed to a bench where we sat down and tried the taiyaki… Yeah, it’s actually quite good.
“It’s tasty, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. Let’s wave back to him.”
When the man selling taiyaki looked our way, we waved to indicate how delicious it was. He smiled happily and showed us more taiyaki, as if asking if we wanted to buy more. Of course, both Arika and I shook our heads at the same time, signaling ‘no thanks’.
“Oh, he looks disappointed.”
The taiyaki seller’s shoulders slumped, but he soon got busy with another customer. Arika was still eating, but having finished, I looked up at the sky to pass the time… and, at the worst possible moment, my stomach growled loudly.
“…Uh. Sorry, Arika, I need to step away for a bit.”
“? What’s up… Fufu, okay.”
I had hoped Arika wouldn’t notice because she was still eating, but she’s too perceptive. Should I be grateful or sad about that? Either way, I need to hurry and get back. I quickly headed to the restroom, feeling Arika’s gaze on my back.
“…He was probably trying to subtly say he needed to go to the restroom.”
Arika chuckled to herself, her intuition about Ren being spot-on. Now, with Ren gone to the restroom, she was alone for a while. Eating the taiyaki Ren had bought, Arika waited for him to return.
“Waiting for Ren-kun to come back is really a happy time in its own way.”
Until not so long ago, a relationship like this was nothing more than a dream for her. She could imagine a romantic life with Ren in her fantasies, but when faced with reality, all that was left was loneliness. But now, things are different… Truly being Ren’s girlfriend, she knows he’ll always come back to her. Just that thought alone made Arika happy.
“…Ehehe.”
Suddenly laughing alone might seem creepy to some, but when a beautiful girl like Arika does it, the scene becomes picturesque. Men walking by themselves, and even those with their girlfriends, couldn’t help but have their gaze drawn to Arika, causing some to step on their partner’s feet.
Despite attracting such attention, Arika’s mind was filled only with thoughts of Ren.
“It was delicious. Thank you for the treat.”
After finishing the taiyaki and disposing of the wrapper in a nearby trash can, something happened.
“…Yumeno?”
“Huh?”
Startled, Arika looked up upon hearing her name. There stood a group of about four boys, roughly her age. They were wearing a different uniform, so probably students from another high school, but knowing her name meant they recognized Arika.
Unlike Ren, who had smooth, flowing hair, the boy who called out Arika’s surname had his hair stiff with wax, styled to look cool. She had seen him somewhere before… and then Arika remembered.
“…Izumi-kun.”
Izumi, the boy addressed, smiled happily. Unlike Izumi, Arika clicked her tongue softly, but no one heard it.
“We haven’t met since graduation… You’ve become, well, more beautiful.”
“We go to different schools, after all.”
She never said thank you.
Yes, Izumi was a classmate from middle school. Arika had thought they would never meet again after graduation, but in a city this large, coincidences do happen.
“Are you alone?”
“Do I need to tell you?”
“…”
Arika’s response wasn’t sharp, but it was clear she had no interest, which made Izumi bite his lip. He knew why she was acting this way… because once, he had bothered Arika. Moreover, Izumi was among those who got tangled with Ren when he came to Arika’s rescue.
The other boys, sensing the tension between Arika and Izumi, guessed something was up. But given Arika’s exceptional beauty, it wasn’t long before one of the boys tried to strike up a conversation.
“Wow, Izumi, you know such a cute girl? Hey, if it’s okay, could I get your phone number―”
A sharp, piercing gaze stopped the boy in his tracks. Like a frog being stared down by a snake, he swallowed his words and stepped back.
Seeing Arika’s expression, Izumi wondered if this was really the same Arika he knew. The Arika he remembered was plain and timid. However… Izumi had once seen her. That moment in middle school, when a rain-soaked Arika was drying her face with a towel… her hidden beauty was revealed.
(…That’s right. Since then, I…)
He had been concerned about Arika. However, he couldn’t bring himself to take any action, and days of teasing Arika just continued. But then, one day, Arika changed. She transformed into a beautiful girl, leaving no trace of her once plain appearance, surprising everyone in the class. Not just Izumi, but everyone started to notice the real Arika, and this made him anxious… and then, just like that, their middle school days ended.
“You know… I actually―”
Just as Izumi was about to confess his feelings, Arika suddenly smiled. Not just Izumi, but the other boys blushed at her smile. But he understood immediately… unfortunately. That smile wasn’t meant for him.
“You’re late, Ren-kun!”
“Sorry, sorry. It was tougher than I thought… Who’s this?”
“A classmate from middle school.”
“I see.”
To Izumi, Ren was just a guy who appeared out of nowhere, but to Arika, he was the beloved person she had been waiting for. That’s why their reactions were so different. Fortunately, neither Ren nor Izumi recognized each other from that time.
“A reunion after a long time, huh? Do you want to chat for a bit?”
“No way. We’re on a date, let’s go quickly, okay?”
“…Well, if Arika says so.”
Arika, eager to continue their date, pulled Ren’s arm. Ren was dear to her, but the mention of a date made Izumi unable to hide his agitation, his voice rising with unease.
“Wait, Yumeno! What do you mean by ‘date’…?”
Turning to these words, Arika responded with an even lovelier smile than before.
“A date is a date. With my wonderful boyfriend, Ren-kun.”
“Wha…!”
Izumi instinctively reached out his arm, but Arika had already started walking away with Ren. Their close, arm-in-arm posture made it clear to Izumi that these two were undoubtedly in a relationship.
Though he hadn’t seen Arika since graduating from middle school, there were days he found himself reminiscing about her. Wishing for a reunion… With that hope, Izumi’s unrequited love came to an end.
“A friend from middle school, huh? I sometimes meet mine too, but everyone pretty much looks the same.”
“Fufu, it would be scary if people changed that easily.”
“The guy we just met, he hasn’t changed at all either?”
“Not at all. Yeah, he’s the same.”
“Hmm.”
“Come on, Ren-kun. We’re on a date, so let’s make sure to enjoy it!”