You Came with the First Spring Breeze...

https://ko-fi.com/senna2003

Chapter 3: Tomoya’s Revenge – Side Story

Episode 1: The Ex-Girlfriend

“To the FamilyMart on Asakura Street, please.”

I gave the driver the address of the convenience store next to my apartment, and he nodded knowingly as the taxi pulled away.

In the side mirror, Aki grew smaller with every passing second. We turned left onto the main street, and once she was out of sight, I pulled my phone from my pocket.

There was a notification on the screen. A familiar icon from months ago had reappeared—the reason I accidentally called Aki by my ex’s name, Nao. Clicking on the notification was like opening Pandora’s box; old messages, painfully poetic and cringe-inducing in hindsight, resurfaced on the screen.

The messages had been stuck in March, but suddenly they were alive again.

Nao:
“Tomoya, I’m sorry for messaging so late, but I need to talk to you. I’m at your place right now. Looks like you’re out, so I’ll wait outside.”

Her text was as curt and impersonal as ever.

Me:
“What do you want?”

The message turned “read” almost immediately, and she replied.

Nao:
“It’s something I need to say in person. How long until you get home?”

Me:
“About five minutes.”

I watched her read the message, then put my phone back in my pocket.

Back at the oyster bar, her call had come through, but there was no way I could answer it right then. Whatever it was, I doubted it was worth hearing at this point.

A strange feeling nagged at me as I looked out at the passing city lights. Surely, she wasn’t planning to ask to get back together.

Aki’s worried face flashed briefly in my mind. What if Nao was going through something like what Aki had faced?

“We’re here at FamilyMart!” the driver called as he pulled up, pressing the meter lever down. I reached for my wallet.

“That’ll be 3,170 yen,” he said.

I paid him exactly, got out of the cab, and felt the damp night air cling to my skin.

It was just after one in the morning. The convenience store was lively despite the late hour. Modified bikes and low-riding cars, their engines rumbling obnoxiously, disturbed the quiet neighborhood.

I crossed the parking lot, heading towards my apartment. I spotted her quickly—a woman in a black sleeveless blouse and a short white skirt, sitting at the bottom of the stairs leading to my place. She had a white paper bag from a luxury brand resting on her lap. Her once-long hair was now loosely tied back, a stray curl framing her face. The dim streetlight cast a spotlight on her, my former “leading lady.”

“Nao?”

At the sound of my voice, she looked up, flashing me a small wave.

She looked thinner than I remembered, though otherwise unchanged. The only difference was our relationship.

“Have you been drinking?” she asked, peering up at me as she stood.

“Yeah,” I replied, grabbing my mail and climbing the stairs with her following close behind.

“Who were you with?” she asked, her voice echoing softly down the hall.

“Shhh,” I cautioned, putting a finger to my lips.

She nodded, covering her mouth as if to apologize.

“Does it matter? It’s none of your business now,” I said, keeping my voice low to avoid disturbing the neighbors.

She gave a slight, sad smile. “You’re right.”

The familiar hallway felt surreal, as if we had slipped back into the past. I unlocked my door and held it open for her. She walked in without hesitation, as if she owned the place.

I went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of iced tea from the fridge. “Want a drink?” I asked, to which she shook her head.

Pouring myself a glass, I asked, “So, what did you need to talk about?”

“Your place hasn’t changed much,” she said, scanning the room. Her eyes landed on the U-shaped Yogibo cushion on the bed. “You’re still using that cushion, huh?”

I removed my tie, trying to ignore her comment. “Yeah, I forgot you gave it to me.”

I sat down in my usual spot by the side table, and she took her old spot across from me. She fixed me with a steady gaze that made me uncomfortable.

“Can I stay here tonight?”

“What?” I blinked, caught off guard.

“I don’t have anywhere to go. Please, just for tonight?”

“No way. I’m seeing someone new now.”

“Me too! I have a new boyfriend,” she shot back.

“Then stay at his place.”

“He kicked me out,” she pouted, crossing her arms.

“You’re dating Mita, right?”

She nodded, looking down.

“Are you living with him?”

“Yeah, since I left here, I’ve been at his place.”

My heart twisted, recalling Mita calling Aki to meet up tonight. So that’s why Nao was kicked out? Although she seemed fine, the possibility of Mita’s unpredictable, manipulative tendencies gnawed at me.

“I think he’s cheating on me,” she said suddenly.

Cheating? He’s done much worse. Why does he feel the need to go after my ex-girlfriends? Just to spite me? My blood boiled.

“Here’s some cab fare. Just go home.”

She rolled her eyes. “Taxis are hard to get here at this hour, and it’s sketchy around here.”

“Then call one!”

“He told me not to come back tonight! I don’t have anywhere else to go. Just for one night?”

We argued back and forth until my phone vibrated, silencing us both.

The screen read Mita.

Was he calling because he knew Nao was here? What could he want with me?

“Your boyfriend’s calling. I’m answering.”

Maybe he’d finally take her back if I asked. I accepted the call.

The moment the line connected, a familiar voice shattered the silence.