You Were Stolen from Me, so I Will Live for Myself - Chapter 3

The Beginning of a Misunderstanding

A family restaurant late at night.

Scattered on the table are notebooks and workbooks covered in red pen.

“Just a little more…! Let’s solve one more problem!”

“Ugh, can’t we take a break already…?”

Yuki and I are studying hard for our entrance exams. With the shared goal of getting into our dream university, we push ourselves to keep going no matter how tired we are.

“Look, here! You used the wrong formula.’

“Eh? No way…ah, you’re right.”

Yuki lets out a small and troubled laugh as she erases her mistake with an eraser.

“But you know, studying together like this is actually kind of fun.”

“…yeah. It’ll be awesome if we both pass the entrance exam.”

“Yeah! We’ll definitely pass together!”

We promised each other that we will go to the same university together.

No matter how tough it is, we keep encouraging each other and stay focus on our studies.

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“…there it is, there it is!! I passed!!!”

Yuki said so excitedly.

“Me too…! I also passed!”

We burst into joy and hug each other.

“We did it! We’re going to the same university!”

“I’m really glad we worked so hard for this.”

“Yeah…!”

Seeing Yuki smiling with teary eyes, my heart is filled with happy emotions. After the long hours of studying for the entrance exam, we finally secured our future together.

At that time, we had no doubts at all. We were just happy to be together.

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When we first entered university, Yuki and I are indeed a lovey-dovey couple.

“Hey, let’s check out the clubs together!”

“I can just join whichever club you want to join.”

“No! You have to choose too!”

We hold hands and laugh as we walk across campus together. We talk about all sorts of little things like, what classes to take, and what kind of people we hope to befriend.

Stepping further beyond our high school relationship, we want to support each other in this new university environment as well.

“We’ll always be together, right?”

“Of course, Yuki.”

I believed that without a single doubt in my mind.

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However, once university life begins, things slowly start to change.

At first, we still kept in touch with each other every day, took classes together, and did our assignments together at cafés, just like always. However, as time passes, I start to notice something different about Yuki’s behaviour.

“I’m having a seminar party with my friends tonight, so I’ll be home late.”

“I see. See you tomorrow then.”

Conversations like this becomes more and more frequent.

Of course, I’m also making new friends and enjoying university life.

However, the time I spend with Yuki start to get less and less.

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“Hey, do you want to go on a date this weekend?”

“Sorry, I have a meeting with a Senpai from my seminar about an assignment this weekend…”

“I see…then maybe next week?”

“Yeah, I think that’s probably fine.”

‘Probably’…

That word bothers me.

The old Yuki would’ve made an effort to adjust her schedule for our dates. But now, she is prioritizing her seminar and friends over me.

I understand that university life is busy. However, our relationship has become less of a priority for Yuki without me realizing it.

I keep worrying about it for some time.

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One day, after class, I happen to see Yuki in the campus courtyard.

She is laughing and talking with some guys I don’t know. The moment I see that, a dull pain runs through my chest.

…she doesn’t smile like that to me anymore, does she?

It feels like my existence is slowly fading away from her mind.

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“You seem pretty busy lately.”

That night, I finally gather the courage to say it to Yuki.

“Yeah, I’m sorry, but I just really don’t have the time.”

“…I know.”

Even when I say so, the worries in my heart just won’t go away.

Even though I love her, we don’t have the time to see each other.

Even though I love her, we don’t have the time to talk to each other.

That was the beginning of our misunderstanding.