You Were Stolen from Me, so I Will Live for Myself - Chapter 7

Farewell to Childhood Friend

“You’ve changed, Yuto-kun.”

After a lecture, a female friend sitting next to me suddenly said so.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, how should I put it…you seem more confident? It’s like you have more time to focus on yourself now.”

I respond with a light laugh.

I’m aware that I’ve changed. I’ve trained my body, got in shape, paid attention to my fashion, and become more proactive in conversations with people.

As a result of continuing to improve myself, the way people around me look at me has completely changed compared to before.

“Hey, do you want to go out for a drink with me sometime?”

“Yeah, sounds good. Let’s go!”

Naturally, more girls started talking to me.

Suddenly, I notice a certain gaze watching me from afar.

Yuki.

She is staring at me as I talk with another girl, it’s as if she wants to say something.

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A few days later.

“Hey, want to go on a date? It’s been a while.”

On my way home from college, Yuki suddenly calls out to me.

“A date?”

“…yeah. We haven’t really been able to see each other lately.”

I look at Yuki’s face intently.

It’s true that we never really break up. We just stopped contacting each other and grew apart.

But now, after all this time, she is asking me to go on a date with her? Why?

“Sorry, but I’m a bit busy right now.”

“Eh…?”

Yuki’s eyes widen in surprise, as if she didn’t expect that response at all.

“…I see.”

“See you next time.”

Saying so, I walk away.

I can feel Yuki’s gaze piercing me from behind.

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The next day.

When I’m having lunch in the college cafeteria, I feel someone looking at me again. When I look at the direction it’s coming from, I see Yuki looking at me. However, the moment our eyes meet, she quickly looks away.

What does she want?

Despite thinking so, I ignore it and continue chatting with my friends.

“Hey, Saki-chan said she thinks you’re really cool, Yuto. You’re really popular these days!”

“Seriously? That’s nice to hear.”

As we exchange this light-hearted conversation, I notice Yuki glancing at me again.

Could it be that she’s jealous…?

I can’t help but feel that way.

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Then, a few days later.

“Hey, can I talk to you for a bit?”

On the way home, Yuki calls out to me again.

“What is it?”

“…you’ve been kind of cold towards me lately.”

“Have I?”

“Yeah, you have. Even when I try to talk to you, it feels like you’re distancing yourself from me…”

I think for a moment before speaking.

“Yuki, how are things going with Kanzaki-senpai? Are you getting along well with him?”

“Eh…w-what do you mean?”

“Was the sex with Kanzaki-senpai good?”

“No! You’re wrong! There’s some misunderstanding!”

“Were you badmouthing me while having sex with him? Does it make things more exciting for you?”

“I didn’t do that! Please, it’s not like that…It’s just a misunderstanding…”

“A misunderstanding, huh…by the way, do you have any idea how desperate I was back then?”

“……”

“When you were avoiding me, I was thinking about you the whole time. I was desperately chasing after you with everything I had. At that time, where were you looking? Who were you spending your time with?”

“Yuto…”

“I saw you and Kanzaki-senpai went into that hotel together. At that moment, I was devastated. That’s why I stopped chasing after you, Yuki. I’ve moved on.”

“……!”

Yuki flinches, her shoulders trembling. She bites her lips as if she wants to say something. She must’ve bitten it too hard, because blood is seeping from her pink lips.

“I’m not going to live my life only looking at you anymore.”

“…that’s not fair.”

Yuki’s voice trembles.

What exactly is so unfair about this? I don’t understand her at all. Perhaps, even she herself doesn’t understand what she just said.

However, one thing is for certain, there is no going back to the past.

“This kind of relationship is meaningless. Let’s break up. Goodbye.”

Saying so, I turn my back on Yuki.

“Your lip is bleeding. Make sure to take care of it.”

I leave her with those final words and start walking away. Behind me, I hear the faint sound of her gasping.

I’m actually surprised that she doesn’t chase after me.

No, to be precise, I guess she can’t do it.

Even so, I can tell that Yuki is crying behind me.

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I feel a sense of exhilaration from deep within my heart—serves you right.

However, immediately after, I am hit with disappointment. I’m disappointed in myself because I’ve directed such feelings at my childhood friend who I’ve been with my entire life.

I feel like my self-worth has plummeted.

I know that she has done something unforgivable to me, but I didn’t have to treat her like that.

—twenty years.

The end of a relationship with someone I’ve spent almost my entire life with is just too sudden.