Chapter 2 | Changed Heart

We arrived at the school and changed our shoes into slippers.

Then Airi started to get a little restless, so I decided to ask her what was going on.

I wanted to ignore her, but it would be very troublesome if she got into a bad mood because of it.

What a nuisance this childhood friend has become… even though just a few minutes ago we were having fun just being together.

“What’s the matter? Is there something wrong?”

“Umm, yeah… can I go… to the class next door for a bit?”

Oh, boyfriend.

You don’t have to ask my permission every time. It’s one of her bad habits to ask me everything. From now on, please don’t depend on me.

“Okay.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“Okay.”

“Then let’s go with me on the way.”

“Okay.”

I responded appropriately and walked down the hallway side by side with Airi as usual. It’s the same as yesterday, but my mood was 180 degrees different… To tell you the truth, I hate it.

In fact, I think it would be a bad idea for Ishida to see me walking with her if I don’t end this today…

If I were in the opposite situation, I would hate it to death.

Ishida is famous for being very popular with women. I don’t want such a guy to hate me, so I’ll warn Airi later.

But I don’t want to talk to him today. Let’s talk to him tomorrow.

I’m thinking about all these things, and before I know it, I’ve arrived at the classroom.

“Well then, Yuu-chan, I’ll see you later, okay?

“Yes.”

Airi walked quickly to the next classroom.

I didn’t see her off.

“Yo Yuuji! How are you? I’m fine!”

“Don’t talk to me so casually.”

“No, we’re classmates. We have a casual relationship.”

The one who is trying to get close to me is my classmate and friend, Kyosuke Usui. He dyes his hair brown. However, although he looks like a Yankee on the outside, he is a loser on the inside. He now wears an earring, but he takes it off when the teacher is nearby…

 but went into my own classroom.

I went inside my classroom and was about to take a seat when a man spoke to me.

“Yuuji, what’s going on with Himeda-san? You’re always together.”

“Oh, she went to her boyfriend.”

“Hmm?”

Then Usui started to look around.

“She’s not here?”

“I told you, she’s with her boyfriend.”

“No, you’re her boyfriend, right? You’re the one who finally started dating her, right?”

“…………”

“Seriously?…that’s not funny.”

“I’m not joking either.”

Only Usui knows that I like Airi. Usui is my best friend whom I can trust, so I have talked to him about it.

I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to do this, but I’m going to try.

“…Guzu…Yuuji…”

“Why are you crying?”

“Because you were like that…”

“Calm down! I don’t feel anything right now!”

“There’s no way you can move on that fast…”

“…That’s true, but… there’s a lot going on. I don’t dare tell you because I don’t think you’d understand if I told someone who doesn’t have a full brain… but there is… a lot going on.”

“What? Why am I being so casually disrespected?”

But as Usui pointed out, I think I moved on frighteningly quickly. Well, the way I was rejected was terrible, too. That incident was enough to cool me down.

But I didn’t expect a guy who is just a casual guy, who usually lives a normal life, to cry for me… Thank you for that.

I think it cleared up a little bit of the confusion in my heart. He was a surprisingly good guy.

“Are you thinking of something rude?”

“I’m sorry.”

“What? You don’t deny it? I’m crying for you.”

“I said I’m sorry.”

“Why are you a little mad?… Well, okay, let’s go to the school cafeteria for lunch today. You always eat bread, don’t you? I’ll buy you a special lunch.”

“…Two lunches?”

“No, don’t get carried away, just one meal.”

“…Then I’m fine. Just one meal.”

“You’re being a jerk! I thought she liked you too. I’m really surprised.”

“…You’re right.”

I had pretty high expectations, too.

But this is something that can’t be helped. If I hadn’t given up on the idea that I wasn’t attractive as a man…

“I hope you care enough to answer my question. Usui… How cool am I from your point of view?”

“That’s a creepy question… but yes… well, about a 70? If you answer with consideration, I’d say about a 90.”

“Then I guess I’ll take the in-between and score it an 80…”

“I’m curious as to why you took the middle, but seriously, you’re not bad looking. You’re well groomed, and if I were a woman, I wouldn’t shut up about it.”

“…no, can you stop talking there? You’re a creepy guy.”

“…I’m really sorry, but you were the one who asked the creepy question in the first place.”

“Then I forgive you.”

“Something about the tempo of the conversation is annoying me.”

After I told him that Airi had a boyfriend, he didn’t mention the subject to me. This is why we can talk about it happily.

I now know clearly that the best thing to have is a friend.

I am so sorry that I looked down on you a little because of your bad grades and constant joking around. I will repent.

I was thinking about it when Airi came back.

I thought she would be over there until the very last minute, but she came back unexpectedly early.

Usui noticed this and hurriedly ended the conversation and went back to his seat. No need to repent.

“I’m back.”

“Oh.”

I was sitting next to Airi, which is a very unfortunate fact now.

But she seemed to sense my aura of not talking to her, and she’s been quiet ever since she came back.

The time passed very quickly and the time came after school… I usually go home with Airi like this, but…

“I’m sorry, Yuu-chan… I’m going home with Ishida-kun starting today… and I wanted to tell you many times before, but you seemed so busy today that I couldn’t bring myself to tell you…”

“Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t notice.”

I noticed that she really wanted to say something, but she was keeping her distance from me. I was going to do that until I felt better, and I would really like it if I could stay away from Airi.

“No, but we’ll still go to school together in the mornings!”

“Oh…no, I don’t want Ishida to think you’re cheating on him, so I think it’s better not to do that, don’t you?”

“…Eh? I’m fine, I’ve told Ishida about my relationship with Yuu-chan…!”

“He said it’s fine?”

“Yes! He said he’ll leave it to my judgment.”

Ishida… are you crazy?

That said, he is one of the most handsome guys in our grade, and Airi is one of the most beautiful girls in our class.

I don’t want to do anything that would upset their relationship and antagonize the people around them.

There are many people in my grade who don’t even know that Airi and I have known each other since childhood…

Well, I’ll talk about it tomorrow.

I want to go home today and think about it slowly… including how I should treat Airi from now on.

“See you tomorrow, then.”

“See you.”

I left the classroom after school, which was filled with the noise of some of the more cheerful students, and headed home alone.

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