Chapter 40 | Dahlia-San Clears up the Misunderstanding and Leaves.
I was at a shopping mall in Kawasaki with Dahlia-san.
She was helping me pick out a birthday present for Rika, but…
“Mmm~…”
“Um, Rika…?”
The three of us were at a cafe in a shopping mall.
We were sitting in a box seat.
In front of me is Dahlia-san, and Rika with her cheeks puffed out.
…Let me explain how it happened.
Me and Dahlia-san were going to have lunch.
Then we ran into Rika, who was shopping with her mother and Yamaga-san.
And here we are.
By the way, Yamaga-san said, “Yacchan doesn’t want to bother you guys.” and left.
“Um… Rika? Why are you mad at me?”
Rika had been in a bad mood ever since we met today.
“Nothing. Hmph.”
She turns away.
I wonder why she’s mad at me.
Then Dahlia-san says with a wry smile.
“Virgin-kun, you see, Rika-tan is jealous.”
“Jealous?”
“Look, when your new boyfriend, whom you love and adore, is secretly meeting with another woman, you feel betrayed, and you don’t like it.”
“Oh, I see…”
That’s why she’s grumpy.
Rika is not denying it, she turns her head away.
“I didn’t cheat on you.”
“Is that so? You seemed to be having a lot of fun.”
“Well, it was fun.”
“See..! Cheating, cheating! Shin-chan’s cheating!”
Rika said, half crying.
“Rika-tan. This is different, he’s not cheating on you. Virgin-kun has a story to tell, so why don’t you listen to it? It’s not too late to decide if it’s cheating or not, right?”
Rika looked unhappy but nodded her head.
Good, she is in a position to listen to me.
I mean, Daria-san, I guess she assisted me.
She gave me a chance to explain myself.
Thank you.
Now she was listening to me.
Then all I have to do is prove it to Rika.
I’m not cheating on you, I’m here for you.
“Rika. I came here with Dahlia-san because I wanted to give you this.”
I put the paper bag I bought at the store on the table.
Rika rolled her eyes.
“Rika-tan, look, it’s a present for you. It’s from your boyfriend.”
“A Present? Why…?”
“Hint, January 31st.”
At Dahlia-san’s words, Rika’s face turns as if she has noticed something.
“Don’t tell me this is… a birthday present?”
“Yes. Open it.”
Rika opens the paper bag with anticipation.
Inside is a makeup set.
“This… this is the one I love.”
“That’s the new one. I asked Dahlia-san about it. I don’t know what girls…Rika would be pleased with, so I asked her.”
“Oh… so that’s what it was…!”
Rika’s face lights up! Rika’s expression brightens.
“I see…I see~…♡ Eheheh ♡ uuhuhu ♡ I see~… ♡”
Rika holds the paper bag and giggles.
“Rika-tan, hey, hey.”
“Oh, that’s right! Shin-chan! Thank you!”
Rika’s angry face turns into a big smile as she smiles at me.
It warms my heart. Rika is smiling at me, and that makes me more than happy.
Dahlia-san takes a breath and pulls out a package from her bag.
“Here you go. It’s a present from me.”
“Dahlia! Are you sure?”
“You’re my friend, right?”
“Yes!”
Rika hugged Dahlia’s body.
“Thank you! I love you!”
Dahlia-san smiled and gently patted Rika Satohana’s head.
They looked like a big sister and a little sister, which made me smile.
“We were really planning to surprise Rika.”
“I’m sorry…”
Rika drops her shoulders.
“No, I’m sorry too. I’m sorry I made you feel uneasy.”
“It’s okay. I know that Shin-chan thinks of me first.”
“It’s natural! I love Rika the most!”
“Shin-chan…!”
Rika laughed and I laughed.
…Dahlia-san was looking at her a little sadly. I wonder…?
“I’ll leave you to it.”
Dahlia-san puts the coffee money on the table and stands up.
“What? Why? Let’s go shopping together?”
Rika looks up at Dahlia-san and says.
“I’m sorry, Rika. I have some urgent business to attend to.”
“Oh, I see…too bad.”
Dahlia-san laughs and whispers in Rika’s ear.
“You should thank him for the birthday present ♡ There’s a love hotel nearby ♡♡♡♡”
“…Ba…ba…baka…! I’m not going there!”
”Well…even if that’s the case, you should still do something to repay him.”
Dahlia-san waved his hand in a flutter after a private conversation.
“See you later, Virgin-kun.”
“Oh, um…”
Dahlia-san left quickly.
“Oh… Dahlia… mind your own business… baka…”
After leaving Shinji, Dahlia was walking toward the front of the station.
The reason she said it was urgent was, of course, a lie.
It was her way of giving Rika and Shinji some time alone together.
The mood was so lively after receiving the birthday present that it was not a good idea for her to put a damper on the excitement.
The two of them are in a good mood.
“I’m fine with this. This is fine. This is fine…”
For a moment, Dahlia was almost strongly attracted to Shinji.
As it was…if Rika hadn’t shown up, it would have been a close call.
I was about to get serious.
It was close.
Rika’s appearance made her calm.
“I knew that ah, pure love is not for me.”
Shinji and Rika are too…dazzling.
They are a perfect couple.
Shinji is suited for such a pure and beautiful woman.
…A tainted being like myself is not suitable for Shinji.
So this is fine.
I am not faking my support for the two of you.
I will eventually forget this pain in my heart…
“Dahlia-saaan!”
Shinji is chasing after her.
Dahlia stopped without thinking.
“Virgin-kun…”
Why is he here?
Dahlia suppresses her happy heart and speaks in a slightly strong tone.
“What are you doing? You’re leaving Rika-tan and chasing another woman.”
I had to say it strongly.
She doesn’t seem to know what it was for… so she was stepping away from Shinji.
“I’m sorry. But…here you go.”
It was the coffee money he had left earlier.
“I paid for everyone else’s. I’ll give this back.”
Shinji approached Dahlia and touched her hand.
Boom…! I felt a rush of excitement.
I am aware, even if I don’t want to be, that my cheeks are turning red.
“No, it’s fine. I don’t need it.”
“But I was the one who took you out, and you didn’t even have a sip of coffee. So I’ll pay you back.”
“I see…”
I was so excited, my heart was pounding so loudly.
“I’m sorry.”
“Eh?”
“I’m sorry I made you feel uncomfortable. But thank you.”
Dahlia’s head was ringing with alarm.
Her heart was pounding like crazy.
It was as if her heart was squeezing her chest, and she felt sad.
I shouldn’t, I shouldn’t be aware of this feeling.
I know that. I know that, but…
“I don’t need it…”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll thank you next time.”
Really. Don’t do it.
Don’t be nice to me anymore.
I can’t go back.
I can’t give up.
“It’s… it’s fine.”
“No, you can’t. It’s a promise! Again!”
Shinji smiles brightly and waves his hand…
And then… he walks towards where Rika is.
“Ah…”
Dahlia reaches out her hand toward Shinji’s back.
One step closer to him.
One, she tries to call out…to him.
“Wait.”
“Eh?”
Shinji turned around with a surprised look.
Dahlia was also surprised.
I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t control myself.
…Oh, no.
Even I couldn’t control it…
The face of her friend Rika comes to mind, and her face is stained with sadness.
Strongly, Dahlia shakes her head.
“Uh-uh. Good luck on your date.”
“Yeah! Thanks! Bye-bye!”
This time, Shinji went to Rika.
He never looked back.
Dahlia also did not call out to him.
After Shinji was gone.
Dahlia crouched down and covered her face with her hands.
“What are you doing?”
Her face was bright red.
Even my ears are red.
My heart has been pounding ever since…
Well, in short.
“I’m not sure what to do…I think I’ve really fallen in love with you…”
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