Chapter 15 – A Mob is Just a Mob—There Was Never Any Understanding

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Was Temari still at school?

Girls like her usually stuck around after class, chatting with friends before heading home. So chances were, she was still hanging out in the classroom.

Still… the thought of dragging myself all the way back there felt like a hassle. Maybe it'd be easier to just ask for her LINE and get it over with.

Not that she'd even wanna connect with someone like me.

Wasting my time wasn't exactly my style either.

Besides, once this whole thing blew over, I wouldn't have any reason to talk to her anymore anyway. Whatever.

I strolled over, figuring if she was still around, I'd spot her fast.

Sure enough, there she was, easy to pick out with the room practically empty.

Except… Mashiro was with her.

And they were locked in deep conversation.

Could be pillow talk. Might as well eavesdrop and see just how far their yuri flag had flown.

“…Then how about we hit up karaoke for a change of pace?”

“No, I need to talk with my mom today, so let's do it another time. Sorry, Temari, I appreciate the invite.”

“Don't worry about it! As long as you're feeling a little better, that's enough for me.”

“Thanks… Really, I'm grateful to both you and Yuuya.”

“I didn't do much… Honestly, wasn't it mostly your childhood friend? I mean, yeah, he's got a sharp tongue, but he's actually a decent guy.”

“…Yeah. By the way, Temari, have you gotten close with Yuuya?”

Whoa, whoa, hold the hell up.

I was out here being considerate, keeping my distance like some kind of gentleman, and now I was hearing some suspicious s**t?

Temari's hands shot up, flailing in front of her like she was trying to bat away a ghost.

“No way! We just talked about you a little! A-and besides, why would I ever get close to a scrawny little twig like him?!”

“Oh? Yeah, I guess he's not really your type…”

“E-exactly! He's not your type either, right?! I mean, sure, he's your childhood friend, but come on, a total twig like that—”

“…The hell did you just say?”

“…Eeek?!”

“…Wait… Yuuya?”

Yeah, I couldn't f*****g hold it back.

I cut in right there, not giving a single s**t about subtlety, and both of them froze like I just sucker-punched them out of nowhere.

“W-what are you doing here…?”

“…Nah, nothing major. I just figured out what's up, so I came to say I don't need any more info from Mobuko A. I'm connected to Mashiro on LINE, but not to some random extra.”

“Th-then, um… I-I'll give you my LINE—”

“Nah, I'll pass. No point in a weak-a*s, pathetic twig like me connecting with you, right? Not to mention, if people found out we were connected, you'd just get laughed at. And honestly, unless we get dragged into some hassle, there's no reason for us to talk anyway. That goes for Mobuko A, and even Mashiro too.”

“N-no, that's not what I—wait, you've got it all wrong!!”

“Yuuya, hold on, that conversation just now was—”

Mashiro tried to step in, but Mobuko A looked like she was on the verge of cardiac arrest, face pale as a sheet like she just realized she stepped on a live landmine.

Why the hell was she trying so hard to explain herself now?

I didn't get it.

I didn't even care anymore.

“What? It's the truth, isn't it?”

“No! You've got it all wrong!!”

“Oh? What, you trying to pull the cheating wife caught red-handed routine? You didn't have to sugarcoat s**t when I wasn't around, so that's what you really think.”

“N-no, that's not—”

“The lowest of the low like me must've been a real pain in the a*s to talk to, huh? But don't worry, I won't bother you anymore. I'll go train in the mountains of India and become Rainbowman or some s**t, so I can reincarnate at the top of the damn social food chain.”

“Yuuya, please, just let me explain—”

“W-wait, wait, wait!! Please, just wait…!”

“The only one who waits when told to is Amin, and even he didn't wait—he f*****g fled to Saudi Arabia. So why the hell would I? Later.”

Scoffing under my breath, I turned my back on them and walked straight out of that classroom without looking back.

Yeah. I had it all wrong.

Somewhere along the way, I forgot who I was to them.

Just a scrawny loser they barely tolerated.

But even knowing that, why the hell did it hit just as hard as when Mashiro turned me down?

Why did it still feel like getting gut-punched all over again, just from hearing Mobuko A call me a twig?

F**k this s**t.

When I got home, I hurled my phone against the wall hard enough to hear the crack, collapsed onto my bed, and swore to myself that once exams were over, I was gonna double down on my Shorinji Kempo training.

I was done letting them treat me like this.

I was done being the f*****g joke.

The next day, school was buzzing with rumors.

Apparently, some girl had fallen into depression and tried to off herself.

Give me a goddamn break.

It was obvious who they were talking about.

Had to be that girl who dated Hashizume before Mashiro.

One thing was clear — it sure as hell wasn't Mashiro.

Whatever.

Not my damn problem.

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TL NOTE:
Man, I totally forgot about this project.