Chapter 17: Jealousy and Resentment

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Translator: Soafp

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[Aoi pov]

“Aoi, is something wrong? You don't look very cheerful.”

“Eh? N-no, it's nothing… I was just thinking about how I'm looking forward to high school…”

The day of the entrance ceremony finally arrived.

Dressed in brand-new uniforms, we officially became high school students today.

“Aoi, Yamato, good morning.”

As Yamato and I were about to pass through the main gate of Kaimei Academy High School, the one who called out to us was Toru Murase.

I'd known him a little since long ago, and starting today, the three of us would be attending this school together.

“Morning, Toru.”

“Hey. Yamato, did you properly practice the new student representative speech?”

“Don't bring that up. I'm nervous as it is.”

Toru had grown into a very calm person.

He used to pick fights with Yamato over the smallest things, but now the two of them genuinely got along well.

“Aoi, that uniform really suits you.”

“Ah, yeah. Thanks.”

Back in elementary school, I'd felt wary around Toru, but now I trusted him too.

“All three of us are in the same class, aren't we? Nice.”

A large bulletin board in front of the school building displayed the class lists, and I'd ended up in the same class as Yamato.

(Y-Yes! I'm in the same class as Yamato!)

My mood instantly brightened, and I almost smiled—but…

[If Yamato-kun can overcome that and get into a top-tier university…]

[He can do it! Yamato can!]

Remembering my recent exchange with my father made my spirits sink again.

“Aoi, are you really okay?”

Noticing my low mood, Yamato leaned in and looked at my face with concern.

“Ah, yeah, I'm fine! Totally fine!”

There was no point in me getting worked up on my own about how Yamato had to pass into a top university.

The road ahead was long.

What mattered was that we'd made it into the same high school together.

For now, I wanted to savor that joy.

“I'm excited for high school life.”

And so, our high school days began.

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At the entrance ceremony in the gymnasium, Yamato confidently delivered the new student representative speech, and he looked so cool.

He'd been worried about whether he could speak well due to nerves, but there was absolutely no problem.

“Hey, you're Makino-kun, right!? You passed as the top student!”

“Ah, yeah… I did, but…”

As we were heading back to the classroom after the ceremony, classmates gathered around Yamato, calling out to him.

“How do you usually study!?”

“Is it true you got a perfect score!?”

“That's insane! You're seriously a genius!”

Given how high the school's academic level was, everyone was extremely curious about Yamato, who'd passed as top student.

“So that's Makino Yamato-kun, this year's top student.”

“Yes. Apparently, only one person before him has ever passed as top student with a perfect score. He's the second.”

Teachers were watching Yamato, who stood at the center of the crowd, and talking like that.

Second perfect-score top student since the school's founding.

“I'm looking forward to the future.”

That fact surely raised expectations for him even higher.

“Yamato, you okay? Let's go.”

“Ah… yeah.”

Toru pulled Yamato out from the crowd where he'd been unable to move, and I hurried after the two of them.

“As expected of the top student—pretty popular.”

“Don't tease me, Toru.”

Seeing Yamato become popular unsettled me a little.

And it felt like there had been a lot of girls surrounding him just now…

Getting jealous over something like this…

It was the first time I realized how narrow-minded I could be.

Even so…

“Yamato! Let's definitely go to the same university too!”

Maybe because of the conditions my father had laid out, those words slipped out of my mouth.

We'd only just started high school, so talking about going to the same university probably sounded premature.

“Yeah. Let's do that.”

Even so, he answered with a serious expression.

“R-Really!? It's a promise!”

“Yeah. A promise.”

And just like that, Yamato and I made a promise.

That we'd go to the same university.

And when that time came, I'd confess the feelings I'd been keeping inside…

And keep walking by Yamato's side forever.

---

High school life finally began.

The classes were certainly challenging, but as long as you studied properly on your own, it wasn't impossible to keep up.

Unlike public middle school, everyone here was academically strong, and during lessons, everyone listened to the teacher with focus.

“Makino-kun! How'd you do on that quiz just now!?”

“Huh? Oh… it was okay, I guess.”

There were frequent pop quizzes during class, and once they were over, classmates would gather around Yamato, instantly making the classroom lively.

“Ah… sorry, I'm kinda sleepy.”

The classmates seemed eager to get closer to Yamato, but for some reason, he brushed off their expectations and responded coldly.

“O-Oh, I see. Sorry.”

Lately, Yamato was always like this during breaks.

Even when someone talked to him, his responses were curt…

“Yamato, are you okay? Are you feeling sick or something?”

“No… I'm just sleepy.”

“Haven't you been sleeping at night?”

“Ah… I've been really into manga lately. It's so good that I end up staying up late.”

“Oh, really? What kind of manga is it?”

“Ah… um… various ones.”

I wanted to talk with Yamato, but he kept giving vague answers, and eventually rested his face on his desk and started dozing off.

“We're finally in the same class, and yet…”

The words I muttered weren't heard by the sleeping Yamato.

---

“Hey, after school—want to go hang out somewhere? It's been a while.”

We walked to and from school together every day, but since starting high school, the new environment and studies had kept us busy, and we hadn't gone out anywhere at all.

If someone found out we'd stopped somewhere together, it could cause trouble again, but my father had been busy lately and barely came home.

This was the perfect chance to spend some fun time with Yamato.

“No………… I'll pass.”

But Yamato's answer betrayed my expectations.

“Eh… w-why? Let's go somewhere, it's been a while.”

“I'm… fine. I need to go home and study anyway…”

Something felt off…

Somehow… he didn't feel like the usual Yamato.

“Yamato… is something wrong?”

“H-Huh? What are you talking about…?”

His expression looked a little lifeless.

And then…

“I just thought maybe you weren't feeling well.”

“It's not like that…”

“Then let's go hang out together!”

I felt an inexplicable sense of panic.

“I said… I'm fine.”

The Yamato who always gently reached out whenever I wanted something or was troubled…

Now felt different, almost like… he was avoiding me.

“C-Come on, don't say that!”

“I told you I'm not going!”

Yamato's sharp voice echoed through the classroom during break, and classmates turned to look at us, wondering what was going on.

“S-Sorry…”

I hurriedly apologized.

I'd never seen Yamato angry before, so the fact that I'd upset him left me shaken.

“Hey, what's going on?”

Toru rushed over and called out to Yamato, but…

“…It's nothing.”

Yamato's expression remained tense.

“Yamato… I'm really sorry.”

“Ah… yeah.”

I knew it was my fault for pushing him, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something about him lately was strange, and it left a knot in my chest.

“Um… excuse me.”

A clear female voice broke the silence that had fallen over the classroom.

When I looked toward the front door, I saw a very beautiful girl peeking inside, as if searching for someone.

“H-Hey, isn't that Hayami-senpai!?”

“It is! She's the third-year they call the most brilliant girl in the school!”

The classmates erupted into excitement at the sudden visitor.

I knew her too.

Her name was…Nagisa Hayami … senpai.

“So that's Hayami-senpai… she's gorgeous.”

“Yeah, she really is.”

I agreed with Toru's whispered comment beside me.

She was that intelligent, beautiful, and dignified…

You could hear rumors about her all over the school.

Like Yamato, Hayami-senpai had entered Kaimei as a top student, and apparently she'd continued to rank first in her grade on every regular exam since her first year.

Teachers praised her endlessly, and because of her gentle personality, she was trusted and relied on by teachers and students alike, regardless of gender or grade.

There were even many stories, like how last year's student council election resulted in most votes going to Hayami-senpai, even though she hadn't even run.

Why would such a senpai come all the way to a first-year classroom?

“Um… is Yamato Makino-kun here?”

Eh…?

At the name Hayami-senpai spoke, the classmates—including me—turned their gaze toward Yamato.

“H-Hey! Makino-kun, Hayami-senpai's calling for you!”

“Yeah. I know.”

Yamato stood up sluggishly and walked over to Hayami-senpai.

Watching that, I held my breath.

“What is it, senpai?”

“Sorry for coming so suddenly…”

The two of them spoke in low voices, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

Everyone in the class watched them quietly, clearly interested in Yamato and Hayami-senpai.

Perhaps bothered by our stares, she took Yamato with her and left the classroom.

“H-Hey! What's the deal with those two!?”

“Could it be the top students are dating!?”

“They'd make such a smart, perfect couple!”

The class instantly erupted, speculation flying everywhere.

“Aoi, does Yamato know Hayami-senpai?”

“I-I don't know! Of course not!”

I snapped at Toru without meaning to, overwhelmed by irritation.

“I see… they didn't look like they were meeting for the first time.”

The way Yamato and Hayami-senpai talked earlier…

It looked somehow intimate.

My chest… hurt terribly.