Chapter 22: The Relationship That Was Formed

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Translator: Soafp

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[Aoi PoV]

After becoming a second-year and joining the student council, my days became busy.

“Toru, can you check these documents?”

“Yeah, got it.”

Toru joined the student council with me.

He didn't seem interested in it before…

I wonder if he had his own reasons for joining.

The student council work was demanding, but it was also very rewarding.

I got to interact with people from other classes and students from different grades whom I had never been involved with before.

I met so many people, gained all kinds of experiences, and could feel myself growing day by day.

“Wait, me? The student council president?”

“Yeah. We can trust you with it, Miyano-san.”

All the student council members recommended me as the next president.

I was really happy to be chosen.

“So I'll be the president, huh. Toru, you'll be vice president—let's do our best together.”

“…Yeah… sure…”

Toru's response was curt.

Usually, he was much more cheerful, but lately he looked irritated.

It reminded me of the old Toru… the one who used to tease me back then.

---

“Hey Toru, how was Yamato doing today?”

“Yeah, well… about the same as usual.”

Now that we were in our second year, Yamato and I were in different classes.

The student council kept me busy, and I couldn't slack off on my studies either.

I wanted to keep a close eye on how he was doing, but that wasn't possible.

So asking Toru—who was in the same class as him—had become part of my daily routine.

“Aoi… maybe you should just leave Yamato alone.”

“What? What do you mean by that?”

His words made me angry.

“He's… not really… one of us anymore…”

“What are you talking about!? We can't just leave things like this!”

“That's true, but… what I'm saying is, it might be better for him if we give him some space.”

“What if his grades drop even more!?”

“That kind of concern is exactly what's weighing him down! He got top marks on the entrance exam, so people overestimate him, expect too much from him—and it's crushing him!”

Stop it… don't say it like that.

Like he's not actually capable…

“Yamato is amazing—way more than us! You know that too, don't you!?”

“That's… that was true until high school… Right now, he's trying his hardest every test period. But even then, he's barely managing to stay at the average score.”

That can't be true…

Because if it is…

Then Yamato and I… won't be able to go to the same university…

And my promise with my father…

“No matter how much we tell him to try harder, it'll just sound like sarcasm. That's why we should leave him alone for now.”

…I don't want that.

…I don't want to believe it.

But… if Yamato really is struggling right now, pushing himself to the limit…

“…Okay… I understand.”

I shouldn't put any more pressure on him right now.

“Well, Yamato was a genius. He never stumbled before, so now he's just having a hard time getting back up. I believe in him too.”

After that, the only time Yamato and I talked was when we happened to run into each other in the hallway.

Time kept passing, and before I knew it, summer vacation had begun…

And we stopped talking altogether.

---

Summer vacation started, and the days of not seeing Yamato continued.

I was getting more and more frustrated.

I couldn't take it anymore, so…

“Do you want to study together?”

“My dad's on a business trip for a while—want to go out somewhere together for the first time in a while?”

…I sent him messages like that several times on my phone, but he turned me down coldly each time.

Studying every day for next year's entrance exams, occasionally going to school for student council duties—

A suffocating, restless summer.

“Aoi, you have visitors.”

My father, who was unusually relaxing at home that morning, said that as he opened the front door.

“Ah… excuse me…”

Standing there, looking nervous as he stepped inside… was Toru.

And behind him were two adults I had seen a few times before.

“Aoi-chan, it's been a while! You've become even more grown-up!”

They were Toru's parents.

I had greeted them once during last year's school festival…

“Ah, yes… it's been a while…”

Toru's mother, Noriko-san, and his father, Murase-sensei.

“Thank you for inviting us today.”

Murase-sensei still had that carefree demeanor.

I had thought this before, but…

For some reason, I felt a little uneasy around them.

Maybe it was because… seeing them unconsciously reminded me of my mother's death.

---

“W-what is this supposed to mean!? An engagement!?”

“Aoi, we have guests. Don't raise your voice.”

The Murase family suddenly showing up—

Before I knew it, a discussion had started with my father included, and somehow the topic turned to… an engagement between me and Toru.

“Aoi-san, I'm sorry this is so sudden. But I believe this would be beneficial for both families going forward.”

Murase-sensei spoke gently, but there was no way I could accept this.

“I-I won't get engaged! There's no way I'd decide on a marriage partner at this age!”

Toru, sitting across from me, listened quietly without changing his expression.

“You and Toru work together in the student council, right? I think you'd make such a lovely pair!”

Noriko-san said that cheerfully, but this was no joke.

I love Yamato.

It's already frustrating enough that I can't see him during summer vacation, and sometimes he doesn't even reply to my messages.

Why does something like this have to happen on top of everything else…?

“Toru, come with me. I need to talk to you.”

I grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the room since he hadn't said a word this whole time.

“Well, I suppose the young ones have things they want to discuss alone.”

I heard Noriko-san say something as we left the living room, but I didn't have the luxury to care.

---

“Toru, what is going on!? Explain!”

“C-calm down, Aoi…”

In the hallway, I pressed him for answers.

After letting out a sigh, he began explaining how things led up to this.

Apparently, my father and Murase-sensei had been discussing our future… even marriage.

Toru shook his head, saying he didn't really know how it got to that point.

“My dad mentioned something before… about mutual interests or something…”

“Interests? What do you mean?”

“Maybe… something related to business. My dad only thinks about work…”

Tears started welling up.

Why does this always… always happen to me…?

“…Do you like Yamato?”

Toru muttered quietly, looking at me seriously.

“Yeah… I like him… I really do.”

I couldn't lie to him.

“…I see.”

He turned his back on me and took a small step away.

“Since when… did you realize I liked Yamato?”

“…Since the first time we met. You were always talking about him…”

I see…

So Toru had always seen right through me.

“Aoi, about what we do from here… want to work together?”

“Work together?”

He turned back toward me, his expression completely serious.

“This situation is a pain, right? The engagement and all.”

“Y-yeah…”

“My parents may not look it, but they're actually really stubborn. And from what I've seen, your father is too, isn't he?”

“Yeah… very.”

He really is…

“So even if we oppose it, they won't listen. Not right now.”

“Then what should we do…?”

“That's why for now, we just go along with it. Our parents think we're just kids since we're still in high school.”

“But won't that lead to them forcing us into marriage later?”

“What are you talking about? This isn't some drama. That's not going to happen. Right now, we're just kids who depend on our parents, but once we're adults, we can do whatever we want.”

“That might be true, but…”

He had a point, but I still couldn't feel at ease.

Knowing my father, I couldn't shake the feeling he might do something unreasonable.

“It'll be fine. Even if it comes to something like an engagement, if both of us strongly refuse, they'll have no choice but to reconsider.”

I still had my doubts.

But at that moment, I just wanted a temporary solution—anything to get through this.

“Toru… can I ask you one thing? Why did you suggest we work together?”

“…I told you, didn't I? This whole thing is a pain…”

“Is that the only reason?”

“…Just like you love Yamato… I also… have someone I like…”

When I heard that, somehow it made sense.

“The person you like… who is it?”

“…I can't tell you yet.”

“Hey, that's not fair—you know who I like…”

“Well… when the time comes… I'll tell you properly.”

The turmoil in my heart calmed down a little.

Probably because I had opened up to Toru and thought I had gained someone who understood me.

“So for me too… this partnership is necessary.”

“…Alright, Toru.”

And just like that, the two of us joined hands to overcome this problem—for each other's sake.

…Was I mentally worn down?

…Was I panicking?

There's no doubt I had lost my composure.

And the conversation I had with Toru at that time…

…would become something I would deeply regret later on.