Chapter 27: A Relationship Falls Apart

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Translator: Soafp

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“Wait, Yamato!”

I ran with everything I had toward the school gate, and finally caught up to him as he stood there, frozen.

“Y-you came…”

My thoughts were a complete mess.

He definitely saw what happened earlier.

I had to fix this somehow.

“Th-this year's festival was a huge success! A lot of parents and guests came, and it was really busy! But everyone worked so hard to make it a success!”

But… I didn't know what to say.

“The student council and the committee all worked together, and it was fun… but… if you had been there…”

No matter what I said, it would just sound like an excuse.

I didn't know how to explain it.

“If you had been there… it would've been even more fun. This year's festival is already over, but… n-next year… with me—”

“That just now!!”

As I tried to keep him there with unrelated rambling, Yamato suddenly cut me off.

“That folk dance just now… it looked great. You and Toru… really suited each other.”

So he misunderstood…!?

“That was just… it just happened like that!”

“The school legend… right? That if you hold hands, you'll end up together.”

So he knew about the legend.

What should I do… what can I say…?

“I didn't expect you to hug, though…”

“Th-that's not it! It's not like that!!”

“What… isn't?”

He looked at me coldly as I desperately denied it.

It's really not like that…

I only care about you.

“Y-Yamato! L-listen!”

Where do I even start explaining…?

From the whole situation with Toru…?

But today… I'm supposed to be on his side… his girlfriend…

Still… I had to say something.

“Aoi, why did you suddenly run off!?”

“Toru…”

“Y-Yamato!? Weren't you absent today!?”

Toru had followed me… and there was someone else too.

“Aoi, what's wrong? You suddenly ran off. Don't cause trouble for Toru.”

My father had come here too.

Yamato looked at him with suspicion.

“Yamato-kun, is your father doing well?”

“Y-yes…”

“Well, you must have a lot going on, but do your best.”

A lot going on?

My father's words felt loaded.

“A lot going on…? Yamato, is something wrong…?”

For the first time… I felt something was off.

“It's nothing…”

But… Yamato said nothing.

“Why are you always like this, Yamato!? You never tell me anything!”

“It's not like… there's anything to say…”

Seeing him clearly avoiding the topic, anger welled up inside me.

It felt like he was saying, “It's none of your business.”

“Your grades keep getting worse! You're not even trying with school events! You even skipped today's festival without notice!”

I really am selfish.

“Next year is entrance exams! At this rate, you won't get into college!”

I really am a terrible person.

“You know people are calling you a ‘fallen genius' behind your back!?”

Maybe… just like I had my own struggles…

maybe Yamato had his reasons too.

I finally reached that thought… but still…

“Doesn't that bother you!?”

Was I… just trying to justify myself?

“Please… just get yourself together!”

Maybe you're struggling too.

But I thought… I was the one suffering more.

“What the hell do you know!! What does the past even matter!? You don't understand anything about how I feel!!”

Of course he got angry.

But at that moment, I couldn't even understand that.

“S-sorry, Yamato… I didn't mean to blame you…”

I just apologized.

For making him upset…

“At this rate… our promise…”

“What promise!?”

“The promise to go to the same university… I thought… it wouldn't come true…”

“Promise”… my driving force.

…my reason to live.

“That promise doesn't matter anymore!”

“Th-that can't be… I… I want to be with you…”

“You've got Toru, don't you…”

“Th-that's not true! We're not like that!”

“What do you mean not!?”

There was no way to explain it away.

The fact that I danced with Toru couldn't be undone.

“Just… stop, Aoi…”

“S-sorry, Yamato… it's my fault… so please… the promise…”

I just kept apologizing.

Because I didn't want him to hate me.

Empty apologies.

“Yamato… that… could it be…”

In my despair, I noticed a small box in his right hand.

“A-Aoi! I know this is a bad time, but happy birthday! Please take this!”

Toru stepped between us and handed me a present.

“Eh… ah…”

That's right…

I had forgotten.

Today… was my birthday.

“W-what is this?”

“Open it!”

The thing Yamato was holding… could it have been a present for me…?

Even as Toru stood in front of me, I couldn't stop thinking about Yamato.

“How much… was this?”

Inside the elegant box was a beautiful silver necklace, shining brightly…

It was obvious at a glance that this wasn't something a high schooler would casually buy.

“About 30,000 yen. Sorry it's not something more expensive…”

…I don't want it.

I don't want something this expensive.

I don't want a gift from Toru.

What I want… is something from Yamato…

“W-wait! Yamato!”

Yamato ran out through the gate.

“Yamato, please, wait!”

I chased after him and forcefully stopped him.

“Let go…”

“Yamato… the promise… we're going to the same university, right?”

That promise…

I believed it was the only thing still connecting us.

“You've got Toru, don't you…”

“I want to be with you, Yamato… forever…”

Please… just listen to me.

“Aoi… I… I don't…”

Tears overflowed.

“I don't… want you involved with me anymore.”

I didn't want to hear those words.

“Ya… ma… to…?”

He said that… and ran off, leaving me behind.

The pain felt like my heart was being torn apart.

I couldn't chase after him.

I collapsed to the ground, and all I could do was cry.

Student council president?

Top of the grade?

“Don't go… Yama… to…”

Those titles meant nothing.

I was just a mentally immature… helpless child.