Oneshot: A Story About a Childhood Friend Who, by the Time She Realized Her Mistake, It Was All Too Late.

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Translator: Soafp

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On that day, I happened to forget something in the classroom, and it was only in the evening that I came to retrieve it. However, as I tried to open the classroom door, my hand stopped.

“Hmm? At this time…?”

I could hear voices inside.

“Well, Haruka, it’s your turn next!”

“Oh, it’s kind of exciting, isn’t it?”

“I did it too, so do it properly. It’s okay to lie.”

Haruka is my childhood friend. The other voice… if I remember correctly, it was Suyama-san? We haven’t talked much since she just entered the school, but she seemed a bit flashy.

“Just confess casually and then reject him. It’s easy, you know?”

“Well, but I feel bad for Takuya.”

“It’s fine. You don’t like him, right?”

“Yeah, just a childhood friend. Well, whatever, Takuya will forgive me, right?”

“Make sure to confess convincingly! You have to make him believe it for it to work!”

“Eh! That’s so mean!”

False confessions. A game that has been around since middle school, and I never understood what was amusing about it. The laughter of the two enjoying this conversation was unbearable to hear, and I sprinted away. They might have noticed me with the sound of my footsteps, but I didn’t care.

More than that, I couldn’t stop getting goosebumps. From head to toe, I was shivering uncontrollably.

“She is disgusting me…! Was she always like that…!?”

I never saw her as the opposite sex. So when Haruka got a boyfriend in middle school, I genuinely congratulated her. I heard they broke up when she moved on to high school, but I thought she would easily find another boyfriend with her good looks.

But I never expected her to be the type to play with boys’ feelings using her beauty. Could it be that the guy she dated in middle school was just a plaything too!?

It felt truly nauseating. I couldn’t contain my genuine disgust. I’m not particularly fastidious, but I’ve always despised those who enjoy bullying or playing around with others. So finding out that my childhood friend, who I thought was close, actually looked down on me and saw me only as a target for false confessions was shocking.

…Given that situation, she might approach me with a false confession soon. Today is Friday, so probably early next week. Damn it, mocking me like that. I refuse to be your plaything.

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[Is that the thing called false confessions!?]

“Yeah. She doesn’t like me or anything, so she seems to think she can do whatever she wants.”

[That’s terrible! It’s so pitiful for you, Senpai!]

The person I’m talking to on the call is a friend of mine named Akira. Well, to be precise, he’s not just an online friend. We happened to meet in the same online game and became friends, but surprisingly, he’s also a junior in the same middle school year.

However, despite suggesting meeting offline once, he firmly refused, saying, “Let’s avoid revealing our identities!” So, despite being very close, we both don’t know each other’s faces or real names, creating a peculiar relationship.

“I want to come up with a way to get back at her, but I can’t think of a method.”

[How about getting someone to play the role of your girlfriend and then rejecting her in return?]

“Well… that’s a good idea, but there’s only Haruka as a female friend. Besides, it’s too early in the school year to ask a classmate for a fake girlfriend.”

Saying that makes me wonder about those two who have been playing with false confessions shortly after entering school.

[…Is it okay if it’s someone a year younger?]

“A year younger? Like a junior high third-year… well, if it’s just a one-year difference, it should be fine.”

[Oh… I have a free-spirited friend. He’s mentioned seeing a senior doing club activities a few times and has been saying how cool she is. I’m sure she’ll help you out.]

Oh, really!? What a great junior!

“That would be helpful! Can I ask her then? I’ll make sure to thank both her and you properly!”

[Yay!]

“Eh?”

[Ah! I’m sorry. I shouted because I defeated the Metal Rabbit and got excited! If you’re logged in, come join me.]

On that day’s party play, for some reason, Akira was getting too excited and often rushed ahead, resulting in a few total wipes. However, both Akira and I were laughing the whole time. I strangely get along well with this guy. Probably as much or even more than with Haruka.

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[Haruka PoV]

“Even though it’s a lie… it’s finally time for a confession.”

Takuya and I lived next door to each other, so we’ve been together since we were really small. But I think I only started to notice him as a boy when we entered middle school.

Takuya, who had been playing baseball since elementary school, became more robust and his facial features became more defined as we entered middle school. And as I continued to watch him, I found myself unable to look away from Takuya.

However, lacking the courage to confess, I had been practicing dating with other boys. I made sure to explain the situation to the boy I practiced with, so it wasn’t about deceiving feelings. I think I was deceiving my own feelings, projecting Takuya onto the boy who was helping me practice.

I behaved as if I didn’t like Takuya in front of others, keeping my feelings a secret. I don’t even know why I did such a thing. For some reason, it was embarrassing for others to know my true feelings. Especially the fear of Takuya finding out my true feelings and rejecting me was overwhelming.

Playing with other boys was fine, but when it came to the boy I liked, my mind went blank, and I couldn’t think of anything. I understood that it was because my feelings of love were too strong, but understanding it didn’t change anything.

“Takuya, I’m sorry…”

I really wanted to confess properly rather than with a fake confession. However, given the flow of the conversation with Suyama-san, I couldn’t say I didn’t want to do it because I liked Takuya. If I did that, my feelings would surely be exposed.

…Takuya is kind, so maybe he’ll forgive me just this once, right?

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Monday, the beginning of the week. I sent a message to Takuya, asking him to meet me at the park after school. Due to nervousness, my hands trembled as I operated my smartphone. If I hadn’t written a message the day before, I might not have been able to send it for a long time.

“Hey.”

“Ah… Takuya…”

“It’s a bit chilly today. If you have something to talk about, let’s get it over with quickly.”

As agreed, Takuya arrived at the bench at the scheduled time. I remembered playing here with him since we were little. It hadn’t been that much time since middle school graduation, but he looked even cooler than he did back then. Well, people don’t change that much in such a short time. It must be my feelings making it seem that way.

I really like this person…

“Haruka, what’s wrong?”

Yeah, let’s stop with the false confessions. I feel bad for Suyama-san, but I’ll confess properly. Even if I get rejected, I’ll express my feelings properly…!!

“Takuya… I’ve always liked you since we were little…! Please, go out with me!!”

Ah, I said it… I shouted my true feelings without lying.

It felt embarrassing, and my face was getting hotter and hotter. Although I wasn’t sad, tears gathered in my eyes. What should I do? I want to hear his answer quickly. But I’m scared to ask for the answer.

“…You’re amazing.”

Feeling a sense of admiration in Takuya’s mutter, I raised my head. There, an expression mixed with astonishment and disgust, something unthinkable from a boy who had just been confessed to, was present.

“You’re really good at acting in false confessions. If I didn’t know anything, I probably would have accepted it. Last week, I went to the classroom to get my forgotten belongings, and you and Suyama-san were planning the false confession, right? You have to make it believable, right? Why can you guys laugh about that? It’s seriously creepy.”

I knew my face, which had turned red, was now turning blue even without looking in a mirror. My hands were trembling. My legs were shaking. Even though I couldn’t muster any strength, my toes moved meaninglessly.

“Um… umm!”

“Do you want to hear the answer?”

No, stop…! Don’t say it!!

Takuya’s mouth slowly opened. My movements also slowed down. I’m sure in reality, it was an immediate response. And that answer was undoubtedly clear to anyone who heard it.

“I don’t want to. I already have a girlfriend, and even if I didn’t, I wouldn’t date someone like you, who plays with false confessions like Haruka.”

…He has …. a girlfriend…?

“…Eh… what…”

“Akira, that’s enough.”

“…Mou, I’m not Akira anymore, remember?”

When I turned around, there stood a cute girl, almost like an idol. I know her… I know this girl!

“Natsumi Yajima!?”

“It’s an honor to be recognized by Haruka-senpai. But, you don’t have to remember. I’m not the school’s idol anymore; I’m Takuya-senpai’s girlfriend now.”

She clung to Takuya’s arm as if to flaunt, and Takuya himself blushed, not looking entirely displeased. No way… No way!?

“This can’t be…!? That’s a lie! Why you!?”

“There’s no need for someone who plays with false confessions to call others liars. But I’ll answer your question… it’s connected through a game.”

“A game!?”

“Yeah. We got to know each other through a game I started around the time you had a boyfriend in middle school and stopped playing with me. Although I only recently found out that Akira is Natsumi, I spent much more time playing with Akira in middle school than with you. We clicked, and we decided to seriously date.”

“That’s why I said it’s not Akira.”

“Because I can’t feel calm without that tone, Akira.”

“So, are you doing it on purpose!?”

The voices of the two flirting in front of me became distant. It felt like the world was crumbling. I was prepared to be rejected from the start. But I never expected to be rejected like this. Moreover, it was entirely my fault, and I couldn’t blame anyone.

But, being misunderstood, I didn’t want to say goodbye.

“Uh… it’s not a lie… I… I’m not lying… what I just said, it’s my true feelings…”

So, desperately, I wanted to at least clear up the misunderstanding, and I conveyed it with a trembling voice.

The response that came back was filled with the greatest disgust I had ever felt.

“So what? I don’t care anymore if the confession was a lie or not. Because for Haruka, I’m just an existence, right?”

“N-no…”

“What ‘no’. Do you remember what I hate the most? I told you, right?”

Hearing that, I was taken aback. If he’s my childhood friend, it should be something I can figure out with a little thought. Because when he protected me when I was being bullied, he said this angrily.

[I cannot forgive those who play with lies to hurt others.]

“I wouldn’t date a despicable girl who plans false confessions, idiot. Don’t ever make such a joke again. It gives me the creeps.”

Saying that, they walked away from the park. However, judging by the direction, their destination was surely… next to my house.

“Ugh… Aaah…!! I’m sorry…!! I’m sorry!!”

Left alone in the park, all I could do was cry and scream at the mistakes I had made.

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[Takuya PoV]

“Senpai, was that okay? The reaction seemed more serious than I expected, and I feel like we might have gone a bit too far…”

“It’s fine. I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?”

Unable to continue walking with her clinging to my arm, we’re now just holding hands as we head towards my home. I plan to tell her the location of my house today and then escort her home. After that, we’ll go rare hunting together.

It’s enjoyable, but somehow… I found myself wanting to spend even more time with Akira. I want a connection with this girl, beyond just gaming.

“Hey, there are still cherry blossoms left, want to go to the riverside?”

“Cherry blossom monster hunting? Event hunting is a good idea too! Indeed, the riverside has a suitable level range…”

“No, that’s not it. I’m saying, how about the two of us go to see the cherry blossoms from now on, Natsumi.”

“……..!!”

While my relationship with my childhood friend may have ended, I now have a girl next to me who is just as close, if not closer. The desire to keep this relationship as it is and the wish to deepen it mix together, making my face turn red.

“Well, um… since it’s getting dark, could you please escort me on the way home, Senpai?”

Surely, Akira feels the same way as I do. Her cheeks were as vividly pink as the cherry blossoms’ buds.