第79話　涙の意味② - I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me

Even as a third-year university student, my daily life remains largely unchanged. For instance, club activities. Unless you've taken on roles like president or vice president, the faces around you might change slightly, but that's about it. As for regular lectures, if you're attending them with friends from your faculty, then nothing much changes there either. And that's just fine. I enjoy the unchanging routine of everyday life. "What do you mean there's something to discuss about the Valentine’s party at this point?" Being a critical part of my daily life, she—the undeniable presence—Mino Ayaka let out a light breath, brushing her bangs back. In the corner of the first floor of Building Thirteen, beneath the spiral staircase, there's a somewhat enclosed space. This hidden nook isn't frequented by many students. "There was something I hadn't mentioned back then." "About Reina?" The words got stuck in my throat, and I found myself coughing. Ayaka reached out and gently patted my back. "Th-thanks." "You're welcome. So, go on." "Well... Reina insisted she hadn't cheated on me." "I heard about that. What I don't know is what happened afterward, right?" Ayaka replied in a flat tone, touching the ends of her hair that fell against her blouse. What I was about to tell her was what happened when I talked to Reina in the basement. "—Reina cried." I bit my lip. I've felt a persistent weight on my chest ever since. I can't believe anymore that leaving halfway through was the right decision. I felt hurt because I thought she cheated on me. Then I ran away, afraid of getting hurt even more. Dismissing Reina’s plea thinking it foolish to get hurt from something I considered over. If my current understanding is right, Natsuki's attitude makes sense to me now. "And then?" Ayaka narrowed her eyes slightly, creating an even deeper illusion of silence beneath the spiral staircase. When I hesitated to respond, she continued. "I didn't want to say too much, but I sided with you and argued against Reina at the Valentine’s party. Even if Reina had been in the right, my approach wouldn’t have changed because I was supporting you." Ayaka leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. "—I don't know anything about Reina. All I know is you, so making an objective judgment is impossible." Indeed, what a reasonable argument. She always gets so involved that at some point, relying on Ayaka for answers became second nature. If what Natsuki says about "being spoiled" is true, then she hit the mark. "That's why I have no choice but to trust only you. If you say you were cheated on, I'll believe it. Conversely, if you suggest you weren't, I have to accept that too." Ayaka stepped away from the wall and concisely said, "Because in this matter, I’m an outsider." As she looked upwards, Ayaka appeared to wear a somewhat forlorn expression. But it was just for a moment; the next, she had turned her back to me. "Well, maybe I’m not entirely an outsider." "…Yeah. I shared a lot with you back when I was dating Reina, even when no one asked." Ayaka took a moment before responding to my words. "…Yeah." She placed her handbag on her back and took a step forward. "Hey, Ayaka." "Hmm?" "Sorry for dragging you into this." Whether it was the club disputes or the time with Reina, I always ended up pulling her into my mess. I caught the hint of a small smile from Ayaka at my apology. "Don't apologize for something like this." "But—" "It's fine." Ayaka cut me off firmly and started walking. Just before stepping into the corridor that led to the lobby, she turned around. "By the way, are you going somewhere now?" "Yeah, just briefly." "Okay. Then let me know the outcome, will you?" "Sure." When I nodded, Ayaka lifted the corners of her mouth. And just as usual, our gazes met. We're used to this, from talking so often. Yet today, there was a slight discomfort—a feeling hard to put into words. Today, of all days, I felt as though I shouldn't look away from Ayaka. As our eyes met for a few seconds, Ayaka continued to stare at me. I couldn't look away either and stared back. …The same clear eyes as always. But I couldn't read the emotions behind them. The bell for lectures rang. Ayaka was the first to break eye contact, opening her mouth to speak. "We're late." "…Sorry, cut it a bit close." "I said we're late, so it’s bad, bad." Ayaka chuckled wryly before continuing. "Want to go to the smoking area? I'll join you for just one." "Nah, I've quit smoking." After Ayaka told me it was uncool, I hadn’t smoked a single cigarette. It's strange that I could quit just because of something like that, but thanks to it, I think my stamina has improved. "Right. I did tell you to quit." "Exactly. If I dive back into smoking, I might not be able to quit next time. Plus, it was uncool, wasn’t it?" I jokingly chuckled, and Ayaka gave a small shrug. "Yeah, it was uncool, but I liked those times, honestly." After running her fingers through her long black hair, Ayaka turned her back. "See you later." "…Yeah." I raised a hand in farewell, and Ayaka exited Building Thirteen. Only the sense of enclosure remained in the space after she left. I soon headed outside too. Ayaka's silhouette was already gone. —Tell me the result, Ayaka had said. She probably already knew who I was going to meet. I took out my phone from my pocket and scrolled through the call history. I found the name I was looking for.