第80話　涙の意味③ - I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me

"I never expected you to contact me, Yuta." Reina Aisaka said this, her ash-gray hair fluttering in the breeze. It was the same color as Touto's from the past, but now Reina's hair was slightly lighter. The vibrant shade, different from when we were dating, made me avert my eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry for leaving abruptly back then." When I apologized, Reina opened her mouth slightly, surprised. "No, not at all... In your position, Yuta, it was only natural. I thought about it after you left." Reina frowned and gave a wry smile. Then, she nostalgically glanced around the area. The place where I arranged to meet Reina was a small park deep within a residential neighborhood. This park, close to the apartment where Reina lived, became completely deserted after sunset. Even Reina, a local resident, only discovered it by chance while walking with me. The modest space had only one bench, but when we were together, we frequently took breaks here. As these thoughts ran through my head, Reina spoke up. "It's nostalgic, isn't it?" The last time we visited this place was more than half a year ago. It was only natural to feel a sense of nostalgia. "…Yeah, it is." As I responded, Reina sat down on the bench. "I regret it too. I should have put it differently. When I was in front of you, Yuta, I got nervous and ended up speaking without thinking clearly to keep the conversation going." "Oh... I can relate to that." No matter how much one thinks beforehand, details can slip away when nervous. Especially since it's a personal matter, not a lecture. There's a limit to rehearsing it in your head. While that was easy to realize in hindsight, at the time, it didn’t cross my mind. If I had been prepared to encounter her, things might have been different, but that's just speculation. It's because I've talked with Natsuki that I'm able to consider things from Reina's perspective now. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, Reina continued to talk. "Natsuki apologized the other day. She said she felt bad for making you uncomfortable." "I wasn't particularly uncomfortable." Whether during the lectures or at the ramen shop, Natsuki's nuanced attitude sometimes caught me off guard, but now I found myself feeling appreciative. Since entering university, there hadn't been anyone like Natsuki who pointed out my flaws so sharply. Ayaka also occasionally points things out, but there's always love underlying her words, so the sense of urgency is rare. Natsuki's cool demeanor might guide me in positive directions in the long run. "Don't worry about it. I'd be happy if she treats me the same way as always." "Got it. I'll let her know." With my words, Reina's expression softened, and she sat down next to me. "Natsuki and I have been friends since junior high. We were always in the same group during our school years, and we're close." "I figured. I only recently started talking to Natsuki, but I can tell she's on your side." When I said this, Reina nodded slightly. "Yeah. I think she's like Ayaka is to you, Yuta." "...That makes sense." Natsuki likely wouldn't have voiced her thoughts about my behavior unless it concerned Reina. It's natural to have a few things that bother us about friends, but I think Natsuki is the type to keep those thoughts to herself and maneuver skillfully in social settings. This is evident from how she maintains broad friendships, even while having reservations about the Green club. But the reason she voiced her thoughts about me was because she had something more important than her own position. For Natsuki, that was Reina. "She's a good friend." "Yes. I talked about Natsuki a few times when we were dating, remember?" When I expressed surprise, Reina added, "I never mentioned her by name, always saying 'a friend of mine,' so it's understandable you didn't realize." "She’s surprisingly emotional." Shinohara said the same thing. I didn't notice when I first met Natsuki at the Christmas mixer, and even later, until it concerned Reina, I hadn't realized. Perhaps it was because Natsuki hadn't opened up to me yet. Thinking this, Reina began to speak. The earring at her ear gleamed brightly. "If you don’t mind, Yuta. It'll take some time, but will you listen?" —Of course. That's the reason I came to see Reina. When I nodded, Reina smiled and looked up at the sky. After a while, I followed her gaze, searching the night sky for stars swallowed by the city's lamplights. As I did, Reina chuckled softly. "It's a bit nerve-wracking." With that said, she began to speak quietly, slowly, as if savoring each word.