第92話 償いと強さ - I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me

"That was delicious!" Reina extended her body with a satisfying stretch as they stepped outside, passing under the yellow curtain. The sunlight from the clear blue sky brightly illuminated her hair. "Yuta, do you have any plans after this?" "I've got lectures scheduled for the rest of the day." "I see, what about the day after tomorrow then?" On the day after tomorrow, Yuta's lectures only go up to the second period. While not as diligent as Ayaka, he's managed to earn an average amount of credits, ensuring that by the third year, he has no full days of lectures. That day happens to coincide with his club activity, something he's actually looking forward to—a relief for any lazy student, as the afternoon can be spent at home. "I’m thinking of going to my basketball club in the afternoon." "Basketball, huh? Now that you mention it, I've never actually seen you play before." With a hint of nostalgia in her eyes, Reina nodded. "Mind if I watch?" "Huh?" Expecting it to be just idle curiosity, Yuta was caught off guard and responded absentmindedly. Reina seemed flustered by his reaction, shaking her head vigorously. "No, no, I was just joking. Some people there might recognize me…" Perhaps she was referring to the infidelity incident. She might be concerned that showing up could damage Yuta's reputation. "Are you saying that for my sake?" To be sure, he asked, and after a blink of surprise, Reina denied it. "No." "I see." Yuta was certain she was lying. Just as Reina could sense his true intentions, Yuta could see through her deceit. It wasn’t due to the length of their relationship. During that year, the one he spent the most time with was Reina. That intensity was meaningful. Because of it, he was devastated when he thought she had been unfaithful. Yet, even if the reasons differ, Reina must have felt similar despair. Ensuring an accurate understanding of their relationship seemed to him a minimum responsibility. "Let’s go then." "What?" "I'm going to responsibly clarify our situation. I don’t think that constitutes as making amends, but I feel it’s the least I can do." When Yuta said this, Reina lowered her gaze slightly. There was a pause filled with silence, as if she was contemplating something, before her voice finally broke the quiet, soft and gentle. "I appreciate the thought. But if you're doing it as some sort of atonement, please don’t." As he was about to respond to her calm words, Reina continued. "Actually, it's not a misunderstanding at all. I did admit that I was unfaithful, didn’t I? It wouldn’t make sense for you to be the only one making amends." "But the cause was—" "The cause doesn’t matter. Besides, I can’t. I’ve already come to terms with the fact that it was technically cheating." "Even so, there’s a big difference between holding hands for one day…and repeatedly going all the way. And you’re the one who’s mistaken, Reina." "What?" "I've only ever mentioned the cheating incident to one person in the club." Among those who would recognize Reina, there's really only Todo. All the seniors who met her at the women's college festival have quit the club. As for the infidelity, he’s kept it confined to just Todo. "Only one person knows about you. So it's not as complex as you’re imagining. It’ll be over quickly." "Could it be Todo, who you sometimes mention?" "Yes." When they were dating, Yuta used to talk about the day's events quite often, so Reina was familiar with most of his social circle. Although she had only met Todo a few times, he had left an impression. "If it's just that one person, then it's unlikely they’d spread rumors." "No, he wouldn’t. Todo’s not like that." Todo is among Yuta's closest friends, with an extensive social network. Despite his appearance, which might initially give the impression of a frivolous guy, it turns out to be a positive contrasting quality. He's one of the few friends Yuta can trust implicitly. "…Then maybe I’ll take you up on that. I’ve always wanted to see the club you've often talked about." "You never mentioned it before." "I only thought about it but never said anything. I figured it wouldn’t be right to intrude on your space." Reina smiled gently as she continued. "There are so many special things about friendships that only exist between friends. Knowing that, I felt like I should stay out of it." ...Even after their breakup, it was a gesture worth appreciating. Sometimes, people become less social with friends as soon as they start a relationship. If it's by choice, there's nothing wrong, but sometimes it's out of concern for the partner, which changes things. Yuta hadn’t realized, but he owes it to Reina's thoughtfulness that he hadn't ended up like that. "Why did you choose to tell me now?" "I wanted to voice what I felt. Earlier, you said the breakup was your doing." Reina took a breath before speaking again. "I feel the same way. We both kept too much unsaid. So from now on, I’ll make sure to express what I want to say." "—You’re strong, Reina." When Yuta said this, Reina’s lips softened into a smile. "I’ve made a decision. I want to look back and think that breaking up…was something good, someday. No matter how." After answering, Reina looked up at the sky. Following her lead, Yuta raised his gaze just as a cloud shadowed the sun. "What do you think, Yuta?" A sideways glance revealed nothing of her expression from the side of her graceful profile. "…I think I’d like to follow your lead." After a brief response, Yuta turned away to head back to the university. Even he recognized the inefficiency of his reply. Yet, it was genuinely how he felt. Like Reina, he needed to act so that the past could lead to a better future. From behind, Reina called out, "I’ll message you later," to which Yuta raised a hand in acknowledgment, trying to distract himself from his own thoughts. With his mind on what lay ahead, Yuta continued to walk forward.