第98話 礼奈の提案 - I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me

A moment of silence. The sound of shoes rubbing against the floor and the dribbling of the ball echo unusually loudly. After Reina asked me a question, she fixes her gaze on me, unwavering. Facing her serious expression as directly as I can, I finally open my mouth. "I don't really think about that kind of stuff right now. For a while, I probably won't have any thoughts about dating someone specifically." "Huh, so does that mean you'll date an undefined number of people?" "No way!" I hastily deny it, and Reina chuckles, her shoulders shaking in amusement. "Just kidding." "Geez, that's bad for my heart..." I had always thought I should be cautious about jokes of that sort, especially with Reina. However, if it was Reina bringing it up, it felt different, and I found myself relaxing a bit. Of course, I knew full well I shouldn't be the one to initiate such topics. But my response must have seemed like an evasion to Reina. It's not that I lied, but I was aware my answer was a bit half-hearted. It couldn't be helped; I couldn't come up with a clear answer to Reina's question right away. Reina tilted her head slightly, observing me for a moment before giving a mischievous smile. "Before you dated me, Yuta, you only went out with about two other girls, right?" "Yeah, well, that was quite a while ago." Back in third year of junior high, and first year of high school. Each of those relationships lasted less than half a year, but I think the number and duration were about average for a student. "Do you still keep in touch with them?" "No way. I haven't contacted them in years." I still followed my ex from first year on Instagram, but I didn't know any way to contact my third-year ex. I didn't feel any particular way about that, maybe because those relationships were more about going with the flow rather than any genuine feelings. Some people have serious relationships from junior high, but I wasn't like that. The only person I ever truly fell for, to the point it consumed me, was Reina standing right in front of me. "Those were all short-term, right? So it's like you don't really have anyone to compare with." Reina murmured softly, causing me to ask, puzzled. "What do you mean?" "I know it's a bit morally wrong to think this way. I just wonder what it's like for you, Yuta, without anyone to compare to." Comparing people. It's true that Reina's is the only memory vividly lingering from my past relationships, and the lack of memories about exes doesn't trouble me. Comparing exes seems unnecessary in itself. "I guess I said something a bit harsh just now. I know, but I couldn't find the right words." "Don't worry, I get what you're saying. It's true that the more you have to compare, the more accurate it might feel." It might be counterproductive if there are too many comparisons, but having some sort of benchmark is probably beneficial. The ideal scenario is that the first person you date is your destined partner, but in my case, my first relationship ended back in third year of middle school. "But you can't just date someone as a trial run." When you're dating, you should be serious about building a relationship. But because it's serious, you have to invest various resources to get to that point, and accumulating experience can be relatively difficult. That's why dating experiences are supposed to be precious and valuable, but in the realm of romance, gaining experience isn't always viewed positively. There are those who claim they can't trust someone with past dating experiences and label them as promiscuous. In reality, through accumulating experiences, you get better at things. It's normal for doing something successfully the first time to be challenging. Of course, it's most desirable to succeed with your partner on your first try. But since I'm already on my fourth relationship, I can't really afford to dream like that. In that sense, trying out a "trial relationship" for establishing one's own benchmark might sound convenient. The condition is that the other person agrees to a trial relationship, which is naturally expected. Starting a relationship with the mindset of only one side seeing it as a trial would be utterly terrible. The downside is that societal perception would be terrible. Even if both parties agree to such terms, few around them would accept this kind of relationship. And the biggest problem is that such an open-minded person doesn't exist around me. "Yeah, I guess it's impossible." As I speak, Reina shows a disappointed yet somewhat relieved expression. "Right? I want to encourage you to build such experiences, Yuta, but there's a bit of anxiety, too." "Well, I don't think there's anyone around who's up for a casual 'trial relationship' anyway." As soon as I say it, a scene from a few months ago flashes back in my mind. On Christmas Eve last year, we might have had such a conversation. "Tell me more about that!" "Huh?" The familiar voice from behind makes me wonder if words really hold such power. Turning around, we see— "Oh." Reina lets out a quiet exclamation. Ahead of both our gazes stands Shinohara, arms crossed, a faint smile playing at her lips.