I Was Betrayed by My Childhood Friend, so I Won’t Lie to Myself Anymore

“Wait! Don’t ignore me !”

[Even though I already told her yesterday, it seems like she didn’t understand…]

While I’m being disgusted by Yuina who didn’t learn, she seemed unconcerned about this and still insisted on talking to me.

“Heyy ! Ryou !!”

“Tch, what ?”

Well, I couldn’t just ignore her in front of Igarashi san, so I replied in frustration.

“What is that, you don’t have to be so rude”

It’s because I hate it that I give her that kind of look.

Igarashi San, who was watching our exchange, asked me about Yuina.

“Ah Saeki San. Perhaps, this is ?“

“Yes, you’re right.”

I understood what she was trying to say, so I nodded to Igarashi San’s words.

“Ha? What is this, why are you talking with Igarashi San like you’re her good friend?”

“Haaa? It’s not like who I’m talking to is your business. Just get out of here.”

“W-what’s that attitude !! W-wait, perhaps the one Ryou’s dating is…”

Just as I was about to reply to Yuina, who guessed our relationship, Kenji and his friends, who had joined the group earlier, interrupted our conversation.

“Oioi, what are you talking about Yuina?  How can a shady guy go out with Igarashi San, the most beautiful girl in first grade?”

“That’s right, more than 20 people who confessed their feelings to Igarashi San have already been rejected, so there’s no way he’ll ever go out with her! It’s probably in your imagination ! Gyahahaha!!”

“Well, the you now is better than the old you. I can see why you’d get a little cocky, but that’s just not going to happen !”

The guys around me who interrupted me made fun of me and denied Yuina’s statement.

“You guys….”

As expected, Asahi couldn’t couldn’t hold back his reaction and was about to punch them, so I made eye contact with Akari Chan and asked her to stop this. 

Then Yuina was grinning and laughing while looking at me. 

“Well, that makes sense. A guy like Ryouma wouldn’t be able to be with a girl like Igarashi San ! I knew it,  you were just trying to make yourself look good yesterday! What~? Do you want me to feel jealous? But, even if you want to show off, isn’t Igarashi San a bit too much for you? Ahaha ! Well, jokes aside, maybe now I can still forgive you, you know??”

“Hmm…!”

I was thinking about talking back to her, but my relationship with Igarashi San was only a (temporary) lover, and Yuina’s statement that I was just trying to look good was not entirely wrong. As a result, I’m unable to speak up and turn my head down. 

Yuina, who saw me in that state, approached Igarashi San and started talking to her  with a more relaxed expression than when she called me out. 

“Hey Igarashi San. you know I feel sorry for you because you had to go along with Ryou’s stupid lies～? Ryou can’t even study nor exercise in the first place, even though his looks now are much better than before. He used to look like such a dork, you know? I think he’ll be back to how he used to look from now on～. Hey, I’m not going to say anything bad, so could you not get involved with Ryou anymore? If you like, why don’t you come play with us right now? We were thinking about going to karaoke now ! Come on !” 

After Yuina humiliates me a lot, she grabs Igarashi San’s hands and tries to take her away. 

“That’s great! You’re gonna look better on our side!” 

Kenji and the others agreed with Yuina’s words as they were about to welcome Igarashi San. 

At that moment, I heard a [slap!] noise. I looked up in surprise and saw Igarashi San who stopped there pulling her hands off, and Yuina, whose cheeks gradually turned red. 

“Eh…?”

Igarashi San glared and shouted at Yuina, who was covering her cheeks, not understanding what was happening. 

“Please knock it off! Why, why can you, the person who knows Ryouma Kun the most, say such a terrible thing!!” 

Nobody could stop Igarashi san who had lost her temper over Yuina’s comment, and could only watch. 

“All this time, Ryouma Kun has endured again and again towards your selfishness! And yet, you betrayed Ryouma Kun, didn’t you !? Why are you still trying to tie down Ryouma Kun when you already threw him away ! !” 

“T-that’s  got nothing to do with you !” 

“Well it does ! Ryouma Kun and I are lovers after all! No matter what people say, I don’t think that it’s disproportionate! Because Ryouma Kun is a very nice person!!” 

The people around us who were watching us began to rustle at Igarashi San’s statement. 

That should be the case, because a girl as beautiful as Igarashi San declaring that she has a lover to a girl her own age, and praising her lover. 

However, it wouldn’t be good for Igarashi San if she continued to stand out so much. 

“After all, Ryouma Kun is my…” 

“Igarashi San, it’s alright now.” 

As expected, I was attracting too much attention, so I stepped between the two of them and tried to calm Igarashi San down with as gentle a voice as possible. 

“Ah…I’m sorry…”

Igarashi San, who had cooled down a bit after I intervened, took a breath and turned to Yuina as well as Kenji and the others. 

“I, I won’t ever play with you people who insulted the person I love. No matter how many times you apologize later, I will never be shaken. And also, Kanzaki San, I’m sorry for hitting your cheeks. If it still hurts, please buy a compress with this money.” 

After Igarashi san said that last thing, she handed over the 1000 yen to Yuina, and left the place while pulling my hand. 

I looked at Igarashi San while walking with our hands holding onto each other and felt nostalgia as if something similar had happened in the past. 

[somewhere, with Igarashi San…]