★ Uehara Marika’s Point of View

On my way home from shopping at a convenience store, I was walking down a dimly lit back street toward home.

On the way home, there was a condom vending machine in one corner, where I saw a young boy purchasing condoms while being mindful of his surroundings.

I couldn’t help but smile when I saw his concern for his surroundings.

I am sure that when it comes time to buy “it,” I too will hesitate and behave suspiciously.

——Nhn? That guy… It feels like I’ve seen him somewhere before.

I recognized the back of the man who bought the condom.

I move even closer to confirm its appearance.

——Tōyama!?

We haven’t talked much, but I’m not wrong about my classmate Tōyama.

「Huh? Tōyama?」

「Uehara-san?」

Tōyama hastily hid the condom in his pocket, but I already know.

「What are you doing here, Tōyama? By the way, the thing that you hid in your pocket, it’s “that,” right?」

「Yeah, I wonder about that?」

His appearance is ordinary, with pitch black hair and bangs that tend to hide his eyes, making him look very plain. He was a quiet-looking male student who usually read books alone.

At worst, he is sober and quiet; at best, he is calm.

Tōyama does not make silly noises or fool around like the boys around me. He seemed somewhat resigned or accomplished, and was mature than the other male students.

In my close group of friends, there is a handsome and popular guy in the soccer club named Kurashima Kazuhito. I thought he was cool at first, but being in contact with them for a long time, all I could see was his bad side. He was misogynistic, arrogant, inconsiderate, and a real jerk. I’m ashamed of myself thinking he’s even a little good. I can’t help wondering why he’s so popular.

I really thought that people were not true to their faces after all.

「Hmm… Is Tōyama going to use that?」

He had a mature atmosphere that was different from other boys. I was interested in Tōyama. So I just had to ask because I kind of hate that he has a partner to use those contraceptives.

「Ahh, my brother asked me to buy this for him. He said he’d give me some allowance.」

It sounds kind of fake, but I was a little relieved to hear that.

「But, you know, Tōyama’s house isn’t around here, right?」

What did I do by persistently pursuing him? It’s like I was some kind of girlfriend who suspects my partner of cheating on me.

In the end, it seems that he ended up here when he was looking for a vending machine which would be easy to buy without being seen by the public.

「Well, that’s fine. Tōyama doesn’t seem to need that kind of thing.」

He has never been uncomfortable with my strange pursuits.

I thought that my inability to talk honestly was really no good compared to Tōyama.

「Right, right, it’s useless to me. Then, my brother is waiting for me, I’m going home now.」

I didn’t tell him but I couldn’t help but smile when I heard Tōyama’s words, “It’s useless to me,” the words I wanted to hear the most.

I pestered him a little, but he doesn’t hate me right? I was a bit worried because Tōyama left as if he was running away.

◇ ◇ ◇

After meeting Tōyama on the street at night, I began to actively talk to him. But every time I am with Tōyama and the others, Kurashima gets in the way.

Kurashima once confessed to me that he wanted me go out with him, but I refused because I knew his true nature. Despite this, he still put on his boyfriend-like appearance and gets involved with Tōyama at every turn.

Many of the boys around me, including Kurashima, have ulterior motives or conversely, are too shy to engage in any conversation.

Tōyama doesn’t seem to be very interested in me. I wanted to get to know him better, so I planned to take advantage of the fact that he was always reading and that he was a member of the library committee. I made an effort to increase contacts by asking for recommendations and borrowing books from the library.

The strategy of being interested in the book Tōyama was reading worked, and I succeeded in going out with him after school. This is an after-school date, right? We had a great time talking and went straight to a café for tea.

As I started going to the library, I also became interested in my classmate Takai-san, who is always in the library. The reason for my interest in her may be that she somehow resembles Tōyama in atmosphere.

Takai-san is an indoor type, fair-skinned and beautiful person. She also has pitch-black hair and wears large glasses with thick rims, and I feel that she dares to hide her face and keep a low profile.

Every time I wanted to talk to Takai-san, I talked to her in the library, but she would not open to me. Tōyama seems to get along reasonably well with her in the library, which I envy.

Then I became addicted in reading and started reading romcoms and other things that men read. Do boys like girls with big boobs with that kind of single-mindedness? I’m confident in my bust size too. Would Tōyama be interested with me if I crossed my arms like in a romcom and casually pressed my boobs against him? I’ll give a try when I gwt the chance.

◇ ◇ ◇

I invited Tōyama to go to the bookstore in the library, but on the evening of the day he turned me down because he had something to do, I received a phone call from my best friend Mika.

『Marika, did you get an invitation to a group chat?』

『No, there’s nothing coming in.』

『I knew it… There’s something in the chat which mentions Marika.』

『Eh? What does it say?』

『…Listen carefully. To be clear, there are some bad things written about you that have no origin. They even wrote something about Tōyama.』

『Badmouthing me!? And also Tōyama? What did they even write?』

『It would be a shock for you to find out, Marika. Do you want to still know?』

『…Yeah, I’m afraid to ask, but… I’m more afraid to not knowing whatever is being written there!』

『Okay… I’ll send you a screenshot. And I’ll tell you something else first. I’m on Marika’s side.』

『Thank you… Mika.』

『I’ll send it to you then, so stay strong. And be sure to call me back when you’re done reading.』

『Un, okay. I’ll call you back.』

I hung up the call and waited for Mika to send me a screenshot.

After a few seconds, a notification tone sounded, indicating that a new message has been received.

My hands trembled holding my phone and I was hesitant to open the message.

But… this is not going anywhere at this point. I opened the message with my intention.

I look over the message.

What was written there were lies and slander against me that has no basis in reality.

——Why?

That was the first thing I said when I finished reading it.

I don’t get it… What do the people who wrote this have against me…?

I was stunned for a while, but then I remembered Mika’s word and called her back.

◇ ◇ ◇

「Kurashimaaaa!!! You can say any amount of bad things about me… but… if you say anything degrading about Uehara-san—— I’ll fucking kill you!!!」

Right now, in front of my eyes, Tōyama is grabbing Kurashima by the chest and forcefully pushing him against the shoe locker and tightening it.

「Tōyama, stop… please… I will be fine……」

Kurashima and Taniguchi were slandering me unjustly, and Tōyama was furious for me. But, I tried my best to stop him from further violence.

Perhaps my words were received, Tōyama removed his hands from Kurashima.

The place was temporarily in an uproar, and Tōyama and Kurashima were taken separately by the teacher whom someone had called.

Taniguchi and I, along with other students who had witnessed the incident, were being questioned about the situation, and were being moved by the teachers.

I was glad. Kurashima and others said terrible things to me, but Tōyama got mad for my sake. That’s I was saved. His kindness touched me and something warm was born in my heart.

But, he turned violent for me. If this continues, he may receive some sort of punishment from the school. That is the only thing I must prevent.

Fortunately, I also have the paper with the slanderous note that was in the locker that started the whole thing. If I tell the truth, Tōyama’s punishment may be lightened.

——Tōyama, wait for me. This time I will save you.

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