Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/1177354054897729140/episodes/1177354054898656573
[Seiji]
K-Karen..!
[I’m sorry.]
Why are you apologizing…that’s right, it’s been three months since we started dating, even though it’s been a while since we went out together. There’s a movie I’ve been wanting to see. I don’t know if it’s your kind of thing, Karen, but if you’d like, let’s go together…
[I don’t wanna go with Seiji.]
Eh…what do you mean…
[I like this person. I don’t need Seiji anymore.]
So, that guy…right, that man…! Karen, please explain what’s going on…I don’t want to be left in the dark, please…
[This person is so much better than Seiji. In every way.]
So, that’s it…I guess I was inferior…as a man.
[Goodbye.]
Karen…what should I have done…?
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“…What a terrible wake-up call.”
The fact that I had such a dream means that the scene of Karen and that unknown man from yesterday is burned into my eyes and firmly imprinted as a trauma in my brain.
I never thought Hana was the type to cheat…no, it’s not certain yet, I think, and I want to believe it’s not.
But the sight of Karen, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, and that genuine smile she directed at another man.
That full-faced smile I hadn’t seen in a long time. I fell for that smile, and that’s why I liked her and confessed my feelings.
But now, that smile isn’t directed at me anymore; it belongs to another man.
Probably the reason she’s been slow to respond is because she’s prioritizing that other man over my annoying messages.
Maybe she’s just being cold because she doesn’t want to deal with me complaining about breaking up, or maybe I’m the one who made her that way.
“Haa…”
As I sighed, I heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.
Is it my mother?
Yesterday, I ended up sleeping because of the shock and didn’t eat dinner, so maybe she came to wake me up out of concern.
I feel bad.
But when I opened the door, it was…
“Hey, big bro, breakfatst’s ready.”
It was my younger sister, Nagamine Yuka.
Yuka and I were so close that we were the talk of the neighborhood until elementary school, but since she became a middle school student, she hardly interacts with me anymore.
Well, it’s just puberty, I guess.
“Ah, uh…thanks.”
“What’s with that gloomy face? It’s creepy.”
She’s still as mouthy as ever…since becoming a middle school student, her speech and appearance have become more like a delinquent’s.
“High school boys have a lot going on.”
“Haha, that’s funny.”
“(…Ugh ! ! ! !)”
When we were little, she was so attached to her older brother that it wasn’t an exaggeration to call her a “brother complex.” Her older brother is sad…
“Well, but…if something happens, I’ll listen to you. Cheer up ! Your usual slightly creepy self is just right !”
Saying that, Yuka slapped me on the back.
Her words and actions are weird, but she’s still a good sister who cares about her family, and I feel that in moments like this. Maybe because she understands that, my mom doesn’t say anything about Yuka’s current situation.
“Ouch…well, thanks.”
“Mom’s waiting, so hurry downstairs ! I’m going to school already !”
She slammed the door shut and left.
She’s pretty rough when she leaves…
Well, anyway, I should get dressed and go downstairs.
Since my parents are working hard to pay for my tuition, I can’t afford to slack off.
I’ll fulfill my duty as a student.
***
The Aozora Academy High School I attend is located about 30 minutes away by train.
Since Shibuya, where I recently witnessed Karen’s affair (confirmed), is the nearest station, the morning commuter trains are very crowded.
Our high school is affiliated with a university, so I often see college students. Right in front of me, there are two pretty cool college students walking.
“Ah, I’m so sleepy…..”
“Suguru, were you working the night shift again? Part-time jobs are fine, but you should also have some fun !”
“Night shifts are lucrative…plus, even with the allowance I receive, I need to make up for the shortfall.”
“Sigh, you’re really struggling as a student.”
Even though college life may seem glamorous at first glance, seeing people working part-time jobs to cover tuition and living expenses, or studying hard for their future, makes me realize that university students have their own challenges.
Thinking about it that way, maybe my worries are trivial compared to those of college students.
“Hmm? Isn’t that Seiji over there?”
A voice spoke from behind in a tone that didn’t fit this era.
“Oh, it’s Hanzo.”
“Today is a sunny day, and it’s truly pleasant! !”
His name is Kusama Hanzo.
He has a crew cut and wears black-rimmed glasses because of his poor eyesight. He’s over 180 centimeters tall with a well-toned physique. Among the male students, he’s often called “a different person from the waist down.”
We’ve been friends since middle school, and we’ve been in the same class for four years—a real bond.
His name gives the impression of a ninja, but he’s a hardcore kendo club member, and his family runs a prestigious kendo dojo.
Perhaps influenced by their love for period dramas, his speech also has a samurai-like quality. But why did they name the son of a dojo owner “Hanzo”?
When I once asked Hanzo, “Why not a samurai-like name like Musashi or Kojiro?” he replied, “I have two older brothers. The eldest is Musashi, and the second is Kojiro.” It seems the names of famous swordsmen had already been taken. Poor thing.
“No morning practice today?”
“Yes, with the tournament approaching, we’re trying not to overdo the training.”
“The sports club is so disciplined…I’m just not cut out for it.”
“Hahaha, what are you talking about? You were once in the karate club, weren’t you?”
“I was basically a ghost member, though.”
I was a member of the club, but I hardly ever went. Well, there are various reasons for that.
Anyway, while Hanzo and I were chatting about trivial things, we arrived at school.
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Class started, but I couldn’t concentrate on the teacher’s lecture and kept thinking about Hana. I think I’m obsessing over Hana like a mental case.
Of course, falling in love with someone is a wonderful thing, but at the same time, it can leave you emotionally scarred.
And since I witnessed the infidelity, I feel a little under the weather…hmm, this is serious.
Well…what should I do now…?
While the classical Japanese teacher was passionately talking about history, I stared out the window and thought blankly.
How should I deal with Karen from now on?
To be honest, I feel anger.
After all, there’s no way someone wouldn’t get angry if they were cheated on…though maybe it depends on the person.
But as for me, I feel a sense of deep regret.
That said, I don’t intend to confront Karen and explode in anger.
Most people would come to hate the person who cheated on them, but I can’t say the same for myself right now.
It’s an incredibly ambiguous emotion, a confusing state of mind.
I think it’s because I truly loved her that I can’t truly hate her.
“…Hmm? Sir Seiji, are you feeling unwell? You look rather grim…”
“Ah…sorry, sorry, I’m just thinking about a few things.”
Sitting next to me is not the class beauty, but the tough guy Hanzo.
Sitting next to him? What a rotten connection we have ! !
But I must have looked really terrible…
“In times like this, the best thing to do is to move your body. Okay, let’s join the kendo club…”
“No way.”
I brushed off Hanzo, who looked disappointed, and stared into space again.
Hanzo is probably worried that I’m thinking about something again…
But…should I continue my relationship with Karen?
It feels like it’s already over, but I haven’t properly said goodbye.
But in this case, I would be the one to initiate the breakup.
What should I say? “I can’t be with someone who cheated on me, let’s break up”?
But I’m sure I’ll regret it because I’m an idiot.
From Karen’s perspective, she’d probably think, “Lucky, that annoying person left on their own.”
Ah…I don’t even know what I want anymore…
I don’t have the courage to initiate the breakup. But I also don’t want her to be the one to say it.
Maybe it’s better to just let it fade away naturally.
Even if we happen to cross paths, I’ll act like a stranger.
I’ll keep ignoring her. Maybe that’s best for both of us.
From her perspective, she’ll be free from the hassle, and from mine, it’ll be a little payback. I know it’s pretty childish.
But I feel that by distancing myself from Karen, I can slowly move forward.
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Karen and haven’t been able to move on.
They say that love is blind, and I guess my frontal lobe is paralyzed and my IQ is down to about 50.
For my own sake, and for Karen’s sake, it’s better not to continue this ambiguous relationship any longer.
Alright, starting today, Karen and I are—strangers.
As I was thinking that,
“Hey, Nagamine ! ! ! Have you been staring out the window the whole time? Is my class that boring !?”
“Ugh !? S-sorry !”
On that day, Seiji resolved to part ways with the person he loved most.
But what about Karen…..?
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