Interlude 6 – Sawada Kenji

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https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16816927861984466906/episodes/16817139555363639570

Saeki leaves.

I crouched down on the spot as if I had lost my strength.

I was relieved. I was scared. I thought I was going to get hit.

It’s not normal to be that calm when the man who stole your childhood friend appears in front of you.

Maybe he just isn’t interested in me.

But thank goodness. He decided to talk to Yuina.

I’m really, really glad that he is a good person.

Now I can finally free Yuina.

“Yeah. Now our love can finally begin.”

I have always been able to do almost everything. I was always top in my tests. I can do sports as well as the guys who are in the club. I have been confessed to by many people, and even my face is good-looking. I think so.

That’s why I thought I was better than the other guys.

Right after high school, everyone was making a big deal about an incredibly beautiful girl. It is indeed extremely cute. The boys won’t leave this alone. I didn’t really like it though.

“Igarashi san is seriously cute, isn’t she?”

“I know exactly what you mean. That’s the best in school. What do you think, Kenji?”

“Well, she’s pretty enough to match me. By the way, who’s that girl next to that big guy?”

“Ah, You don’t know Sawada? that two are childhood friends and they date each other.”

“Haa? You’re kidding. Isn’t it crazy to go out with that creepy guy? I’m many, many, many times better looking than him.”

“Hahaha. I guess so.”

From then on, I was aware of Yuina as just a weird girl who hung out with shady characters.

But at that time I called Mr. Igarashi to go out with me to get something that no one else would be able to get.

“Hey, you. Go out with me.”

“Haa???”

“It’s nice, isn’t it? I’m good-looking, good at studying, good at sports, popular in class, you know? You’re the only one who can match me. That’s why.”

“I refuse.”

“Ha?…….W-why??”

“Why are you so uptight about going out with me? I mean, you don’t really like me in the first place, do you?”

“I’m not talking from the top or anything. I mean, you wouldn’t confess if you don’t like right?”

“’No, I don’t think you like me. The ones who have confessed to me so far have been looking at me for my body or liking my face…or at least looking at me favorably, but from you, I feel only that, that you just want to keep me on the side.”

“T-That kind of thing…..”

“Besides…I don’t like people who make fun of people based only on their appearance without trying to know what’s inside. So I can’t go out with you. I’m sorry.”

“W-wait !!”

“Again? What ?”

“How do you know that? I confessed to you, so of course, I like you!”

“It would be normal to think so… For some reason, I didn’t feel romantic glances from you.”

“What the heck is that besides–”

“I’m sorry for being so weird. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

Indeed, I’ve never been obsessed with anyone.

I try to stay calm and think back on what was said.

[You don’t really like me, do you?]

I certainly don’t know if I like it or not. I thought she was cute though.

[I can only sense from you that you just want to be put to the side.]

It’s not wrong. I wanted you because people around me said you are cute.

……I see. Maybe it is.

Maybe I’ve never really liked anyone.

Because up until now, women have come to me on their own without any effort on my part.

Thus I’m going to meet Yuina in earnest.

“Hey, Kenji. Igarashi san dumped you, didn’t he? Then let’s go to Kanzaki san in the next class.”

“Haa? Why ? so annoying. Wait, who is that?”

“It’s that girl with the shady guy! I told you just the other day~?”

Ah, that girl. She certainly had a pretty face.

“But she’s dating that shady guy, right?”

“Oh, come on, I’m just gonna go talk to her! I don’t usually talk to that shady guy! Come on, let’s go!”

To be honest, the idea of going to see a woman with a boyfriend was a pain in the ass, but I thought it was okay since I had just been dumped, so I went with a light heart.

“Hey~, I brought Kenji!~”

“Hello~, I’m Sawada Kenji. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh, Kenji kun~. You’re so cool~! Hey, Yuina!”

“Y-yes! Ehehe. My name is Kanzaki Yuina, nice to meet you!”

“Y-yes nice to meet you!!”

Yuina laughed at me and I felt my heart throb and my face heat up.

I was puzzled by a feeling I had never felt before, so I asked for advice on Yahiii!

So this is love. I guess I fell in love with someone for the first time.

“Oh, sorry, I have to go home now!”

“Oh, I’ll accompany you !”

“I’m happy, but sorry. Someone is waiting! see you!”

“Y-yes. See you!”

After a while, I look out the window and see Yuina running to a boy.

“Tch! Why that shady guy…?”

“I heard they’ve known each other since childhood. But poor Yuina.”

“Kenji would have been a better match for her than that shady guy!”

“Can’t you just take her away from him now?”

“No, you can’t take it away from him. they like each other, right?”

“But they are only together on the way to and from school, and they are only childhood friends, so they don’t have any choice but to be together~?”

“Besides, she and Kenji look like you’d have more fun together!”

“Seriously? Then I guess I have a chance.”

“Yes!”

“We’ll be very aggressive tomorrow! We’ll tell Yuna that Kenji and she are a good match for each other!”

“Yes! I’m begging you!!! I’ll get her to like me more than that shady little bitch, and she’ll choose me!”

I acted only on my desire to go out with Yuina, and when we were going home together after school, I couldn’t stand it any longer.

I suddenly held Yuina’s hand and confessed to her.

“Hey, Yuina. I like you. Please go out with me instead of that creepy, shady guy.”

I accidentally made fun of him by calling him a creepy and shady guy, I wonder if she dislikes it.

“Eh～um. But I’m Ryou’s…”

It seems like she didn’t mind it. But with that reaction, maybe it’s possible ! ! ! !

“No no, being childhood friends doesn’t mean that you should stay with him forever right？and, I think I am cooler than him?”

I tried desperately to persuade her. After thinking for a while, Yuina smiled and answered me.

“Ah, I see. Yes ! Then I will break up with Ryou ! if I think about it, Kenji kun is cool、and when I hold hands with you, I am so excited !”

“Well, then Yuina is my girlfriend now ! hurry up and break up with him !”

Hooray ! ! ! Hooray ! ! ! It’s the first time that I’m dating the person I like ! ! !

“Got it ! I dump him on the phone when I get home !’

Just break up with him ! Yosh ! !

“I’m counting on you, okay? Hey Yuina, close your eyes.”

I guess I was excited to have my first girlfriend that I really like. I wanted to kiss her immediately.

From there, when I kissed Yuina who closed her eyes just like I said, she tried to pull away for a moment, but I kept hugging her and kissing her and she kissed me back.

After dropping Yuina home, I couldn’t help but look forward to school starting next week.

When I went to school with Yuina on Monday, I was congratulated by my friends then I went to see her during recess, but what I saw was Yuina losing her temper over a guy named Saeki, who was supposed to be a creepy and shady guy but somehow he had turned into a handsome fucking man.

From this day onward, true happiness never came.

Lunch break. Yuina went to the rooftop and didn’t come back.

After school. Yuina told me to wait for her because she had to talk to Saeki, but when I came to her, I found her sitting down and crying.

Another day after school. While we were taking a detour for a change of pace, Yuina met Saeki and his friends, then she got slapped by Igarashi san.

In the mid-term test. When I heard that Saeki got the first place, I forced him not to get carried away. And then, Yuina kept staring at Saeki all the time.

Then, on the day off. Yuina is having a secret meeting with some men in a back alley. Although it was a misunderstanding, Yuina just tried to commit a criminal act by putting Igarashi san in danger.

Even with all that happened, I still liked Yuina. Everyone makes mistakes.

If you make mistakes, you can always repent, that’s what I thought.

That’s why I tried to be there for her every day.

When she talked about Saeki, I comforted her without being grumpy.

But no matter what I said, she always goes Ryou this Ryou that.

Since that day when I scolded her in the back alley, Yuina has only talked about Saeki, and I couldn’t help myself anymore, so I relied on Saeki.

Saeki has no merit at all. No, considering that Yuina will be involved with him before long.

But I want Yuina to be happy, so I had no choice but to ask Saeki to do his best.

This is the only way I can think of, Saeki is our only hope.

Even if Yuina rejects me and breaks my heart so badly that I can’t recover, if she ultimately chooses Saeki over me, so be it.

Right now, I’m really grateful to Igarashi san.

It was because of her rejection at that time that I was able to truly fall in love with someone.