Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818622176550308690/episodes/16818792436795338124
“Renka… Hey, Renka. What happened…?”
Sena crouched down, peering up at my face with concern.
But I—I couldn’t look my best friend in the eye.
I ducked my head away, as if fleeing. Tears fell, plop plop, right in front of me.
“…Renka. Did Suzukita-san do something to you?”
—No.
I couldn’t speak. So I shook my head side to side in denial.
“Did something happen with… Akito-kun?”
That too—wasn’t it, but.
It wasn’t that. More than that, there was something else I needed to tell Sena sooner.
“…Se…na…”
“Yeah, I’m right here. What’s wrong, Renka?”
“I’m sorry… I… didn’t know…”
I looked at Sena.
Her expression was one of deep concern for someone like me.
“Sena… you… you like Akito too, right…?”
“——…Huh?”
That gentle expression visibly stiffened.
Sena had always been terrible at lying. Unlike me, the liar.
“…Renka. Who told you that…?”
I couldn’t bring myself to say Maeda-san’s name.
If I told Sena about Maeda-san here, she’d surely get really angry for my sake. But—I didn’t want that. I wanted Sena to keep smiling forever.
So I had to stop… I had to stop these tears quickly.
I had to say it was nothing. I had to pretend it was okay, like I used to.
—Putting on a brave face in front of everyone was supposed to be my only skill.
But I was completely failing at it.
No matter how hard I tried, droplets kept falling down my cheeks. Every time I thought I had to stop them, my emotions just overflowed instead.
“I’m… I’m sorry… I really didn’t know… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…!”
“Renka. It’s okay, it’s okay.”
I felt a tight embrace.
Sena… was holding me.
But… it shouldn’t be like this. I have no right to be treated so gently by Sena.
Because… Sena must have suffered so much because of me.
Maeda-san said Sena was holding back her feelings for Akito for my sake.
If it weren’t for someone like me, Sena could have been happy with Akito. I was practically stealing that happiness from her. Calling myself her best friend, yet I never noticed how Sena felt. Worse, I even consulted her about my feelings for Akito… How utterly despicable am I?
“There, there. It’s okay, Renka. It’s okay, so let’s calm down first, okay?”
“But… but…!”
“Remember what I told you before, Renka? That no matter what happens, I’ll always be on your side. So relax, okay? I’ll never, ever stop liking you.”
Smooth, smooth… Sena stroked my back.
My soaked-through pajamas. Doing this would get Sena wet too—but my best friend’s voice sounded like she didn’t care at all.
“Hey, Renka! —Wanna go to karaoke?”
Such an out-of-the-blue suggestion.
With her usual friendly smile, Sena said to me.
◇◇◇
“Ahh, ahh! Um, then! If I may be so bold, I’ll sing the first song!”
After drying my body and clothes in the room, I washed my tear-swollen face.
I called the front desk on the third floor and reserved a karaoke room.
Then… half-dragged along by Sena, we moved into a small private karaoke booth.
“Now, please listen—Nanami Sena singing ‘Bitter Chocolate of Love’!”
And so it happened that Sena began singing a famous idol song.
It was an older choice, popular a while back. But it was a love song perfect for karaoke, one anyone from our generation had heard at least once.
Sena stood directly in front of me, beaming, microphone in hand, singing passionately.
The pitch bar displayed on the monitor… it was swinging wildly up and down, like a roller coaster.
“Phew! That’s all from Nanami Sena! Yeah!”
Seconds after Sena finished singing, the monitor displayed the number 42.
Yes… To put it bluntly, Sena was tone-deaf.
Her enthusiasm was good—I chuckled at the sarcastic comment from the scoring machine.
“Ah, come on! Renka, you just laughed, didn’t you?”
“Ah… I-I’m sorry… I wasn’t…!”
“Hehe. It’s okay, Renka. I invited you to karaoke because I wanted you to cheer up!”
Sena sat down next to me and grinned.
I… honestly didn’t have the energy to sing. But I also didn’t know how to respond. So I just fell silent. Ads for unfamiliar artists scrolled by as time passed.
As I sat there, Sena peered intently at my face and said,
“Hey, Renka.”
Squeeze. Sena’s soft palm pressed against mine.
“—You’re right, Renka. I like Akito too. As a guy, you know?”
Sena smiled brightly.
It was the same smile as always. Gentle, strong, and bright. …The adorable smile of my proud best friend.
“But you know—I don’t just like Akito. I really like you too, Renka?”
–
–
If you enjoy our content, feel free to donate, Thank you in advance !