“Hazuki. Thank you for coming on such short notice.”

On Sunday, the day after Yuu-kun parted ways with Hazuki-chan and the others, I contacted Hazuki-chan with a RINE and asked her to come to Hanasaki Park, where we had so many memories.

“That’s okay. So what is it that you need me for?”

I wondered if Hazuki-chan had been crying since then yesterday.

She couldn’t hide her swollen eyes, ruining her usually pretty face.

“Okay, I’m going to tell you clearly. I am in love with Yuu-kun. I’ve loved him ever since I was in elementary school. That’s why I’m going to walk beside him from now on.”

“What? Wait a minute, Kanade. I and Yuuri haven’t broken up yet, right?”

“You already broke up with him. He already said that he wants to break up with Hazuki-chan forever.”

“I’m sure it was just a sudden emotional outburst. Because we have known each other since before I can remember. I know everything about Yuuri, and I’m the only one who can understand him.”

Hah, Hazuki-chan really doesn’t get it, does she? Why does she still believe she can keep the relationship going after such a complete betrayal?

“Hazuki-chan. If you say you understand Yuu-kun’s feelings, do you know what he is going through right now? Do you understand how much he has suffered since he found out about your relationship?”

“That’s…”

Hazuki-chan is clearly upset. I could tell from her expression that she was desperately trying to think of an excuse. It’s hard to believe that Hazuki always looks so mature.

“I feel bad about that. But I’m sure he knows how much I love him. It’s true that I did have sex with Kouki, but I also went on many dates with Yuuri, and whenever I had time, I was always with him and gave all my love to him.”

“Wait a minute, Hazuki-chan. Are you serious about that? Don’t you realize that it’s hopelessly over when you say you had sex?”

“That’s fine. In the first place, it has nothing to do with Kanade, right? This is between me and Yuuri, so don’t interfere.”

This girl is really screwed up now. It’s like she’s seriously lacking in thinking of others.

But she shouldn’t have been like this originally. In fact, Hazuki has helped me and Yuu-kun more times than I can count. If that’s the case, then why does she say things like ignoring Yuu-kun’s feelings when it comes to this?

Is it possible that she is just scared? I should be able to understand that she is saying incoherent things, but is she just saying such things because she is afraid of losing Yuu-kun?

“I’m related in this matter, okay? I love Yuu-kun and I want to tell him how I feel when I support and heal his broken heart.”

“What’s that? Making me leave Yuuri and supporting and healing a weakened Yuuri is just hypocrisy to increase the probability of success when Kanade confesses her feelings. You are just a thieving cat.”

“Un. That’s right. Does it look that way from Hazuki’s side? But you know, it was you, Hazuki, not anyone else, who made Yuu-kun broken. And I am the only one who can be by his weakened side. You have neither the qualification nor the right to be by his side anymore.”

Hatsuki-chan throws unspoken anger at me with her gaze. But I won’t be intimidated, okay? I can’t accept that Hazuki-chan, who hurt Yuu-kun so much, can get away with just a broken heart. That’s why I’m going to use a wild card that only I know.

“Hazuki-chan, how much do you know about that scumbag who makes you feel the best?

“What? Who is this scumbag guy? You don’t mean Kouki, do you?”

“There is no one but Kouki. Rather than that, answer my question. I’m asking you how much you know about him. For example, do you know that he is having sex with two other people besides Hatsuki?”

“Eh……?

“And they both had boyfriends. Yet he took them away from them. I can’t help but laugh at them. I can’t help but feel sick to think that I was hanging out with someone like that.”

“Don’t say that bullshit……”

“It’s not bullshit. I asked the boy who was a victim of cuckoldry. You must know one of them Hazuki-chan, because you were classmates in junior high school. Well, I can’t tell you his name.”

“You’re lying! Don’t lie to me like that! He said he likes me, remember? Kouki said he likes me the best, that he feels most comfortable with me.”

“Hmmm. I see. I wonder who that scumbag compared you to and said you felt the best? Well, I don’t trust any words uttered by scumbags. If you doubt me so much, why don’t you ask him directly? I’m sure he’ll probably say something like, ‘I didn’t do that,’ or ‘I like you the best.”

“Tha… that’s not true… that can’t be true.”

“I don’t need to hear about your relationship with the scumbag, and I don’t need to hear about the outcome or report back to you. Anyway, why don’t you just go on with your life with that scumbag already? That’s how guilty you’ve become, you know.”

Hazuki-chan crouched down with her head in her hands. I looked down at Hazuki-chan and gave her the finishing blow.

“I will never forgive you if you try to cause Yuu-kun any more pain. Also, remember this. Our relationship as childhood friends is over because of your betrayal. Goodbye, Hazuki-chan.”

———

In “Episode 7: Anger,” Kanade contacted a female friend from junior high school who went to the same school as Kouki. The girl’s friend told her that there was a classmate who had been taken away from her by Kouki. (It is known among some of her classmates that Kouki took her away from him).

The girl was not going to tell Kanade anymore, but after asking Kanade what was going on (she did not give details or the subject), she decided to do so and asked the boy for permission to call her on the spot.

The boy who showed up was a classmate from junior high school. Since they were in different classes, the two had never spoken to each other, so it was practically like it was the first time they had met. Incidentally, he also knew Kouki to a certain extent, but I didn’t recognize him at the time until he was the same person who had transferred to another school.

At first, the boy was reluctant to talk, but when he was told that there was another victim of Kouki’s, he started talking about various things as if he had been dammed up.

He and his stolen girlfriend met in the same club in their first year of high school and became friends, and during spring break before their senior year, they confessed their feelings to each other and started dating. They were each other’s first boyfriend and girlfriend, but everything fell apart when Kouki transferred schools. Incidentally, she told him, “I’m sorry. I found someone else I like,” and their happy life together for about six months came to an end.

Ugh, that’s so sad.