Volume 3 - CH 12

A little while after parting ways with Hazuki-chan and her friends, an incident occurred in which Yuu-kun collapsed during a club activity.

The health teacher said that he had collapsed due to an extreme lack of sleep. I was relieved to hear that Yuu-kun would get better soon as long as he continued to rest.

About an hour after lying down in the infirmary, Yuu-kun woke up. I could not look directly at Yuu-kun, who looked so weak.

In order to cheer him up, I said something careless like, “I understand how Yuu-kun feels.” Yuu-kun was offended by my words, and he would tell me about the conflicts inside him that he could not fully digest.

It was very painful for me to see him like that.

So I hugged him and told him that I would invite him to play with me every day from now on. I thought it might be a nuisance, but Yuu-kun said, “Please play with me,” which made me feel very relieved.

———

In order to put into practice what I said in the infirmary, I invited Yuu-kun to hang out with me every day, not only after club activities but also on days when I did not have club activities. It is no exaggeration to say that during spring break, I spent most of my time at Yuu-kun’s house.

I would feel a little uncomfortable if I had to come over so often, but Yuu-kun would smile and say, “Thank you for coming every day.”

So, although I say that I am trying to heal Yuu-kun, I am actually being filled up by spending every day with him. So, I am the one who should be saying “thank you” every day.

However, in the beginning, he seemed to be having a hard time, and it was sometimes difficult to watch him, but in the latter half of the spring break, his complexion improved, and on the surface, he seemed to be taking it easy.

After spring break, when a new semester begins, classes are changed.

I had been doing a wish-granting spell I found on the Internet all spring break so that I could be in the same class as Yuu-kun.

As a result, I was able to be in the same class as Yuu-kun! Moreover, Kozue-chan and Satoru-kun were also in the same class, so it was no exaggeration to say that I had the strongest group of students surrounding Yuu-kun.

However, one thing I was concerned about was the presence of Hazuki-chan in the same class.

Although I knew that Hazuki would probably not try to mess with Yuu-kun since she had gone so far as to say so, I secretly felt that I had to be on my guard.

———

Perhaps my fears were unfounded, as Hazuki-chan never made any attempt to approach Yuu-kun aggressively.

Soon it was the last summer vacation of my high school life, and I, Yuu-kun, Kozue-chan, and Satoru began studying together. To our surprise, all four of us decided to apply to the same university. I didn’t want to be the only one to fail, so I studied hard.

Studying for a goal like this reminds me of my junior high school days when I wanted to go to the same high school as Yuu-kun. When I think about it calmly, my motive for doing what I did had not progressed at all since junior high school, and I felt that I had not grown up, but I enjoyed my own efforts to go to the same school as Yuu-kun, so I decided to cheer myself up.

———

After the summer vacation and the second semester began, Hazuki-chan had little contact with Yuu-kun, so I had begun to relax my guard more than before. At that time, Yuu-kun told me that Hazuki-chan’s mother had asked him to find out what had happened to her because she had been acting strangely lately.

I asked Yuu-kun, “How are you going to find out?” He said he was going to follow Hazuki for about a week to see if there was anything suspicious.

I was a little worried about Yuu-kun being alone, so of course, I asked him to accompany me.

To be honest, I didn’t want Yuu-kun to be involved with Hazuki-chan anymore, but I also thought it might be a chance for him to get rid of the lump in his chest.

A few days after I started following Hazuki-chan, I came across a scene where Hazuki-chan confessed to Kouki-kun that she was pregnant in the park.

I knew it was going to happen someday, since she didn’t seem to be using contraception at that time, and I knew it was going to happen someday.

Still, I am angry at Kouki-kun’s comment when Hazuki-chan told him she was pregnant, even though I remember it now. He did not show any consideration for the woman who was carrying a child, but only mercilessly told her to “abort”. What a selfish and lousy man.

When I saw Hazuki-chan, who was told to abort, my thought was that I wanted those two to get married.

It was not because I felt sorry for Hazuki-chan.

It was not because I was angry at Kouki-kun’s comment.

But I still wanted them to get married.

Then I asked Yuu-kun, “Is there any way that we can help Hazuki-chan get married?” 

I know the answer to that.

It’s just not possible.

We are high school students after all.

But Yuu-kun’s answer was different.

He said that he might be able to get her to marry him.

I couldn’t believe my ears, but if Yuu-kun said it was possible, there was nothing I could trust more.

———

The day after I heard Hazuki’s confession, Yuu-kun and I were waiting for her at Hanasaki Park.

Hazuki-chan seemed puzzled by our presence, but when Yuu-kun said, “I will give you some advice so that you can get married,” she was surprised but listened intently so as not to miss anything he said.

Yuu-kun’s advice was based on the character of Kouki-kun’s parents and the fact that those two were married as students. Certainly, considering Kouki-kun’s parents, the probability of getting married would be much higher once they were on her side. At the very least, I thought, Kouki-kun would be in a position where he would have no choice but to agree.

After listening to the advice, Hazuki-chan asked Yuu-kun a question that she must have wondered about from the beginning.

“Why did you decide to help me after I betrayed you?”

Yuu-kun answered, “Because we are childhood friends.”

I think Yuu-kun was right to do so.

Perhaps some people might say that Yuu-kun was naive to the woman who betrayed him, but I still didn’t want him to carry his dark past with him.

Yes, a past in which he could not forgive his childhood friend.

Such a dark past will come back to haunt him at some point in his life. Personally, I thought that it would be better for him to forgive his childhood friend rather than to let Yuu-kun feel that way for a long time.

After we finished giving advice to Hazuki-chan, we were still talking on a bench in Hanasaki Park. When I saw the look on Yuu-kun’s face, I knew that my earlier thought was not mistaken.

It was as if Yuu-kun’s expression had returned to how it was before he knew about the betrayal.

It will take some time for the wounds in his heart to heal completely.

However, I was very happy that Yuu-kun’s emotional tension had been lifted.

I was so happy that I was talking to Yuu-kun in a good mood when I suddenly heard his confession and my mind went blank.

“I love you, Kanade.”

What? You like me?

What do you like? What are you talking about, Yuu-kun?

I was puzzled, but Yuu-kun looked into my eyes and continued to speak.

“When I was in pain and closed-minded, Kanade was there for me all the time and really saved me. I want to be able to save Kanade this time. I want to stay next to Kanade. I want to make Kanade happy. As long as it’s okay with Kanade, I want you to go out with me. I love you, Kanade.”

I can’t believe it.

Yuu-kun told me that he loves me.

I had dreamed that one day he would tell me he loved me, but I never thought the time would really come.

I was so overwhelmed with my feelings that my eyes overflowed with tears.

I also managed to express my feelings for Yuu-kun.

“Yuu-kun, I like you, too. I love you. Please make me your lover.”

I was so happy that I jumped onto Yuu-kun’s chest. I am so happy, but I can’t stop crying. Thank you, Yuu-kun. I love you so much!

———

As I leave Yuu-kun, who has walked me home, and enter the house, I remember my earlier confession and grin and grin all by myself.

Because I’ve been thinking about you for a long time.

I’ve always dreamed of having a relationship with Yuu-kun.

I couldn’t be happier.

I lay on the bed, flapping my legs and spinning my body around.

After agonizing over and over again, I would take a moment to calm down and think about those two.

(Can they really get married? If they really get married, I…)