NTR Kousuke

Chapter 61

Tanaka-kun dragged me along, and we arrived at the stall area.

I still don't understand what's going on at all.

Tanaka-kun casually bought some food, pushed me onto a nearby bench, and tried to make me eat something random.

Nagase "Hey, Tanaka-kun? Could you give us a little space?"

Tanaka "Kousuke-kun is my best friend. I'll look after him, so Nagase-san, please go ahead."

Nagase "...Tanaka-kun... Isn't the film club keeping you busy?"

Tanaka "Heh, right now I'd rather the girls keep their distance...?"

I can tell the two of them are getting tense with each other.

It's okay, I'm okay.

"I'll eat a bit, walk around, and then head back to class. After it's over, I'll stop by the film club too. It's fine, it's fine, let's split up."

I pushed the two of them away and had them leave me alone.

At the stall area, students from the sports department, whom I usually never interact with, are running the stalls.

Since they're elite members of competitive sports like baseball and tennis, they all have impressive physiques.

It somehow reminds me of Aru-kun (a middle school classmate, one of the muscular guys).

I returned to class and handled the behind-the-scenes work for the hamburger shop. Being busy feels way easier somehow.

Working helps me organize my thoughts.

Stunned → Disappointed → Angry.

For the first time, I started to get angry.

Why do I have to feel this sad?

We made a promise, so isn't this kind of treatment unfair?

My tears subsided, and my heart filled with indignation.

I can grieve later. When I see her today, I won't let my emotions lose!

Thinking such things, I silently kept making hamburgers.

At 16:00, the culture festival finally came to a close.

We carried out the class equipment and tools, and put the desks back in place.

The teacher gave a speech, and at 16:50, everything ended, and we were dismissed.

No, for me, this is where the main event starts.

Because I have a promise to keep.

Though now it might not be necessary anymore, I need to know.

The promised culture festival, day two, at 17:00. Behind the school building, next to the gymnasium.

I'm meeting Yukari-san here.

She said she has something to tell me.

This summer, this is the place where Yukari-san and I ran and trained together countless times.

This area is soaked with my and Yukari-san's sweat and tears.

She's here. ...Kuzu-kun was with her too.

Yukari-san was looking down slightly, with Kuzu-kun standing two steps behind her.

Well, a talk... is it necessary, after all?

This being the second time, I couldn't stop crying earlier, but now I've pulled myself together.

Rather, I feel anger.

Silence dominates the scene.

We can't stay like this forever.

"...Congrats on Miss Hokusho... ...Good job."

Yukari-san slightly lifted her face,

Yukari "Yeah, thanks to you, I won! ...Thank you..."

She raised her face in joy, then remembered something and looked down again.

Sigh. I let out a breath.

What is this?

I'm angry, sad, and incredibly down, but there's no reason for me to feel intimidated, right?

I honestly feel betrayed. But wasn't it better that this happened before we dated and I opened my heart more? That's what I'm starting to think now.

It might be just bravado, but that's how I feel right now.

"So? The talk? What do you want me to hear? What do you have to say?"

My tone came out a bit cold, but she's probably just going to say she's dating Kuzu-kun or that she likes him, so I can't deal with this.

Yukari "...I've decided to date Kuzu-kun... ...Thank you for everything until now..."

Yukari-san looked down, seeming to struggle to say it.

I already saw the beauty contest award ceremony earlier, so I get what's going on.

I just want this to be over quickly.

"...That's it? If there's nothing else, can I go now? ...Be happy."

That's all I can say.

I don't want to say anything bitter, and I want to part ways cleanly in the end.

Thinking of this as a farewell, I turned to leave, but then,

Kuzu-kun, misunderstanding something, interjected with a smirk,

Kuzu "Isn't that kind of attitude why Yukari-san got tired of you?"

"Huh? Kuzu-kun, was it? Why are you even here?"

Kuzu-kun, looking exasperated,

Kuzu "In case you lose it and say awful things or resort to violence or rape, right?"

Kuzu-kun... I don't need to add the '-kun,' do I?

Kuzu still said it with a smirk.

I laughed as I spoke to Kuzu,

"Haha! They say a crab digs a hole to match its shell, don't they?"

※This means that people think and act according to their own level,

but it also carries the irony that small-minded people can only judge others by their own standards.

Kuzu-kun seems unable to understand, with a question mark practically floating over his head.

Having to explain the irony...

Kousuke "So, you know? Since you'd resort to insults, violence, or rape yourself, you suspect others might do the same, right? That's what I meant."

Kuzu "...You're saying that about me?!"

Finally understanding, Kuzu got angry.

Standing between us in this tense atmosphere, Yukari-san desperately said,

Yukari "Kuzu-kun! Kousuke-kun! Don't fight, okay?"

"There's no value in fighting. I'm leaving."

Yukari-san, looking sad,

Yukari "I'm sorry, I know apologizing doesn't fix it... Can't we be friends again?"

Huh?

Rustle, the sound of grass and trees swaying in the wind echoed,

"Be friends again? I'm not doing that. I've fulfilled my promise. I'm going."

Yukari-san looked sad, glancing back and forth between me and the still-angry Kuzu.

What's that about? Why not just look at Kuzu?

Feeling unusually aggressive, I even spat venom at Yukari-san,

"That crab proverb from earlier. It applies to you too, doesn't it, Yukari-san?"

Yukari-san panicked,

Yukari "Huh? The crab one? It means since you'd do it, you think others would too, right?"

I thrust my words at her as expressionlessly as possible.

"Yeah, that's why the other day you said to me, 'Don't cheat, okay?' I wouldn't do it, so it never even crossed my mind."

Episode 49: Refer to the next meeting.

Leaving the stunned Yukari-san there, I headed home.

Sho wouldn't say something sarcastic like this, would he?

But I couldn't hold it back.

I've become bad at dealing with women again.

With a sense of having said my piece and a bitter aftertaste, I headed home.

I suddenly really wanted to see Sho's face.