In an empty classroom after school, Kyoya was crying profusely.
Even Kyoya, who is dashing and handsome, looks filthy.
âIâm so happyâŠsniffâŠsniffâŠâ
ââŠYouâre a messâ
Even as I say that, Kyoya continues to cry without a care in the world.
Iâd like you to stop, itâs embarrassing me.
âCome on, Kyoya. Donât cry over him.â (Hinata)
âThatâs rightâŠâ(Kusuba)
I donât know why but Hinata, who is also present here, is glaring at me with a fierce gaze as she wipes Kyoyaâs tears.
I mean, seriously? Why is she even here?
And donât say thatâŠ
âBut Kusuba is a real slob. Why canât you just go confess yourself?â (Hinata)
âHey! Donât just say that out loud and Iâm not going to confess.â (Kusuba)
âWhat?!â (Hinata)
Hinata shouted in disgust.
But I canât help it.
What I wanted to ask Kyoya was, âWhat should I do now?â
Itâs hard for me to think of an idea, so I thought Iâd ask Kyoya, whoâs really good at this kind of thing, for a suggestion.
âSo donât just start ahead.â (Kusuba)
âI donât get it though, I thought you liked Rikaâ (Hinata)
ââŠnoâŠI donâtâ (Kusuba)
âYeah, sure, Ren. I know what it feels like not to be honest.â (Kyoya)
Kyoya, who just stopped crying a while back, expressed some unwelcome sympathy.
Itâs different.
âŠMaybe
âI want to talk about my feelings and emotions. So please be gentle with me, seriously.â (Kusuba)
âI donât know where youâre heading atâ (Hinata)
âSeriouslyâŠâ (Kusuba)
âWellâŠSatsuki, letâs try to forgive Ren. Heâs trying to move on.â (Kyoya)
âIf you like her, just say you like her. And if you get rejected, then cry, feel sorry for yourself, and reflect on your life and thatâs all.â (Hinata)
Hinata expresses her suggestion in a very strong manner.
If I were to be honest, I think what she is saying is right.
But I donât understand.
I donât know if I like Tachibana or not.
âYou definitely like herâ (Kyoya)
âHeyâŠwhyâŠwhat are you sayingâŠâ (Kusuba)
âI can tell what youâre thinking by just you expressions Youâre my best friend after allâ (Kyoya)
Then, Kyoya gave me a dazzling smile.
Which is extremely annoying.
âYou said Ren should know what to do. The important thing is what you want to do, no? There is no right or wrong.â (Kyoya)
âWellâŠYesâŠthat may be trueâŠâ (Hinata)
âItâs not like I want to pretend that Ren likes Tachibana-san. Itâs just that Iâll do my best to help Ren whatever his decisions are and what chooses to do. But he will have to decide that himself.â (Kyoya)
Kyoya said that in an unusually serious tone.
But no doubt he was correct.
I already knew it without being told.
If thatâs so, then why is this troubling me so much.
Why am I having such difficulties facing myself?
I already knew the answer to that question.
âSo, what have you decided on?â (Hinata)
Hinata stared at me with an annoyed expression.
On the other hand, Kyoya had a grin on his face, as if he was waiting for something interesting to happen.
If I face myself properly, Iâm sure Iâll come to the right decision.
But Iâm afraid of it, afraid to accept it. I must have been unable to look forward.
Just whatâŠdo I want to do?
âI think I like Tachibana-sanâ (Kusuba)
âOooooh!â ( Kyoya)
âAndâŠthen?â (Hinata)
ââŠBut that doesnât mean I know what to do. I donât know whether I want to be in a so-called romantic relationship. Maybe Iâm afraid that the current relationship will change or Iâm just happy the way we areâŠâ (Kysuba)
ââŠohâ
âIâm having much more fun than before, I donât even know anymore⊠What could I possibly want? If I get greedy and lose what I already have, Iâll never get it back. And I donât want that to happen. Absolutely not.â (Kusuba)
Before I know it, I start thinking about it.
I decided to move forward because I thought it was okay to get hurt.
âSo, what do you plan on doing?â
Kyoya and Hinata didnât try to rush me.
They just looked at me with different expressions and looks.
ââŠbut I want to know Tachibana better. I want to return the favor to Tachibana. If she is hurt, in trouble, or sad, I want to be with her. I think thatâs what it means to like someone. Itâs not that I donât want her to be my girlfriend, but if I can protect her with all I can, I want to do itâŠâ
âOh, oh oh oh oh OH!â (Kyoya)
â⊠âI donât want her to be my girlfriend, but if I could protect herââŠâ (Hinata)
I had added a weak line at the end and fell face down on my desk.
I was completely out of energy. My small pride, my energy, my stamina, everything was finished.
âOk, narcissism time is over. So what to do now?â (Hinata)
âDonât call it ânarcissismâ timeâŠâ (Kyoya)
Sheâs still as bitter as everâŠ
âAh, Ren! Iâm so happy for you! Youâre finally growing upâ (Kyoya)
âAhhh! I donât know what I am supposed to do!â (Kusuba)
âI mean, you want to get to know Tachibana-san better, right? No matter what it takes!â (Kyoya)
âWhy donât you just say you want to go out with her? Youâre one real coward, arenât you?â (Hinata)
âShut upâŠâ (Kusuba)
âThere there, Satsuki. But anyway, itâs the same. In my mind, itâs already decided.â (Kyoya)
âWhat the hell is decidedâŠ?â (Kusuba)
âWhat is?â (Hinata)
When Hinata and I asked Kyoya what he was talking about, he just crossed his arms and intentionally laughed with pride.