Right in front of me, Kurumizawa-san was looking at me with concern.
āNakayama? Is your nose okay?ā
A slender hand reached out to touch me.
I bent down in a slight panic and she tilted her head in a puzzled manner.
āHmm? Why are you being so cautious? Even though I didnāt do anythingā¦ā
āNo, itās not like that, butā¦ā
It wasnāt good. I didnāt know what to say.
There was no way I could know how to treat a girl who liked me.
Most of the girls were indifferent to me. Shiho was the only one who liked meā¦ meaning I could return the favor to her. It was only natural for me to do so because Shiho was someone special to me.
But not Kurumizawa-san.
Despite the fact that we only met today and havenāt even had a proper conversation,ā¦ she clearly thinks of me in a very special way.
That was kinda unsettling.
Being fond of someone without any reason was a mystery to me.
Nevertheless.
Humans have a tendency to reciprocate the feelings weāre givenā¦ If someoneā¦ hates us, weāre more likely to hate themā¦ and if they like us, weāre more likely to like them.
But I canāt like Kurumizawa-san.
Because I have Shiho. I canāt return her sentiment while Iām by her side.
And for that reason, I didnāt know how to treat her.
āDoes that mean I can touch you? Thenā¦ feel free to touch me as well, okay? Iām not suggesting anything in particular, you know? Itās just kind ofā¦ anyway, let me hold your hand?ā
Once again, she tried to touch me.
But I wasnāt that insensitive to Shihoās feelings that I could let that happen.
(Iām sure Shiho would be upset if I laid my hands on another girl.)
I know that.
I canāt be like Ryoma Ryuzaki.
If I were that insensitive guy, Iām sure I could flirt with her without a problem in this situation.
However, I was not him.
Instead, I was a rather sensitive person.
So I still couldnāt accept her feelingsā¦
āIām sorry.ā
Once more, I backed away.
Kurumizawa-sanās hand reached out to the empty air, missing me by a hairās breadth.
āā¦ Do you dislike it that much? If possible, could you tell me why?ā
But Kurumizawa-san didnāt get angry.
I got the impression that she was more preoccupied than shocked at what was going on.
She was calmly trying to figure out why I wouldnāt like it. She wanted to know my feelings as much as she was interested in my current position.
It would have been way easier if she had been more emotional.
The way she calmly analyzed me showed how serious she was.
It didnāt matter how long the battle lasted, she just didnāt care.
No matter how much time it would take to reach my heart, sheād say it was worth it.
āAre you by any chance dating someoneā¦? Meaning you canāt interact with other girls?ā
She spoke up without hesitation.
I was put off by her courage.
The gravity of her feelings frightened me.
But there was no point in going with the flow here.
Rather than making Shiho sadā¦ I made the decision that I was willing to hurt the girl in front of me.
So I answered honestly.
āI have someone I care about. If I interact with you, Iām sure sheāll be sadā¦ I canāt respond to your feelings.ā
If I said that it wasnāt heartbreaking, Iād be lying.
But there was someone I want to prioritize more than anyone else.
And I would do anything in my heart to avoid making that person sad.
āIām sorry.ā
I reject her clearly and unequivocally.
But she nodded firmly, as though she knew exactly what I was going to say.
āAs I suspected.ā
It seemed that she was prepared for this after our previous exchange.
After which, Kurumizawa-san, who was not dejected even in the slightest,ā¦ took one more step toward me.
Her eyes shone with a fierce fighting spirit.
āBut thatās not the answer I wanted to hear. Tell me, are you dating someone? Is that person Nakayamaās girlfriend?ā
āā¦She isnāt my girlfriend, but sheās as close as it gets.ā
I couldnāt lie.
We were not dating yet.
Shiho was in no hurry to develop the relationship, so Iām going along with her.
But it seemed to have backfired against me.
āā¦ Why? If you care about someone so much, itās normal to go out with them, right?ćNakayama cares for that girl so much that he canāt interact with other girls, soā¦ why arenāt you dating her?ā
She dug in even deeper, gnawing at me even more.
She picks at the slightest crack in my relationship with Shiho.
Youāve got it all wrong, Kurumizawa-san,ā¦ itās because I genuinely care about her that I want our relationship to gradually build up.ā
And then, I told her why.
I had to.
I didnāt want her to misunderstand meā¦ I explained that the feelings I have for Shiho were by no means light.
But it appeared that even that was only a tailwind for her.
āImpossible.ā
She refused to believe it.
āIf Nakayama cares so much for her and loves her soā¦ much, why doesnāt she just accept it? Is it because the love between you two is too heavy and it could break you? Do you want to be loved even more? Thatās just selfish, isnāt it? If thatās the case, then why isnāt she trying to fulfill your feelings for her?ā
Shihoās feelings were denied.
At that moment, I felt very disgusted.
You can say whatever you want about me.
But I canāt forgive her for that.
āEven sheās dead seriousā¦ about me, and sheās making sure she doesnāt screw up because she truly cares about me!ā
My words became sharper.
Any normal girl would be scared of the rough attitude.
But Kurumizawa-san stubbornly looked at me straight in the eyes.
She faced me without fear, and without being intimidated.
āItās exactly because Nakayama spoils her like that, sheās in the relationship sheās in now, isnāt it? Hey, donāt you really know that tooā¦? Sheās just taking advantage of your kindness. Thatās just not right.ā
Up until now, my relationship with Shiho had been unbreakable.
It was supposed to be a sacred realm, protected for all eternity.
āI canāt forgive that girl for refusing you, who you love so much. Because thatās simplyā¦ Isnāt that a stretch? ā
But then she cuts in.
She confronted me head-on with the blade of righteousness.