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Chapter 23




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Chapter 23\n
[TLN:  For people who read frequently, I changed one thing on Chapter 21 just because after reading through to here, I realized that the way it was phrased in JP was actually important lmao. It’s what Mikura says at the end of Ch 21. It’s gone from “how in the world can I possibly confess” to “how in the world can I possibly say something like that.” Monkey TLing I guess]\n \nTitle: The two of them contrasting against each other.\n \nWe chose a cafe in front of the train station nearest to our school.\n \nDisregarding Mikura’s probing gaze, I chose my own drink and then handed the menu to Mikura.\nAfter we both finished ordering, I finally began to talk.\n \n“Sorry. I saw. You and Sakuraba-kun-, together in the classroom after school.”(Yuunagi)\n \nHearing my words, Mikura looked angry yet also a bit sad.\nI think that’s perfectly natural.\nBut from what I’ve seen and from what I’ve noticed, I don’t think there was any other way to do this.\n \nMaybe I can hang out together with Sakuraba after school.\nThinking that, I went to his classroom, but, when I heard the two of them talking, I ended up instinctively hiding and then eavesdropping on their conversation.\n \nShe was just returning a book that she borrowed.\nThat’s what I thought at first, but then I noticed that Mikura was acting weirdly.\nAnd also, the mood was very much like the countless “confession atmospheres” that I had experienced up until then.\n \n“And then I also know that you cried a lot afterwards.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“

.So basically this means
”(Mikura)\n \n“Yes. I also completely heard what you said to yourself while you were crying.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“Guh
.!”(Mikura)\n \n“How in the world can I possibly say something like that
..”(Past Mikura)\n \nThat situation, that mood, and that tone. \n \nI had been on the phone with Sakuraba, and he told me about what stuff they had talked about together on Saturday.\n \nAnd all of this was showing me that–\nThat, today, this girl tried to do the same thing that I did before, and she failed.\n \n“

And so? If you already know that much, why did you call me out here?”(Mikura)\n \n“I just don’t want you to misunderstand. I don’t want you to think that, because of this, I think of you as weak or a coward or anything like that. I just
..”(Yuunagi)\n \n“
..Just what? I’m going to say this now, but, in regards to Aoto-kun, I want you to–”(Mikura)\n \n“I also love Sakuraba-kun.”(Yuunagi)\n \nWhen I said this, Mikura’s mouth opened, and she froze for a while.\nI accepted the coffee au lait and the iced coffee that had been brought over to us, and then I picked up my iced coffee and took a brief sip.\n \n“I also love Sakuraba-kun. That’s why–, the two of us are rivals.”(Yuunagi)\n \nAfter I pressured the fleeing Mikura, she finally began to speak in a slow, hoarse voice.\n \n“That
.Saying something like that
.You
.”(Mikura)\n \n“I thought that I had to say it. I mean, the two of us are the same.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“Th- the same
.?”(Mikura)\n \nMikura, who looked dubious of me, took a sip of her cafe au lait.\n \nFuu
..\n \nTaking a deep breath, I once again prepared myself.\nAfter this, I’ll properly talk to Sakuraba and apologize to him.\nBut I didn’t think I could keep on hiding this information from Mikura.\n \n“

Actually, I’m going out with Sakuraba-kun.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“Wha–

!?”(Mikura)\n \nWith a crash, the table shook and the cups almost fell over.\n \nAfter the two of us hurriedly propped up our own cups, we once again moved to directly face each other.\n \n“So
.Basically, I–”(Mikura)\n“Yes. But it isn’t mutual love at all. When I confessed to him, I was completely rejected without hesitation. But I didn’t give up, and I forcefully–no, really forcefully– convinced him to go out with me.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“That is

! I see
..”(Mikura)\n \nIt seems like Mikura has realized.\nI just completed the thing that Mikura had tried to do but had given up doing.\n \nI told Mikura everything that had happened up to now.\nShe was surprised, but she was also greatly sympathetic.\n \n“We were rivals, and we knew each other’s feelings, so I felt a bit guilty about hiding this major secret and doing things behind your back. And if you ask me, “What about Naruse-san,” I won’t really have a proper answer to that, but there was just something that made me feel like telling you, Mikura-san.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“
..I see.”(Mikura)\n \nTo be honest, I hadn’t found a satisfying answer to that question yet, even in my mind.\nIf someone else ends up liking Sakuraba in the future, would I tell them the same thing
.\nI don’t know.\n \n

But.\n \n“But the two of us are definitely alike. Mikura-san, just like me, you love Sakuraba-kun so much, so you spent a bunch of time thinking about how you could monopolize him. But you couldn’t do it. It’s probably because you were thinking about Sakuraba-kun.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“That’s not true! 
..It isn’t. I just didn’t have enough courage or resolve.”(Mikura)\n \nFrustrated, Mikura clenched her hands tightly.\nCasting her gaze downwards, her shoulders quivered.\nI braced myself, thinking that she might start crying again.\n \n“Anyways! Now I have nothing left to hide. We’re now competing fair and square. So, without any shame, I’ll make use of the advantage that I have from dating Sakuraba-kun.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“
”(Mikura)\n \nMikura’s expression was stiff.\nMaybe she couldn’t gauge my intentions, or maybe she was confused by this complicated situation.\n\nStill, Mikura gave a small nod, looking refreshed, like she had been released from the tension that had built up on her.\n \n“So, basically, you’re saying that we’re not going to probe for each other’s true intentions anymore, and instead, we’re just going to go at each other head on.”(Mikura)\n \n“Fufu, that is what I’m planning to do. I won’t do anything cowardly, but, of course, I have zero intention of losing.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“
..I see. Very well.”(Mikura)\n \nMikura was smiling.\nHer already crisp and dignified face looked even cooler than it normally did.\n \nThough it was frustrating for me, this woman was an incredible beauty.\nI don’t think that I’m going to lose, but she’s definitely attractive.\n \nAfter that, we ended up talking to each other until it turned dark outside. We talked about how we fell in love with Sakuraba and how we tried to get his attention.\nNaturally, I kept everything that was too embarrassing or anything that might give her an advantage a secret. \nI did that much at the very least.\nMikura was probably doing the same.\n \n“Ta-da! This is great, isn’t it! This picture of Sakuraba-kun in a yukata!”(Yuunagi)\n \n“What?! Why do you have that!! Hey, let me get a better look!”(Mikura)\n \n“No–pe! This picture is a treasure that I received from my top secret sources!”(Yuunagi)\n \n“Yo- you scum!! You only showed me so that you could gloat about it!!”(Mikura)\n \n“Mmm–hmm! Fufun!”(Yuunagi)\n \n“U-, ugh
.! You have something like that even though you still can’t even call Aoto-kun by his first name
.”(Mikura)\n \n“Guh! That-, that is
.I mean that–!”(Yuunagi)\n \n“Hmmm–. We’ve known him for different lengths of time, after all. I’ve been friends with him for over a year, and we’re pretty close. That makes sense, the strength of trust in a relationship is based on the length of the relationship, after all—
.”(Mikura)\n \n“Wh- what are you talking about! When Sakuraba-kun talks to you, he doesn’t call you by your first name!”(Yuunagi)\n \n“Ugh! 
.That–, that’s just part of Aoto-kun’s character
.or something.”(Mikura)\n \n“Aren’t you just going ahead on your own and assuming that the two of you are close? Sakuraba-kun might think of you as just another classmate.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“What the hell are you talking about!”(Mikura)\n \n“What are you talking about!”(Yuunagi)\n \n[TLN: I had to modify some things to make the dialogue sort of make sense. I tried]\n \nYelling, laughing, and causing a ruckus.\n \nMaybe, somewhere deep down, we were both looking for someone to share these feelings with after all.\n \nI’m sure that we can still talk about love stories, even if we both love the same person.\n \nBut, as I thought.\n \n“But, well, I think Sakuraba-kun’s type is closer to sociable girls like me.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“No, no, that isn’t true. Aoto-kun likes girls like me, who are calm and composed.”(Mikura)\n \n“Has Sakuraba-kun ever told you that?”(Yuunagi)\n \n“How about you–, has Aoto-kun ever told you that?”(Mikura)\n \n“Mumumumu
.”(Yuunagi)\n \n“Gunununu
.”(Mikura)\n \n[TLN: Sorry I gave up, there is no English onomatopoeia that conveys anger in such a cute way Japanese is just a superior language]\n \nI’m sure this will be the only time this happens, though.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n[TLN: Sorry, I said a chapter was supposed to come like 2 nights ago. I ended up procrastinating by playing League and Yugioh+this chapter was a decent amount longer than the previous ones. For what it’s worth, I’ll probably be picking up “I can breathe because you’re here,” bizarre love triangle, or the WN version of this series ‘高ć¶șăźèŠ±ăźć°æˆžæŁźă•ă‚“ăŻé­”æł•ă§ćƒ•ă‚’ă—ă‚‚ăčă«ă—ăŸăŒă‚‹.’ & I’ll probably be translating this as soon as it comes out(if it’s like what I think it is): â€œć­Šćœ’ăźè–ć„łăŒäżșăźéšŁă§é»’é­”èĄ“ă‚’ă—ăŠă„ăŸă™â€]\n
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