Chapter 15: Betrayal (Souta’s Point of View)
I was walking down the hallway, burning with intense anger.
“Why… why would you betray me like that…!”
I’d been betrayed by a childhood friend I trusted.
I’d just seen it with my own eyes… my childhood friend Kanae, on a deserted stair landing, “kissing” that guy Yukiya…!!
Clenched tightly in my hand was my smartphone, holding a piece of evidence. An image I’d snapped instinctively of that very scene.
In other words, my precious childhood friend Kanae had been “stolen” from me by another one of my childhood friends, Yukiya.
At this point, I might as well say it plainly. There’s no doubt Kanae had feelings for me. I’d heard rumors countless times that she liked me, and we went to and from school together every day. We even spent lunch breaks together.
You might think, “Just that?” But think about what it means for a girl our age to always be with the same guy. I’m not some dense protagonist.
Once someone has feelings, once they’ve stayed by your side for so long, then as a childhood friend, continuing to care about them is the correct path. A change of heart shouldn’t be allowed.
And yet, why Kanae and Yukiya…?
The moment that question surfaced, a flash like a peal of thunder tore through my mind, as if it were the will of the world itself.
“…So that’s what it is…?”
One possibility emerged that explained everything. The possibility that Yukiya was threatening Kanae somehow.
But if that were the case, it’d be hard to point it out directly. No matter how earnestly I confronted him, Yukiya would definitely deny it.
Then should I force him to admit it? As someone trained in martial arts, it’d be easy for me to overpower Yukiya even with his larger build.
But if he tattled to the school or, worst case, called the police, that’d be bad. When people are cornered, they’ll do anything dirty to survive.
“That’s exactly why I need to confirm things…”
First, I need to verify the facts. And though it hardly needs to be said, Kanae’s feelings too.
“Haa… this really isn’t my style, being a loner introvert and all. Good grief.”
Honestly, it’s a massive pain. But protecting Kanae and looking out for her is my duty as her childhood friend, so it can’t be helped.
As I reminded myself of that duty, the anger and agitation from earlier faded away, and my usual calm returned.
“Alright… I’ll probe Yukiya directly and drive the point home this time. As for confirming Kanae’s feelings… would another girl be better suited for that?”
If I asked Kanae about her feelings myself, it might cause strange misunderstandings among our other companions. Even in the light novels I avidly read, trivial things like that lead to miscommunication, so I decided to be extremely careful.
Besides, asking something like that doesn’t fit my image.
I consider it my duty to protect the aloof image Kanae has of me. That’s why I can’t be the one to ask her about her feelings.
But if that’s the case, I’ll need the help of some girls. Even I can’t solve this alone.
“Tch… so there’s no choice…!”
After agonizing over it, for the first time in my life, I decided to rely on someone else’s help. No, on the help of my companions.
And so, during lunch break, on the school rooftop, I gathered them together.
“…That’s why we, as companions, need to confirm where Kanae’s feelings really lie!”
If I’m being honest, I don’t want to deal with something this troublesome. But when it comes to Kanae, this is probably a duty I can’t escape.
While hinting at the possibility that Kanae had been forced to kiss Yukiya, I said,
“Chris, Rinka, Azaka-senpai… please help me.”
I bent at the waist and bowed deeply to my three companions.
Haha… for someone like me, who’s always kept others at a distance, to bow for someone else. Kanae really is a handful.
“Um, so you want us to ask Kanae-senpai about her feelings?”
“…I was expecting to hear her answer from yesterday.”
Rinka tilted her head with a slightly dissatisfied look, and Azaka-senpai muttered quietly.
“Um, Niisan… aren’t Rinka-san and Azaka-senpai worried about the reply to their confessions from yesterday…?”
Chris whispered hesitantly into my ear.
Yeah, I know. I’m not dense. I’ve left the confessions from the two of them unanswered since yesterday. But that’s exactly why Kanae’s presence is necessary. So no one gets hurt, Kanae needs to manage our relationships and maintain the status quo.
As long as we stay in our current companion dynamic, no one will get hurt. Of course, from my perspective, that means being surrounded by three of them plus Kanae. But that’s for everyone’s sake. I’m prepared to accept it, even if it means sacrificing my loner life.
As I renewed my resolve with a spirit of self-sacrifice, voices of doubt rose up.
“Um, isn’t what Kanae-senpai did just normal mutual consent?”
“Indeed. I think it’s natural to see the two of them as dating, or at least something close to that.”
“Niisan, I really can’t imagine Yukiya-san doing something terrible to Kanae-san…”
Hearing that, I almost let out a sigh.
They must’ve lived their lives in a gentle world. That’s why they don’t know how to doubt people. But as a loner introvert who’s lived in a harsh environment, I understand. Sometimes, you even have to doubt your childhood friends.
…That said, it’s hard to convince them. Of course it is. The worlds they’ve lived in are different from mine. It’d be too much to expect them to understand.
I’ll take a step back here.
“I’m not saying I fully distrust him. But either way, doing that kind of thing openly on school grounds is bad, right? I am a student council member, after all.”
As I said that, I looked straight at Azaka-senpai.
“Ah… y-yeah. As a fellow member of the student council with Souta-kun, I agree. Not about doubting them, but I think it’s fine to do a light confirmation of the facts.”
With the student council president Azaka-senpai on my side, the atmosphere settled into a, “Well, just asking won’t hurt…” kind of direction.
“I’ll check on Yukiya’s side.”
And as I planned in my mind to prepare “something” using that piece of photographic evidence, I thought strongly to myself.
I won’t let anyone destroy our companion relationship.