Arisa’s Past, Part 3
A few months had passed since I gained friends thanks to Yuuki.
That was when the beginning of the end of our friendship started.
During art class, we were told to paint a picture.
I don’t remember exactly how long it lasted, but everyone spent about two months working hard to finish their paintings.
The theme could be anything, and I think I painted flowers in a flowerbed. I chose it because Yuuki did. I wanted to draw the same thing as him.
I had no idea what would happen later and just thought, once I finish, I’ll give my painting to Yuuki and make him happy. I even imagined exchanging our paintings and displaying them at home.
Everyone finished their work, and we praised each other’s paintings, including my new friends.
Nothing unusual happened that day, and the teacher said we would look at everyone’s paintings during the next art class.
I was excited, waiting for that day to come.
Two days later, that moment arrived.
When Yuuki and I entered the art room together, chatting happily, the room was unusually noisy.
Wondering what was going on, I went closer.
There, torn in two, was my flower painting.
I couldn’t believe it. I looked again and again, but it was definitely mine.
I had wanted Yuuki to praise it, maybe even trade with me, but before I knew it, tears filled my eyes.
Then someone muttered.
“I saw Yuuki tearing Arisa-chan’s painting the other day.”
That’s what he said.
Thinking about it now, there was no reason to believe Yuuki would ever do that, yet someone said it anyway.
The room buzzed with voices, and everyone turned to Yuuki, who was standing beside me. I looked at him too.
“I didn’t do it!”
Yuuki shouted, but no one believed him after hearing that rumor.
The commotion grew until the teacher arrived.
After asking about the situation, she took Yuuki by the hand and led him out of the classroom.
While Yuuki was gone, everyone said things to me.
“So Yuuki-kun was that kind of person.”
“Poor Arisa-chan.”
“Yuuki-kun is the worst.”
“They seemed close, but I guess Yuuki was like that after all.”
Rumors and insults about Yuuki spread around the room.
Hearing those words from my new friends, sadness filled me, and I started to resent Yuuki.
After some time, Yuuki returned with the teacher, looking crushed.
“Yuuki-kun, apologize.”
“But I didn’t…”
“Just do it.”
The teacher forced him to bow.
Seeing his expressionless face, my anger and sadness overflowed, and I said it.
The one thing I should never have said.
“I hate you, Yuuki!”
I still remember Yuuki’s face when I said that.
That was my sin.
Later, I learned that Yuuki had never torn my painting.
In middle school, I overheard some boys from our old class talking about it.
“I saw Yuuki tearing Arisa-chan’s painting the other day.”
The boy who said that apparently liked me and hated that Yuuki was close to me, so he tore the painting himself and blamed Yuuki.
His plan worked perfectly. Yuuki and I stopped talking, and Yuuki started getting bullied.
I went along with the others, insulting Yuuki and ignoring him whenever he tried to talk to me.
I ignored his words and his feelings.
Yuuki had been my closest friend, and I think we liked each other back then.
I know he wanted me to believe in him.
He never cared about my bad reputation or my looks and still reached out to me, yet I trampled on his kindness and even joined in on the insults.
The bullying finally stopped after Yuuki’s guardian reported it to the school, but after that, he was treated like he didn’t exist.
When I entered middle school and learned the truth, I wanted to see Yuuki and apologize.
But when I spoke to him, he said,
“Hey, Arisa. Long time no see. How have you been?”
With a smile, as if nothing had happened.
I wanted to apologize so badly.
It would have been easier if he had yelled at me or told me to go away.
But because he spoke to me so kindly, I ended up acting like nothing had happened too.
“Long time no see, Yuuki.”
Without apologizing, I let time keep passing like that.