The Taste of a Long-Established Shop
After saying everything she had to say, Arisa looked straight into Yuuki’s eyes.
As always, Yuuki’s eyes were lifeless, and Yume, who sat beside him, watched Arisa with a look that seemed to ask what on earth she was talking about.
“Yuuki. Back then, I couldn’t bring myself to believe in you, and I ended up betraying you.”
Arisa finally spoke about the things she had tried to say before but had always left unresolved.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t trust you back then.”
At last, Arisa managed to voice the apology she had never been able to say.
“This time, I won’t make a mistake. Let’s stay together forever. I’ll keep that promise.”
In that moment, Arisa felt as if the weight of all the pain she had carried until now, built from everything left unsaid and from Yuuki’s recent coldness, had finally been lifted.
“And also, I’ve recorded videos of the kids who are bullying you now, showing them messing up your textbooks and your shoes.”
Even though Yuuki hadn’t said a word, Arisa continued talking.
But,
“That’s it?”
Yuuki, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke.
“You went out of your way to waste Master’s, Yume-san’s, and my time just for that?”
His voice was flat, without a trace of emotion, and his empty eyes pierced straight through Arisa.
Arisa, who had foolishly believed that if she apologized, helped Yuuki who was being bullied, and earned his forgiveness, they could return to the close days of their childhood, froze where she sat, her expression turning to stone.
“After all this time, what are you even saying?”
Yuuki continued.
“It’s far too late for you. An apology now means nothing. It’s only for your own satisfaction. Back when I was struggling, I wanted you to believe in me. I wanted you to help me.”
Then Yuuki stopped and stared directly at Arisa.
“But you joined everyone else in mocking me. You abandoned me even though I swore I hadn’t done anything. You chose to believe the others and betrayed me, the one who was always closest to you and played with you the most.”
His words came out cold and sharp as he spoke to Arisa.
“Stay together forever? Don’t be ridiculous. I would never want to be with you forever. Don’t ever say those words in front of me again. I don’t want to hear them.”
To Yuuki, those words were nothing short of a curse.
Not once had any girl ever been able to keep that promise.
That was why, to him, those words carried a weight heavier and more painful than any other.
Unable to bear what Yuuki said, Arisa’s eyes filled with tears, and before she knew it, she was staring down at the floor.
Yuuki stood up without even glancing her way.
“That’s enough. I don’t want to trouble Master any more. I’d like to get back to work.”
Hearing that, Arisa ran from the shop as if escaping.