[Warning 15+]
Part Five
―Even If, I Can't Treat You with That Same Energy Anymore
Chapter 177
Takakura Yuzu
―Even If, I Can't Treat You with That Same Energy Anymore
Chapter 177
Takakura Yuzu
"..."
"...Gh!"
As if bein' scrutinized up and down, Haruki was thoroughly looked over from head to toe with a rude, invasive gaze.
It felt uncomfortable.
All the more so because Haruki knew she wasn't viewed favorably.
They probably both understood what kind of person the other was.
Haruki was used to havin' malice hurled at her.
Even so, Haruki's heart still wore down.
Haruki's Mom, Haruki's Grandparents, and the girls at school who didn't like Haruki. Haruki had tried as much as possible to keep her distance and avoid gettin' involved, but her middle school days without Hayato had their own share of that.
Rememberin' how Haruki had accidentally spilled out those feelin's that had accumulated like sediment, right in front of Hayato right after they reunited, she gave a slight shake of her head.
Of course, as far as Haruki was concerned, she had no intention of competin' with Takakura Yuzu.
But emotional issues like this couldn't be reasoned with usin' logic or common sense.
The idea that "If you just talk it out, they'll understand" was a fantasy.
"You..."
"Y-Yeah."
"You're cute, y'know."
"...Huh?"
"No, it's not just your face or figure. Your hair, your fingertips, your groomin' are all neat and proper, and your posture is straight as a board. That's not somethin' you pick up overnight. Nikaidō-san, you really are a put-together person in your private life, aren't you?"
"Th-Thank you so much...?"
As Haruki braced herself, for some reason, she was praised in an unusually serious tone. There wasn't a trace of scorn or mockery to be found in it.
Haruki was taken aback by this unexpected reaction.
Then, lookin' as if Haruki had suddenly realized something, Takakura Yuzu gave a single clearin' of her throat, as if to reset the mood. Yuzu straightened her collar.
"Pardon me, I'm late introducin' myself. I'm Takakura Yuzu from the second year."
"Oh, yeah, thank you for the polite intro. I'm Nikaidō Haruki."
"Y'know who I am from rumors and stuff, right...?"
"Well, um..."
"I'll ask you straight up: What do you think of Kazuki-kun?"
"Gh!?"
And with a refreshin' bluntness, Yuzu cut right to the core of the matter.
Haruki's words choked up from the suddenness of it all.
Haruki didn't know what to say.
Haruki's thoughts couldn't even keep up with how fast things were unfoldin'.
The only thing Haruki knew was that, just as the rumors said, Yuzu harbored some intense feelin's for Kazuki.
"K-Kaidō's a total pain in the neck."
"...Eh?"
And so, words straight from Haruki's unfiltered thoughts slipped right out.
"Actin' all breezy and puttin' on a good face for everyone, never showin' his true feelin's, always dodgin'..."
"..."
Yeah, just like Haruki.
"But Kaidō always notices when someone's in trouble and reaches out a hand, and that good public facade of his... ...ugh, just talkin' about it is pissin' me off already...!"
As Haruki spoke, her words got rougher and rougher.
Part of the reason Haruki was annoyed was probably because Kazuki was a lot like her.
On a rational level, Haruki figured that Kazuki's steppin' in as a substitute for the part-time job earlier was a big help.
But if Haruki was bein' completely honest, she actually wanted to go along with everyone else earlier.
While Hayato was workin' part-time with all of them, Haruki was stuck all by herself helpin' out with the Student Council—she seriously couldn't stand this situation.
Haruki knew it wasn't a rational way to think.
This was an emotional issue; Logic and reason had nothin' to do with it.
"Pfft... ...hehehe... ...ahahahahahahaha!"
"...Oh."
Seein' Haruki lookin' completely sour and poutin' her lips, Takakura Yuzu burst out laughin', holdin' her stomach as if she couldn't hold it in anymore.
Not knowin' what to do, Haruki fretted awkwardly.
Haruki herself was aware that she had spoken too harshly about the person Yuzu had feelin's for.
"That's definitely true. Kazuki-kun puts on a good face for all sorts of people and makes them misunderstand, but he's also always lookin' out for others and helpin' them out. Man, in that regard, he's naturally such a bad boy."
"Y-Yeah..."
Even so, Takakura Yuzu was laughin' with tears at the corners of her eyes.
Especially when somethin' like that was said to her face, Haruki didn't know what to do.
"I'm also like that―Oh, what's that printout?"
"Oh, um, it's the application form for each club for the Cultural Festival."
"Has the Drama Club (us) not done it yet, I wonder? I wouldn't know, though... ...Let's go together."
"Y-Yeah!"
Then, walkin' side by side, they set off toward the Second Sewin' Room.
Taking another look at Yuzu.
Takakura Yuzu.
A second-year belongin' to the Drama Club.
A celebrity who swept every single category at Last Year's Cultural Festival Beauty Pageant—the judges, external votin', and the talent division alike.
A slender height a bit taller than Haruki's. A well-defined, feminine proportion.
With Yuku's looks subtly and casually made up to highlight her glamorous vibe, her dignified posture was bold and overflowin' with confidence.
Seein' Yuzu up close, it made you think, Oh, I get it.
And it was painfully clear that Yuzu held no ill feelin's toward Haruki walkin' right beside her.
That fact only added fuel to Haruki's confusion.
"You've got a look on your face like you haven't got a clue what's goin' on, huh?"
"Eh, well..."
"Heh, I don't even get myself, either. But y'know... ...maybe I was just happy to be told off straight and square right to my face."
"Happy?"
"And also, it showed she was really payin' attention. Because if you don't really get Kazuki-kun, words like that wouldn't come out, would they?"
"...Hard to say."
Haruki's expression twisted in a complex way.
At that, Takakura Yuzu turned a slightly envious look toward Haruki.
"Back when I was in middle school―"
"Takakura's really gettin' full of herself, huh."
"Well, I can't deny that Takakura's pretty, though."
"Even so... ...for the script selection the other day too, it was supposed to be an original story, so why does it have to be a classic like Snow White or The Phantom of the Opera?"
"Like a kindergarten play or somethin'!"
Just as Yuzu was about to say somethin', her words were cut off by voices comin' from deep inside the door.
Before they knew it, it seemed they had arrived at the Second Sewin' Room.
From inside, voices could clearly be heard trash-talkin' Takakura Yuzu.
"Man, Takakura gettin' dumped by a boy served her right, didn't it!"
"Totally, just imagining that frustrated look on Takakura's face is so cathartic!"
"Still, that first-year boy is ridiculously handsome, right?"
"Takakura's just into looks after all, ugh, all about the face, face, face."
"Hey, wouldn't it be an absolute masterpiece if we hooked up with that first-year boy?"
"Gyahaha, so true!"
It was bad-mouthin' behind Yuzu's back.
Probably the kind born out of jealousy.
Haruki's brow furrowed. It wasn't a pleasant thing to listen to.
Even for a total stranger, it felt unpleasant.
So if it were the person herself, how much would it hurt her heart―thinkin' that, Haruki cast a brief glance to her side, and unexpectedly, Takakura Yuzu had a look in her eyes as if she were pityin' them instead.
Takakura Yuzu, noticin' Haruki's gaze, shrugged with a wry smile.
And ignorin' Haruki, who let out a surprised "Oh!", Yuzu slid open the door to the Second Sewin' Room with a loud, forceful clatter.
"Do you mind if I interrupt your fun little convo for a second?"
""""Gh!????""""
Startled gazes pierced right through Yuzu.
Yet Takakura Yuzu brushed it off like it was nothin', spreadin' out the printout she got from Haruki right in front of them.
"Oh, the Club Prez isn't here? We gotta hurry up and decide what we're doin' for the Cultural Festival's performance. Though, even if you say you want an original script, I think it'd be pretty rough if you're still at square one with zero plans whatsoever."
Takakura Yuzu carried herself with total composure.
As if completely intimidated by Yuzu's vibe, the female club members backed away.
"Th-That's, yeah..."
"Y-Yeah, right..."
"Come to think of it, we got a bit of prop coordination to do... ...let's go?"
"Besides, if you wanna date Kazuki-kun, you gotta confess to him yourselves, y'know. Since he doesn't have any ties with you girls. I'm honestly looking forward to seein' how that turns out."
""""Gh!""""
Takakura Yuzu's behavior made it blatantly obvious that she had heard every bit of their trash-talk.
Lookin' thoroughly embarrassed, the female club members scurried off, fleeing the Second Sewin' Room.
Haruki just watched the scene unfold from the hallway.
In the now-quiet Second Sewin' Room, Takakura Yuzu let out a bored-soundin' "Hah" sigh.
Then Yuzu turned back to Haruki, flashin' a wry smile as if to say, See?
"Such borin' girls. Compared to them, Nikaidō-san, you're different."
"Y-Yeah..."
And Yuzu gazed straight at Haruki with a piercin', unwaverin' look.
"Y'know, I like Kazuki-kun. I like that kind of Kazuki-kun who doesn't easily show his true feelin's, puts on a good face for everyone, and still reaches out to help people in trouble."
"―Gh!"
It was practically a declaration of war.
―No, that's not it.
There should have been so many things Haruki ought to say.
Yet for some reason, that very core strength of Takakura Yuzu overlapped with Saki.
Haruki looked away, unable to bear lookin' at how dazzlin' that stubbornly straight honesty was.
"Let's chat again sometime, yeah?"
With a refreshin'ly bright smile, Takakura Yuzu tapped Haruki's shoulder in a casual manner and walked away.
Left behind in that spot was only Haruki, standin' frozen like a lost child.
Author's Notes:
Meow...