Chapter Ⅳ | Turning Point. 〝Turmoil〟

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After school today, Yuu-kun is apparently going to Enocchi and Araki-sensei’s place.

I see them off from the classroom and start thinking hard all by myself.

“Weird~? According to my plan, Yuu-kun should’ve come crying to me by now~?”

My perfect and dangerous strategy.

If I kept raising the lovey-dovey level with Yuu-kun in our lover life, he’d come crying to me with a “Life without you, my ‘you,’ is just… so dull (teeth sparkling!)” using my devilish charm skill.

But even after a month, it hasn’t triggered.

(Our love level as lovers should’ve maxed out by now, though~)

Normally, don’t you want to be with your super beloved girlfriend 24/7?

I mean, I even go out of my way to pick him up every morning because I wanna be with him that much!

And yet, that Yuu-kun just casually splits his lover life and “you” activities like it’s nothing. Sometimes after school, he doesn’t even send me a single message—can you believe that?

He’s even working hard at his part-time job at the pastry shop like it’s no big deal. At this point, isn’t he spending more time with Enocchi than with me???

“Suspicious~? What’s he doing behind the back of the world’s cutest girlfriend~?”

I sneakily start tailing Yuu-kun.

Oh, there he is.

He’s pushing his bike with Enocchi, just the two of them.

I follow them like a master detective blending into the shadows, but then Enocchi turns around. I hurriedly hide behind something.

“Whoops. As expected of Enocchi, her intuition’s sharp~?”

Pfft hehe hehe. This is actually getting kinda fun~!

“It’s like I’m Professor Moriarty cornering Holmes! I’m gonna crush Yuu-kun’s secrets wide open~!”

Pfft heh heh~… Ha!

“No, that’s not it!”

I clutch my head and squirm right there on the spot.

“Bad move. Not enough patience, gotta stay patient, me~!”

…Right, that’s it.

I’m supposed to coolly wait as his lover, flirting with Yuu-kun, until the incomplete “you” thing with Enocchi falls apart.

The plan is perfect.

Until Yuu-kun gets lonely without me, I’ll fully commit to being his lover. There can’t be even the tiniest slip-up.

If I mess with things now and ruin the plan, that’s an absolute NO!

I pull out a Yoghurppe from my bag and chug it down. Winter-limited peach flavor. The usual Yoghurppe with an added fruity aroma—it’s super delicious.

With the tasty lactic acid bacteria and the Yuu-kun supply I stocked up on this morning, I calm my mind.

“…Phew. I’m so friggin’ cool!”

Regaining my sanity, I abandon tailing Yuu-kun and the others.

Alrighty then. Guess I’ll go eat something tasty and head home~♪

…And so, here I am!

Spicy Noodle Shop “Masumoto.”

A local shop with its main branch in my hometown, serving delicious spicy noodles.

A bowl of rich, spicy goodness made with carefully selected ingredients—it’s irresistible. The chewy konjac noodles are perfect for health-conscious folks, and it’s a ramen joint with tons of repeat female customers☆

Their signature dish is the spicy noodles and their famous soft cartilage. Cooked until it melts in your mouth, the cartilage is packed with collagen, great for beauty too!

But my top recommendation has gotta be the tomato spicy noodles.

Nicknamed “Toma-Kara.” A marriage of high-quality spiciness and tanginess. Chunky tomatoes that are both delicious and healthy—it’s the best! I can’t help but add cheese topping, it’s just natural~!

“Let’s dig in!”

I slurp down the tomato spicy noodles.

With the max amount of chili I can handle, I’ll sweat out all the impurities in my body along with it! Detox my body before “you”!

By the time I finish, I’ll have shed my skin into a totally pristine me☆

“Thanks for the meal!”

Fully stuffed, I head home humming happily.

Alright~! Tonight, I’ll study hard again for my future with Yuu-kun☆

…And somehow, I ended up in front of Araki-sensei’s flower arrangement class.

I slump down to my knees.

“Why!?”

This is weird. I’m supposed to be sticking to my “Not-Yuu-kun Life,” but I ended up here unconsciously!

How come?

I properly stocked up on my Yuu-kun supply this morning. It should last me at least a week. No, even if it didn’t, I’m Yuu-kun’s lover… a little time apart shouldn’t—Ha!

W-Wait, no way…

I realize a possible flaw in this plan.

(Could it be… I’m the one getting lonely…?!)

No way, that’s ridiculous.

Me getting lonely before Yuu-kun gets lonely and comes begging for me?

Because I became his lover, my dependency on Yuu-kun has gone up?

And Yuu-kun, because he became my lover, is fully focusing on his accessories?

T-This is an unexpected turn of events.

The strategist drowning in her own strategy—that’s what this is!

“Oh, Yuu-kun supply… I don’t have enough Yuu-kun supply…”

I stumble toward the light, like the Little Match Girl under a freezing sky.

No good. At this rate, I’ll end up shamelessly making a fool of myself. Enocchi will smirk and say, “Hii-chan. Want me to take you under my wing, hohoho?” or something!

T-That’s the one thing I absolutely won’t let happen!

I’m gonna be Yuu-kun’s number one in everything!

“Gaaah! Stop, you ridiculously cute body whose only redeeming trait is being adorable!”

…While I’m battling my inner karma like that, someone grabs my hand.

“Inuzuka-chan. What’re you doing in front of someone else’s house?”

It’s Araki-sensei.

Not in her usual casual getup, but in a kimono for the flower class. With a fur muffler, she looks like a refined lady from a good family. She should just dress like this all the time…

“Uh, um…”

I hesitate on how to answer.

No, wait, this is way too suspicious, isn’t it? Worst case, I could end up in police custody and get a guilty verdict from Onii-chan…

Araki-sensei furrows her brows and starts dragging me along.

“Natsume-kun and Enomoto-chan are inside, you know.”

“N-No way!”

I desperately shake off her hand.

Araki-sensei looks surprised, and I suddenly feel awkward and avert my eyes. Like a little kid, I mumble weakly.

“I’m Yuu-kun’s lover, so I can’t be here…”

“…”

A flood of question marks practically bursts over Araki-sensei’s head.

“Huh? Why not? You can’t help out with work once you’re lovers?”

“B-Because splitting roles is more efficient, right?”

“Hmm. Is that so…?”

Oh, she totally doesn’t get it.

Araki-sensei’s such a free spirit. She doesn’t seem like the type to stress over love…

“Whatever. Soon enough, Yuu-kun will come crying, ‘Himari-sama~ Come back to me~’ anyway.”

“Oh, that’d be nice…”

“Hey, you don’t believe me!”

“Well, I mean, to pull off a smug ‘He’ll come back to me in the end’ face, Inuzuka-chan, you’re kinda lacking in composure, aren’t you?”

Her gaze flicks toward my body for a second.

“Don’t look at my chest!”

“But Enomoto-chan’s are amazing.”

“Ugh!?”

“Her chest is amazing.”

“Why’d you rephrase it!?”

“Girls with amazing chests usually have amazing butts too, right?”

“Araki-sensei, were you always the type to say stuff like that!?”

Araki-sensei laughs heartily.

Oh, she’s probably trying to cheer me up…

“I get it now~. No wonder I thought you were radiating that energetic yandere aura again~.”

“Yandere aura? What’s that?”

“Look, it’s right there.”

“Huh, here?”

I hurriedly flail around me in a panic.

“…How’s that?”

“Hmm. Yandere aura isn’t that kind of thing~.”

“What kind of thing is it then!?”

“Stickier than Inuzuka-chan thinks?”

“Stickier!?”

“Like it’s clinging to you… Oh, like when you accidentally stick your face in a big spiderweb?”

“The kind that tanks your mood for the whole day!? No way, I hate bugs!”

“You’d have to take a bath to refresh and get rid of it.”

“Oh, come on! Forget that already!”

Then I glance at Yuu-kun and the others.

Through a window with the shoji left open, I see him happily picking out catalogs with Enocchi.

“…Yuu-kun looks like he’s having a blast.”

“Yeah~. That kid’s happiest when he’s handling flowers, huh~.”

Araki-sensei says it naturally, without a hint of sarcasm.

The scene feels so natural.

Like a famous painting… or maybe a crude piece so plain no one bothers to look at it.

It just feels like they’re in their rightful place, as they should be.

Like flowers blooming in spring.

Like leaves thriving in summer.

Like colors fading in fall.

Like everything withering in winter.

If Yuu-kun says something, Enocchi smiles and nods.

If Enocchi asks something, Yuu-kun explains with a happy look.

It looks like their natural relationship, and my chest tightens painfully.

From behind, Araki-sensei pats both my shoulders.

“Inuzuka-chan. Natsume-kun’s probably gonna waffle till the last second anyway, so how about we grab some food together?”

“Huh? Is that okay?”

“Sure. I’m hungry anyway.”

“But I just ate spicy noodles…”

“Then let’s hit a soba place that’s got sweets too.”

Relieved to get away from here… but at the same time, I feel a strong tug pulling me back.

Hiding those feelings, I act cheerful on the way.

“Araki-sensei, you love noodles, huh~. Don’t you ever eat anything but noodles?”

“Hmm. They’re easy~.”

“What about Christmas then? Noodles there too?”

“Who knows~. Someone’s treating me, so whatever they serve is fine.”

“What!? You’re going on a date with someone!?”

“Sasaki-kun said he’d take me out to eat.”

“…”

Wagyaaah!

The totally unexpected name sends my excitement through the roof.

“Sasaki-sensei!? Whoa, wait, weren’t you high school classmates!?”

“He was at my place till just a bit ago. You just missed him, Inuzuka-chan.”

“Ehh! I really wanted to see him~!”

“But going out to eat on Christmas sounds like such a hassle~.”

“So cold! He invited you out for Christmas and everything!?”

“Nah, it’s just food, you know?”

“Just food? It doesn’t feel that casual…?”

“Hmm…”

Araki-sensei looks up at the sky with a serious expression.

Before I knew it, thick rain clouds had gathered in the pitch-black sky, looking ready to cry any second.

“That guy feels like an eternal middle schooler. Kinda like a little brother close in age~.”

“I get it, but that’s so blunt…”

With that virtual NG declaration, I clasp my hands in prayer in my mind. Sasaki-sensei’s probably gone all out booking some fancy hotel dinner. Namu~.

Araki-sensei sighs.

“Is love really that big a deal~?”

“It totally is! Araki-sensei, you’re too dried up. Such a waste of a beauty.”

“Hmm. So, Inuzuka-chan, are you fulfilled?”

“Of course I am! I mean, I’m Yuu-kun’s one and only, right? Love makes every day fun, and I’m super happy and fulfilled. You can have tons of friends, but there’s only one lover in the whole world!”

…Huh?

For some reason, my chest stings a little… or maybe…?

“…I’m fulfilled, yeah.”

I won the spot as Yuu-kun’s “lover.”

I don’t have any complaints about this relationship.

He treasures me. Even for Christmas, Yuu-kun’s keeping it open for me. He’s probably planning some surprise to make good memories for me. I know he’s that kind of guy.

And yet…

“Nice…”

It slips out unintentionally.

I hurriedly shake my head.

For some reason, I start recalling summer vacation.

A sunflower field stretching across my entire view.

A curtain of yellow and green.

Running out of breath, the conclusion I reached with an oxygen-starved brain.

I wanted to be Yuu-kun’s lover.

That wasn’t wrong.

I don’t have any complaints about how things are now.

That wasn’t wrong either.

As his lover, Yuu-kun cherishes me, and Enocchi took over as his work partner instead.

Everything went just as I pictured it, and yet…

Every day, my heart just isn’t happy.

Even though I became Yuu-kun’s lover, I keep panicking, wanting to be his best friend too.

I’m always looking back, worried about Enocchi overtaking me.

And here I am, just staring in from the outside all alone.

Is this really what I wanted—?

“Huh…?”

My vision blurs.

Tears stream down my cheeks without stopping.

“…Oh, crap.”

Araki-sensei hurriedly wraps her fur muffler around my face. When I turn around in surprise, she smiles gently and says,

“Puberty’s such a pain~.”

“Hey, you’re not hiding your inner voice at all! Isn’t this the part where you comfort me?”

“Oops. I touched Inuzuka-chan’s yandere aura. Guess I’ll get a 40°C fever tomorrow and have to skip work~.”

“Don’t treat my aura like some pathogen!?”

“Oh, Inuzuka-chan, skip school with me and let’s play games.”

“Go to work properly!”

Suddenly, something white flashes in my vision.

Startled, I look up to see white specks falling from the sky. Not rain, not hail either…

“Oh, it’s snow.”

“Huh, pretty rare around here~.”

“Will it stick?”

“Doubt it~. I saw it pile up a little when I was in elementary school, but not since then.”

“Wait, it’s piled up before?”

“I made a muddy snowman and stuck it in the freezer, but it turned all crumbly by the next day~. Man, Grandma got so mad at me that time~.”

“So unpoetic…”

Tiny powdery snowflakes, almost too small to notice, get swept away by the wind, passing us by.

The voice in my heart I’d finally acknowledged reaches my ears at last.

That day… at the flower inn, I figured out why my face wasn’t smiling.

What I really wanted wasn’t this.

Why?

Where did I go wrong?

Someone tell me.

Let me redo it.

Let all of this be a dream, and when I wake up, I’m in my own bed.

I’m a second-year middle schooler, and it’s the morning of the long-awaited culture festival.

I’ve decided to go see the accessory sale of this flower-loving boy in my class who I’ve been kinda curious about lately.

“Show that passionate gaze to me alone, okay? Let me monopolize it? Then I’ll sell your accessories as much as you want. —How about we become that kind of destined duo?” 

Nothing’s changed since back then.

My true wish was—