AN: Hello again, dear readers! Couldn't quite make it with my "one chapter per month" thing, thanks to a variety of factors, but I am now back with a new chapter. In terms of writing, the first half of 2021 didn't go as I had planned, as is evidenced by the delays in all of my stories. This chapter was especially delayed (sorry about that, by the way, but it was largely out of my control) thanks to an event in July that forced me away from my computer for quite some time, which I wrote an announcement about on my profile. I had started writing this chapter before I was forced to put my stories on hiatus, but couldn't finish it, thus this massive delay. But, now that is behind us, and I can return to my writing.
Now, without any further ado, let's pick up the story from right where we left it off last time – hopefully you guys can still remember what happened!
Chapter 5 – Reconciliation
"E-eh? Y-you..!"
"Hm? And who are you..?"
I had barely gotten out of the cafe before I nearly stumbled into someone: A teenager with dark brown, nearly black hair, who was now looking back at me in surprise and disbelief. As I met his eyes, his expression turned momentarily into fear, and he backed away from me. His reaction puzzled me, but as I looked at the strangely familiar teenager in front of me for a little longer, it suddenly came to me where I had seen him before.
"...Wait...Yoshikage?" The teen flinched as I said his name out loud. His attire was different from when I had last seen him on the train ride on that faithful day, now sporting a school uniform similar to the one I had seen Reimi wearing. The most striking difference, however, was his expression and demeanour – gone was the cocky arrogance I had seen on him the last time, replaced with something that made him look like a mouse when confronted by a hungry cat. "What are you doing here?" My words caused him to blink, and he briefly looked down the street, before looking to me again – but avoiding eye contact.
"I-I should ask you the same thing! W-what were you doing with Reimi?" Yoshikage managed to ask from me, though I could tell from the tone of his voice that he was still afraid. I guess I left a bit of an impression on him, huh…
"Reimi invited me here to spend some time. We're friends, has she not told you?" Yoshikage shook his head at me. "...I see. Since you're here, you didn't happen to see where she might have ran off to? She left her stuff behind." I lifted up Reimi's bag, drawing Yoshikage's attention to it briefly, before he looked down the street again.
"Uh… she… I-I saw her running towards the nearest station…" I moved my gaze to where Yoshikage had been looking and furrowed my brows. There's a lot of roads here, so I can't know for sure which route she would have taken… Since I can't see her anywhere, she must have turned to one of the side streets. I might be able to catch up if I take the most direct route, but even then, Reimi might not have gone to the station, and she has a small head start already. "Um… What… happened in there..?" Yoshikage asked from me cautiously, and I turned back to him, seeing the teen flinch yet again as I met his eyes. I guess he didn't see the… kiss, then.
"Relax, I'm not going to beat you up, as long as you behave." I said with a sigh, and Yoshikage swallowed nervously, then nodded slowly.My first impression of him was anything but positive, but Reimi has repeatedly told me that he isn't actually like that, and simply likes putting up a tough front. I suppose we'll see if that's true."What happened was… Well, I suppose there was some miscommunication from both sides… though, I guess mainly from my side… Anyway, it doesn't really matter. Reimi got a bit of an… emotional shock and ran out, forgetting her things here." I explained to Yoshikage briefly. Reimi's feelings towards me… she can tell her friends herself if she wants to. "You haven't answered my question yet, though. So, what are you doing here? I find myself doubting that you simply happened to be here at this exact moment." I then asked from him. He still looks like he's ready to run for his life at any moment…
"Eh? I-I mean… Why should I…" Yoshikage began, but trailed off, so I cocked an eyebrow in question. The teen stayed quiet for a few moments, bringing one of his hands up to his shoulder and lightly rubbing it before he continued. "...Reimi's been sneaking away a lot recently, and hasn't spent as much time with the rest of us, so… I followed her today to see what she was doing. I saw her going into this cafe, so I… observed her from outside, but didn't expect that you of all people were the one she was hanging out with." Yoshikage explained to me, keeping his gaze averted from me the entire time. I see.
"So in other words, you got worried about her because she's been skipping school?" Yoshikage looked like he was about to retort, but as soon as he met my eyes, he stopped himself and looked down at the ground instead. "I'm not making fun of you. You two are childhood friends, aren't you? It's good to see that you care about her." I said to Yoshikage with a smile, hoping to convey that I wasn't being hostile towards him. The moment he gets a bright idea to try something similar to back then, though, his face is going to be making good friends with the pavement. "I met Reimi by chance again last week, and we've been hanging out a lot since. However… I was starting to suspect that she might have been skipping class to spend time with me, and that doing so was taking away her time with her friends from school. This confirms my suspicions." Yoshikage furrowed his brow as he looked back at me momentarily, before looking down the street that I presumed he had seen Reimi running off to. Given her confession, I can understand why she'd want to spend so much time with me, but… It's no excuse to skip out on school and make your friends worried. "...By the way, aren't you skipping school by being here as well?" Yoshikage flinched again as I questioned him in a lower tone, finding some amusement in his reactions to me. I suppose this is better than him trying something with me.
"T-that… W-well… I am." Yoshikage admitted with a sigh. "B-but it's because Reimi was also…" He then began, only to trail off as he met my eyes again briefly. Did I really scare him that much back then? "W-what does it matter to you anyway?" The teen then challenged after a few moments with bluster in his voice, while I simply smiled in amusement.
"Because, like I said to Reimi, skipping school is not something you should do. Your education is important. Though, I suppose since you were worrying about Reimi, and she did tell me you weren't as much of a bad guy as you try to be... I can let you off the hook." Yoshikage was about to refute my response, but closed his mouth instead as he shrunk away, his cheeks now having a clear dusting of red on them. Seems like he really can't deny caring about Reimi, huh? Or then he's just that scared of me beating him up. I don't really blame him for that. "Oh, that reminds me… Since you're her friend, could you give Reimi her stuff back?" I then asked from the teen, holding out Reimi's bag towards him. "It doesn't seem like I'll be able to catch up to her any more, and I… do find myself doubting if she's able to face me right now. Anyway, she left her phone – and other important stuff as well, I'd assume – in here, so could you make sure it gets back to her?" Yoshikage looked at the bag for a few moments, before blinking and looking up at me, then looking back at the bag as he warily reached out to grab it.
"Uh, s-sure." Yoshikage said with a small grunt as I handed Reimi's bag to him, noticing that he tensed up and purposefully avoided touching my hand as he took a hold of the bag. At least he's learned something. "What, uh… what exactly… happened with you two..?" He then asked carefully, and I let out a small sigh.
"Reimi can tell you that herself, if she wants to." I replied. I recall the other girl in their little friend group I saw back then talking to her about possible boyfriends, so it's likely they don't know that Reimi… 'swings the other way'... "Reimi… has never been in a relationship, has she?" My question seemed to surprise Yoshikage, who froze in place for a moment, but then shook his head. "I see. Well, I'll trust you to get Reimi's stuff back to her. Not much for me to do here any longer, so I'll get going. Maybe I'll see you again in the future." Yoshikage swallowed nervously, but nodded to me slowly before I turned around to leave. "Oh, yeah, and one more thing…" I looked back at Yoshikage over my shoulder, who visibly tensed up again when our eyes met. "I don't know if Reimi's said this to you, but she much prefers when you aren't… well, doing whatever you were doing when we last met. She's told me before that she liked the 'old Yoshikage' more than the 'current' one." Yoshikage's eyes widened slightly at my words, and I allowed a small smile onto my face as I continued. "For her sake, I think you should drop the tough guy act." Without waiting for his reply, I turned away again and continued walking down the street. I don't want to meddle too much, but… If it'll make Reimi happy, I can nudge Yoshikage in the right direction, at least.
I kept moving towards the station after leaving Yoshikage behind, keeping an eye out on the chance that I could spot Reimi somewhere, but had no luck. Either she had already made it to the station, or had gone somewhere else entirely. Like I had said to Yoshikage, though, I doubted whether she'd be able to face me right now, after I essentially just rejected her. Confessing like that must have taken all of her courage – I know it took me a lot of courage to go for that final push that day – so my response hit hard. But… it never crossed my mind that Reimi could feel that way about me. Her feelings definitely bring new explanations for a lot of the things about her, and the way she acted, though… Ugh, is this what it's like to be the dense protagonist of a romance Manga..? I shook my head and cleared my thoughts as I neared the station, pulling out my phone to check the time. I really don't know how I should react to this whole thing… I guess I should be flattered that Reimi feels that way about me, but… Being confessed to by another girl is really something else, huh..? As I was looking down at my phone, a stray thought entered my head, and I found myself drafting up a message for Kanade.
"Are you free to talk right now?"
I hesitated before sending the message, feeling unsure about whether or not Kanade would actually be able to help me, and also somewhat embarrassed about the subject. She probably doesn't really have experience with this kind of stuff, but… Kanade's smart, so I'm sure she'd be able to help me in some way. Satisfied with my train of thought, I sent the message to Kanade, then pocketed my phone as I entered the station. Let's see… I didn't quite expect my meeting with Reimi to end when it did, so I'll have to wait a little bit for my train to arrive. Well, at least it'll give me time to converse with Kanade, if she responds quickly. Buying myself a drink from a nearby vending machine, I navigated my way through to a bench in a part of the station where few other people were present and sat down, feeling my phone buzzing in my pocket as I did so. Pulling it out, a reply from Kanade greeted me.
"I am. Do you need to call me?"
I pondered on Kanade's question for a few moments, glancing around the station while doing so. There weren't that many people around, but I still didn't want to risk the embarrassment of someone overhearing my conversation, so I replied to my friend in the negative.
"Just texting is fine. There was something I wanted to ask for your advice on."
Taking a sip from my drink, I placed my phone in my lap, waiting for Kanade's reply. How do I ask her about this, though..? I suppose I should just go straight to the point… But maybe asking her if she has any experience first would be good? The buzzing of my phone pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked down to read Kanade's message to me.
"Alright, go ahead, Yuri. I'm all ears."
I bit my lip as I thought briefly about how I should go about doing this. I've known Kanade for a while, and I know she doesn't really have any romantic experience, but… Maybe there's something in her past before I met her? Guess I'll lead with that. Taking another quick sip, I swiftly drafted up a message to my friend, then sent it to her.
"Well, firstly, I just wanted to ask… Have you ever been confessed to before, Kanade? I know about the whole thing you had with Yuzuru and stuff, but, like, has anyone ever said to you that they love you? How would you react to something like that?"
Expecting Kanade's reply to be as lengthy as her usual ones, I put my phone down and leaned back in the bench, silently watching as people moved about the station. A part of me was still hoping I could catch a glimpse of Reimi somewhere, but at the same time, I didn't exactly want to meet her just yet. I know Reimi must be going through all sorts of emotions right now, so meeting me so soon isn't probably the best, but… she isn't the only one in the aftermath of a new situation. I knew I was plenty attractive, so I figured that there had to have been at least a handful of people from back in my middle school and high school days who had developed crushes on me, but nobody had ever directly confessed to me. I think I recall receiving at least one or two 'love letters', but I never responded to them. Apart from Yuzuru, Reimi is the first person to ever have directly confessed to me. And she was so bold with it as well! Recalling the younger girl's kiss, I momentarily brought a hand to my lips, but then shook my head to clear away the memory. I have no idea how I should react to a girl confessing to me like that… Which is why I was a little insensitive in my reply. I let out a sigh, then heard my phone buzz in my lap as Kanade replied to my earlier message.
"Certainly an unexpected question. But, to answer it, no, I have not been confessed to in that manner. At least not in this life. I recall one time in the Afterlife when a boy confessed his love to me – you, Yuzuru and the others were present at that time as well. However, as this happened in the middle of an exam, and due to me barely knowing the boy, I had to reject him. As for how I would react if someone were to confess like that to me now… I suppose I would feel flattered about their feelings, but I would likely still end up politely rejecting them, unless I also had a romantic interest in them. But, well, I know it will take some time before I can… get over Yuzuru, so to speak. I hope you understand. Was that all?"
As I read through Kanade's message, some of the fragments of memories from the Afterlife that I had recovered resurfaced. The scene Kanade had described felt familiar, but I couldn't quite picture it clearly in my head. The faces are still all blurry… But, like Kanade said, I remember myself, Yuzuru and… Hinata being there. I think… that confession was part of a plan against Kanade, right? I tried to focus on the hazy memory, but couldn't remember anything new. It was frustrating, not being able to remember everything from the Afterlife like the others could, but I didn't let it get to me. They're all optimistic that I'll be able to regain my memories eventually, but… Well, even if I don't, I'm fine with that too. In any case… it seems Kanade doesn't have any more experience than I do, as I feared.
I furrowed my brows as I read through Kanade's message again. Her answer was as expected, and didn't help me much – it only drove in the point that I had handled Reimi's initial confession poorly. If only I had told her about Yuzuru earlier… Well, there's no point in thinking about that now. Hmm… Maybe there's still some insight I can get from Kanade… I quickly wrote another message to Kanade, hoping it would narrow down her perspective to allow her to give me some insight as to how I should best deal with Reimi's feelings.
"What if… the one confessing to you was a girl? Someone who you knew personally? What then?"
Satisfied with my question, I sent the message to Kanade, at that point unaware of what she would think of it. I suppose in the end it doesn't really matter that much whether the one confessing to you is a guy or a girl – she'll probably tell me that she'd react the same either way. But, it does still change the situation somewhat, especially coming from someone you're close with. Hearing a confession from Reimi's mouth is completely different than if I heard it from some random guy I barely knew. I took a longer sip of my drink and stretched, noting that Kanade was taking a while to reply to me. Maybe she has some valuable insight for me after all? I stared down at my phone screen for a few more seconds, about to put my phone back down when it buzzed in my hand as Kanade's reply finally came through.
"Is there something you want to tell me, Yuri?"
Kanade's message confused me greatly, so I quickly sent her a reply asking her to elaborate for me.
"Kanade? What do you mean?"
I kept my gaze glued to the screen, waiting for Kanade to reply to me while I tried to figure out what she could have been referring to. Something… I want to tell her? I mean, I suppose I am avoiding the subject of Reimi having confessed to me, and am asking for her help indirectly, but… I quickly read through our previous messages again, trying to glean from them a reason for Kanade's question. Wait a moment… without the context, this might almost sound as if I am… Just then, Kanade's reply appeared on my screen.
"Well, you are free to correct me if I am wrong, but these questions of yours made it seem like you were trying to find out what I would think… if you were to confess your love to me."
I felt my cheeks flaring up in embarrassment as I read Kanade's message, throwing my head back as I facepalmed. She totally got the wrong idea! I shouldn't have been so vague and just straight-up told her what had happened… I let out a sigh, then shook my head in hopes of clearing away the blush on my face before proceeding to send a string of messages to Kanade in order to clear away the misunderstanding.
"No! No! That isn't what I was going for!"
"I love Yuzuru, and I'm quite happy being with him. I just wanted your genuine advice, since you're so smart, Kanade."
"The thing is… Well, I got confessed to today. By another girl. I only recently met her, but we became good friends quickly, so when she told me that she loved me, I didn't know how to react."
"...I also hadn't told her about Yuzuru, so in my shocked state, I ended up telling her I was already in a relationship without really thinking my words through. So… now I'm here, not really knowing what I should do. That's why I reached out to you, Kanade."
Another sigh left my mouth as I sent the last message to Kanade, and I brought my drink up to my lips for a sip. Haah… Maybe I should have asked Yuzuru for advice instead… Though, I'm not sure how much he could have helped me in this. I will need to tell him about all of this, though... as well as talk to Reimi as soon as possible. While I waited for Kanade's reply, I decided to send Reimi a quick message as well. I knew she wouldn't be able to see it straight away, but I couldn't just leave things as they were. I began the message with a short apology, then asked her to meet me in La Soleil tomorrow after school to talk things out. I can bring Yuzuru with me as well, and properly introduce them to one another. I'll need to speak with him about all this first, though. Keeping the message short and simple, I left out that I'd be bringing Yuzuru with me and sent the message, navigating back to my message history with Kanade when I noticed that she had replied to me.
"My apologies, I misunderstood. But, I see why you asked those things from me, now. I am sorry to say that I've never been in a similar situation before, so even with this new information shedding some light on things, I am unsure of how much advice I can give you. I think even if the person confessing to me was a girl, my response would still be the same. You asked how would things change if I knew the person confessing personally, and in that situation… I suppose I would want to stay friends with them, so I would try to handle it with more care. Based on what you said, and since you're reaching out to me… I assume things didn't pan out that way for you, Yuri?"
Kanade's message confirmed the assumption I made about what her response would be, and I felt my face twisting into a slight frown, before I shook my head to clear it away. Kanade won't be able to solve this problem for me – that will come from me sorting things out with Reimi – but this will still be helpful. Having reassured myself, I wrote out a message to Kanade.
"You could say that, yes. My friend… ended up being quite shocked when I told her I was in a relationship, and because I couldn't handle the situation properly, she ended up running off. I tried to go after her, but it didn't go so well. I know I need to talk to her about this, as like you said, I do still want to continue being her friend."
I sent the message to Kanade, then checked the time. It would still be a little bit before I could go home via the train, so I relaxed back in my seat as I waited for my friend to reply. I hope Reimi didn't take my words too harshly… We both reacted without really thinking in the heat of the moment, I feel, but all I can do now is hope Reimi has had a chance to cool off. I really don't want something like this to break our friendship. I sat still, idly sipping on my drink, lifting my phone back up when Kanade's reply came through.
"I see. Well, you asked me for advice, but really all I can say is that I think you should reconcile with your friend. I can hazard a guess that they must feel the same way. Things might be a bit awkward for you two right now, but you'll need to sort things out soon. Talking face-to-face would be ideal, as you can convey feelings much better that way. From the sounds of things, it seems both of you made some bad judgements in the moment, and if this girl has realized that, you two should be able reconcile, as long as her heart isn't too broken. Is the girl who confessed to you someone from our University, by the way? Or a work colleague, perhaps?"
I read through Kanade's message and furrowed my brows. Of course, Reimi did run away suddenly, but… I did literally reject her. Even if she realizes that maybe running off might have been rash, I can't imagine how that must feel like to her… Biting my lip, I sent another couple of messages to Kanade.
"Thanks, Kanade. Every little helps, as this is an unfamiliar scenario to me. I already sent a message to her asking to meet me tomorrow so we can sort things out, but I don't think I'll be receiving a reply quite yet – she forgot to take her stuff with her, and I had to give it to her friend I was lucky enough to stumble into."
"And no, she doesn't go to your University, nor is she a work colleague. Her name is Nakano Reimi, and she's a high schooler I met on the same day I confessed to Yuzuru. We only spoke briefly back then, but met again a few days after and became friends. She's a nice enough girl, I think you two would get along well. If and hopefully when we sort this mess out, I'll introduce you two."
After hitting send on my second message, I paused for a moment, reading Kanade's previous message again. Heartbreak, huh… I moved my fingers to type another message, hesitating for a few moments, before taking a deep breath and writing up what I wanted to ask from my friend.
"Hey, now that the subject came up… How did you feel when you found out me and Yuzuru were going out? I mean, you must have been pretty heartbroken then, right? How did you deal with that? Sorry if I'm being insensitive, Kanade, I just feel like it might help me understand what Reimi must be going through right now."
I read through my own message several times before finally hitting the send button. Kanade had taken the news quite well initially when we had met her in La Soleil the day after mine and Yuzuru's mutual confessions, but I knew better than anyone that Kanade didn't exactly display her feelings as openly as others did. She said it herself in her earlier message – it'll take time for her to move on from this. But I want to know how she felt the moment she saw the two of us and heard what we told her, because I can't imagine it being anything positive. When we found out that we both liked Yuzuru, we knew he'd only be able to choose one of us, so heartbreak was inevitable, but I hadn't really given it much thought since Yuzuru and I started dating. And the more I thought of it, the darker my thoughts became.
What if Kanade is actually really hurt by it, but is just hiding it?
I know she's supportive of us and our relationship, but is that how she truly feels inside?
What if…
Luckily, my thoughts were interrupted as my phone buzzed in my hand, and I shook my head, then looked down to read Kanade's reply. You can't think like that, Yuri. You know what kind of person Kanade is, and she wouldn't hold a secret grudge like that. Satisfied with having gotten my thoughts in check, I focused on Kanade's message.
"I have faith in your ability to sort things out with this friend of yours, Yuri. And I'll be looking forward to you introducing us. Now, as for your question… It is difficult to describe it all. I believe I adequately put into words what I thought of it back then, but my feelings are a different matter.
First came surprise, I suppose, then realization, and when I saw Yuzuru's hesitation in speaking about it, came a tinge of fear. When you said those words I didn't want to hear, I was hurt and shocked, but once I heard your explanation, they gave me understanding. I know I don't display my emotions very much, but… I can recall my heart beating very rapidly as I went through that multitude of emotions in such a short amount of time. But after all the negative, as I spoke with you two more, something more positive emerged. I saw that you two were happy to be together, so I felt happy for you two as well. It was all… very much a new experience for me, so I don't know if what I felt was 'heartbreak' or not, and I can't guarantee that this Reimi girl felt the same way. And, don't worry about being insensitive. I hope I can help you in some way with this, Yuri.
Saying that, however… The sadness and the hurting I felt back then… I'm sorry to say it, Yuri, but I don't think it will go away just yet. Even now, when I'm with Yuzuru, I can feel myself longing for him. I truly am happy for the two of you, and I want to support you. I believe in Yuzuru when he says that our bond will never break, only change, and I know it's wrong, but… I can't help a part of me wanting to be in your place. So, I'm sorry, Yuri."
As I finished reading Kanade's lengthy message, I started feeling somewhat melancholic and sympathetic towards Kanade. It's… much more than I could have imagined… I suppose human emotions really are complicated like that. But… I focused my attention on the last part of her message, and wrote a reply to her.
"Thank you, Kanade. You've been a great help, and I feel like I can face Reimi again, now! But, you don't have to feel sorry about your feelings. I know what you and Yuzuru experienced together in the Afterlife, he's told me all about it. You shouldn't be ashamed of your feelings just because I'm now together with him. Nothing about your feelings is wrong. Nothing. Remember that. We'll give you all the time in the world to get over Yuzuru. We're still your friends, Kanade."
I finished typing my reassuring message to Kanade, then checked the time. The train will be arriving soon, so I'd best get ready to go. While I awaited Kanade's reply, I finished the rest of my drink and disposed of the empty can, then moved out to the platform to wait for the train to arrive, joining the crowd of people gathering there for the same purpose. Just as the announcer flared to life and informed us all of the train's imminent arrival, my phone buzzed and I took it out to read Kanade's reply to me.
"Thank you, Yuri. Your words mean a lot. Perhaps I hadn't noticed it before I wrote everything out to you in that message, but this whole ordeal… It might have affected me more than I thought. But, thank you. You've helped set my mind at ease. I would love to speak to you in person soon, too. And not just about… this, of course."
A smile graced my face as the train screeched to a halt in front of me, and I sent Kanade a quick reply in affirmation to her wish, before stepping onto the train that would take me back home.
"Hey, so… What would you do if, like… another guy suddenly confessed to you?"
I stumbled and nearly dropped the can of food I was picking up from the shelf as my girlfriend's unexpected question reached my ears, just managing to secure my hold on the can before I could drop it on the floor. Releasing a small sigh of relief as I deposited it in my shopping basket, I turned to my girlfriend, who seemed to be deep in thought as she stared down at the label of a tin of canned meat in her hands.
"W-what the hell kinda question is that, Yuri? And what does it have to do with how your day went?"
My words caused my girlfriend to lift her gaze to meet mine, her expression neutral but contemplative as she placed the canned meat into the shopping basket. After doing so, she shook her head and sighed before speaking again.
"Sorry, I know that was a really weird question to ask out of the blue. It's… Just answer me, okay, Yuzuru?" Yuri's gaze turned slightly pleading, and I ran my free hand through my hair as I looked up and away from her. What is she up to now..?
"Alright, let me think." I closed my eyes for a brief moment as I gave Yuri's odd question some thought. What would I do if another guy confessed to me… I mean, I guess I would just reject them? I'm already in a relationship with Yuri, and I don't have any interest of that kind in other guys anyway. The answer should be obvious, so why is she even asking me this in the first place? Wait… I opened my eyes again as I looked at Yuri, narrowing my eyes as I met her gaze with my own. "...Hinata hasn't been saying anything weird to you, has he?" Yuri's eyes widened a little, but she quickly shook her head at me. So it's not him that urged her to ask this, then..? Realizing that Yuri was still waiting for my answer, I scratched my cheek and told her the obvious. "..Well, I'd just reject them, of course. I'm together with you, and I'm not gay or anything, so… that much is obvious." Yuri looked at me for a few moments, then let out a small sigh as she looked away.
"Right, of course you'd answer something like that… Well, I guess my question wasn't the best either…" Yuri muttered, and I raised an eyebrow at her as my confusion regarding her question increased. What's going on, here? I thought I was just making small talk by asking about her day while we get our shopping done, like Yuri wanted to, but…
"What prompted you to ask that anyway, if it wasn't Hinata and his 'jokes'? Did… something happen, or..?" Yuri met my gaze again as I questioned her, looking at me slightly apologetically.
"Yeah, sorry, I probably shouldn't have lead with that question. When you asked me about my day, I kind of just started thinking about everything, and asked you what came to my mind on a whim." Yuri replied, then began walking down the store aisle. So, something did happen, then? I thought briefly as I followed after my girlfriend. "I don't think I've told you yet, but I made a new friend recently. I first met her on the train the day I… confessed to you, but only really got to know her when we met a second time last Wednesday." Yuri glanced back at me and paused in her explanation as she stopped to pick up some more groceries off a shelf and put them into the shopping basket I was carrying.
"Oh? Well, that's good to hear." Yuri smiled and nodded to me in reply. To my knowledge, Yuri didn't actually have that many friends prior to meeting me and the other SSS members. At least, not ones she was in particularly frequent contact with – she mostly hung out with Kanade.
"Her name is Nakano Reimi. She's a high school student, but is quite enjoyable to be around despite being younger than us. Kinda cute, too, I suppose, though I did mistake her for an emo girl the first time we met due to her choice of clothing. We talked a lot over the course of last week, and hung out every day, except on the weekend, since I was with you the whole time." Yuri continued down the aisle, but I stopped in my tracks before I could follow her. Nakano… Reimi? Could it be?
"Wait… Did you say Nakano Reimi?" I asked, and Yuri turned to look at me with a raised eyebrow, then nodded to me. "Short girl, black hair and blue eyes, third-year student in High School, a little awkward sometimes?" Yuri's eyes widened slightly, and she nodded to me again, this time somewhat slower. "That's… a very funny coincidence. I met her in La Soleil last Friday, just before we all met up there. She told Yui-san and me that one of her friends who was planning on going to our University had recommended La Soleil to her, and we ended up giving her some advice regarding her future and choices for Uni… That friend she mentioned… It was you, Yuri?" My girlfriend lowered her gaze as her expression became thoughtful.
"That… really is a crazy coincidence. I did tell Reimi about La Soleil, and that I liked going there with my friends…" Yuri lifted her gaze again to meet mine. "She must have gone out of her way in hopes of running into me there, as La Soleil is quite far from where she goes to school… You said you met her before the rest of us came there, right?" I nodded to Yuri in reply, and she let out a dry chuckle. She left only shortly before Yuri arrived, when she received that message. "Heh, that really is funny… If I'd arrived a little earlier, or if Reimi had stayed there for a bit longer, allowing us to meet, we wouldn't be in this situation right now…" Yuri lifted a hand up to rub her temple, a somewhat rueful smile on her face.
"Situation? So, something happened with you and her? Something… that would have been prevented if you and her had met in La Soleil on Friday?" Yuri nodded to me, then let out a sigh.
"Basically, yeah. You see, funnily enough… I never actually told Reimi about you, or that I was in a relationship. Looking back on it, that... was pretty silly, but I didn't really think about it being something I needed to tell to people about unless it came up otherwise. I was just… kind of waiting until I could introduce you two to each other, I guess. Didn't have any idea that you two had already met, though." Yuri trailed off for a moment, then shook her head and continued. "Anyway, I met with Reimi again today, and we chatted over some drinks and snacks at a cafe together. I was showing her pictures I took from the shrine we went to over the weekend, when… Well, to cut to the chase, Reimi… confessed to me. She… said that she liked me. In that way." Yuri paused, likely to gauge my reaction, which I was sure she could surmise from my expression as being surprise and shock. This Reimi girl… confessed to Yuri? And it happened just today?
"...That's… something alright." I said after a few moments of silence had passed. "What happened after that?" My question caused Yuri to grimace, and she let out a sigh before responding.
"Well, that's how we get to the 'situation'. Your reaction just now was… pretty much the same as mine. I only met Reimi a week ago, and had no idea that she was harbouring those kinds of feelings towards me. So, in my shocked state… I kind of forgot how to be considerate and just ended up telling her directly that I was in a relationship already. Reimi… didn't seem to take it well and… ran off. Quite literally. So, that's how my day went today, to answer your initial question." Yuri laughed awkwardly, but it quickly faded away, her expression troubled. I… see… I don't know all the circumstances, but… Confessing to Yuri must have taken an awful lot of courage from this girl, so when she was rejected… I winced internally as I was reminded of my own cowardice when I had ran away after Yuri kissed me for the first time, but quickly banished the memory. That's in the past, now. With Yuri by my side, I can be strong.
"I… see. I suppose you asked that weird question because… You wanted to find out how I would have reacted in a similar situation?" Yuri nodded to me, and I scratched my cheek awkwardly. "Well… if you had perhaps lead with what you said afterwards, I could have given you some better insight..."
"Like I said, I kind of asked that without really putting much thought into it. Sorry I put you on the spot like that." Yuri smiled at me apologetically, and I smiled back at her.
"It's fine, Yuri. So, are you going to patch things up with her? You said she ran away, but… You do have some way of reaching her, right?" Yuri nodded to me, then moved out of the way as another customer walked over and reached towards the shelf she was standing next to. I motioned towards the other aisle, and Yuri started to move towards it, continuing our shopping as we conversed.
"Unfortunately, she left in such a hurry that she forgot her things at the cafe we were at – including her phone. I was lucky enough to stumble into her friend – a familiar face – who had been… spying on us, and entrusted him with returning her things to her." Familiar face? Spying on them? I feel like there's a whole other story, here… Perhaps seeing my intrigued expression, Yuri smiled in an amused manner before clarifying. "Reimi was part of that friend group I saw on that train ride to your place a week ago. This guy was one of them, so we were already… somewhat acquainted. Reimi had been skipping school to meet with me, so he was worried. Thus, spying on us." The train ride… Right, Yuri told me there was some guy who tried to hit on her, and when he didn't take no for an answer, she had to resort to self-defence… Hmph, I don't fancy myself a fighter, but I'd like to give that guy a piece of my mind.
"...This story just keeps having more and more layers added to it, huh…" I commented as Yuri scanned through the shelves, pulling out her phone briefly to double-check her shopping list.
"Well, you telling me that you had already met Reimi added a layer I didn't know about, so it's not like we're not both involved." Yuri replied as she picked up some ingredients from the shelf and dropped them into the shopping basket. If this is what she's buying for her own fridge… Heh, is Yuri planning on doing some cooking? I suppose I have that to look forward to, now… "Anyway, I do really want to sort things out with Reimi, and… apologize to her. I already talked about this with Kanade, so I know what I want to do. I know Reimi won't be able to see it until she gets her phone back, but I sent her a message asking for us to meet up and talk about things tomorrow in La Soleil. And… I was hoping that you'd come along, Yuzuru." Yuri stopped in her tracks and looked back at me.
"You want… me to come with you? Isn't this something… you need to sort out between the two of you? And I feel like bringing me – your boyfriend – along might not be the best thing in this situation." I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, and Yuri bit her lip.
"I… understand where you're coming from, but I think it would be for the best. I already screwed up by not telling Reimi about us and introducing you two earlier, so… I might as well get it done now, right? It will be awkward, but ultimately… I believe it will help her get over it quicker." Yuri looked at me pleadingly, and I pondered on her words for a moment. Yuri knows Reimi better than I do, so I suppose she'd know best… And I guess it would be awkward even if I wasn't there. Still feel like it might be a bit too much like twisting the knife in the wound, but...
"...Alright, I'll come with you. When exactly are you going to meet with her?" Yuri seemed to release the breath she had apparently been holding as I responded in the positive. She must be a bit nervous, and understandably so. That's probably another reason she wanted me to come along, but didn't want to say it out loud.
"Not sure yet. I wanted to wait for Reimi to be able to respond to decide, but it'll be after she finishes school for the day. I don't want her to be skipping school any more than she already has." Yuri finished with a wry smile, and just as I was about to respond, I was interrupted by Yuri's phone buzzing in her pocket, which she proceeded to promptly pull out. "Well, speak of the devil." Yuri turned her phone towards me, and I could see a notification for a message she had just received – from none other than Reimi.
"So, she's got her phone back? What'd she send you?" I asked as we continued down the aisle.
"She apologizes for running off, and… agrees to meeting me at La Soleil." Yuri looked up from her phone and met my gaze as she stopped again. "When do you finish tomorrow?" She then asked from me, her fingers hovering over her phone's screen.
"It's a Tuesday, so… the usual time. About the same as today." I replied, and Yuri nodded to me, then began to type a response to Reimi, likely asking her when she'd be available. After she finished writing the message, Yuri hesitated, her finger hovering over the phone screen, before she took a deep breath and sent the message. "Feeling nervous?" My question seemed to surprise Yuri, as her head turned to me rapidly, before she quickly averted it, a slight tint of red on her cheeks.
"It's… weird, but… a little, yes. I mean, I'm the one who rejected her, so why the heck am I getting all nervous about meeting her again?" Yuri's brows scrunched up together in annoyance, and I smiled gently, hiding my amusement at the situation.
"Well, you can be sure that she's feeling at least twice as nervous as you are, Yuri." I said and gave my girlfriend a pat on the head. "You'll do fine. I'll be there with you." Yuri looked up at me for a few moments, then let out a sigh and smiled.
"Thanks. I'm… sorry for dragging you into this, Yuzuru. I know this is something that me and Reimi need to sort out between ourselves, and the blame does fall mainly on me for not telling her about things earlier, and yet I've already gone to both Kanade and you for help… You're not allowed to back away now, though!" Yuri's tone was initially somewhat somber, but she shot me a glare as she finished to drive her point home. There's the ruthless leader of the SSS I remember… Though she's a bit softer in this life… Or was she always that soft?
"I won't, I won't, don't worry." I replied to defend myself as I pulled my hand back, and Yuri looked back at her phone again. "And you shouldn't feel bad about relying on your friends and… p-partner. We're here to support you, Yuri." I let my hand fall onto my girlfriend's shoulder, and she reached up to place her own on top of it.
"...Yeah, I know." Yuri said quietly, her gaze still directed at her phone screen, before she swiftly pocketed the device and moved my hand off her shoulder. "Right, that's pretty much sorted now, so let's finish with our shopping. On with it!" Yuri spared me a quick glance and began to walk down the aisle again. I stood still for a few moments, then smiled to myself before following after my girlfriend.
"Understood, boss!"
Yuri looked back at me with a raised eyebrow, so I saluted at her, causing my girlfriend to simply roll her eyes at my joke.
"Here's the coffee you ordered, Otonashi-san."
"Thanks, Kashou-san."
I lifted the cup of coffee to my lips after taking it from Kashou, blowing on the hot liquid before taking an experimental sip. After deeming it still slightly too hot, I gently placed the cup back down. The entire time, my gaze didn't leave my girlfriend for even a moment, as she was sat alone a couple of tables away from me. Only after a few moments had gone by with Kashou seemingly not leaving my side did I avert my gaze from Yuri and turned to the owner of the cafe, who was looking at me with an intrigued expression – no doubt curious about why Yuri and I were sat at separate tables.
"Relationship troubles?" Kashou asked from me with an amused smile, and I shook my head at him.
"No, nothing of the sort." I replied and glanced down at my phone, which laid on the table next to my cup of coffee. It had been about five minutes since Yuri had informed me that Reimi had sent her a message saying that she'd be here soon, so both of us were waiting for her to appear. "It's… a little complicated."
"Oh? I'm all ears, Otonashi-san." Kashou said and sat down opposite of me and leaning with his elbow on the table, the amused smile never leaving his face. Shouldn't he be working, though..? I glanced briefly towards the counter, where Kashou's cousin, Minaduki (which, I now knew was her and Kashou's last name – I didn't actually know the girl's first name), was currently working, before looking back at Kashou. He's pretty lax when it comes to work… But I guess if he thinks it's fine for him to a have brief break like this…
"Well… Yuri told me yesterday that… she was confessed to. By another girl. Do you remember that girl who you entrusted Maple to last Friday, Nakano Reimi?" Kashou's eyes widened at my revelation, but he nodded at me in reply to my question.
"Yes, I do remember. So, she was the one who confessed to Nakamura-san?"
"That's right. Yuri was… unsurprisingly shocked, and ended up blurting out that she was already in a relationship, which Nakano-san didn't know. That, in turn, shocked her and she… ran off. Both sides made some bad in-the-moment decisions, which they now regret, but they've promised to meet up in order to sort things out and reconcile." I explained to Kashou in short, and he gave me a slow nod of understanding in return.
"I see… So Nakamura-san is waiting for Nakano-san to arrive?" I gave Kashou a quick nod, then lifted my coffee again, testing if it had cooled enough yet. Hmm… It's drinkable now, at least. "But why are you sitting apart like this, then? To my understanding, you're already acquainted with Nakano-san, at least based on how much I saw you talking with her last Friday."
"Yuri wanted me to come along with her, mainly so she could 'officially' introduce the two of us to each other. Of course, she wasn't aware until I told her that we in fact already know each other, but Nakano-san doesn't yet know that I'm Yuri's boyfriend. Anyway, we figured that in the end it'd be better to let the two of them apologize to each other for what happened yesterday and sort things out before I make myself known. Might be less of a shock to see me again, that way." I finished with a small chuckle, and Kashou brought a hand to his chin as he thought for a moment.
"Yes, that is… understandable. Nakano-san might still be sensitive after the… rejection, though if she's agreed to meet Nakamura-san so soon, things should be fine.Heh, it really must have been a shocker for Nakamura-san to be on the receiving end of that. As her boyfriend, I suppose you can be proud of her for even catching the eye of other girls, eh?" Kashou reached over and gave me a pat on the shoulder accompanied by a smirk, and I gave him a wry smile in return. "Well, I'd best get back to work. I'll be keeping one eye on your meeting, though, and hoping things go well!" Kashou stood up, and I raised my hand as we bid each other farewell. Kashou-san is definitely the kind who likes to meddle more than just observe, but he is a reliable, good guy. I wonder… does he have anyone special in his life? Maybe I'll ask him the next time I'm here.
After Kashou walked off, I checked the time on my phone again while taking another sip of my coffee, and noticed some movement near the entrance to La Soleil in the corner of my eye. Turning my gaze over, I paused as I saw a familiar-looking girl sheepishly entering the cafe and glancing around as if she was searching for something – or in this case, someone. Here she is. I glanced towards Yuri, who had also noticed Reimi entering, and our eyes met briefly, before she fully locked her gaze onto the younger girl. After a few moments, Reimi seemed to notice Yuri, as she froze in place for a second or two, then began to slowly make her way towards Yuri's table. Pulling up the hood of my hoodie to conceal my hair somewhat, I kept still and avoided looking in Reimi's direction, hoping that I looked inconspicuous enough. It kind of feels like I'm doing something bad… Well, I suppose I am trying to eavesdrop, but… Ugh, it's only so I can know when to come in, that's all! Pushing away the sudden feeling of guilt, I focused on listening to the pair's conversation.
"...Hey, Yuri-san." I could just about hear Reimi's voice as she walked up to Yuri, and I quietly moved to the other side of the table, where Kashou had been sitting, so I could be at least a tiny bit closer to the pair. The tables at the back of the cafe had sofas instead of chairs, which allowed me to conceal myself from Reimi – while also providing the two of them a bit of privacy, of course. Now that Kashou-san knows what's going on, I'm certain he'll make sure they also get to keep that privacy.
"Hey, Reimi. Thanks… for coming." From my new position, I couldn't see the two of them, but I could sense the awkwardness in their tones, hanging in the air surrounding them and oozing out towards me. "Please, take a seat." A brief pause from my girlfriend as Reimi sat down, before she continued. "Do you.. want anything to drink? I can wave Kashou over…"
"Ah, no, it's… fine." An awkward silence ensued, and I resisted the urge to peek over the sofa back. I guess they can't avoid it… "Yuri...san… I… I'm really sorry for running away yesterday! I-I just… I was so nervous, so when I… when you…" Reimi trailed off, the silence returning momentarily as she was seemingly unable to find the right words. "...I'm sorry." Her second apology was quiet, barely audible for me. I can only imagine what her face must look like right now…
"...Reimi. I'm… I'm sorry too. I know it must have taken so much courage from you to… confess, and I… could have been more mindful of you in the moment. I was… shocked, to say the least, and didn't think my words through, or how they could have affected you. So… I'm sorry, Reimi. For that, and for… not telling you earlier. Looking back on the whole thing, I should have told you that I was already in a steady relationship. So, once again… I'm sorry, Reimi." Yuri apologized to Reimi in turn. I'm still quite astonished that the subject of Yuri being in a relationship with me didn't even come up once during this whole time… I suppose the two haven't known each other for long, yet, but… That's a pretty important detail to know about someone.
"A-ah, please, raise your head, Yuri-san. Y-you don't have to apologize! I r-ran off because I was afraid, leaving my stuff behind so you had to even get Yoshikage to help… And it wouldn't have happened if I didn't confess in the first place… I-I caused you trouble, Yuri-san, and… I-I like you, so… I don't wanna cause trouble for you… or… something…" Reimi's reply was flustered, but from it I could glean that Yuri had bowed her head to the younger girl as part of her apology.
"...No, Reimi. I won't let you solely take the blame for this. I was the one who didn't tell you early enough that I had a boyfriend. And we both made some mistakes in the moment yesterday, right? We're both to blame for this, Reimi, but we can sort things out, can't we?" Yuri paused, then let out a sigh of relief a few moments later. Looks like things are going smoothly. "Good. Thank you. Now, to move onto that… What you did was very brave, Reimi, so you shouldn't regret it, and I am flattered that you feel that way about me, but… Well, like I said… I'm already in a relationship, so I can't return your feelings. But that doesn't mean I want to cut ties with you or anything like that. That's why you ran off, right? Because you were afraid of how I'd react after… rejecting you?" Yuri paused again, likely waiting for Reimi's reaction.
"...I'm sorry, I was just… overwhelmed at that moment. I-I mustered up all my courage to do that so when you said what you said… I thought you didn't want to meet again, or something… I-I realized afterwards that I had been stupid, but couldn't bring myself to face you yet..." It's… not the exact same circumstances, but… This is reminding me an awful lot of what I did when Yuri kissed me… I didn't know what she meant with the gesture, and my own inexperience and anxieties about my feelings caused me to do something stupid. However… Things worked out for us, so I have hope for them too.
"It's alright, Reimi. I understand. I know how much courage it takes to confess to someone, and doing something so… bold on your first time…" 'Bold'..? How… exactly did Reimi confess to Yuri..? "...Well, suffice it to say, I understand you, Reimi. I also know all about the fears and anxieties one can have in relation to this stuff. I… understand it very well." The meaning behind Yuri's words was not lost to me, and even without seeing it, I could picture what the expression on Yuri's face must have looked like right now. Not only was Yuri anxious about me and my feelings… She was also anxious about Kanade, about fate. But, she was able to power through it, and I have to commend her strength for that. "So, you don't have to worry. I can't return your feelings, but… I still want to stay as your friend. It… might be a little painful at first, but… can you do it, Reimi?" Silence followed Yuri's words, and I felt myself tensing up as I awaited her answer.
"I…" Reimi's quiet voice reached my ears after several seconds, and she seemed hesitant, but only for a moment. "...Yes, Yuri-san. I… I don't want to lose our friendship. You're… really awesome, and pretty, and…" Reimi trailed off again, then spoke out in a clearer tone after a few moments. "I-I really like you, Yuri-san. I just… want you to know it… or something…"
"I know, Reimi. I… can't give you anything more than what you've already gotten from me, but… how about a hug?" I heard Yuri standing up, and, not being able to hold back my curiosity, I lifted my head slightly so I could peek over the sofa back. Yuri was leaning over the table with her arms outstretched, while a surprised Reimi looked up at her, frozen in place for a moment, before she nodded, wiped the corners of her eyes with her sleeve and stood up as well, meeting Yuri in the hug. Her cheeks were tinted red, but she smiled happily, and the scene made a smile appear on my face as well. I'm glad they managed to sort things out. Before I could be discovered, I dipped my head back down as the pair separated and sat back down. Momentarily before I did so, I thought I could see Yuri saying something to Reimi, but couldn't hear it – and I figured that if she said it quietly enough for only Reimi to hear it, then it wasn't my business to know it. "I'm glad we were able to sort this out. I know it might take a while for you to… recover, and get over things, but… I'll still be here as your friend, Reimi."
"Thanks, Yuri-san. And… yeah, I don't think I'm… quite ready to move on, yet. But, I-I don't want to cause you any more trouble, since you're in a relationship already…" As Reimi finished, I heard a slight chuckle from Yuri.
"Well, speaking of my relationship…" Is it time? "...Yuzuru?" Yuri spoke out my name in a clear tone, and I took it as my cue. Here we go. Hopefully she won't be too shocked. I stood up, grabbed the remnants of my coffee and turned towards where Yuri and Reimi were sitting. Yuri had turned her head and was looking right at me with a smile, while Reimi's eyes widened in surprise as I approached them and pulled my hood off to reveal my hair.
"Sup, Nakano-san! Been a few days, hasn't it?" I greeted the younger girl, who was staring at me with her mouth open.
"W-what..? Y-you… Yuri...san..?" Reimi glanced between us with a confused expression, and I could see Yuri suppressing a smirk. They've just had a nice moment of reconciliation together, and she's already moving to tease her? Poor girl… Though I guess it is better her than me.
"Right, to get introductions out of the way… Reimi, this is Otonashi Yuzuru, my boyfriend. And Yuzuru, this is Nakano Reimi, the girl who confessed to me yesterday. Though, you're already familiar with Yuzuru, aren't you, Reimi?" Yuri scooted over on the sofa, giving me space to sit down and set my coffee cup on the table, while a slack-jawed Reimi stared at us in complete shock.
"Otonashi-san..? You're Yuri-san's… b-boyfriend..?" I nodded to Reimi in response, and she seemed to look past me to where I had come from. "Were you… listening in on us..?" I nodded again and smiled guiltily, while Reimi moved her gaze to Yuri, who looked back at her innocently. Yuri…
"Don't worry, we aren't messing with you or anything. Yuri figured out that this would be a good way to introduce me to you and vice versa. I was only listening so I could know when Yuri wanted me to come in." I explained to Reimi. "It was… a total coincidence that we met here in La Soleil last Friday, and Yuri didn't even know about it until I told her yesterday." Reimi looked down at the table, her brain likely still processing everything. She is understandably shocked. But, maybe the revelation of her crush's boyfriend being someone she knows is enough to overcome any possibly pain she might have as a result of… well, meeting her crush's boyfriend after being rejected.
"Funny thing is that I was coming to meet Yuzuru here on that day. You came to La Soleil on Friday hoping that you could meet me here, right?" Yuri asked from Reimi, and the girl looked up at her, blushed, then nodded. "Yeah, after hearing from Yuzuru that you had been here, I thought so. Maybe if we had all met here then, all this awkwardness could have been avoided." A slightly sad look appeared on Reimi's face as the words left Yuri's mouth, but my girlfriend caught onto it quickly. "Ah, but you don't have to worry about it. No use worrying about things that could have been. Besides, we've sorted things out now, haven't we?"
"Ah… We… have, yes. Sorry, this is all just a bit overwhelming right now…" Reimi averted her gaze from us, but smiled. Like Yuri said, it will take time before she can move on. Things are fine between them now, but… rejection is a big thing. "Otonashi-san, you…" Reimi bit her lip as her gaze flicked to me, and I raised an eyebrow in question. "You… aren't mad at me?"
"Why would I be mad at you?" I asked, genuinely confused by her words. For having a crush on my girlfriend? For confessing to her? For causing her trouble?
"I mean… I did… k-kiss your girlfriend, so…" Reimi admitted, her face now overcome with a heavy blush as she looked away. Wait… kiss? I turned to look at Yuri, who averted her eyes from me, playing with a strand of her hair instead as she focused her gaze on something in the distance.
"...What?" I looked between my girlfriend and the black-haired girl sitting across from us, waiting for one of them to elaborate, but neither spoke a word. Reimi… confessed to Yuri by kissing her? That… definitely is quite a 'bold' move… "...This is the first I am hearing of this. Yuri?" I fixated my gaze on my girlfriend, who I could now see sporting a light blush on her cheeks as well.
"I-I couldn't just tell you that! It's embarrassing!" Yuri turned her head back around and glared at me, though her slightly reddened cheeks made the sight cute more than anything. ...I can't help but want to tease her a little bit.
"Embarrassing, you say? Is there something you want to tell me, Yuri? Maybe I should give Kanade or Iwasawa-san a call, see what you think if one of them kissed you, eh? I'm sure at least Iwasawa-san would be up for it." Yuri's blush seemed to deepen, and she furrowed her brows in a scowl before lightly punching me on the shoulder. Ow. I probably deserved that. Worth it, though. "Ahem. Anyway, to answer your question, Nakano-san…" I turned my gaze back to Reimi, who was looking at the two of us with intrigue, no doubt due to our exchange. "...I'm not mad at you for that. Though, I would ask you to refrain from doing it again. Unless, of course…" I shifted my eyes to Yuri, who punched me again, then nabbed my coffee cup and began to drink from it. "Ow. But, um, yeah. You don't have to worry about that, Nakano-san." Reimi nodded to me, and a somewhat awkward silence fell upon us. I… may have made this a bit awkward by teasing Yuri… I'll need to change the subject… "So… I suppose you fancy girls, then, Nakano-san? I don't think I've ever met anyone like you, so… I guess it's interesting?" I know Hinata liked to joke about it in the Afterlife – and still does – but considering his relationship with Yui, I don't think he's gay… Though I can never be sure with that guy...
"Ah, well, yeah, I guess so… Though… It's not that I only fancy other girls…" Reimi seemed to fidget in place slightly as she spoke, and I raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "I, uh… I think I've known it for a while, but… I… like guys too. I'm… bisexual." Oh? Well, that is definitely interesting… I hadn't even thought of the possibility. "And… actually…" Reimi's cheeks seemed to darken in another blush as her gaze flicked between the table and me. "...When we met last Friday, Otonashi-san… I thought you were, uh… p-pretty a-attractive…"
"...Huh?" I blinked as I tried to process what Reimi had just said. She… thought… I was attractive?
"I-I mean... since I like, already confessed to your girlfriend, I thought I should l-let you know that as well… or something." Reimi moved some strands of her hair behind her ear, still blushing as she looked down at the table, and I couldn't help but feel my cheeks heating up as I found the scene quite endearing. T-that was… unexpected… I guess that explains why she was so awkward around me…
"Yu~zu~ru~" I flinched as Yuri moved closer to me, poking my cheek with her index finger, and I looked to my girlfriend to see her grinning wickedly. "Aw, look at you, you're blushing! Did Reimi make you so flustered with just a few words?" Yuri kept poking my cheek as she leaned ever closer and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, mercilessly teasing me – likely as a way to get back at me for earlier. U-urk, she's really going all out… and I only have myself to blame. "Maybe we should see what happens when you are on the receiving end of one of her kisses, eh? What do you say, Reimi?" My girlfriend turned to the younger girl, who was covering her mouth with her hands as she stared at us with wide eyes, still blushing.
"E-eh? Y-Yuri-san? I-I can't…" Reimi protested as she shrunk in her seat, overwhelmed by Yuri's sudden change in attitude.
"Y-yeah, Yuri, cut it out! I-I was just surprised that she'd admit something like that!" I defended myself as I tried to gently pry Yuri off me, but she wasn't letting go, instead only leaning against me harder, making her chest push up against me – likely on purpose.
"Hmmm… Well, what if I call up Kanade or Iwasawa and ask them instead? Iwasawa is definitely a looker, you can't say you haven't thought of something like that before. And what was it you said..? Ah yes, you thought she'd be up for it. Well, what do you say?" Yuri took a hold of my chin and made me face her, our noses almost touching as she stared deep into my eyes. We stayed like that for a few moments, before I closed my eyes and let out a sigh of defeat.
"...You win, Yuri. Now can you let go of me, please? This is... embarrassing." I opened my eyes and was met with Yuri's triumphant smile, and she let go of me, giving me a quick peck on the lips before moving back.
"Love you, Yuzuru~" Yuri said with a slight giggle, and I suppressed a sigh. Even if I'm able to one-up Yuri and get a cute reaction, she always finds some way to get back at me… I don't dislike this dynamic of ours, though.
"Love you too, Yuri." I replied to my girlfriend, then looked to the other side of the table, where Reimi was looking intently at the two of us. Oh, right… "Oh, um… sorry, Nakano-san. We, uh…. It must have been awkward to see us basically flirting in front of you…" I rubbed the back of my neck as I apologized to the younger girl, and she blinked once, before shaking her head.
"Don't apologize. It was… amusing to watch." Reimi replied and flashed a small smile. "I think… you two are very suited for each other." I waited a moment and tried to gauge Reimi's expression, but there was no pain to be seen on it. Despite the fact that she ran away from Yuri yesterday, I think she's a strong girl.
"We've… heard that before, so I suppose it has to be true." I replied, glancing at my girlfriend again, who nodded in approval."But, I just want to say that I'm glad you two were able to sort things out. I… actually had to reject two girls recently, due to my feelings for Yuri, and through them… I can sympathize with you, Nakano-san." I then said to Reimi with a gentle smile, and her eyes widened for a moment, but then she seemed to nod to herself as if having understood something. "So, I'm really hoping we can all get along in the future. After all, you're going to one day be my kouhai, right?" Reimi looked back up at me with slight surprise. Come to think of it… She must have been talking about Yuri on Friday when she told us that she had a friend who was planning on going to our Uni…
"Eh? Reimi's going to be your kouhai?" Yuri asked, looking at me with a confused expression, then shifting her gaze to Reimi.
"She… hasn't told you..?" I looked to Reimi as well, and the girl seemed to shrink away in embarrassment, her cheeks tinted red again.
"W-well… you see, Yuri-san… When you told me that you were going to go this Uni where your friends went to… I started to think that… maybe I could go there too… Since I wanted to… b-be together with you…" Reimi admitted to Yuri, not meeting my girlfriend's gaze as she fidgeted in her seat.
"That's great, Reimi! Maybe we'll be able to enrol at the same time." Yuri said enthusiastically, surprising Reimi and drawing a chuckle from me. Reimi is Yuri's first new proper friend in a while, so it's understandable she'd be excited… Well, that is excluding the SSS members, but the circumstances there are a bit different. "Alright, enough of all this somber crap. I apologize, Reimi, if you're still coming to terms with all this, but now that we're here and stuff is sorted out, we need to do something fun!" Yuri pumped a fist in the air, then scanned the cafe until her eyes locked onto the form of a man currently gathering up used mugs and plates from one of the tables. "Kashou! We need some serving over here ASAP!" Hearing his name, Kashou looked towards us and smiled, gesturing with his hand as he hurried his cleaning up.
"E-eh? W-wait…" Reimi's attempted protest fell on deaf ears, and she looked from Yuri to me, and I simply smiled and waved my hand at her. Nothing I can do now. Reimi looked back at Yuri, currently beckoning Kashou over, then sighed as she lowered her head. However, even with her bangs slightly covering her face…
...I could see the younger girl was smiling in happiness.
AN: Hoo boy it's been a while. Like I mentioned in the top author's note, I started writing this chapter before my forced hiatus, and had the first segment just about done, but wasn't able to finish it. The rest of the chapter also took me a while to write after I was able to return to normal life, because I had to catch up on a lot of things, but things should have settled back down again for now.
The future of this story is a bit unclear to me, and I won't be putting it high on the priority list, but like I've said before, I won't abandon any story I start writing. Hopefully I'll be able to pump out at least a couple more updates this year, but we'll have to see how things go.
Oh, and for anyone interested, I've updated my profile a little bit to include a link to all of my socials, so be sure to check that out.
Now, until next time, I bid you all farewell, and cheerio!