Himeouji 21 (Patreon)

Sequel 4C

RAW

“Ah, Yuuma——”

As he was looking back, the faces of the three people smiled softly.

How can they make such a peaceful face?

(Even though I was is suffering so much here――)

But that is precisely the point.

Yuuma looked at the three of them with a somewhat calm state of mind and spoke clearly.

“...I won’t receive it, absolutely.”

Perhaps they know the air is different from usual, the three of them gulped.

“W-why?”

“…Because I don’t want to receive any chocolate from you.”

Yuuma is a little worried about calling them, including senpai, ‘you’, but, at this time, he gave priority to conveying his intentions.

“...There’s no need for you to think too deeply, Yuuma.”

“L-like senpai said. Here, as a friend――”

Toujou and Kitabayashi continued to do so, but Yuuma took a deep breath and spoke again.

“I don't need it――in the first place, I don't think of you guys as friends.”

As expected, the three people were shocked by these words and their faces stiffened.

However, Yuuma didn’t ease up on his words.

Not wanting to even let them receive such a shock――with that feeling, Yuuma let out his voice.

“How much of a shock do you think I received at that time? Do you think it's the same as what you guys are feeling now?”

The moment they heard that, their faces turned pale.

As expected――while actually feeling that, Yuuma continued.

“Well, that's about right... I didn't show that kind of attitude either, and even if I was called out at that time, I would only seem a little obstinate.”

After Ryou's incident, when they called out to him for the first time in about a year and a half, Yuuma didn’t respond with rejection, but with a conversation.

At that point, they probably didn't even notice the scars in Yuuma's heart.

It meant that Yuuma had been skillfully hiding it until then.

However――while that may be true, that's not proof that Yuuma wasn’t hurt.

By his younger sister who was important to him as part of his family, by his childhood friend who understood him――.

By a senior he respected and even had a faint love for――.

He was ruthlessly rejected and abandoned, there’s no way he would only be a little bit shaken.

“――I was in shock. At that time, I even held a grudge against Ryou. I guess I really felt like I wanted to die.”

(T/N: it could be talking about wanting Ryou to die, or it could be talking about himself.)

A sense of isolation from the world, a state of mind where he felt as if he had no ally around him.

When he thought about it, Yuuma's world was awfully small, and considering the loneliness and despair Ryou felt in the true sense of the word later on, it might have been an overreaction from him.

However, it was true that Yuuma was in the worst state of mind at the time, as if the world was crumbling under his feet.

But――Even Yuuma has the pride of a man.

Was he shocked by that much, or will he show a pathetic sight――

Because of such vanity, from then on, he consciously tried to show that nothing changed.

Fortunately, in the new environment of high school, there were few people who knew about the relationship between the four of them, and no one noticed the change in Yuuma.

Those who would have noticed were so obsessed with the prince named Ryou that they paid no attention to Yuuma.

Thus――Yuuma's shock and despair became a part of his heart without anyone noticing.

Feelings of deep sadness and anger.

He wouldn't know how exhilarating it would have been if he had been able to hit them with it when someone spoke to him.

Yuuma is a man of character, but he is not a saint.

It would have been nice to have hit them with his emotions and strongly rejected them.

However, his vanity and pride prevented him from doing so, and he didn't realize what was in his heart.

That’s exactly why those girls――.

“…After understanding that, are you still going to force such insensitive things on me?”

Most likely, they had not even imagined it.

They had completely lost their color after being hit by the big negative emotions that Yuuma held.

As expected, there is no way they would offer chocolate in this situation.

“――From now on, unless I call out to you, please stay away from me. If it's not a big deal, I don't want you to even call out to me.”

Yuuma turned his back on them, surprised at the fact that his voice was colder and stiffer than he had imagined.

“...Ryou, let’s go.”

“――――Ah, y-yeah.”

Even when he called out to her, Ryou seemed stunned for a while, but she quickly regained her composure and hurriedly chased after Yuuma.

◇

The destination was the usual rest and relaxation room.

There is a sense of accomplishment that he has done it, but it’s not entirely satisfaction.

He didn't mean to show such an appearance in front of her――.

Out of the slightest bit of regret and shame, Yuuma plops down limply on his desk.

“...Sorry, I made you say that much.”

Ryou stroked Yuuma's back, her voice trembled.

“No――it’s not something Ryou need to apologize for.”

Yuuma replied in his usual tone and raised his face――this time, it was his turn to freeze.

“It’s, my fault… I’m sorry, Yuuma…”

(T/N: from here on, it feels like Ryou’s thoughts, but I’m not certain. Either way, although there’s no ‘I’ as the subject, the way the sentence is written feels heavy in first pov style, so I’ll use that.)

I shouldn’t have thought about calmly handing it over at home, and eating it together.*

Even if I do, I should have handed it over this morning, then left it at home and promised to eat it after school.

Better yet, I should have given it to Reiko-san first.

That's not all――it’s true that I got provoked, but I shouldn’t be fixated about the order.

Whether it was Reiko-san or someone else I shouldn't need to care about it.

Just because I have a relationship, had a relationship――.

Giving chocolates for that kind of reason, is an event that happens in all places.

There's no need to make a fuss over receiving one of these.

I wish I could have received it so lightly that I would forget it right after I received it.

“I made… Yuuma, say… that, kind… that kind of thing――”

At that time, I didn’t even recognize him yet.

He was the same as me in that he didn’t know he had received the same kind of damage as I did without anyone knowing.

Moreover――I’ve heard that directly from him now.

Despite this, I could not understand his shock.

I made Yuuma remember it and speak it out himself.

“I'm, the worst... I don't have the right, to judge those girls…”

Hot emotions spilled out, running down my cheeks and dampening it.

I didn't even have the right to cry like this, but I couldn't stop crying.

I’ll end up bothering Yuuma again, making him troubled

Even knowing that, Ryou couldn't help but sob violently.

“Sorry… I’m sorry, Yuuma…”

“Ryou――”

I don’t have the right to be called by my name like that――.

Even while thinking about such things, the feeling of his arms touching her and hugging her was so comfortable that she couldn’t resist.

Despite being sick of her own shallowness, Ryou still indulges herself in his arms.

…

As he took the sobbing, trembling Ryou into his arms and rubbed her back to sooth her, Yuuma was struggling with what to say.

But, he can’t just be silent and let her cry.

He stroked her back many times to calm her down, and slowly told her.

“Well, I was sad, I was annoyed, I was shocked...all of them are true. I'm not going to deny it now.”

However, what Yuuma really felt when he said that earlier was――.

“...However, if I was shocked once again, it was because… I haven't said anything to them all this time.”

In reality, he should have said this sooner.

At that time, when Ryou's incident happened and they called out to him, he should have thrown out all the emotions he had at the time and rejected them.

And yet, he didn’t do that.

“I pretended I didn't care... I thought I didn't care, but I kept worrying about it. I was still in shock.”

Perhaps somewhere in his heart he felt good about it.

The sight of them regretting their action and attitude toward him and desperately approaching him to get him to turn toward them, he unconsciously thought it’s what they deserved.

Exactly because he didn't say a word about it and acted like he didn't care, that the girls were unaware of Yuuma's heartbreak and only treated him in a reasonable manner.

If that was true――he should have decided and settled it sooner.

It was none other than Yuuma himself who was drunk with blind superiority and postponed it.

Then――who brought those postponed feelings out into the open?

“――Thanks to Ryou, I was finally able to look back. Ryou surely made me realize what I had to do.”

“...That’s not, true… I didn’t… do any――”

She shook her head, rubbing her head against his chest.

However, no matter how much she denies it, Yuuma's feelings won't change.

“…It was thanks to Ryou that I was able to break up with them. I have nothing but gratitude for Ryou… I am truly happy to be able to be Ryou’s lover.”

So, please don't cry――.

When Yuuma hugged her more strongly with these feelings, inside her chest, her sobs overflowed even more.

◇

“...If you say something like that, there’s no way I’d be able to deny it…”

“Even if you deny it, the truth won't change.”

Ryou's clinging hand strongly gripped the chest of his uniform, widening the wrinkles.

“I… don’t, know… what should, I do…”

“...No, you don't have to do anything, don’t you?”

The bewildered Yuuma replied like that, but for Ryou, that can’t be done.

The time when was hurt, and the time when he ended up hurting himself.

How much will he devote himself, such as when he protected her like this.*

(Toward such a wonderful boyfriend... how, can I repay him?...)

Her body alone can no longer live without him.

But that's all she has to offer.

“...Hey, Yuumaaa…”

Yuuma's large hand gently stroked Ryou's head, as she was trying to raise her face while crying and grumbling.

Really, her boyfriend is so kind that it’s cruel――.

But that's exactly why Ryou can say this with confidence.

“I will always love Yuuma. No matter what happens, I'll be by Yuuma's side… I'll always support Yuuma…”

“...Yeah, thank you.”

Yuuma stroked her cheeks, trying to wipe the tear marks, and she took his hand, putting his finger on her lips.

“I will never let Yuuma experience the same feeling again… I promise.”

No――promise is too lacking as a word.

“...I pledge. I’ll offer my everything, to Yuuma.”

I’ll give away everything I can give.

If there's something he wants me to do, I’ll do whatever it is.

If there's something he wants, I'll do whatever it takes to get it to him.

It is a pledge of love and devotion, bordering on loyalty.

Just――that was her intention, however.

Hearing Ryou's words, Yuuma stiffened for some reason.

“...huh, Yuuma?”

At his unexpected reaction, Ryou tilted her head and slightly wondered what was going on――.

“――――――Ah.”

Her cheeks flushed bright red as she realized the meaning of the words she had uttered――or what it could have meant, although she was not conscious of it in reality.

“Th… that’s not it――wa, but, haa… umm, I-it’s not… b-but! I didn’t mean it that way! I did have that intention, but!”

“No, it’s fine, I understand already! I’m sure you didn’t mean that.”

“Wrong! No, I didn’t mean it’s not wrong! That one is true, though I didn’t mean that, more like, I did have that intention!”

“I get it already, calm down!”

“Did you really understand!? It’s like that, but that’s not it, okay!?”

The two of them no longer understand what they are saying――.

As if to break the situation, the smartphone, which should have been on silent mode, somehow alerted an incoming call from someone at a loud volume.

[Owaaaaaaaa!?]

The two of them were so surprised that they almost jumped, and Ryou hurriedly took out her smartphone.

Yuuma was so quick to get out of the way that he missed who was calling her, but――.

“Yes, hello?”

Anyway, when he listened to it to reset the situation, an indifferent voice proudly told them from the other side.

[Rest assured, Ojou-sama. When you two return, I will be out of the room for about two hours――]

“No, I don’t need it! Also, did you overhear the conversation!? Where are you listening from!?”

While a ‘how could you’ tsukkomi resounded――.

Ryou was left shuddering by the presence of her own eccentric sister.

――――

(T/N: I didn’t feel too well, so the quality may be worse than usual.)

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