Chapter 13
University cafeterias are often packed once the lunch break starts, making it hard to find a seat.
The main reason is that there are far fewer seats than students, and since everyone knows they might not get one, quite a few students leave campus as soon as class ends.
Still, the cafeteria food is cheap, and ours tastes pretty good, so deep down, most students would rather eat lunch there if they can.
"Koiumi! Hey, hey!"
That's why having someone save you a seat ahead of time is such a blessing in college.
I carefully weaved my way through the crowd with my lunch tray and made it over to Mizuho, who was waving her arms wildly.
"Thanks, Mizuho! You're full of energy today, too."
"Hehe. You bet! Let's eat, let's eat!"
"But seriously, katsudon for lunch? Isn't that a little heavy?"
Mizuho is the most energetic person among all my friends.
She's always been cheerful and lively, ever since high school. I can't count the number of times that innocent brightness of hers has lifted my spirits.
She's constantly trying to land a guy and getting shot down... How does someone this cute not have a boyfriend?
Her trademark twin tails and wide, sky-blue eyes.
She has a petite frame and is shorter than me—the classic cute type.
An oversized T-shirt with a light denim jacket.
Her slender, lovely legs stretched down from her black shorts.
Her friendly smile is enough to make even me, another girl, feel a little flustered sometimes.
"Heh-heh! Today's a super important day, so I'm having katsudon! To help me win!"
"Win what...?"
"Why, the battle of love, of course!!"
Maybe the fact that she's in love with being in love... is a drawback?
I couldn't help smiling wryly.
"Are you going to confess to him?"
"That's right!! I think my odds are pretty good this time! We've talked quite a bit!!"
"Oh, is it Keito-san from the badminton club?"
"Yeah! We keep making eye contact at club activities, so I think it's a sure thing!"
"Isn't that setting the bar kind of low...?"
That's the kind of thing people say when they go to an idol concert and happen to be near the front...
"Aah! You made fun of me because things have been going so well for you lately, didn't you, Koiumi?!"
"I-I'm not doing that well..."
"Aah! You're grinning! That's not fair!"
I felt a little bad for Mizuho, but things really had been going well between Masato and me.
We even went on a date the other day...♪
Finding out he'd been tutoring someone came as a huge shock, but he said he'd never met her outside of tutoring, so it should be fine...
As I was thinking about that, a hand landed on my shoulder with a pat.
"Just you wait... Once I've got him, we'll have ourselves a double date..."
"No, that's a death flag. Don't say that..."
Mizuho really hadn't changed at all since high school.
She was cheerful, always at the center of the class, and knew how to get everyone excited.
And because Mizuho was who she was, I sincerely wanted her to be happy.
Mizuho finished her katsudon and pressed her hands together.
"Thank you for the meal... Now then! I'm off to the clubroom, so await good news!"
"Huh?! Right now?! Isn't that a little sudden?"
"Strike while the iron's hot! Fate doesn't always wait for you, young lady..."
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Mizuho stood up, wagging her slender index finger in a cute little gesture.
I watched her go, following her with my eyes until she disappeared from view.
"I hope she'll be okay..."
As I took a bite of my pasta, I found myself wondering what the odds were that Mizuho's confession would work out.
Keito-san was an upperclassman in the badminton club. Keito-san certainly seemed friendly, but something about them seemed off to me.
They were always hanging around with only a handful of the female upperclassmen...
I checked my watch.
There was still a little time before third period started.
"Maybe I'll swing by the club building before class..."
Masato and I had the same class for third period. I wanted to save him a seat, but I was worried about Mizuho's confession, too.
If it worked out, I'd have to congratulate her.
After finishing my lunch, I quickly sent Masato a message and headed for the club building.
The club building.
This area usually gets lively around the end of third period, but there weren't many people around just yet.
It's a little ways from the lecture halls, so in between classes, only people with a free period tend to come over here.
"...She's not here."
I checked the badminton club's room first, but Mizuho wasn't there.
Maybe it was already over, or maybe she'd decided not to confess in the first place.
"Guess I'll head to class."
Mizuho hadn't contacted me... though, if it had gone well, I figured she'd be messaging me like crazy.
"Huh? You're seriously asking me to go out with you? Lol."
A voice reached my ears.
Uneasy, I headed toward the voice.
(...!)
I hid behind a nearby wall.
At the far end of the club building, two people stood in front of the emergency stairs.
I couldn't see the face of the person with their back to me, but their low-set twin tails were unmistakable.
(It's Mizuho...)
There was no way I could mistake my best friend's figure.
"You want me to go out with you? ...Huh? Are you seriously for real? Lol. Satsuki told me to at least talk to first-years once in a while, so I only talked to you because I had to. You got the wrong idea from that? ...That's honestly pretty creepy."
"...I'm sorry."
...Huh?
I felt my body temperature plummet all at once.
"Anyway... don't pull anything like this again, okay? It's seriously creepy and a waste of my time. And don't tell any of the other girls about this, either. You should know your place, right? Later."
Unforgivable.
Unforgivable, unforgivable, unforgivable, unforgivable, unforgivable.
I couldn't forgive the fact that some piece of trash had hurt Mizuho's feelings.
—Damn it. I should've recorded that.
If I had, I could've exposed his true nature and publicly humiliated him—
"Well, well, you're quite the villain, eavesdropping like that."
"...! Mizuho... I'm sorry."
Before I knew it, Mizuho had come back to where I'd been hiding.
"It's fine, it's fine! You came because you were worried about me, right? I'm moved to tears by your kindness, Koiumi-dono!"
"Mizuho..."
I knew. We'd been friends for a long time, and even if we hadn't, anyone could tell.
Mizuho was putting on a brave face right now.
"Man, I thought I had a shot! And then she cut me down in one fell swoop! Aaaah, my HP is at zero! Sob, sob!"
"..."
Mizuho mimed being slashed by a sword, then stuck out her tongue.
"This isn't going well at all! Koiumi-dono, just wait a little longer for that double date, okay?☆"
"Yeah... Someone better than a guy like that will definitely come along for you."
I knew those empty words couldn't heal Mizuho's heart.
I knew they were cheap words of encouragement.
And Mizuho must've known that, too.
"Aaaaaah! Now I'm fired up again!! I'm gonna do this! ...So, Koiumi, you make sure to treasure the guy you're seeing now, okay?"
"Yeah..."
I wondered why I was the one who felt like crying.
Why did Mizuho have to go through something like that?
Mizuho, who was so cute and sweet, and kind to everyone...
"Hey, you have class with him for third period, right? Go on, go!"
"Huh...? But what about you, Mizuho...?"
"I need to get some fresh air for a bit! Don't keep him waiting! Go on, go!"
"...Mizuho."
Shoo, shoo.
Mizuho made a little shooing gesture with her hand.
So many words came to mind... but I swallowed them all.
I thought that whatever I said right now might only make things worse.
It was better to leave her alone for now.
I headed for the lecture hall without looking back at Mizuho.
I could feel Mizuho's presence behind me, and it seemed several times weaker than usual.
The lecture bell rang, and I slipped into the classroom just in time.
(That was close!)
I tapped my attendance card against the reader and looked around the classroom.
At the back, toward the far end, a boy was waving at me.
(Ah, I love him.)
I felt that affection welling up inside me... and then remembered what had happened with Mizuho, and my heart ached.
I won't forgive that guy.
"Sorry, and thanks for saving me a seat!"
"It's fine, it's fine. We should help each other out, right? You always save me a seat, after all."
Aaaah, he's so handsome and cute.
He's a person packed with every good quality in the world. A god.
And that's why thinking about that piece of trash made me sick. Dark feelings swirled inside me again.
Mizuho... How dare he... I can't forgive him.
"...Did something happen? You look down."
"...Actually..."
He could pick up on even the smallest change in my expression and show concern. Masato really was a good person.
I told him everything that had happened.
He knew I had a best friend, so I told him what she'd been through.
And how much I couldn't forgive that upperclassman.
I did my best to keep my voice from rising as I spoke.
"...That's awful. What the hell was that?"
"...Right?"
It was absolutely horrible.
Sure, a lot of men could be arrogant and conceited, but this was especially bad.
That was the first time I'd ever heard someone speak so cruelly.
Masato had a pretty dark expression, too.
"I can't forgive him... Maybe you could tell some of the other upperclassmen what he did... though maybe that's just me being naive."
"...Mizuho's too kindhearted, so I don't think she'd like that. Personally, I'd love to report him, too."
That upperclassman was popular with the girls.
None of them knew what he was really like.
So even if we did report him, it was obvious we'd be the ones at a disadvantage.
Knowing that made me all the more frustrated.
"...I don't know. I mean, there's no denying I can't forgive the guy, but at this point..."
Masato had been looking troubled for a while, but then he turned to me with a brighter expression.
"We just have to be happier than he is. Make him regret it. Find someone way better than him and show him how happy you are. That'd be the best revenge, wouldn't it?"
...Honestly, the person I loved was just too good-natured.
"Yeah... You're right. I want Mizuho to be happy."
I truly felt that way, from the bottom of my heart.
After fifth period ended.
It was Wednesday. I was hoping I might get to go on another date with Masato today, but...
"Sorry! Someone suddenly called me over, and I have to go home!! I'm sorry!!"
I couldn't stop Masato as he rushed out of the university.
When I asked who'd called him, he said, "Someone like a parent!" so I couldn't really argue. I'd see him again tomorrow, anyway.
After seeing Masato off, I opened my phone.
Mizuho still hadn't replied since then.
I tried calling, too, but she didn't pick up.
"...I wonder if she's okay..."
Even though my best friend was used to getting rejected, I thought this time must have really hurt.
Watching her from the sidelines, I'd always thought Mizuho was in love with being in love, rather than actually being in love with the person.
I hoped she'd someday find someone she could truly fall in love with...
Someone like Masato was for me.
"Maybe I'll treat her to a parfait tomorrow."
Thinking of Mizuho, who had a serious sweet tooth, I headed home, too.