Kurasu no Daikirai na Joshi to Kekkon Suru Koto ni Natta Volume 5 Chapter 4

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War

Not waking up early on a Sunday morning and sleeping in as one pleased is an absolute treasure. Because of the long walk on the previous day, Saito felt healed from being able to sleep that long. But suddenly, Saito felt a presence close to him, so he opened his eyes. The sun had risen and a pleasant light entered from the windows between the curtains. Amidst this pleasant atmosphere, Akane had both hands on the corner of her bed, smiling at Saito. She had the gentle expression of a goddess, which gave Saito the shivers. All his sleepiness vanished immediately, as he shot up from the bed.

“W-What are you doing…?”

“I was just enjoying your idiotic sleeping face. You had your mouth wide open, drooling like a spring, rolling around like some pig in the mud. It’s lousy, to say the least.”

Forget about that gentle smile of a goddess, she immediately fired an endless assault of insults at Saito first thing in the morning. As you’d expect from the “Beauty as long as she’d stay quiet.” That being said, whenever she did speak, her words were as cold as ice.

“If you’ve got a problem, don’t look at it?” Saito grumbled.

“But it’s fun to watch the sleeping faces of a pig when you’re at the zoo, right?”

“All right, I’m seriously going to take this to court. And I’ve got the better lawyers, you hear me?”

“And I shall be the judge!”

“How are you going to be impartial, then?!” Saito left the living room to wash his face.

Breakfast had already been prepared, with Akane pouring some rice and extras into a soup bowl. The rising steam brought a pleasant flavor with it, and Saito didn’t waste a second stuffing his cheeks with a china spoon. The thin-striped radish had been boiled to the level it was half transparent, which allowed it to be easy to chew. The egg opened up beautifully in his mouth, matching the honeywort’s bitterness beautifully. Salt and soup stock was simple, but it healed all the left-over exhaustion Saito had.

“…This is delicious.”

“Good. I figured you had some great food last night, but your stomach’s probably sick and tired.”

“Yeah. I thought of skipping breakfast, but I can eat several cups of this.”

“Don’t eat too much. You’ll die.”

“Did you poison it?!”

“Not at all, eating too much is bad for your body.”

—She’s worried about my health…?

Saito was baffled, but he remembered that Akane was always particular about their health. And in fact, Saito felt much healthier now than when he was living with his real parents, and because of her rigorous cleaning antics, they stopped coughing and sneezing a lot more frequently. As you’d expect, she really was aiming to become a doctor.

“Do you have any plans for today, Saito?”

“Not really. Thought of reading a book, maybe.”

“Then how about we watch lots of movies together? We may not be able to go outside, but we should be fine inside of our home.”

“You want us to spend time together?”

Normally, Akane would immediately deny such a question, however…

“Yes, I don’t mind watching some of the movies you’d like to see,” Akane answered with no hesitation, as she filled the bowl in her hand with some more rice.

—Why’s she so kind today…? Is she trying to make me drop my guard…?

Saito’s wariness levels went up by ten, but Akane emitted no killing intent, let alone hostility. On the contrary, she seemed in a pristine mood, looking at Saito with a pleasant smile on her face. Maybe she is just that happy that Saito came back early last night?

“…Got it. We can also watch some of the movies you’d like.”

“Okay, then let’s watch ‘Snuggly! 365 Days with a Cat – Uncut Version’…”

“Let’s keep both our picks about the same length! We’ll graduate at this rate!” Saito pressed just to make sure.

They finished their breakfast and headed for the sofa. Saito opened up the chips he bought the other day and placed them on the table. Meanwhile, Akane brought a plate with some cat-shaped cookies.

“I made these this morning. Let’s eat them while watching the movie.”

“You’re thoroughly prepared, huh?”

If he rejected the offer to watch movies together, he’d probably be seeing that plate up close.

“One out of these ten is a special one, so be careful.”

“…Special in what way?”

“Because it has…No, I can’t tell you!”

“Now you got me on the edge of my seat…out of dread and fear.”

“Your life won’t be in danger, so rest assured.”

“The fact that you have to emphasize that only terrifies me more.”

Saito turned on the TV, operating the game console to open the streaming service when his phone vibrated. It was a message from Himari.

‘Yahooo! What are you doing right now? Can I call you?’

‘I’m a bit busy right now.’

‘Reading?’

‘Not really, no.’

Akane saw Saito exchanging messages, giving him a guilty glance.

“Flirting with Himari again?”

“Not at all. But I also can’t ignore her, right?”

“So you say, but you were spamming stickers at each other yesterday, right?”

“Y-You saw that?”

Saito felt like Akane had uncovered his deepest secrets. He just got caught up in Himari’s fun so he used some of the stickers he had, but he knew that they didn’t fit his image.

“I saw! You look like a proper couple!”

“We were just sending stickers to each other, you’re exaggerating.”

“Well, close enough! A-And there were lewd pictures involved!”

“I didn’t send any!”

“But Himari sent them! You didn’t save them, right?!”

“Who would do that?!”

Akane’s face was beet-red as she roared.

“I bet you were using that photo for something outrageous when I wasn’t looking!”

“What are you talking about with outrageous?!”

“L-Like summing a devil…?”

“You’re saying I’d use my classmate as a sacrifice?!”

“That’s the kind of guy you are!”

It appeared as if Akane was back to her usual attitude. She munched on the cookies she made like a monster eating human remains. Saito grew worried she might just eat him whole while she was at it.

—She’s not…jealous, is she?

Knowing Akane, that should be impossible. She probably couldn’t stand the fact that Saito might be stealing her best friend from her. Since he didn’t want to poke the hornet’s nest even further, Saito decided to put his phone on the table. That gentle voice of Akane he had heard yesterday must have been his imagination after all. He felt like it resembled that girl, so maybe it’d be best to ask Akane directly about it.

“We first met in high school, right?”

“Huh…? Y-Yeah…?”

“Then when you greeted me on our first day, why did you say ‘It’s been a while, Houjou-kun’…?”

“…Huuuh? What might you be talking about? I don’t remember that.” Akane’s expression tensed up.

“No, I’m sure I heard it. I don’t doubt my memory.”

“Maybe I mistook you for someone else? You don’t exactly stand out, so even if I knew you from before, I wouldn’t approach you.” She stood up and turned her back towards Saito.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m not feeling great, right now. I’ll take some rest in my room.” Akane didn’t turn around and just stomped out of the living room.

—I guess it isn’t Akane after all…

If so, then who is that girl? Where was she right now? Saito had no idea.

Akane stormed into her study room, as her heart was in disarray.

“Why…do you remember that…”

Her face felt burning hot. If she’d stay in the living room with Saito any longer, he’d see her, and she was terrified of that.

“Even though you don’t remember what’s important…” Akane bit her lip.

The first time she met Houjou Saito was during his elementary school graduation party. Her grandmother Chiyo had taken her to a Houjou Family’s private residence. The food was beyond luxurious and the people were sparkling with accessories all around. Young Akane was utterly bewildered. They looked like celebrities she’d see on TV, and a famous company president was talking with a voice actress.

She had seen people like that before in her grandmother’s parlor, but those were just visitors for her grandmother, and Akane was inexperienced with such a large gathering. She wore the new dress Chiyo had bought for her and tied up her hair in a classic fashion, yet she still felt out of place. It didn’t take long for Chiyo to disappear, so Akane wasn’t sure what to do. She was nervous, and couldn’t handle talking with the other guests either. She felt like a stray cat.

It didn’t take long for her to feel exhausted, so she ran away to the balcony when she met Saito. He wore a tight suit, letting out a bored yawn as he looked around. He was the future successor of the Houjou Group, as well as the main actor of this party. However, it sure didn’t seem as if he was enjoying himself.

“H-Hello.”

Since their eyes met, Akane saw no other option but to greet him.

“Hey. Seems like you’re a bit tired?”

“Y-Yes. I never went to this sort of party, so I feel a bit exhausted. I wanted to get some fresh air, which is why I stepped out…”

Because of how nervous Akane felt, she ended up speaking very politely. She was talking to someone her age, but it felt as if they lived in completely different worlds. Akane had seen how all the famous people of the party were lining up to meet Saito.

“I don’t want to be in the way, so I’ll be going ba—”

“Wait!” Saito grabbed Akane’s shoulder as she intended to walk away.

“W-What is it?”

“Ah, sorry. Truth is, I can’t deal with those folks anymore. It’s all about being polite and not angering them, and I’m sick of it. So if you’ve got time, can we talk for a bit?”

“…Of course!”

He said a bit, but they ended up talking the entire time until they both left the party. Unlike any other boy Akane had talked to before, Saito’s thought process was much more mature. History, philosophy, and even literature, he possessed much knowledge in all possible areas, telling her interesting stories to no end. It was different from her classmates who only had an interest in gum flinging or soccer.

The reason Akane was mostly alone at school wasn’t simply because she was bad at interacting with others. As she was at the top of her school in regards to her grades, nobody could really hope to be on the same level as her. Even if she told her classmates about something interesting she read about in a book, her classmates would just show confusion. Metaphors or sarcasm didn’t work either. It was like words didn’t get through to them. However, Saito perfectly understood what Akane was talking about. And not just that, he even taught her all sorts of new stuff.

—This is fun! So much fun!

This was the first time that her heart danced joyfully when talking to a boy. His gestures, his standing posture, his scent, his expression when he smiled, and the tone of his voice, it all sent shivers deep into Akane’s chest. Time passed far too quickly, with Akane crying on her way home inside the taxi. He wanted to spend more time with him, but she had to go home.

And since she was too embarrassed, she couldn’t ask for his contact information. She’d probably never get to meet him again. She was a common citizen, and he was someone with lots of influence in the Houjou Family, after all. That’s what she had assumed up to a certain point.

She became a third-year in middle school, heading to a certain high school to attend the entrance exams when she spotted a certain boy. The school in question wasn’t particularly hard or prestigious by any means, and yet Saito sat right there, a few seats away from her. His facial features had grown more mature, but his eyes gave off the vibe of an absolute ruler. As expected, his nameplate clearly stated “Houjou.”

—Houjou-kun is planning on enrolling at this school? Then we might be able to attend it together…?

Akane’s motivation rose ten-fold as she worked through the exam. Even on the day the results were announced, Saito arrived at the school in question, together with a small girl that seemed to be his little sister. He apparently passed with ease, as he wasn’t as excited as the other students around him.

And then, their first day at the new school arrived. While putting on the fresh new uniform, Akane’s heart was racing. From here on out, she’d be able to spend every day with him. Study together, eat lunch together, and maybe even walk home together. They continue where they had left off. Surely, he’d remember Akane and greet her with a smile. Her chest was filled with anticipation as she approached Saito’s seat. Her knees were wobbling in tension, and she felt the urge to run away. Her head was spinning and she couldn’t directly look at Saito. She pulled on the sleeve of her uniform as she spoke up with a shaky voice.

“H-Houjou-kun, it’s been a while.”

“…Who are you?”

As it turned out, Saito didn’t remember Akane.

A sharp pain ran through Akane’s chest. Two years had passed since then, but just the memory alone made Akane’s chest tighten up.

“I really…can’t stand him…” Akane banged her fist against the wall of her study room.

In the end, she could never tell Saito that they had met at that party. The fact that she was the only one who remembered—the only one who was looking forward to their reunion—She couldn’t tell him out of sheer embarrassment and frustration. And after that, whenever she saw Saito’s face, she grew irrational and angry, which led to their endless fighting. How could she explain herself now? Saying that her heart was racing with anticipation as she said ‘Houjou-kun, it’s been a while’?

She could never. Her pride wouldn’t allow that. In reality, she didn’t have any fun during that party. She had to tell herself that and erase those memories.

“Saito, you dummy…” Akane pressed her hand on her chest to subdue the pain, muttering devoid of strength.

Even as the night rolled around, Akane didn’t come down from the second floor. Saito had planned on spending the day reading anyway, so he had no problem with that. However, he saw it as a bit of a regret that they couldn’t watch those movies together. Saito decided to speak to Akane, knocking on her door.

“…Akane, you okay? If you’re not feeling well, I can take you to the hospital.”

“I’m sorry, I’m feeling okay. I just…need to organize my thoughts.”

He heard Akane’s faint voice from across the door. She didn’t seem particularly angry either, which made Saito worried even more.

“Did I say something to upset you? If so, then I’ll apologize…”

“You don’t have to. I’ll make sure to get dinner done, so just give me a bit more time.”

“I can make dinner myself if it’s too much for you.”

“But…”

“It’s okay, I’m not adding any protein. You just take some rest.”

When Akane, known for her boundless energy, was feeling down, it even impacted Saito’s mental state. He thought that a well-balanced menu ought to do the trick and checked what they had inside the fridge. Sadly, he had no worthwhile ingredients left. Some bean sprouts, sliced carrots, and leftover cabbage. With this, he couldn’t do anything worthwhile. Since the two couldn’t head out shopping together as of late, their current food situation wasn’t looking too well.

—Guess I gotta get some shopping done first…

Saito grabbed his wallet and stepped out of the house. The sky outside had already turned dark, as night spread across the city. Despite walking past the crowds of people and cars passing him by, the city felt lonely. Maybe this feeling grasping his heart was born from him living together with Akane. On the way to the nearest business district, he passed by the train station. It was a large plaza illuminated by the street lights. Several people sat on the benches, their backs curled up as they looked at their phones. The salarymen passing through the ticket gates dispersed like a group of spiders.

Saito spotted Himari inside that plaza. She wore a knitted one-piece with long boots, standing around. Her beautiful blonde hair and flashy looks made her stand out even amidst the crowd. Of course, it didn’t take long for some playboy-looking guys to approach her.

“Hey girl, you’re a real eyecatcher, huh?”

“You got time right now? Let’s go to the beach sometime.”

“Let’s have some fun and get drunk, yeah?”

“I’m a student, and I’m not into this sorta thing.” Himari bluntly rejected them.

“Come on, you might just enjoy it?”

“I bet it’ll be fun, so join us!”

“We can give you money if you’d like.”

“Don’t need it.” Himari tried to walk away, but one of the men grabbed her arm.

“With how you’re looking, you must have hoped for something like this to happen, right?”

“Come with us already!”

The men tried to drag Himari out of the park. None of the people passing them attempted to help her, just averting her eyes. They probably didn’t want to get involved.

—Those bastards…!

Saito rushed to Himari’s aid.

“Could you leave it at that?” He said.

“You got nothing to do with this, right?”

“Get lost.”

“Shut up, trash.”

The men glared at Saito.

“I’ve got everything to do with this. I’m her boyfriend, after all.”

“Huh? Boyfriend?”

“Don’t make up some random BS.”

“Are you looking down on us or something?”

“Nope. I’m only speaking the truth. The two of us are dating.” Saito pulled Himari closer to her.

“…!” A faint shriek escaped Himari’s lips as she clung to Saito.

“If you don’t leave her alone, I’ll make sure to gouge out your eyeballs and throw them into the ocean you apparently love so much. Are you okay with that? I don’t mind either way.” Saito glared at the men.

“W-What’s this problem?”

“He’s crazy!”

“Gross, he’s so weird.”

The men grumbled as they walked away.

“T-Thanks, Saito-kun…” Himari stayed glued to Saito as she thanked him. “But…wasn’t that a bit too much? What if they called the police on you?”

“You think so? It’s a pretty popular punishment method passed down by the Houjou Family.”

“Your family is scary! Are you guys like the mafia?!”

“Only towards our enemies. And we’re not doing that anymore as of late.”

Saito decided to keep quiet about the fact that they stopped doing that since they managed to develop memory erasing or personally reconstructing techniques. Plus the side effects could be pretty severe.

“What are you doing out there? Meeting up with someone?”

“Nope, I’m alone. Just spacing out.”

“It’s gotten dark already, so why not go home? Otherwise more guys like those will come after you.”

“…I can’t go home.”

“Did you lose your key or something?”

Himari shrugged her shoulders.

“Not exactly…When that person’s home, then I just can’t be around them.”

“That person?”

“Dad’s…wife.”

Saito immediately guessed what was going on.

“Your stepmother, huh?”

Himari nodded.

“Whenever she’s home, I try to be busy with work or just generally outside the house, but she suddenly took a break from work.”

“Well…it makes sense you wouldn’t want to be home, then.” Saito agreed as he went through something similar.

“Since I don’t have the money to stay in Mac or net cafés all day, I just take strolls outside.”

“Yeah, I get it. I’d use public parks to kill time.”

“Yup…I remember.” Himari muttered, overwhelmed with nostalgia. “Whenever I’m home, it’ll just cause more pain. Especially since I was a remnant of his old relationship, I’m just a bother.”

Saito wanted to deny her being a bother, but he had no right to do so. Even Saito, the blood-related child of his parents, was hated by them. There were walls that couldn’t be broken down despite this thick bond.

“What were you doing, Saito-kun?”

“I was out shopping, we’re out of ingredients.”

“Oh, that’s a bit surprising. Even though you’re a boy.”

“These kinds of jobs aren’t limited to boys or girls.”

More than anything, Akane was terrifying.

“Thanks for helping me. I’m okay now, so go back to Akane, okay?” Himari smiled, but that smile seemed like it was quickly about to vanish into the darkness.

There was no way she’d be okay now. She wanted a place she could belong to, a place that gave her peace. Saito knew what she was hiding behind that smile, and couldn’t let her leave.

“…I’ll stay with you a bit longer.”

“Why?”

“I don’t need a reason. It’s what I want to do.”

“…” Himari’s eyes shook.

Her cheeks turned to a rosy color.

“…You said you’d thank me with something for playing the part of your fake girlfriend, right?”

“Y-Yeah.”

Saito was bewildered, sensing that something was different about Himari. Her face was slowly approaching him. The sweet scent of her perfume…as well as her innate scent enwrapped Saito. She slowly opened her lips, which let out a faint breath. The street lamp at night illuminated her golden hair, and she was undoubtedly beautiful.

“I’d…like this.” Himari pleaded like a child and pressed her lips on Saito’s.

“Hey, Onii-chan! Get up, oi!”

Maho shook Saito’s head, which pulled him back to reality. When he came to his senses, he realized he was sitting on a bench in the courtyard, with Maho and Shisei standing in front of him.

“…What do you want?”

“What’s that attitude about?! We’ve been calling out to you for a hot minute now, but you ignored us! Is that what you’re into?! You pervert!”

“Don’t force some weird misunderstanding, I was just spacing out.”

“You’ve been spacing out this entire morning, Brother. Did something happen?” Shisei asked.

“No…”

He couldn’t deny it fully because his memories from last night were still too fresh. It was too much of a surprise attack that Saito couldn’t dodge it in time. Himari ended up running away with a blushing face, leaving Saito behind to take care of his shopping trip in absolute confusion. It was a miracle he even made it home in time. He also forgot to buy a lot of things, but there was no way he could remain calm after that.

“Ah! Look at your face, something must’ve happened! So…I know! You had Onee-chan kissed, right?!”

“Not that!” Saito blurted out in the heat of the moment.

“Not that?! So who did you kiss?! Wait…you kissed Grandma?!” Maho staggered backward.

“Why would I do that?!”

“I mean, age and race have no role to play when it comes to love, right? You could have a romantic relationship with a water flea.”

“You most definitely can’t!”

Maho was flabbergasted.

“Are you making fun of water fleas?! I won’t forgive you even if it’s you, okay!”

“Why are you so attached to water fleas?”

Had her life been saved by a water flea or something?

“So, who did you kiss, Onii-chan?”

“Nobody, again.”

“I don’t buy that! My detective senses are tingling! The perpetrator is purple!”

“What kind of criminal would that be?!”

“Brother, be honest.” Shisei grabbed Saito’s chin.

Maho also formed a fist with her hand, as the two approached her.

“What are you guys up to?”

There, the person in question appeared.

“Himarin! Perfect timing, we’re about to torture Onii-chan, so help us!”

“I’d rather not torture him.”

“It’s fine! We’ll just let Onii-chan drink some medicine that’ll make him feel really good, and then we’ll give him a tickling attack!”

“You plan on killing me?” Saito immediately made plans to escape the country.

“But there’s no other method we could make you talk…”

“Brother, who did you kiss?”

“…Ah, that’s what you wanna know?” Himari sat down next to Saito.

She leaned forward as her hair fluttered downwards, hanging between her thighs.

“Himarin, you know something?”

“Hmmm, I might have an idea. Could you leave us alone for a second?”

“Gotcha! Make sure to get the information out of Onii-chan!” Maho and Shisei walked away.

With that, only Saito and Himari were left.

“……”

“……”

The awkward silence was too much, making it hard to breathe for Saito. Since this happened just the day before, he didn’t know what face to make when meeting Himari, and yet they now sat next to each other.

“…I’m sorry about this, Saito-kun. All because of what I did…”

“Well…you caught me by surprise, that’s for sure.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t hold myself back. My mind just went blank, and I wanted you so dearly…I just did it.” Himari interlocked her arms with Saito, bringing her body closer to him.

She might look like a docile girl, but her true identity was quite different. Inside of her, a strong passion was burning.

“Did you…ever kiss someone before, Saito-kun?”

“No.”

“Same here. You were my first one, so I’m happy.”

“I didn’t exactly agree with it…” Saito showed a bitter smile.

The longer the conversation continued, the more vivid the memory from the previous night became. Saito could still feel that soft sensation, feeling as if he was sucked in. Himari’s lips drew in his gaze. Himari caught on to this gaze, snickering.

“…Wanna do it again?”

“No.”

“We did it once, so two or three times doesn’t matter, right? We can practice a lot as just the two of us.”

“You’re just…”

The seduction coming from Himari was so strong that Saito couldn’t find any words.

“I like you, Saito-kun.” She placed her head on Saito’s shoulder.

Upon entering the classroom, Akane found her classmates oddly restless. They had split up into several groups, but all of them had their phones out, staring at the screens in sheer ecstasy.

“Holy…”

“This is pretty crazy, right?”

“What a beautiful shot!”

“It’s like a painting!”

“Seems like Himari was the one who did it, right?”

“She’s not half bad!”

Akane heard her friend’s name among the voices, which got her curious. She approached one of the female students and asked.

“What about Himari?”

“You don’t know? This got sent in our class group chat yesterday.”

The girl offered Akane her phone. Showing on the screen was a single photo. It was located in front of the train station, showing the decisive scene of Saito and Himari sharing a kiss. Saito looked at Himari with open eyes, as her hair became entangled with Saito’s face.

“Wha…”

A faint but dumbfounded voice escaped from Akane’s mouth. For a moment, she had mistaken the two for somebody else. However, once she came to the conclusion that the two people were indeed Saito and Himari, she felt her heartbeat accelerating. It drummed so loudly it reached her ears. Shortly after, she felt something run down her cheek. A small drop of a warm liquid landed on her palm. More and more drops followed, as her vision became blurry. Sharp pain inside her chest made her feel dizzy.

—Why am I…crying…?

She didn’t understand. However, standing around wasn’t an option either, and she couldn’t stand looking at the picture even a second longer, which is why she dashed out of the classroom. Running down the hallway, she passed by Himari.

“…If you still don’t realize it, then I’ll take him for real, you know?” Himari muttered as the two passed each other.

Akane sank down to the ground as she arrived in the living room. Ever since that incident, the content of the classes wouldn’t even arrive in her brain, and she had already forgotten the majority of such after she got home. Everything she could even think about was the photo of Saito and Himari sharing a kiss. She wanted to forget about it as quickly as possible, and yet it felt as if it had been burned deep into her heart, flashing up whenever she let down her guard.

Why did Akane start crying when she saw that photo? What these two were up to shouldn’t be any of Akane’s business. The only reason Saito and Akane had gotten married was for the sake of their futures, and what they did beyond that with whoever wasn’t any of the other person’s business. Himari is an important friend of Akane, and she wanted her to be happy, no matter what. Support her in her love with Saito…And yet, Akane couldn’t do that. She couldn’t congratulate Himari. Was it because her heart was twisted?

“Akane?”

“Y-Yesh?!”

A voice suddenly called out to her, which had Akane turn around in shock. It was Saito who offered her a plastic bag without uttering a word.

“Huh…? What’s this?”

“Erm…snacks. You seemed down, so I was hoping you’d cheer up after eating some of these.”

Akane opened up the plastic bag and met with cream puffs. They were stuffed with delicious cream, and large strawberries on them. Once again, a tear ran down Akane’s cheek.

“Wh-What’s wrong?! Maybe you don’t like them?! I thought you’d prefer strawberries, so…” Saito panicked.

“No, it’s okay. I love these.”

“Then why are you…”

“Because I was happy.”

It wasn’t anything major that Saito had done, and yet Akane was filled with joy. The inside of her heart warmed up like a gentle fire, her cheeks turned as red as a strawberry, and Saito looked like he had sparkles all around him. And as if that wasn’t enough, she hadn’t seen this hallucination for the first time. Namely, back at Saito’s graduation party, and what she felt back then was the same as she did now. Most certainly, that was…

Saito stepped out of the living room, leaving Akane alone with her thoughts.

—I need to face my own feelings…for good now.

She couldn’t deny it any longer. She’d cry for no reason, be confused, and suffer like this…she couldn’t handle it any longer. Why did she start constantly fighting Saito right after they enrolled in high school? It’s because she was frustrated that Saito never remembered her. She was embarrassed that her affection was one-sided, and couldn’t forgive herself for getting her hopes up. Of course, losing her position as the top student of her year was also frustrating, so she wanted to get back at him, and wanted him to accept her.

And yet, Saito never looked at Akane. No matter how much she tried, how much she worked for her grades, he was always looking down at her from high up above. Realizing that he didn’t even bother with her, she blew off her steam by picking fights with him on a daily basis. She overwrote her affection with hostility, which had them end up in their current relationship.

She wanted to hate him. She told herself that she hated him. But in the end, she couldn’t convince herself to go all the way. By getting married to him, she learned of his kindness, his touch, which reawakened the feelings deeply buried inside of her, and she couldn’t keep them contained anymore. The Saito she met at the party was a beautified image of his she had created, but the Saito she always fought with at school was just another side of him. Right now, Akane knew all sorts of sides that she didn’t expect him to have.

He was much more of an idiot as Akane initially assumed, much more reliable than she had expected him to be, always arrogant but also considerate, sloppy but thorough. Akane enjoyed cooking for Saito and seeing his smile when he praised it. She liked it when he thanked her. Watching movies together, going out shopping, sleeping next to each other…even these small things part of their daily lives became something she cherished. They were still fighting a lot, but it’s a lot better than being ignored.

Right now, she understood her feelings towards Saito. And at the same time, she knew what she felt towards Himari. Just swallowing all of this down and pretending like they never existed might be a lot easier for her. It would allow her to keep indulging in this never-changing daily life. However, that was merely superficial. Inside Akane’s chest, the storm was still rampaging. She had to put a clear end to everything.

“…I can’t stay like this.” Akane wiped her tears and stood up.

No children were to be seen in the public park of the residential district. Was it because the sun was starting to set, or because children rarely played here? The grass seemed worn out, with rust being visible on the metal rods. Nobody used the swing, which now howled as the wind made it gently shake back and forth.

“Woah, nostalgia flash! We’d always play in this park when we were younger, right?” Himari opened her arms wide and looked around the park. “You remember? The magazine I brought with me I ended up dropping into a water puddle, so I tried to clean it with the water from the water dispenser, but that only made things worse. Man, I panicked back then.” Himari told a story of the past with a smile, but…

“Um…Himari. Today, I wanted to…”

“I know. You didn’t invite me here to play around, right?” Himari shrugged her shoulders with a smile.

However, her eyes weren’t smiling at all. Akane was never on the receiving end of such a cold gaze from her, which left her baffled. Himari knew what Akane came here to ask. Fighting with her best friend had Akane terrified. She wouldn’t be able to stand losing her best friend. However, she also couldn’t back down or hide it any longer. Akane took a deep breath and looked at Himari.

“I want you to break up with Saito.”

Himari’s eyes turned into dots. She covered up her mouth and let out a snicker.

“Saito-kun and I aren’t dating, though?”

“I’m talking about your pretend dating.”

“So you’ll throw me away once I played my part? Isn’t that a bit cruel?”

“Urgh…”

Himari was a lot more aggressive than usual.

“It doesn’t make sense. It was supposed to be nothing but an act, but you keep on clinging to Saito, going on dates with him…and even k-kissed him…” Just by retelling these events, Akane felt her chest tightening up.

“Seems like they shot a pic of us, huh? So you saw that.”

“Doing something like that…you’re not pretending anymore, right? You’re like a genuine couple. It’s going too far.”

Himari looked away.

“So what’s it matter? Got nothing to do with you.”

“It…it does.”

“Why? You’re just married on paper, right?”

“But…”

“If you don’t tell me the reason why then I’m not going to stop. We’ll go on more dates, kiss again, and do what comes after that, too.”

“…”

Akane envisioned just what Himari was referring to and felt a severe attack of vertigo. She couldn’t allow that to happen. She had to stop her. She had to tell Himari of her own feelings.

“T-That’s because…I…”

She pressed her hands on her chest, trying to push out the words. Her heart felt like it was going to explode any second, and even breathing became painful to her. Her knees were quivering, making it hard for her to stand. Saying the word “hate” had become so easy for her. And yet, this one word she truly felt was much harder. And even so, she managed to push it out, albeit with a voice about to disappear.

“Because I—like Saito.”

The moment she said that, her body started to burn up. The embarrassment and shame made her cheeks boil. Her head was spinning, as tears built up in her eyes. She fully accepted it. She confessed her feelings that she had kept secret for so long. And now that she had said it, there was no taking them back.

“…So what?” Himari narrowed her eyes.

“Wh-What do you mean…”

“All you two do is fight. You kept on saying how much you hate him.”

“That…is true, but…”

“I’m different. I’ve liked Saito ever since our first year. I only looked at him! Watched him with you! Don’t tell me that now! You’re in the way, so step down!”

Met with Himari’s rage for the first time, Akane grew frustrated.

“You’re the one who’s in the way! I’ve liked him way before you! When we were twelve years old, we met at a party! And I was looking forward to meeting him again at our school!”

“Huh…? I’ve never heard of that. What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Grandma took me to a party at a private residence of the Houjou Family. My grandma and Saito’s grandfather are on pretty good terms.”

Himari formed a fist with her hand.

“You…You’re really not playing fair.”

“Not fair…? Me…?”

“You met Saito-kun much earlier than me thanks to your grandmother, and because of your family, you even got to marry him! It’s just not fair! Without everybody helping you, you wouldn’t even be talking with him normally! You’d be a loner!”

“Wha…!”

Himari stabbed Akane right where it hurt, as her cheeks burned up.

“And you’re far too perfect, it’s grossing me out!”

Himari’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Gross…Well I’m at least better at smiling than you cold-hearted robot!”

“I’d rather bite off my tongue and die! Do you really think your weak and fake smile is convincing Saito?!”

“H-He doesn’t know! And it’s not fake or weak! It’s proper acting!”

“And you’re the one who isn’t playing fair! You’d accept playing the fake girlfriend, only to use that as an excuse and completely seduce!”

“Of course?” Himari shrugged.

“Why aren’t you denying it?!”

“You’re too late. This is why your friend’s gonna steal your hubby from you.”

“~~~!” Akane grit her teeth.

Akane didn’t want this. She wanted Himari to pull away from Saito, but she didn’t want to fight with her friend. She was fine being hurt, but hurting Himari because of her actions was out of the question. She began tearing up again as she screamed.

“You’re a big dummy! Why did you have to fall in love with the same person as me?! You’ve got all the choices!”

“That’s my line! Don’t steal what I want! You’re the dummy!” Himari retorted.

“Who are you calling a dummy?!”

“I’m calling you that because it’s true!”

“I’ve got better grades than you!”

“And that’s all you’re good for!”

The two glared at each other. Both of them were at their limit, having reached what could be regarded as a children’s fight. Himari had also begun to tear up, shaking furiously. Why did they have to fight the person they cared for the most? Why couldn’t they both be happy? Himari let her head hang.

“…You know? I knew that you liked Saito.”

“Wha…s-since when?”

“Our first year in high school. There’s no way you’d talk to a boy. And whenever Saito-kun was taking a day off school, you were lacking your usual energy.”

“No way…was I that obvious?” Akane’s face burned up with shame.

“Just as I knew how to get popular with my classmates, I was thinking of ways to win over Saito-kun. I saw exactly how to fill the void in his heart, and the words he wanted to hear.”

Just as she said, Himari was fighting a much uglier battle, using dirty tricks. One year in elementary school, she started putting on a facade. A fake smile, so to speak. Her refined beauty, the warm atmosphere around her, and her attention toward others, it all got people crowded around her. The bullied kid in school turned into the absolute ruler.

“Then why didn’t you go for Saito…”

“Because I didn’t want to make it real with these methods.”

“With Saito?”

“Not just him, but also you. If you realized I’d stolen Saito-kun from you, you’d regret it for the rest of your life. You wouldn’t forgive me, and you wouldn’t come to our marriage. I…don’t want our friendship to break apart…”

“Himari…”

It wasn’t a problem of forgiving or not, but having her around would be painful to Akane. Unable to trust the other person, they wouldn’t be able to stay friends.

“Were you…doing it all for that? Accepting to play the fake girlfriend to make me realize my feelings, even kissing him?”

Himari aggressively shook her head.

“I’m not that good of a person, you know? If you hadn’t realized, I would’ve not cared. I’m at my limit, and if he gave me a chance, I’d take it.”

“…I’m sorry that I made you wait two years. If we hadn’t been friends, you wouldn’t have to go through all of this.”

And right about now, she would’ve obtained Saito, spending a rosy-colored high school life. Even if Akane had long vanished from the face of the earth. Himari looked at the setting sun illuminating the city and muttered.

“Even falling in love with the same person…we best friends have it rough.”

“…You can say that again.”

They were always on the same beat since they were in grade school, having spent many years together. They laughed about the same thing, cried about the same thing, and became closer like sisters. Considering that, it wasn’t too weird to think they would fall in love with the same person. Akane felt exhausted, so she sat down on the bench. Himari joined her on the opposite side, as their backs leaned against each other. Their breathing lined up. If possible, they wouldn’t have wanted to fight.

“I’m not going to give up on you or Saito-kun.”

“Same here. I don’t want to lose my best friend. But I also won’t hand over Saito.”

They might both be greedy, but without hoping for something, you can never achieve anything.

“What do you plan on doing now? I’m pretty strong.” Himari grinned.

“I’ll do my best. I’ll make Saito fall in love with me and catch up to you in a heartbeat.”

“I won’t hold back anymore, got it?”

“I wouldn’t want you to, either way, Himari.”

With their backs to each other, they declared war. And between the two, this was their first ever fight.