After breaking up, my ex asked me to win her back

Ai Cheng Hua Lian, what kind of existence was she to Kagura Hikaru.

A friend?

No, that was nothing but a lie.

Her importance to him could not simply be described by that word alone.

Because besides family, she was the only one who never took anything from him and simply saw him as 'Kagura Hikaru'.

Not as 'Kiryu Hina's ex-boyfriend,' 'a master of deceiving feelings,' or 'a very capable student with good relations with the Disciplinary Committee.'

She always faced Kagura Hikaru directly, with no ulterior motives, without arbitrary expectations or disappointments, without seeking or demanding or craving, a very healthy social relationship.

She was the first friend, a pure friend, that Kagura had made since he started high school.

Even someone who could be called a best friend.

Maybe their relationship hadn't progressed to the point where they could be called 'best friends,' but it was only a matter of time.

That's what Kagura thought. Your next read awaits at empire

As it turned out, this too was just another of his unrequited wishes.

After the sports festival.

Kagura Hikaru saw off his father and stepmother, watching their figures leave the school.

Then he turned to Ai Cheng Hua Lian beside him and said, "Let's go."

"Mhm!" she nodded.

The only reason she hadn't gone home with her family after the sports festival was purely because she had carelessly promised Saijo Mari to stay and help with the post-event work.

Seeing her seemingly struggling yesterday, Kagura had weakly agreed.

But hearing that he was going to help the Sports Committee, which 'included Saijo Mari and consisted of just two people,' Ai Cheng Hua Lian also quickly said she would go.

So it turned into the current situation.

"It should be evening by the time we're done," Kagura said. "Ai Cheng, is that okay with you?"

"Mhm, my family is used to me practicing late with Zhen Chun and the others, it's no problem," she replied.

"Then let's take the train back together after it's over."

"Yeah, sounds good!"

"You seem to be in a good mood today, is there something to be happy about?"

"Eh? How can you tell?"

"Even your eyebrows are smiling; only a blind man wouldn't notice."

"Hehe, it's nothing..."

Chatting casually with Ai Cheng Hua Lian about plans for the summer vacation and similar topics, Kagura walked through the school courtyard towards the direction of the Sports Committee.

On their way, they passed a short-haired girl wearing a dark blue different school's uniform.

Kagura stopped in his tracks.

"Kagura?"

"Sorry, wait here for a moment."

He had seen an unexpected person.

Sakata Asahi.

A classmate from elementary and junior high school, a friend of Hina and Suse, and according to what Ayakoji Chiyoko said before, also her friend.

A girl from another school, yet her social circle was extremely close to his own. Logically, she should also be a friend of Kagura Hikaru.

Or at least, she used to be.

"Stop, Sakata."

Kagura chased after her.

Sakata Asahi stood still and turned around, her face darkened upon seeing him.

Her reaction was as if she had seen the god of plague.

It wasn't incomprehensible, considering Kagura had once done excessive things to two of her friends, so her reaction was not hard to understand.

In fact, even before graduating junior high, Sakata Asahi had completely stopped seeing and speaking to him.

She probably hated him by that time.

"What do you want, I'm in a hurry," Sakata Asahi said coldly, her tone rigid.

"I have something to ask you."

"But I don't want to be asked, goodbye."

She dropped that line and turned to walk away.

Despite her attitude, Kagura Hikaru didn't care, since he had stopped her not for information, but purely to question her.

He quickly took a few steps to catch up.

"Why did you tell Ayakoji Chiyoko about that matter?"

"That matter? Oh, you mean the affair," Sakata Asahi said with a cold laugh as she walked, "Feeling guilty? Can't face your own actions being known?"

"Even if we don't consider my situation, that was Hina and Suse's privacy you were spreading around. Did you ask for their opinion on the matter?"

"Hina? Suse? You sure are on familiar terms, but you're not in a position to address them so personally anymore, are you?"

"Don't dodge the question."

"Chiyoko is also my friend. I told her and then... tch, forget it," Sakata Asahi stopped, turned around to face him, "You might not remember, about Chiyoko's situation."

Kagura Hikaru was puzzled, "Chiyoko, are you talking about Ayakoji Chiyoko? Why wouldn't I remember her?"

"You really don't remember, otherwise you wouldn't be in your current relationship with her. Chiyoko used to go to the same elementary school as us, Yoshou Elementary School."

"?"

This piece of trivia was new to Kagura Hikaru.

But even so, what of it?

Sakata Asahi pursed her lips tight, her eyes on Kagura Hikaru were filled with complexity, "The reason why Hina and Chiyoko are like this now is all because of you!"

In her logic, the reason Kiryu Hina was reluctant to tell Ayakoji Chiyoko the true identity of that boy back then was to keep her from getting involved with a scumbag like Kagura Hikaru.

She cared so much for that boy, and once Chiyoko found out his real identity, she might end up falling for Kagura Hikaru.

But the more Hina skirted around the issue, the bigger the rift between her and Chiyoko became, until their friendship eventually shattered, though she too wanted to protect her former friend.

According to this logic, all the trouble could be traced back to Kagura Hikaru.

He was too awful, both as a friend or a lover, and yet he possessed a powerful attraction to women, whether due to his excellent facade or his talent for manipulating emotions through acting.

That's why Hina couldn't tell the truth and let Chiyoko get close to him.

One can imagine the attitude Sakata Asahi, now knowing 'the truth', had towards Kagura Hikaru.

She was grateful for his past heroic deed saving Ayakoji Chiyoko but hated him for what he had done to Kiryu Hina and Kohinata Suse.

This man's past and present were a total mess.

But to Kagura Hikaru himself, who was kept in the dark, her accusations seemed utterly nonsensical.

He furrowed his brow, "What exactly are you talking about?"

The relationship between Hina and Ayakoji Chiyoko, all because of him?

What a joke.

She must have misunderstood something.

Just as he was about to press for answers, footsteps came from behind.

Ai Cheng Hua Lian made her appearance at the worst possible timing.

"Kagura, what is this..."

Concerned, she had followed, surprised to see the girl from another school confronting Kagura Hikaru.

"Is this your new girlfriend?" Sakata Asahi let her mouth droop, "Heh, hooking up with another one, and right under Hina's nose at that... not sure if I should say you're bold or a playboy."

"What do you mean."

"That girl over there, I'd advise you to stay away from him, he's not a good person," Sakata Asahi told the newcomer.

Ai Cheng Hua Lian didn't know who Sakata Asahi was, or what kind of grudge she had against Kagura Hikaru.

But upon hearing such words, she couldn't help but frown, "I know what kind of person Kagura is better than you do, I don't need your advice!"

Sakata Asahi snorted with laughter, "Ha, you really know nothing, do you? You wouldn't be saying that if you knew the truth."

"The truth?"

"Hey!" Kagura Hikaru tried to stop her.

But it was clearly too late.

"After all, this man named Kagura Hikaru in front of you is a scumbag who betrayed his lover and took up with another woman friend, cheating with both, beyond redemption."