NTR Kousuke

Chapter 6

And so, I head to the convenience store near Satsuki's house, our meeting spot after school.

(Now that I think about it, saying "somewhere with people around is better" is kind of rude, huh?)

While I'm feeling a bit irritated, Satsuki shows up five minutes later than planned.

She's carrying something, but it's hard to see in the evening light.

Satsuki speaks with a tone of annoyance,

"Phew, I'm not really feeling this, but it's better to get it over with quickly, right?"

"..."

After our last two conversations, I've come to realize—this isn't the Satsuki I used to know.

She's gotten cuter, sexier even, but she's not the Satsuki I knew—no, the one I used to know.

My goal is just to express the little gratitude I have left, and if possible, never get involved again. Just those two things.

She might say something nasty again, but she agreed to meet, so she must be willing to talk, right?

If possible, I don't want it to end like that—I want to part ways a little more cleanly.

There's a tension between us.

Satsuki stares straight at me. I can't look her in the face...

...Isn't this weird? I didn't do anything to be ashamed of!

Chin up! Look her in the eye!

Can I really end things with my first girlfriend without even looking her in the eye?!

Honestly, Satsuki's become so hard to deal with, it's almost traumatic.

I want to run away! That's the truth too.

In times like this, the image of my best friend comes to mind.

Even at graduation the other day, he was my ideal—honorable, brave, and kind.

I want to be like that too. I want to show it through my actions.

Don't be scared. She's going to say something hurtful anyway! Don't expect anything!

Satsuki says,

"I meant everything I said the other day, okay? I'm not going to apologize or take it back."

Yeah, I figured.

I already know—I should just accept that she's a different person now.

Even so, it makes me sad that she changed.

Satsuki: "You said I don't need to become Reina Kashii and that I shouldn't try, right? Just watch—I'm totally going to surpass her!"

Did I say something like that?

Maybe around the time we started high school? Satsuki was weirdly obsessed with Kashii-san back then.

But what I meant was, she didn't need to compare herself to that Reina Kashii—Satsuki was fine just being herself.

...But maybe it doesn't matter anymore.

"I told you Satsuki was fine just the way she is, but I guess that didn't mean anything, huh?"

Satsuki: "You should just keep playing with your best friend, haha!"

I almost snap in that instant.

"Satsuki! Shou has nothing to do with this! Don't talk trash about him."

Satsuki flinches a little, then gets mad, saying she has no reason to be summoned like this.

Like you didn't call me Kousuke without honorifics either.

I want to be angry too! But this is probably the last time, so I don't want it to end on a bitter note.

I take a moment to calm myself down.

Satsuki: "Well, I do think I said too much all of a sudden. It must've been pretty abrupt for you, Kousuke."

Satsuki says quietly.

This is the most reasonable she's been in the past three days.

I try to share a few memories,

Satsuki: "I'm not interested anymore. Honestly, I'd rather erase the past."

She really has changed, hasn't she?

But with the way things are now, I feel like I can at least say thank you at the end.

I ask if I can say one last thing, and she gives me the go-ahead.

I shared a few memories. She didn't say much, but she nodded and listened.

"To me, Satsuki, you were my first girlfriend. I wasn't perfect, but I really loved you... Thank you. I truly did love you."

She listened in silence. That alone was enough.

Satsuki: "Then, let me say one last thing too."

With this atmosphere, I probably won't get totally ripped apart, right?

Satsuki: "There are a few people who know that Kousuke and I were dating, right? Not a lot, but I did tell some people... Which means the timeline with Yamamoto-kun doesn't add up anymore."

Huh? Well, yeah, obviously.

That's because Satsuki was fooling around and cheated!

Satsuki: "So! I want to say we broke up earlier, on good terms! And that it was Kousuke's fault!"

"What? Why? You're the one who cheated, so obviously you're the one at fault!"

Satsuki: "If we go with that, it'll make me and Yamamoto-kun look bad! Besides! In breakups, it's always the guy's fault! Even in divorces, the wife usually gets alimony, right?!"

No, no.

"...In divorces, the spouse at fault pays alimony! The one who cheats or causes abuse is the one to blame, that's just how it works."

Satsuki: "What? So you're saying I'm the one at fault?! Unbelievable! You just said you loved me, and now you're blaming me?!"

Come on, you cheated.

...Is this the end?

Now I'm just sad in a whole different way...

Satsuki: "Well, whatever. I don't want to leave a bad impression and have you resent me. Just don't go around spreading that we broke up and I'm dating Yamamoto-kun, okay?"

(With how she said that, I feel like she's going to spread rumors that make them look good...)

I've calmed down a bit, and something clicked. I need to be careful.

While I'm still thinking, Satsuki holds out the thing she brought with her.

...?

What is this?

It's all the gifts and mementos I gave her.

She stuffed them into some random bag and handed it to me.

Huh?

Satsuki: "I'm not just giving them back for free! I'm returning what I got from you! Ahahahahaha!"

Got it. No... I guess I didn't get it until now.

The Satsuki I loved is already gone.

My mood drops with a thud.

I politely thank her and take the bag.

Satsuki, who had been mocking me, looks suspiciously at me as I smile and accept the bag, then says goodbye.

"Yeah, see you."

Satsuki: "Hmph! Acting all tough!"

I understood clearly—she's a completely different creature now.

I don't plan to do anything, but if she tries something, I won't hold back.

My heart still hurts, and I'll probably be stuck on this for a while, but I know I'll get over it soon!

My best friend Shou started working part-time to change himself.

I need to change too, just like my best friend.

I'm going to prove myself to Satsuki, who made a joke out of me!

That was the vow I made in the early summer of my first year of high school.