NTR Kousuke

Chapter 71

I'm Kousuke, Kousuke Saito.

Since I holed up at home for the entire two days of the cultural festival substitute holiday, I feel completely left behind by the world, like I've been out of the loop the whole time.

After parting ways with Yukari-san, I went home, cried a little, spaced out, felt anger welling up, and looped through a state of shock over and over.

But maybe because I've been through this before, half a year ago, it's not as bad as last time.

...It might also be because our relationship was short.

Following Satsuki, I was betrayed by Yukari-san...

Anger, emptiness, doubt, all kinds of emotions swirl inside me.

Satsuki too, but why?

We said we loved each other and felt that love, so why did things change like this?

...I need to develop an eye for girls... no, an eye for seeing their true selves. ...But for now, I think I'm done with girls for a while.

At school, the influence of the cultural festival will probably still linger, and I'll likely see Yukari Tomonaga, the so-called Miss Hokusho.

But there's no need for me to run away or avoid her.

I have to go to school with confidence. I can't let my feelings get the better of me!

I motivate myself and head into the school.

...I have to motivate myself, or the discomfort and bad mood will be too much, and I won't be able to act normal...

I pass through the school gate and head to the main entrance,

tap,

Nagase "Good morning! Kousuke-kun! ...Are you okay? ...Probably not, huh?"

Nagase-san, cheerful and friendly as always, ...yeah, it's scary.

"...M-Morning."

I inch away, creating some distance,

Nagase "...Well, I guess it can't be helped. Shall we head to the classroom?"

Nagase-san is the type of girl who stands a bit too close.

I subtly move away from her.

Nagase "...Are you avoiding me or something? ...Did I do anything wrong?"

With dark, lifeless eyes and a worried expression, Nagase-san looks troubled, and I tell myself it's okay, it's okay... yeah, it's not okay.

She sits next to me, and she's someone I talk to a lot.

I decided to be honest and talk to her about it.

Do you have a little time? Yeah?

While taking a detour with Nagase-san and walking, I embarrassingly talk about myself.

...In the end, since entering Hokusho, I feel like I've always been telling Nagase-san everything.

About Satsuki, and a bit later, about Yukari-san too.

"I'm scared of girls... ever since Satsuki dumped me. Things got a little better when I started interacting with Yukari-san... but now it's come back again... so I'd like some physical distance."

Nagase "Huh?! Do you like boys?"

"...No. Stop it, okay?"

A classmate from middle school, Obata-san, liked that kind of stuff and immediately started fantasizing about it...

Nodding, Nagase-san gives a small smile,

Nagase "Well, just take it easy for now, okay? You can work on getting better little by little. ...If you want, I can even help you get used to girls again."

Haha, I'm good for now.

I keep a little distance as we walk together and arrive at the classroom.

Phew, it feels like it's been a while since I've had a normal class...

...?

Is there something in my desk?

Huh?

It was a photo.

A photo of Yukari-san and Kuzu entering a love hotel...!

Another one... a photo of them leaving the love hotel?!

They've already gone that far...?!

The date is written on it, and it was the day before the cultural festival.

Again, again?!

Nagase "Kousuke-kun? Are you okay? You don't look so good."

"...I'm fine."

My friends Koji and Hiroshi were super worried about me too.

No matter what, I'm going to take classes seriously!

I don't want to skip or leave early because of something like this!

I absolutely don't want anyone to think I'm affected by being dumped like that or by getting NTR'd!

The more I feel frustrated and refuse to lose, the quieter I become.

But, as expected, I'm not okay, and though I somehow make it through the day, my body just won't move...

I'm skipping club activities today, so I tell Koji, apologize to Nagase-san who's worried about me, and head home.

I get home, go to my room, and flop down on my bed.

Why did things change like this? I've accepted the outcome, but while I'm still thinking about it, I start to doze off.

Nozomi "Kousuke-kuuun? Kousuke Nii-chan?"

From outside the window, I hear the voice of my best friend's little sister, Nozomi, who I also dote on like my own little sister...

My house is right in front of the middle school, and since the light in my room is on, she must've known I'm here...

I'm sleepy, and right now, it's a bit of a hassle... I don't want her to see me like this...

This time, I feel bad, but I decide to ignore her.

Ping!

A message on LINE, from Nozomi.

"Come out for a bit!"

I read it but don't reply.

Ping!

"Don't ignore me after reading it."

I read it but don't reply.

Ugh, that kid doesn't know how to read the room because she's just a child...

Could it be that someone... told her about what happened to me?

If that's the case, I definitely don't want to meet her...

Once I've recovered, I'll give her some candy or something, so just leave me alone for now.

Bang!

What's that?!

Bang!

The window? Something's at the window?!

Nozomi is laughing hysterically while hitting a ball against the glass of my second-floor room window—?!

Without thinking, I shout,

"Nozomi! What are you doing?!"

Nozomi laughs and giggles,

Nozomi "Finally, you came out! Come down! Look, look!"

What the heck? That wild beast...!

She's always been unpredictable and full of wild ideas, my little sister figure.

I go downstairs from my second-floor room, and there's Nozomi.

I want to complain,

"What's this about? Did someone tell you?"

Nozomi "Huh? Tell me what?"

I'm taken aback. It seems Nozomi didn't know anything about it.

...Yeah, that's right, my problems are just small things, aren't they?

Nozomi looks puzzled, then smiles brightly,

She shows me a racket!

Nozomi "Kousuke-kun! Look! See this? My brother bought it for me with his part-time earnings yesterday! Isn't it amazing? It's a racket that costs fifty thousand yen! So, hitting a ball against your room's window was a piece of cake!"

※Refer to Episode 256 of the main story, "Falling for the Committee Chair, Brother, Crepes, and Racket."

"You never do anything decent..."

I'm so used to this wild beast that I can't help but grumble my true feelings.

Nozomi "Ta-da! Check out this outfit too! Kashii-senpai picked it out! Isn't it cute♪"

Nozomi spins around, spreads her arms, and smiles brightly.

A tennis outfit with a short skirt, mainly in light purple.

Her legs look long and pretty... or are they actually long and pretty?

If she acts like this, she's such a cute girl, isn't she...?

Now in her second year of middle school, she's starting to look more like a young lady.

Her stick-like legs have gained some curves, forming a more feminine line...

Well, her chest is completely flat, though.

No, wait, she's like my little sister, right?

Nozomi "Hehe! Kousuke-kun, are you totally charmed? I'm a dangerous woman!"

"That's a crime!"

I'm serious, okay? This girl once attacked someone who bullied her big brother, you know?

※Refer to the main story.

Nozomi looks at my face and asks seriously,

Nozomi "Kousuke-kun, did something bad happen?"

I can't help but say,

"...Yeah, it did. Girls are so complicated, aren't they?"

Nozomi nods repeatedly. Wait, do you even count as a girl?

Nozomi "I think, Kousuke-kun, you should date someone you've known for a long time... like a girl you've known since you were kids..."

After saying what she wanted, Nozomi goes back to practice! She says she just came to show off, then dashes off with a zoom!

So, Sho bought it for her by splurging his part-time earnings, huh?

She must've been so happy that she wanted to show it to me.

Some things change, and some things stay the same, don't they?

That night, did Sho hear about it from Nozomi?

Or did Tanaka-kun hear that I left early and come to my house at night?

I have best friends, friends, and kids who are like family to me.

It's okay. I'll bounce back in no time, even stronger, learning from this and turning it into a funny story.

Now, where should I start talking about it?

I was sad and frustrated, but seeing my best friend, who's probably angrier and sadder than me, will likely help me calm down.

I'll recover quickly.

I had a feeling about that.