Disappointment and Hope
Ai’s PoV
For the first time in my life, I ate ramen at a ramen shop.
Of course, it wasn’t as if I had never tasted ramen before. After leaving my father and starting to live on my own, I tried instant foods out of curiosity.
Instant noodles and cup ramen were delicious at first. But I soon grew tired of them and returned to the balanced diet I had been raised on. I had always enjoyed cooking, and I cherished the time the nanny spent teaching me how to prepare delicious meals.
Still, I had always wanted to experience eating at an actual ramen shop. But for a girl, going alone felt like crossing a significant hurdle.
That’s why I was so happy when Senpai remembered something I had casually mentioned. On weekends, when the nanny had her days off, it was nice not to eat alone.
He remembered what I said and invited me out for dinner. What girl wouldn’t feel happy to be treated so kindly by someone she loves?
We really only had dinner and parted ways, but those moments were so precious to me. Just that was enough to chase away the usual Sunday evening gloom.
“Ah! I ran out of tea.”
I realized I was out of the tea I always drank while studying. Without it, my focus would suffer, so I decided to go buy some at the nearest convenience store.
On my way there, I spotted Senpai walking ahead. Maybe if I asked him, he’d keep me company. It might be annoying for him, but I felt brave enough to try.
“Senp— …Eh?”
Just as I was about to call out to him, I noticed another figure.
It was Amada Miyuki.
“Eh, why…?”
Was this an ambush? Or had she been following him?
My excitement vanished instantly.
This shouldn’t be happening. Eiji-senpai had only just started to smile again after everything he had been through.
He had been betrayed by his childhood friend of ten years. Even though he pretended not to care, the wounds in his heart were still fresh.
And it was clear from our earlier conversations that Amada-san still had lingering feelings for Senpai. There was a real possibility she might exploit his kindness to try and reconcile.
I realized why I was growing anxious.
It was because I was scared. Scared of the possibility that Aono Eiji might not choose me. After all, we weren’t in an exclusive relationship.
That fear made me hide in the shadows. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t stop myself from eavesdropping on their conversation.
“No, no. It’s not like that. I, I want to go back to the way it was, even if it’s just a little bit…”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m sorry. I know I did a terrible thing. That’s all I wanted to say…”
The first words I overheard were Amada-san’s desperate attempts at justification. My chest tightened with frustration. How could she say such things so shamelessly? She wasn’t in a position to demand anything from him.
Senpai froze for a moment, then spoke with an expressionless face.
“I think I’m going to get angry. Hah… Is it true that the opposite of love is indifference?”
“Eh, what do you mean, Eiji? I’ll do anything if Eiji will forgive me…”
The opposite of love is indifference. Those words were merciless, carrying an undeniable finality. In contrast, Amada-san’s panicked response only highlighted her regret.
Senpai, who was always so gentle, now looked deeply disappointed.
His words carried a cold edge—a sharpness that made my heart ache on his behalf.
“It’s not that. I don’t want you to tarnish the memories anymore. I think it would be better for both of us if we never saw each other again. Yes, that would be better for both of us. I don’t want to hate Miyuki anymore.”
Even after all the pain she caused him, he still spoke with kindness. He didn’t want to deny the memories they shared.
If it were me, I don’t think I could have been so gracious. I would have felt nothing but anger and resentment. But Senpai was different. He truly was a kind person.
And yet, even he was capable of rejecting her outright. That was how deeply she had hurt him.
“I’m in love with someone else.”
My heart skipped a beat. Was I being overly self-conscious? Maybe. But I couldn’t help but hope.
“You mean Ichijo-san?”
Amada-san repeated, “I don’t want to,” over and over before suddenly mentioning my name. My breath caught in my throat.
Eiji-senpai didn’t turn around as he answered.
“I don’t think I should tell Miyuki about it first. That’s why I can’t answer.”
With those final words, he walked away, leaving Amada-san sobbing behind.