Chapter 54 The Heart's Desire of a Cheating Woman

The Heart’s Desire of a Cheating Woman

“…Then let me ask you, why did Chika dump me?”

Taichi stopped and looked at me, his expression troubled as he asked.

“I didn’t dump you… I was the one who was dumped.”

“No, no, no. You chose Niyama and dumped me.”

“I didn’t dump you. It was a momentary lapse of judgment; I always liked Taichi.”

“Huh? I don’t understand.”

“Even I don’t understand why I did that either. I must have been carried away by the momentary excitement. I thought about it a lot, but I guess that’s the only reason.”

“That’s all? So you even had s🬀x with another guy because of that?”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

“What the hell? I can’t believe you. Do all women do that? Can they just throw their feelings away so easily, even after saying they love someone?”

Eh?

All women?

Each of Taichi’s words pierced my heart like a sharp blade, and even though it hurt, I tried to bear it and listen. But one thing caught my attention.

“Could it be… Iroha-san? Did something happen with your current girlfriend?”

“Yes, yes, something happened! Just like with Chika, I got dumped!”

“Eh, really?”

“…She promised to become teachers together! What a lie to say that she would trust me with her dreams….”

Taichi said as he crouched down.

“…I mean, she said she would always be by my side… She said she would never leave my side… and yet….”

I approached Taichi as he crouched down and tentatively patted him on the back. Taichi buried his face and began to pour out his complaints.

“You said you got dumped. What happened?”

“Her mother got sick last year, so she went home to take care of her. Because of that, she couldn’t come back to college, missed her exams, and ended up repeating a year. Worried about her, I went to visit her, but she didn’t seem happy to see me. I tried my best to cheer her up, but then I received a letter saying she wanted to break up with me.”

Taichi’s story, told while drunk, was disorganized and hard to follow, but I understood that his girlfriend had broken up with him by letter.

“It’s probably my karma. I broke up with Chika with a letter too.”

“Karma…? Didn’t you go to see her after reading the letter?”

“I did. I did, but she told me I was a nuisance and turned me away. She chased me away crying and told me never to come back.”

It’s like looking at myself three years ago.

I got dumped by Taichi, but I couldn’t give up. I searched relentlessly for him, only to be even more discouraged, and finally, I gave up.

And then, when I heard Taichi’s story, I became certain of one thing.

Iroha-san, his current girlfriend, still has feelings for Taichi.

I think there’s probably a strong lingering affection.

There’s no real proof.

It’s just a woman’s intuition.

Maybe it’s because I’ve had the same experience of loving someone like Taichi.

And there’s something else.

If I comfort Taichi now, when he’s weak, maybe we can be reconciled.

If I hold out my hand, maybe Taichi will take it.

But….

I shouldn’t do that.

I don’t deserve it.

It won’t bring Taichi happiness.

I can’t make Taichi happy.

So the only thing I can do now is….

I stopped stroking Taichi’s back, stood up, and looked down at him, forcing the words out.

“That’s why….”

I was scared, and my voice was shaking.

But I clenched my fist, gathered my strength, and shouted.

“That’s why you got cheated on! Why do you give up so easily? Are you even a man?”

Taichi raised his buried head and looked at me with a surprised expression.

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“I’m saying you’re not manly enough! You’re pathetic!”

“What am I supposed to do? If she said I was a nuisance, I couldn’t go on bothering her.”

“What do you mean, what should I do? Everybody makes trouble when they’re alive! I’ve caused so much trouble that I should apologize by dying! So what?!”

If Taichi gives up like this, he’ll end up just as hurt as I was back then.

I want Taichi to be happy.

I don’t want Taichi to give up.

So the only thing I can do now is to become the villain, to be hated, and to give Taichi new strength. To rebuild his will not to give up.

I don’t need to be liked anymore.

“I don’t want to hear that from Chika! And what the hell? How dare Chika say such a thing? You don’t understand how someone who has been dumped feels!”

“I understand! I was dumped by you too! I regretted it so much that I wanted to die, but I moved on anyway! Don’t compare me to a wimp like you! If that girl, Iroha-san, won’t listen to you, hit her if you have to and tell her to follow you! Don’t just run away! Are you going to repeat the same thing?”

As I continued to hurl insults at him, Taichi stood up and approached me with a very angry expression on his face.

I’m so scared.

My fists and legs are shaking.

But I won’t take a step back.

Even if I get hit, I won’t retreat.

I won’t back down until Taichi says he’ll get her back.

“Chika, seriously, what is wrong with you? I’m so angry. How dare you say that? Do you realize that you’re the one who cheated?”

“I know! I know I’m trash better than anyone! Aren’t you ashamed to be insulted by someone like me?”

When I said that, Taichi grabbed my collar and said in one word, “Shut up!”

But I wouldn’t be silenced.

“If you’re so angry, hit me! Are you afraid of a woman? What are you going to teach at school if you’re so cowardly?”

At that moment, a slap flew into my face, and I was thrown back.

Then, my blood boiled, and I jumped at Taichi.

“Wow! You really hit me! Don’t lay a hand on a woman!”

“You told me to hit you!”

“Shut up! You’re more annoying!”

“Why are you so strong? Are you a female gorilla?”

We kept wrestling and hitting each other, and after a while, Taichi sat down on his buttocks, looking exhausted, and said, “I can’t do it anymore.”

Both Taichi and I had torn and tattered shirts, and Taichi was also bleeding from his nose.

My fist hurt and I was exhausted, so I sat down and stretched my legs.

After we both sat there silently for about five minutes, catching our breath, Taichi got up, bought two cans of coffee from the vending machine nearby, and gave me one, saying, “Sorry for hitting you.”

When I received the can of coffee, I replied, “Shut up! It hurts, so don’t talk to me,” and Taichi opened his can of coffee, swallowed it, and barked.

“Ahhh! Okay! I get it! I’m going back! I’m going to get her back!”

After yelling that, Taichi threw the empty can into the vending machine’s trash can, picked up his fallen bag, and started walking down the night road alone.

Finally, he seemed to have pulled himself together.

I was relieved, but then Taichi turned and yelled again.

“Just so you know! It’s not because of Chika! It’s because of my love for Iroha-san! Don’t get the wrong idea!”

What’s that supposed to mean?

Are you in elementary school?

After Taichi disappeared from sight, I opened the can of coffee I had been given and took a sip. Pain shot through the cut in my mouth.

He really left.

He really hit a woman in the face?

I still have my teaching practice to do, you know!

By the way, what does “female gorilla” mean?

Is he talking about me?

It’s none of his business.

But finally, he got really angry.

He hit me without restraint.

I’ve always wanted that pain.

I should go home too.