Chapter 6 Wake Up, Delusional Guy

Wake Up, Delusional Guy

“You’re the one who needs to wake up—Nakano.”

I stepped forward, positioning myself directly in front of Nakano.

“K-Kyogoku?!”

“Kyogoku-kun…?”

Nakano’s eyes widened in shock.

There’s no turning back now.

I’m going to confront this “delusional guy” head-on with everything I have.

“What’s with all this talk about ‘I genuinely want Akari to find someone better than me and be happy’? How delusional are you?”

“W-What…?”

“Look, I don’t care what you think about me. Hate me, call me names—it doesn’t matter. Honestly, warning Irara might even be the right thing to do.”

I took a deep breath and glared at Nakano.

“But don’t you dare say stuff like you care about Irara or want her to be happy—not when ‘you’ are the one who cheated on her!”

“…!!! H-How do you know about that…?”

Nakano turned to Irara with an accusatory look.

Irara flinched.

“Uh…”

“I just happened to see it. In the love hotel district, when you two were arguing.”

“Wha—?!”

“Irara would never spread something like that around. How could you even doubt her for a second? You’re her ex-boyfriend. You’re her childhood friend.”

He doesn’t understand Irara at all.

No, he’s not even trying to understand her.

“You don’t realize it, do you? How much you’ve been taking advantage of Irara’s kindness.”

“That’s not true…”

“Then why?! Why did you leave everything up to her back then? Why did you act like you wanted Irara to understand your feelings for your affair partner!? Why do you keep saying things that only benefit ‘you’?!”

“Kyogoku-kun…”

I stepped closer to Nakano.

He backed away, fear flashing in his eyes, but I wasn’t going to let him run.

“Why don’t you get it?! You deeply hurt Irara, and yet even now, you act so self-righteous around your friends, justifying yourself without a hint of guilt. That’s what I mean when I say you’re taking advantage of her kindness!”

“C-Calm down, Kyogoku! Why are you so mad? Oh, wait… Do you… do you like Akari? Is that it? I-I see… If that’s the case, then I’m really sorry! I’ll apologize properly—”

“Who are you apologizing to?”

“Huh…?”

“I asked, ‘who’ are you apologizing to?”

“Well… to you, Kyogoku…”

“—Wrong!!!”

My shout echoed through the empty hallway.

As silence settled, I locked eyes with Nakano.

“The person you owe a heartfelt, genuine apology to is Irara, isn’t it?!”

“…!!!”

Nakano hadn’t thought about Irara’s feelings at all.

He was only thinking about himself.

Despite everything he’d done, he was still obliviously hurting Irara without even realizing it.

I can’t forgive that.

Because I’ve seen her sadness with my own eyes.

The girl who always shines like the sun, who keeps smiling in the center of everyone’s attention, had shed tears.

This guy doesn’t understand how serious and terrible that is.

That’s why I need to shatter his delusions, head-on.

“You cheated. You hurt Irara—a girl who trusted you. That’s on you, Nakano.”

That’s why…

“If you truly mean what you said about wanting her to be happy, then you wouldn’t have cheated in the first place! You should’ve cherished her, protected her happiness… Idiot!”

My words hung in the air before fading into silence.

Nakano lowered his head, speechless.

“Thank you, Kyogoku-kun.”

“Irara…”

Irara stepped forward, placing herself in front of Nakano.

Her eyes held firm resolve as she looked directly at him.

“I really did love you, Yuya.”

“Akari… I…”

“But we’re not lovers anymore, and we’re not really just childhood friends anymore either.”

Irara carefully chose her words as she spoke.

“I’m genuinely happy that you worry about me. Thank you. But… I don’t need you to say things like ‘I want you to be happy’ or ‘I’m thinking of you.’”

“…!!! Akari…”

For the first time, I saw Irara draw a clear line between herself and someone else.

“You see, I’ll decide for myself who I want to be with. That’s something no one else can decide for me.”

Irara smiled faintly and continued.

“I’m not going to stop interacting with Kyogoku-kun. That’s my choice, and my decision.”

Her words echoed through the place.

“Akari, I…”

“Being cheated on… it really hurt. So much.”

“…!!!”

“But I’m not someone who will stay trapped in the past. Ehehe, the only way is forward. —So!”

Irara reached out and grabbed my hand.

“Huh?”

“Let’s go, Kyogoku-kun!”

Irara pulled me along as we left the place.

Nakano’s figure grew smaller and smaller behind us.

Until finally, he disappeared from view.

“Ahaha! Running feels so fun—!!!”

Irara laughed with pure joy.

…What the heck.

Even if the sun dims for a moment, a girl like her will always keep shining brightly. That’s what I realized as the outcast of this school.

Yuya’s PoV

Irara and Kyogoku disappeared into the distance.

“Kyogoku Arata…”

My mind drifted back to ‘that moment’.

(Irara! Irara!!!)

“…Akari. I was genuinely worried about you…”

Even if we’re no longer lovers, I’m still your childhood friend.

That will never change.

“…Akari.”