Chapter 25 Guilt and a Scene at the Hotel
#18ZenkouSeitoGuilt and a Scene at the Hotel
Irara and I remain in the park.
Irara keeps her head down, her fists tightly clenched.
It’s as if she’s holding something back…
“…I said something awful.”
“Irara…”
Irara murmurs in a trembling voice.
“I said something terrible to Yuya. And he looked so hurt…”
Irara is a kind girl.
Completely different from someone like me.
…But precisely because we’re opposites, there are words only I can say to her.
“I… I…”
“—You don’t need to feel guilty, Irara.”
“Kyogoku-kun…”
I look Irara in the eyes and continue.
“Maybe it’s not my place to say, but I think you were absolutely right to say what you did. You had every right to say those things.”
“But… I hurt Yuya.”
“And he hurt you a hundred times more than that—no, maybe even a thousand times more. Compared to everything you’ve endured, what you said is nothing.”
Her words were mild compared to the pain she’s been through.
But Irara Akari is a girl of boundless kindness.
She’s strong enough to always remain gentle.
“In any case, you don’t need to feel bad about it. If I were in your shoes, I’d have said far worse. And let’s face it—anyone looking at the situation would agree that Nakano was in the wrong. You just expressed your feelings. That’s all. So—don’t worry, okay?”
“…!!!”
Tears fall from Irara’s eyes, splashing softly onto the ground.
“Don’t cry, Irara. It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay.”
“Kyogoku-kun…”
As I rummage through my bag, I step closer to Irara and hold something out to her.
“Here, use this to wipe your tears. Once you’re feeling better, you can think to yourself, ‘I stood up for myself!’ Being angry isn’t a bad thing. You didn’t do anything wrong, Irara.”
Just like that day, I offer her a pocket tissue.
To make sure my words sink in, I repeat them.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Irara.”
“…!!!!”
Irara takes the pocket tissue and wipes away the endless tears that fall from her eyes.
Honestly, how many times have I seen Irara cry today?
And each time, it was because of something I was involved in. It makes me feel pathetic, knowing I’ve made a girl cry.
But since it’s me…
All I can do is stay by her side in my own way.
Even as I think there must be a better way to support her, I reflect on how others might have prevented her tears in the first place.
Slowly, Irara’s tears stop.
Under the now-dark sky, we walk side by side down the road.
“Thank you for everything today. I know I caused you so much trouble too…”
“…I should be the one thanking you. I made you cry so many times… I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, Kyogoku-kun! I just cry easily! Sometimes, even when I eat something that’s really delicious, I start tearing up!”
“That sounds like something you might want to get checked by a doctor.”
“Really? Don’t you ever feel so happy that you could cry?”
“Honestly, I don’t think anyone actually cries from happiness like that.”
“Is that so?! I see… Words really are difficult, huh…”
Maybe it’s just that Irara is too pure for her own good. But yes, words really can be tricky.
“Anyway! Thanks again, Kyogoku-kun!”
Irara gives me an innocent smile, her face bright.
Her big, jewel-like eyes meet mine, shining.
“O-oh… You’re welcome.”
Embarrassed, I quickly avert my gaze.
Irara really is cute.
And that’s why, despite my own shortcomings, I can’t help but wish she would always keep smiling.
Yuya’s PoV
Inside a hotel room,
I sit on the bed, replaying my conversation with Akari in my mind.
—I can’t understand why you’d lie! Or why you’d try to put Kyogoku-kun in a bad light! It’s not like he did anything to you, did he?! You’re just making assumptions based on false rumors, aren’t you?! That’s—that’s the lowest of the low!!!
“Akari…”
In all the time I’ve spent with Akari, I’ve never seen her that angry before.
She even found out I lied about saving her… Though to be fair, it wasn’t exactly a lie—it was just that I thought saying that would make Akari pay attention to me. I just got caught up in the moment.
“Are you okay, Nakano-kun?”
“Manami-chan… I’ve never seen Akari that upset before. It’s pathetic that I made her so angry. I can’t stop thinking about it—mmph?!”
Manami suddenly presses her lips against mine.
Her tongue intertwines with mine, the kiss heated and full of urgency.
As she pulls away, a thin strand of saliva connects us, and her warm breath tickles my face.
“You’re amazing, Nakano-kun. It’s good that you can admit you felt pathetic, you know?”
“Manami-chan…”
“Good boy, good boy~.”
Manami pats my head gently.
“And besides, the reason you ended up with me is because she wasn’t assertive enough, right? She wouldn’t even kiss you or anything, right?”
“Ah…”
Manami slides her hand into my pants.
She begins to stroke me gently.
“You’re just a guy, Nakano-kun. If she wouldn’t even kiss you, it’s only natural you’d fall for someone like me—a naughty girl.”
“Manami-chan, you’re not a bad person…”
“Hehe, you’re so sweet, Nakano-kun~.”
Manami licks my ear seductively.
“Manami-chan…”
“Let’s not think about anything else right now. Just focus on feeling good, okay? It’s just the two of us here… so let’s enjoy it.”
Manami pushes me onto the bed.
Yeah, she’s right.
Manami is telling me it’s okay.
So I…
“Hehe, I’m going all in, okay~?”
Our bodies come together.
Waves of pleasure fill me.
Right now, I don’t need to think about anything else.
I’ll just focus on Manami and the pleasure we’re sharing.
I’ll think about Akari… later.