Chapter 3 Wailing

Wailing

“Ugh, ugh… sniff…”

My feet, which had finally started moving, refused to stop even after I fled the shopping mall.

It was as if I were desperately running away from something horrifying.

At the same time, my stomach churned, threatening to revolt.

I had been so focused on choosing a present today that I hadn’t even eaten lunch.

There was nothing in my stomach to throw up.

And yet…

“Ah!? Ugh, ughhhhhhh…!”

Unable to hold it in any longer, I vomited on the sidewalk amidst a crowd of passersby.

With nothing in my stomach, only saliva and a yellowish, sour liquid came out.

“H-Hey, are you okay?”

A middle-aged salaryman patted my back as he spoke to me with concern.

“Ha… haha… I’m… fine…”

“H-Hey! Wait!”

Ignoring the man’s worried attempts to stop me, I staggered away from the spot.

But… where was I even heading?

“Ha… hahaha… Oh, that’s right… I was buying Hiyori’s birthday present, and then…”

Yeah… that’s what it was.

I was supposed to go home, pack the birthday present carefully into my travel bag, and prepare for the trip to the beach.

Then, I’d call Hiyori to discuss the schedule for August 4th, and after that…

“…None of it matters anymore.”

I muttered and lifted my face to find myself at a nearby park.

The park where I used to play with Hiyori and Kazuki when we were little.

The moment I realized that—

“Ugh… ughhhhhhhhhh!?”

Another wave of violent nausea hit me.

Even though there was nothing left to throw up.

Even though I had nothing more to expel from my body.

The only things pouring out of me were… tears and screams…!

“Ugh… ughhhh… wahhhhhhhhhh!”

I cried.

Pressing my face into the ground, smeared with stomach acid and saliva.

Even though crying solved nothing.

Even though crying wouldn’t bring back the happy days we had until yesterday.

Even though crying wouldn’t bring back Hiyori, the person I loved so much…

But… but ever since a while ago, Hiyori’s voice had been echoing in my head, looping over and over.

“Ehh! We always go there! I want to be on a proper bed for once…”

“Well, it can’t be helped. Yuu-kun is boring and doesn’t really have any redeeming qualities.”

“You say that, but isn’t it just as bad for Kazuki to steal his friend’s girlfriend?”

“Ehehe, well, yeah. You’re cool and funny, Kazuki.”

“Well… Yuu-kun is kind and convenient… And if I think about the future, he’s the better choice. Unlike you, Kazuki.”

“Mmm… Kazu… Not so rough…”

“Shut up… shut up!”

I covered my ears and screamed.

I didn’t want to hear Hiyori’s voice anymore.

I didn’t want to suffer anymore.

But her voice wouldn’t leave my head.

Hiyori’s voice, and the image of her happily looking at Kazuki and kissing him, wouldn’t go away…!

“Why… why did I have to see that…!”

If I hadn’t seen them, I wouldn’t have had to feel this pain.

If I hadn’t seen them, I wouldn’t have had to suffer like this.

Ah… choosing the birthday present had been so much fun…

I had even bought matching rings because the beautiful shop assistant recommended them… “I’m sure your girlfriend will love it!” she had encouraged me…

And when I gave her the present, I had promised that same beautiful shop assistant, “Next time, I’ll come back with her.”

“Ah… haha…”

Smiling with a face covered in tears, vomit, and dirt from the ground, I took two small boxes out of my bag—one beautifully wrapped, the other bare.

“I don’t need these anymore… What should I do with them…?”

Together, they had cost a fortune. I’d blown through an entire month’s part-time wages…

I could sell them on a marketplace app, but that would only make the buyer miserable…

Being betrayed by a girlfriend and a best friend—one person is enough to bear that misfortune…

Lying on the ground without a care for what others thought, these were the thoughts running through my head.

—Ping

Suddenly, my phone chimed.

This ringtone… haha, it’s Hiyori…

It’s probably one of her usual messages… Even though she’s with Kazuki, she’s so diligent…

I took my phone out of my pocket and opened the message.

[Yuu-kun, hang in there!]

[I’m looking forward to our birthday beach date!]

“Ha… haha…”

The moment I saw that, laughter welled up from the depths of my stomach.

“Hahahahahahahahaha…!”

Covered in tears, I kept laughing like a madman well into the night… and then, I wailed in anguish.