Chapter 27: Deep Strategy?

Deep Strategy?

With my confession, Mizuki-san looks at me as if she’s witnessing something unbelievable.

She must be shocked that I was able to reach the same place as her…

I had always wondered. Mizuki-san clearly likes Yuki, and since they aren’t related by blood, there’s no obligatory bond—yet she insists on maintaining the role of his older sister.

Yuki also treats Mizuki-san as someone special. I even thought that the person he liked must have been her.

But now, I understand. To stay by the side of the broken Yuki, a fragile and uncertain relationship like that of lovers wouldn’t be enough.

If I hadn’t started dating Yuki in the first place, getting a boyfriend wouldn’t have affected my relationship with him at all.

But if it were the foolish me of the past, I might have been so preoccupied with my boyfriend that I neglected my relationship with Yuki. Now, though, it’s different. The thought of another man touching me fills me with disgust—I don’t need anyone but Yuki.

And yet, if Yuki ever allowed me to be touched again, I might just revert to my old self.

I’m greedier than I thought—I always crave more, even when I have enough. The proof lies in how, despite being madly in love and finally dating Yuki, I was still unsatisfied and sought something more, not just from Yuki but from other men as well.

Back then, I was like a foolish puppy, following Senpai who easily offered me affection because Yuki refused to feed me.

That’s why I won’t go back.

This is both my punishment and my chance for redemption.

Even if I’m forgiven, if I return to a shallow relationship based solely on physical intimacy, I’ll remain unsatisfied and repeat the same mistakes.

If that’s the case, I should stay as I am, like Mizuki-san… If atonement allows me to stay by Yuki’s side, then that’s the ideal way.

“Even if you tell Yuki that, nothing will change.”

Just as Mizuki-san said, Yuki probably feels nothing for me now.

However, even if he doesn’t show emotion, he can’t ignore my presence. At school, at least, we can still talk as we did before.

If he were a normal boy, our emotions would clash, and we’d probably end up fighting. But Yuki isn’t like that. Once he sets a boundary, he treats me the same as everyone else, without showing emotion.

In other words, as long as I have a reason to stay by Yuki’s side, he won’t reject me.

At the same time, he won’t accept me either, but our past will never be erased.

So, if I continue interfering with Yuki, even if he’s lost the ability to express his emotions, something will accumulate inside him. And when that accumulation is released as YOUKNOW, what kind of feelings will he convey to me?

Until that time comes, I will love him wholeheartedly, just like Mizuho-chan… or should I say Yukari-chan? Until my wish is fulfilled.

Just as Yukari-chan demonstrated with her own actions.

Besides, I now have Yuki’s music to support me. Even though I still feel jealous that Yukari-chan is the one singing it…

Maybe I should practice and try singing it in front of Yuki myself.

As I entertained that playful thought, I suddenly realized Mizuki-san was speaking to me.

“Hey, are you listening?”

“Ah, sorry, I was lost in thought.”

“Did you hear that song?”

“Song?”

“…The one you were just humming.”

It seems that, in my excitement, I had started humming unconsciously.

Mizuki-san once again looked at me as if she were seeing something terrifying.

“Yes, I saw it in a video a friend sent me. It’s an amazing song, isn’t it? It would be even better if I were the one singing it, though.”

“Delete it immediately.”

Mizuki-san’s tone left no room for argument.

“No way. That song made me realize my own foolishness and gave me hope for the future. There’s no way I’m deleting something so important.”

“Are you really that determined?”

“…Why are you saying this? Why do you want to take not just Yuki, but even that song away from me, Mizuki-san?”

Mizuki-san’s demand was unreasonable.

She still has Yuki, so why does she insist on taking everything away from me? She’s acting like a devil… I just told her I would live for Yuki, yet she’s trying to take away my emotional support.

“Why, you ask… That song is… Never mind, it’s useless to say anything to you now, Yuna-chan.”

Mizuki-san met my gaze as she spoke.

Her attitude made it clear she wanted to deny the song. Even though it was such a beautiful song, she acted as if it were something terrible.

“I don’t understand why it hasn’t been released. It’s such a waste to let a song Yuki created be buried. If no one else will, maybe I should—”

“No! Yuki doesn’t want that.”

I don’t know if that’s true, but if Yuki doesn’t want it, then I can’t release it, no matter how much of a waste it is.

“Fine, I won’t make it public, but I will never delete it.”

I made my stance clear with a firm tone.

“Alright. As long as you don’t release it, that’s enough.”

Mizuki-san seemed to have given up on taking it from me—at least for now—but I couldn’t let my guard down.

I responded with a friendly smile.

“I’m glad you understand.”

But I won’t let my guard down—Mizuki-san would do anything if she thought it was in Yuki’s best interest.

I feel the same way, so why do our feelings for Yuki diverge so much? I finally realized the reason.

Mizuki-san doesn’t know the fear of losing Yuki.

I only understood how special Yuki was to me after losing him.

But Mizuki-san is different. As long as she remains in the role of his sister, she believes she will always be by his side. She’s convinced that Yuki will never leave her.

But that’s the same arrogant and dangerous assumption I once had. Maybe Mizuki-san needs to experience the fear of losing Yuki, even just once.

Of course, I can’t take Mizuki-san’s place as Yuki’s beloved sister, so I need to proceed without Yuki finding out.

So, for now, I decided to ask Mizuki-san why she wanted to meet me.

“By the way, what did you want to talk about, Mizuki-san?”