Chapter 37: Scheme

Scheme

After talking with that infuriating girl who acts like she’s Yuki’s girlfriend, my anger refused to subside for a while.

She doesn’t even know how much I care about Yuki, yet she threw words at me based solely on their so-called relationship.

There’s no way a girl who just met him could possibly understand what Yuki and I share, yet she put on this pretentious act as if she did. It was unbearable.

However, I soon realized that, in the end, her words were nothing more than surface-level insults directed at me. Since she hadn’t actually done anything to Yuki, getting angry felt pointless.

The truth is, I had intended for Yuki to find a new girlfriend anyway, so in a way, this actually worked in my favor.

As long as Yuki is interested in her, I have no intention of interfering—unless she dares to harm him in any way. Otherwise, she should devote herself wholeheartedly to Yuki’s happiness.

More importantly, the real problem is Mizuki-san.

According to my cousin, Kazu-nii—

[At the dinner, I brought up the topics you suggested, and she took the bait. The conversation flowed well, and we even made plans to have another meal together!] He sounded delighted.

I was surprised when Kazu-nii mentioned Mizuki-san’s name. Since they go to different universities, I asked how he knew her. Apparently, he has a friend at Mizuki-san’s university, and by chance, he happened to meet Mizuki-san while spending time with that friend. It seems he fell for her at first sight.

When I heard that, I nearly laughed. But at the same time, I saw an opportunity.

If Kazu-nii and Mizuki-san started dating, then inevitably, the attention she’s been giving Yuki would have to be divided with her boyfriend.

When that happens, Yuki will undoubtedly start to distance himself from Mizuki-san—so as not to be in her way.

And when that moment comes, Mizuki-san will finally understand. She will taste the fear of Yuki slipping away from her. She’ll regret ever getting distracted by the fleeting affections of a mere boyfriend.

I feel bad for Kazu-nii, but I’ll be using him as a pawn. That’s why I made sure to teach him everything. The kind of topics Mizuki-san would enjoy. Then again, there’s really only one thing that truly captivates her.

In that sense, Yuki and I are both indispensable to Mizuki-san. She needs to realize that soon. If she so much as looks away for even a second, Yuki will be gone before she knows it.

And if, by some small chance, Mizuki-san genuinely falls for Kazu-nii, then that’s fine too.

It would only prove that her so-called feelings for Yuki were never that deep to begin with.

Perhaps, if she leaves him behind, Yuki will break again—just like he did when he lost his parents that day…

Mizuki-san thinks I don’t know what Yuki was like back then—after all, I was forbidden from seeing him.

But there was one time when I couldn’t hold back. I secretly went to see Yuki.

That day, no matter what I said to him, Yuki didn’t respond. Even when I touched him, he showed no reaction. It terrified me. He looked like Yuki, but he wasn’t really there. He wouldn’t even look at me—he just sat still, like an empty husk—a doll in human form, devoid of a soul.

I couldn’t accept it. Pathetically, I ran away, not knowing what else to do. All I could do was go home and cry.

Looking back now, that was one of my greatest failures—just as unforgivable as the time I betrayed him.

That’s why, this time, I will be the one to save him. The old me, who could do nothing but watch from afar, is gone.

Now, no matter what state Yuki is in, I will accept him.

Even if he’s broken beyond repair, even if he’s lost his heart entirely.

Even if he refuses to accept me—I know the importance of unwavering devotion. I know how powerful love can be…

To remind myself of that, I play my usual song.

Mizuho-chan’s voice flows through my headphones.

I still feel jealous that she’s the one singing YOUKNOW’s song. But at the same time, it makes me confront my sins and reaffirm my resolve.

I let the blaring music from my headphones consume me, immersing myself in the ecstasy of the song as memories resurface.

…Back in YOUKNOW’s community, I once found someone intriguing. Their name, if I recall correctly, was “Little Hawk.” It was probably just a coincidence, but the name piqued my interest, so I decided to interact with them a little.