Chapter 65 End: Epilogue (Reverse) Tabata Akari’s Confidence

Epilogue (Reverse) Tabata Akari’s Confidence

Taichi still looked at her. At least, Tabata Akari thought so.

A park in the morning.

When Akari left the house at her usual time, there was already someone waiting at the park.

“Ah, Akari, good morning.”

“Good morning, Subaru.”

The one who greeted Akari with a slightly shadowed smile was Subaru.

“I’ll carry your bag.”

“Ah, yeah. Thank you.”

“Heave-ho, well then, shall we go?”

“Yes, let’s.”

Subaru, who had taken Akari’s bag from her on his own, began to walk.

Akari followed that back, then quickly turned around.

The neighborhood park.

The meeting place in the morning when going to school.

Until some time ago, there had been one more childhood friend here.

Whoever came early would wait until the other two arrived, and when all three had gathered, they would go to school together.

But there was no need for that anymore.

That one person would never come here to meet them again.

Surely, he was no longer at home.

Akari also knew that every day he left home early in the morning to go pick up a certain person.

That was why he no longer came here.

While Akari had stopped, a distance formed between her and Subaru.

Even so, Akari began walking without hurrying.

“Ah, wait, I’ll walk on that side.”

On the way to school.

As if concerned for Akari, Subaru moved to the side closer to the road.

Subaru was trying to use his own body to keep Akari away from the cars.

“Are you okay, Akari?”

Subaru’s eyes, as he smiled at her, were now reflecting only Akari.

Until a short while ago, no matter how much she wished for it, her image would never be reflected in those eyes, yet now those eyes always looked only at Akari.

The arrogant Subaru who treated his childhood friend as if she were a tool and tried to use her solely for his own gain was no longer there.

The Subaru now would, without Akari asking, carry her bag for her and, like this, stand on the roadside out of concern for her.

Not long ago, Subaru had lost sight of himself.

When Subaru, driven to run wild by his emotions, had lost control, Akari had also been made to suffer terrible things.

However, Subaru had changed.

The Subaru from before was no longer there.

The Subaru now would, on his own, be considerate toward Akari and devote himself to her.

Subaru had changed so much that it was like seeing a different person.

Since that day.

That day.

That was, of course, the day Taichi and Ueno Yuki began dating.

From a little before that day, Akari had been cooperating and acting together with Yuki.

When her emotions had become a mess and she was on the verge of not understanding her own feelings, it had been Yuki contacting her that became the trigger.

Akari’s impression of Yuki at that time had been the worst, but even so, Akari could not ignore the story Yuki brought to her.

“If you help me, I’ll make it so you can go out with Akabane-kun.”

That was what Yuki told Akari.

Yuki’s way of speaking made her angry, and more than that, because their precious time with just the three childhood friends had been destroyed, Akari had disliked Yuki from the start.

Strictly speaking, it could not be said it was entirely Yuki’s fault, but from Akari’s perspective, Yuki was the root of it all.

So at first Akari had no intention of listening to Yuki’s story, but even so, she had taken the bait from those earlier words.

Akari had wanted to confirm her own feelings.

At that time, Akari had been wavering.

The precious feelings that had been in her for many years were on the verge of disappearing from the ground up, and a new feeling she had never thought about before had been rising up.

For Akari, having single-mindedly loved Subaru for many years had been a quiet source of pride.

Over the course of more than ten years, there had been countless women drawn to Subaru who approached him.

And Subaru had never accepted any of them, and all those women who approached him ended up shedding tears.

At first, every time Subaru turned down a confession, Akari would feel relieved, but then she noticed something.

The women who were rejected by Subaru would afterward go out with other men.

Akari found that incomprehensible.

She was sure those people had liked Subaru.

So why were they happily snuggling up to other men?

Were their feelings for Subaru a lie?

Akari, unable to understand, worried over it.

And she arrived at one conclusion.

The answer Akari arrived at was that the feelings of the other women were light and lacked any preciousness.

Dirty emotions that, while saying they liked him, would quickly change with some trigger.

That was why Subaru must have thought they were not worth dealing with, Akari came to think.

Furthermore, Akari felt a sense of pride that she was different from such shallow women.

No matter what happened, she liked Subaru, and that was why she could devote herself to him.

She came to think that she was a precious human being with such a beautiful heart.

Even so, she could not easily muster the courage to confess, but she liked herself for always being by Subaru’s side, supporting him.

That was why, at that time, Akari could not readily admit that her identity was wavering.

She wanted to believe that this was surely just a momentary lapse, and that her feelings were still pure and precious.

That was why Akari cooperated with Yuki’s plan.

Akari thought that if she could get Subaru and make him look at her too, she could get back the beautiful self she had at that time.

From then on, she kept in close contact with Yuki and deceived Subaru and Taichi through acting.

The only time Akari had truly, truly put her all into it was when she shoved Yuki away, and feeling a little refreshed, she became excited at the thought that she would have Subaru in her hands very soon.

At last, she thought, her single-minded love would bear fruit…

And so came that day.

Akari summoned Subaru to a hotel room.

It was the place specified by Yuki, and although Akari did not know the details, it seemed to be a hotel where Yuki’s face carried weight.

Yuki must have made arrangements in advance. Even though a male and female high school student came together, they were able to enter the room without arousing any suspicion.

Bringing Subaru there had truly been easy.

When she told him it was at Yuki’s request, Subaru, who had been lost in indecent fantasies since the morning and spacing out, followed Akari without doubting a thing.

Excited at having been called to a hotel, Subaru must have been working himself up with all sorts of imaginings on his own.

He had been even more overconfident than in his arrogance from back then.

“A hotel all of a sudden, huh. Well, once someone notices my charm, even Ueno-san would be no exception in an instant. You think so too, right, Akari?”

“…Yeah, that’s right.”

“By the way, when is that Ueno-san coming?”

“Soon. She said she has various preparations to make, so she wants you to wait here.”

“Ah, well, girls do that, you know. Clean their bodies and all, put care into various things.”

“That… might be the case.”

“By the way, why are you still here, Akari? You were asked by Ueno-san to bring me here, right? Then you can go home already, you know?”

“…There are still other things I was asked to do.”

“Hmmm… ah, ah, I get it, that’s what this is.”

“Eh, what is?”

“Well, I realized that maybe you also want to join in on our fun. I mean, you’ve been with me all this time, so there’s no way you’re not in love with me.”

“…Ah-ha-ha.”

“Hmm, but you know, unless it’s at least a body like Ueno-san’s, it’s a bit… well, if you absolutely insist, I could let you use me out of our childhood friend connection, but it would have to be after Ueno-san, so you would have to put up with that.”

At that moment, Akari pretended not to notice her own feelings beginning to waver again.

Akari ended the conversation with Subaru and focused solely on her role.

Tying Subaru to a chair was easier than Akari had imagined.

Even though that was the one part she had been worried about whether it would go well, when she said Yuki liked that kind of play, Subaru happily did exactly as Akari told him.

Looking at such a Subaru, Akari again pretended not to notice a certain feeling that had surfaced within her.

From there, things went mostly according to Yuki’s plan.

Subaru was made to watch, through a screen, Yuki opening her body to Taichi, and his dignity was trampled on as much as possible.

Subaru’s pride, continuously insulted, crumbled with startling ease, and he rubbed his face on the floor and cried.

Finally, with Yuki’s prompting as well, Subaru began clinging to Akari.

After ending her conversation with Yuki, who now seemed unable to hold back her lust toward Taichi any longer, Akari looked down steadily at Subaru crawling at her feet.

The Subaru who had treated Akari like a tool until just moments ago was now clinging to her in the most pathetic state imaginable.

The sight was exactly as Yuki had told her.

“If you break his heart completely, he will cling to you while crying. After that, Tabata-san, you can do whatever you like. Since that self-conscious fool will be clinging to you, Tabata-san, you will get shivers from the sense of conquest, will you not?”

That was what Yuki had said.

The situation had come true to a frightening degree.

However, there had been just one lie in Yuki’s words.

Even seeing Subaru clinging to her, Akari no longer felt anything at all.

Akari quietly removed Subaru’s restraints and sent the still-crying Subaru home.

In this way, Subaru lost his confidence and began to depend on Akari.

From Akari’s perspective too, Subaru had certainly changed.

His demeanor had shrunk considerably, and although he still resented Taichi, whom he had once looked down on, he was now more afraid of him.

He had also begun to check with Akari about anything before acting.

Whereas before he had eyes only for Yuki, now Subaru looked only at Akari, living in a way that avoided the two of them.

Every day, Subaru was always by her side. That was the everyday life Akari had wished for.

Or so it should have been.

Even now that Subaru only looked at her, Akari was not actually going out with him.

For some reason, Akari just could not bring herself to feel like doing so.

Troubled, Akari made a bit of an effort.

She decided to try and train Subaru.

Since that day, Subaru had indeed changed, but to put it simply, that change was only that he had become timid.

So although his attitude had improved, it was not as though he had suddenly become considerate.

Akari tried to teach Subaru various actions.

Arrive first and wait for the other person.

Carry the bag himself.

Stand on the side of the road to shield her.

All of Subaru’s actions that she had seen this morning had been Akari’s teaching.

Subaru obediently carried out what Akari told him.

Coupled with his original appearance, he did look the part, but still, Akari felt something was off.

Walking along, Akari suddenly had a question.

What exactly was it different from? Who was she comparing Subaru to?

From that day, Akari had been searching for the answer to that question.

And through Subaru’s actions, she had finally found the answer.

Each time Subaru performed an action Akari had taught him, the difference from the real thing stood out clearly.

The figure of the real person Akari truly wanted became vividly clear.

“…Ah, so it really is, huh.”

“Eh, what’s up, Akari?”

“It’s nothing. More importantly, Subaru, I do not need you to carry the bag anymore, give it back.”

“Eh, really? Was I holding it wrong?”

“No, that is not it. Here, give it back.”

“Ah, ah, sorry. Here.”

“Also, you do not have to walk on the roadside anymore.”

“O-Okay. Um, then where should I walk?”

“Anywhere is fine. As long as it is not by my side.”

“Ah… eh? W-Wait, Akari, what do you mean by that?”

“Simply put, it probably means I do not need you anymore.”

“Wh-Wha, not need… not need me?”

“Yes. I do not need you anymore, Subaru.”

When Akari said that with a smile, Subaru’s eyes widened and he froze.

This time, Akari had finally realized it.

Who the person she truly desired was.

Subaru, who had clung to Akari, had merely wanted to be comforted and spoiled.

In other words, he only wanted to receive love, and in essence, the fact that Subaru had never done anything for Akari had not changed at all.

That was why even the actions Akari had taught him felt like nothing more than mechanical tasks.

The feelings that person had shown Akari were heartfelt consideration and affection, and Subaru had none of them.

Akari could no longer endure such an imitation.

She wanted to take back the real thing she had lost from that woman who had suddenly appeared and stolen it away.

Akari admitted it. She was by no means an ideal, beautiful princess.

She was the same as, or perhaps even below, those women she had looked down on as frivolous.

Once Akari stopped beautifying herself, her feelings toward Subaru sank to something like trash.

To Akari, who now found it foolish that she had clung to such a thing, there was no hesitation at all in throwing Subaru away.

“No, wait, Akari! What was wrong with me? Tell me! I will do as you say!”

“That.”

“Eh, what?”

“That is already no good. Subaru, you cannot even come close to Taichi.”

“Ah, n-no, stop! Do not say that name! I-I have not lost to a guy like him…”

“You have lost, Subaru. Overwhelmingly. That is why Ueno-san never even looked at you. Ah, man, I was stupid too, only realizing it now.”

“No, I am… I am above him, I should be above…”

“You are below. Not even close. At least to me right now. And Ueno-san thought the same, which is why she was crazy about Taichi.”

“Stop, please stop, do not throw me away, Akari.”

“…Sheesh, it cannot be helped.”

“Ah, ah, ah, Akari!”

“Do not make me say it over and over. I do not need you anymore, Subaru.”

Akari placed her hand on Subaru’s shoulder and smiled gently.

Like explaining to a child, gently and carefully, she made it easy for him to understand that he was no longer needed.

Subaru could no longer say anything.

He only curled up on the ground, crying.

Akari no longer had even the slightest shred of interest in Subaru, and she headed to school alone.

At school, there was already the person she was aiming for.

Taichi.

Akari wanted to touch Taichi right away, but she could not.

Because Yuki was always by Taichi’s side.

Even though it was in the classroom, Yuki had Taichi sitting on her lap, hugging him, and running her hands over various parts of his body.

Seeing that scene, Akari bit her lip.

Tasting blood, she desperately endured the urge to touch Taichi right away.

That was because if she challenged Yuki head-on now, she could not win.

Right now, Taichi was probably completely dominated in both body and mind by Yuki.

Yuki must have told Taichi about that day’s events in a way that was convenient for herself.

That he would no longer be acknowledged by his two childhood friends.

Having lost the emotional support he had until now, Taichi had probably clung to the only one left, Yuki.

If it came to that, Taichi would be content with what he had and stop looking elsewhere.

Akari, who had spent many years with him, understood that.

That was precisely why Yuki wanted Taichi, who would be absorbed in only her.

Akari thought Yuki was similar to herself.

Surely Yuki was now completely satisfied, having obtained the best partner.

Someone who would never leave for life, and who was convenient only for herself.

However, if Taichi still had lingering attachment, what would happen?

Taichi was devoted to Yuki because he thought he could no longer return to his childhood friends.

Because he thought he now had only Yuki, Taichi would not leave her side.

But if Akari spoke to such a Taichi, and he realized he could still return, surely he would come back.

After all, Akari was Taichi’s first love, and Taichi had carried those feelings for a long time.

Akari thought that even the harsh words she had spoken to Taichi would not be a problem.

Taichi would still look at her. At least, Akari was confident of that.

The time when the surroundings had completely grown dark.

Akari was standing still in a certain place.

Of course, her preparations were already complete.

After once returning home, Akari had thoroughly washed her body, changed her underwear, and come here.

Unmindful of the increasingly severe cold, Akari only continued to wait.

At school, when Yuki was by his side, Akari could not lay a hand on him.

Then, what should she do?

That was simple. Akari knew that person’s house. She knew the place he would surely return to.

Moreover, conveniently, it was very close to Akari’s house.

The promise she had made with Yuki no longer mattered to her.

To that woman who had pushed something unwanted onto her, Akari felt no sense of obligation.

In Akari’s eyes, there was now only that person.

And the one she had been waiting for arrived.

Catching sight of that long-awaited figure, Akari spread her arms with her best smile and welcomed the bewildered him.

“I have been waiting for you, Taichi.”

The End.