Back in the classroom.
Shiina Mahiru poked Hozuki Nozomi's waist lightly with her finger, her golden-brown eyes glancing in Miura Yumiko's direction before she whispered,
"Dou? How did it go?"
Nozomi smirked slightly and made an OK gesture, his confidence unwavering.
"For now, it's settled. She's not completely over it, but at least she won't be stuck in an illusion for another three years. It'll hurt for a while, but it's better than dragging it out and getting hurt even more in the future."
Miura Yumiko now knew the truth—that Hayama Hayato had someone else in his heart. No longer shackled by blind devotion, she wouldn't waste her youth chasing after a dream that had no chance of coming true. The sooner she faced reality, the sooner she could move forward.
How can you see the rainbow without enduring the storm first?
The warm and perfect facade Hayato had built was just that—a facade. And now, Yumiko had finally seen through it.
"Sou ka… that's good."
Shiina Mahiru exhaled, her expression softening with relief. She had initially worried about Yumiko getting hurt, but heartbreak was inevitable if she kept chasing someone who didn't return her feelings. If she had continued to believe in Hayama's fake warmth, the pain would have only deepened in the end.
And besides, if Nozomi really wanted to pursue Yumiko, there was no way he could do that while her heart was still fixated on another man.
Unless he forced it.
That was a possibility. A physical relationship could be used as an anchor, tying her to him.
But Nozomi wasn't that kind of person.
Despite his sharp tongue and roguish nature, he wasn't the type to manipulate someone into falling for him. He had always been more direct than that.
Looking at Yumiko now, Mahiru noticed that her eyes were still red, and a faint blush tinged her cheeks. Though she had stopped crying, it was clear she had shed plenty of tears.
At that moment, Hayama Hayato turned toward her. Though his heart belonged to another, he was still a good enough friend to notice when something was wrong.
With his usual bright and gentle smile, he asked, "Yumiko, daijoubu? You don't look so well."
"Ah… n-nanimo. I just got some dust in my eyes earlier. Took me a while to get it out, that's all."
Yumiko forced a smile, brushing off the concern with a weak excuse.
If it had been before, she would have turned to Hayato without hesitation, pouring her heart out to him the moment she felt even the slightest bit wronged.
After all, she had never been the type to scheme or play games with her friends. She was honest to a fault.
Especially with Hayato.
She had trusted him more than anyone. She had believed, even without proof, that she was special to him in some way.
And yet…
She had been so stupid.
Hayato wasn't treating her specially at all. His kindness wasn't reserved just for her. That gentle smile, that warm concern—he gave it to everyone.
Why hadn't she realized it sooner?
Even now, though she tried to act normal, the bitterness in her eyes was undeniable.
Hayato hesitated for a moment, then, with his usual considerate nature, said, "If something's bothering you, talk to me anytime, ne? We're friends, right?"
Friends.
That word felt so cold now.
Yumiko nodded mechanically. "Un, wakatta, Hayato."
She then quickly averted her gaze, refusing to look at him any longer.
She wasn't the same Yumiko from before.
She saw things more clearly now.
Hayato Hayama was a good person. A kind person. But that was all. He wasn't hers. He never had been.
But then… what about that other guy?
Her mind drifted back to Hozuki Nozomi, and before she knew it, her eyes had wandered toward him.
The moment she realized what she was doing, a deep blush spread across her face.
"If you cry again, I'll kiss you!"
His words replayed in her mind, making her heartbeat stutter.
That jerk.
That absolute menace of a man.
He had threatened her, teased her, and yet…
He had also held her in his arms.
Yumiko wasn't sure how to feel about any of it.
For so long, she had only focused on Hayato. Her entire world had revolved around him. And when she found out he didn't feel the same, she had felt her heart shatter into pieces.
She had been devastated.
But now, in the wake of that heartbreak, something else had taken root in her heart.
She felt embarrassed.
Embarrassed that she had been so blind.
Embarrassed that she had wasted so much time.
Embarrassed that she had convinced herself, for so long, that Hayato would eventually look at her the same way she looked at him.
Reality had punched her in the face, and she had no choice but to wake up.
Her gaze flickered back to Hayato.
After making sure she was "fine," he had turned back to his usual routine, chatting and laughing with Tobe Sho and the others. He was the king of the social circle, always surrounded by people who admired him.
Tobe and Oyama flattered him, singing praises about "true male friendship" while Hayato smiled and responded in kind, effortlessly maintaining his position at the center of it all.
Like he always had.
Like he had done with her.
She had admired that about him once.
Now, she just saw it for what it was.
A carefully maintained act.
Hayato Hayama wasn't a bad person. But he also wasn't some pure-hearted prince. He was simply a man who understood the power of social influence and used it masterfully.
His kindness wasn't personal. It was calculated.
She slowly turned her head and stole another glance at Nozomi.
Unlike Hayato, who was busy playing the role of the golden boy, Nozomi sat quietly at his desk, flipping through a book.
Beside him, Shiina Mahiru sat with her usual grace, and the two of them exuded an inexplicable harmony.
There was no need for theatrics with Nozomi. No perfectly crafted smiles. No calculated gestures of kindness.
He was who he was.
A scoundrel.
A menace.
And yet, for some reason, she found herself unable to look away.
==========================
Miura Yumiko had spent enough time with Hozuki Nozomi to know that he was usually a very talkative person. But in class, he was quiet—different from his usual self. Yet, unlike Hayama, who had fooled her for so long, Nozomi's silence was not a deceptive one. His sincerity was what made him so different.
So sincere, in fact, that even his close friend, Shiina Mahiru, seemed to accept his unpredictability without question.
No comparison. No harm.
The more Hayama Hayato acted sociable, the more artificial he seemed in Yumiko's eyes.
Gentleness is a poison.
It makes people addicted, unable to escape once they've tasted it. And Hayama—who had poisoned her with his kindness—never once offered an explanation.
Perhaps he still wanted to maintain their friendship. Perhaps he wanted her to continue being his shield, to fend off other girls so that his perfect image would remain intact.
But Hayama could have just said so.
If he had told her from the start that he had someone he liked and had no plans to date in high school… If he had asked her to be his shield, to help him avoid unwanted confessions… If he had just said something, even just one sentence…
She would have been sad, yes. But for the sake of their friendship, she would have done it. She would have played the role he needed, even if it meant standing in the shadows.
But no.
Hayama Hayato never said a word.
Instead, he used his charm and warmth to lead her on, making her misunderstand, making her volunteer to be his shield.
And in that moment, Miura Yumiko realized something.
It wasn't that Hayama had someone he liked that hurt her the most.
No.
The real pain was in knowing that she had been deceived.
For so long.
By the person she had cherished the most.
That sorrow had suffocated her, forcing tears down her cheeks, only for a shameless rogue to pull her into his arms and steal her breath away.
Hozuki Nozomi.
He told her she was amazing. That he admired her.
And at that moment, she had realized—she was not as worthless as she had believed. She was not just Hayama's shield.
There was someone who genuinely liked her. Someone who saw her for who she was, not for what she could do for him.
And now…
She regretted rejecting his confession the day before.
Was it too late?
The thought sent a shiver down her spine. Her own emotions startled her. Did I really just think that? About Nozomi?
So shameless!
She buried her face in her arms, her emotions tangled into an incomprehensible mess.
Just then, her phone vibrated.
Nozomi: "Don't let me see you crying sadly again, or I won't be able to stop myself from kissing you."
"Pfft—!"
Her face instantly burned.
What the hell is this guy saying?!
She clenched her phone, shooting him a fierce glare before hurriedly typing a reply.
Yumiko: "If you dare kiss me, I'll break your precious tools!"
Nozomi: "So cruel?"
Yumiko: "Hmph~!"
Nozomi: "I feel relieved seeing you act like this. Yumiko, you're really cute."
Yumiko: "W-Who's acting?! Don't say such things to a girl, it's rude!"
Nozomi: "I'm just telling the truth. I told you before, I really admire you."
Yumiko: "Stop it! This is embarrassing! Forget everything you saw today. And forget that I cried!"
Nozomi: "Of course, of course, I've already forgotten. But… Yumiko, make sure to cheer up. Mahiru, Yui, Hina, and the others are all worried about you."
Yumiko pouted as she read the message.
They're all worried about me… but what about you?
She didn't ask the question. She already knew the answer.
The fact that he messaged her at all was proof enough.
A small smile curled at her lips as she tapped her fingers against the screen.
Yumiko: "I know. I'm fine. I just don't want to cry anymore because I'm afraid of what you might do."
Nozomi: "What a pity…"
Yumiko raised an eyebrow.
What a pity?!
Does this guy seriously want me to cry just so he can kiss me?!