176 Training Arc

"Ah..." Yuu looked at Mizuto in a daze, clearly unable to understand the words that had come out of his lips for a while before the word "Eh" had come out of her lips. 

Like her, Yuu knew that Mizuto couldn't fall in love with others. It was also why she didn't mind her current condition, especially when she knew that she wasn't alone. 

Unlike in the original, where she was anxious, hoping to fall in love, feeling that wonderful and sweet feeling that had always been discussed by everyone. 

Unfortunately, she couldn't. 

Yet, it was okay. 

Yuu was okay with that as Mizuto was with her. 

However, that wasn't the case; she knew that it was just her assumption. Even though Mizuto might be so close to her, it didn't mean he wouldn't leave her, especially when she knew he was so popular. 

Yuu knew that... yet, wasn't it normal for her to think so?

They had been together for so long; they had kissed, hugged, and often went out together. Even if they might name their relationship as a "friend," their relationship wasn't much different from a lover. Only a paper-thin wall was needed to change their relationship, yet unexpectedly, at that moment when everything was good and happy, Mizuto told her that he had a girlfriend. 

He left her. 

Knowing this, Yuu felt like her world was spinning, and all the power of her body was so drained that she couldn't even move. She just lowered her head and fell into a deep thought with a pale face. 

Yet, Mizuto didn't say anything, and he just waited for her to recover, understanding everything instead of making an excuse or helping her to understand what he was doing. What he was doing was selfish, and he knew that he had hurt Yuu, especially when he saw her reaction at that moment. He knew that he had torn her heart and disappointed her, yet he knew that sooner or later, something like this would happen. 

In that situation, there was only a single conclusion. 

One was that Yuu would leave him, and the other was that she would accept him. 

Whichever answer she chose, it definitely wasn't an easy choice. 

However, Mizuto realized how unfair he was as he had always been in the dominant position, watching the girl make a painful decision as he just watched them.

'If Yuu didn't meet me, then she probably wouldn't feel this...' 

However, if Yuu didn't meet him, then she would become a lesbian, so this meeting wasn't entirely bad, Mizuto thought. 

Nevertheless, Yuu met him, and while she might not realize it, she had fallen for him. This feeling, which she never thought she would understand, was felt at this moment. 

The feeling of love didn't just consist of sweet and fluffy feelings; it also included bitterness, sadness, and disappointment. 

Entrusting one's heart to another was definitely a wonderful feeling, but it also had dire consequences, especially when the person to whom we entrusted our feelings was such a vile creature. 

Mizuto was such a vile creature, one who was so greedy that he wasn't satisfied with just one woman. 

Yet, as he had said before, he wasn't going to justify his actions because he knew how wrong they were, but he knew that he needed to correct everything, and it started with Yuu. 

The journey of toward a happy ending couldn't be achieved with a happy-go-lucky and lazy attitude. Even the protagonists in the Shounen manga needed to do a "training arc" and lost their important families before they were able to defeat their enemies. 

Mizuto was the same; facing the stormy feelings in the hearts of the girls, he had to become like Shinji in the story of the "Sound of Waves," a story written by Yukio Mishima, who sailed on the stormy wave to get the permission to marry his loved one, Hatsue, from her father. 

So, facing Yuu, who was silent, Mizuto was patient and stayed by her side, waiting for her to accept all of this. 

Yuu had been thinking about many things after Mizuto told her that he had a girlfriend, and she also understood that he wasn't at fault. They weren't dating, and he didn't have any obligations not to date anyone, so if there was anyone who was at fault, it should be hers, who read the wrong signal from him. 

Moreover, when she thought about the first conversation that led them to this relationship, she knew he wasn't a good man—he was a bastard—yet she decided to believe in him. 

Yuu closed her eyes and thought about the memories they shared. 

Whether it was their first meeting, how he often stayed at her home to read books for free, buying strange books, their laughter when they had a stupid conversation, and more importantly, when they kissed for the first time. 

Unlike her, who was clumsy and had her first kiss taken by him, Mizuto was so skillful and made her enjoy that kiss. 

Yet, this also made her realize how stupid she was. 

If she wasn't swayed by his handsome face and pleasure from his kiss and touch, then would all of this happen?

In the end, in his heart, she was nothing but just a friend, someone who was there when Mizuto needed someone by her side. 

Yuu understood this, and that was why, as his friend, she tried to congratulate him. 

"Congratulations! It's great! Who are the girls?" 

Yet, even if she was able to congratulate him, the tears in her eyes couldn't be stopped, and the sadness in her heart was overflowing. 

'Ah, I see...' 

At this moment, Yuu also understood the feeling she felt for him. 

Yes, she had fallen in love. 

She fell for him. 

Yet, this feeling was so painful, so painful that she didn't want to feel this. 

"But then again, you shouldn't be so close with me. You might make your girlfriend jealous." 

No, she didn't want to say this. 

She didn't want him to leave, but... she knew that this was the best. 

"Moreover, don't be such a scoundrel again, and—" 

She stopped her words when Mizuto reached her hands softly. Unlike her small hands, his hands were big and could envelop her hands. Yet this made her heart tremble, and she asked him in a startled voice, "...what are you doing?" 

"I haven't finished." 

"Is there something that you want to say after all of this?!" 

Yuu wanted to pull her hands, but Mizuto held her. After all, how could she not be angry? With what they had done, this guy suddenly made a girlfriend, leaving her. While it was partly her fault, as she knew that she had fallen for the wrong man, this action of his was too much! 

"Let me go." 

"No."

Still, when Yuu wanted to scream and got angry at him, Mizuto said, "If you are loud, then your mother and grandmother might come to your room, you know?" 

Yuu swallowed her words and took a deep breath, but her emotions were so overflowing that they were impossible to stop. "Then, what do you want to say to me, your friend?" Her voice was sharp and rather cold as she stared at him. 

To protect her heart, she turned her love into hatred, as it was easier for her.

"I am sorry." 

Yet, facing this, Mizuto was as gentle as ever. 

Facing his sincere apology, Yuu felt stupid, but she felt like she couldn't get angry at him anymore. 

"...don't apologize to me. You are not at fault. It's my fault for thinking that you..." 

"No, it's my fault. If I'm not giving you the wrong signal, approaching you without a purpose to get serious, then this won't happen." 

"Stop apologizing!" Yuu quickly refuted him. "You are not the only one at fault. I... I am the one who can't control my heart. If I refuse you firmly in the beginning, then this won't happen, so stop apologizing... okay?" 

"You are right. The two of us are wrong, so I will make it right." 

"Eh?" 

Yuu, who was confused in the beginning, thought that she wouldn't forget what Mizuto said to her after this her entire life, "So, Yuu, do you want to become my woman too?" 

"...." 

Yuu was at a loss.