(I) Breakup Arc - Episode 9

[Ｍｉｓｔａｋｅ]

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－ ＡＰＲＩＬ －

𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥

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Five months after the breakup...

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Miyamoto had been dating Chiba for around two months and it was blissful. Not only was he kind and thoughtful, but he was also dependable in everything he did.

His shy glances despite his straightforward words, his modest smile every time he did something right, and his large yet slender hands that moved gingerly while scribbling on a math problem. She was lucky to be going out with him.

But when the day came when he ended it between them, she could not say that she did not see it coming.

He was accompanying her to the bus stop after school when his footsteps stopped out-of-the-blue. She gave him a questioning look.

He asked, "Can we talk somewhere?"

As soon as they settled themselves on the table inside a coffee shop, he dipped in a low bow without warning. "I'm sorry, Miyamoto-san," he said.

Following that, he told her how he had been deceiving her and that when he had agreed to go out with her on Valentines' Day it was out of whim. He, then, droned on about how he was wrong in dragging her along for the past two months, and how she deserved someone better who would genuinely return her feelings.

And so he wanted to make things right with her.

She merely listened, her heart crushing into pieces bit-by-bit, but she fought back her tears – the pain – as she let him finish.

When he did, he continued to stare down on his lap, waiting for her reply.

"Is there another girl?" she finally asked.

He looked up, baffled, before answering her. "Yes. My ex-girlfriend."

'So that means he likes someone else from the start.'

Closing her fists on the table, Miyamoto said, "This is so unfair. I want to be angry at you but I can't –" she met his gaze as her eyes started to moisten "– because, within that short amount of time, I've come to know your good sides, which somehow overweighed the wrong you've done to me."

When she had uncoiled her fists, it was as if the tension within her body was released. "It's not surprising for me to know that our feelings aren't mutual since we started dating. In fact, I was hoping that you'd come to like me back while we're together," she stated as she put on a weak smile. "I guess that was just wishful thinking."

"I'm sorry," he said, lowering his head once again. Then he slowly looked up. "And thank you for everything."

Although it was not evident on his partially hidden face, she could still sense his sincerity. To be honest, their time together was fun until it lasted. "Thank you too for going out with me," she replied.