C40: Clearing the Misunderstanding

“H-Haruka-senpai?”
“Is that you… Yuki-kun?”

Haruka-senpai and I called each other’s names almost simultaneously.

“Why are you here?” asks Haruka-senpai.

“Uh, um… I was here for the um…sh-shoot…”
I stutter due to the awkwardness.

“Shoot…?! Don’t tell me Yuka-chan’s identity was actually—”
Senpai seemed to catch on immediately.
With a trembling voice, I respond.

“That was… me.”
“I-I see…”
An awkward silence ensues.

“Hey, can I ask you something?”
“O-Of course!”

“Who was the senpai Yuka-chan, I mean, you liked, Yuki-kun?”
Senpai hit me with a direct fastball.

“Uh… it was you…Senpai.”
“Huh?”
Haruka-senpai’s eyes widen in surprise.

“Ngh… I liked you, Senpai!
But when I thought you had a boyfriend, I gave up…”
“You liked… me…? Wait, boyfriend?
I’ve never had one!”

“Huh? But you seemed so close with him that day. Even the other seniors thought he was your boyfriend…”
As I say this, Haruka-senpai ponders something.

“Could it be, that day?!”
“Senpai?”

“You stopped coming to the club after that day, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’ve wanted to ask this, but why did you stop coming after that?”
“Well, I enjoyed the time I spent with you, but I felt sad when I thought you had a boyfriend…”

“I see… I see now…”
Why does she seem a bit happy?

“I think the man you saw that day was a staff member here, probably the one who came to pick you guys up today.”
“Huh? So I misunderstood?”

“Well, considering the circumstances, it’s understandable.”
“So… that’s what it was.”
Why? Why can’t I feel happy, even though I should be?

“So I was just being foolish, desperately trying to forget about you, Senpai…”
“That’s not true. It’s normal to want to forget about painful things.”

“Is that so…”
“Haa… I wonder why I didn’t go to you sooner, Yuki-kun.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”
“…Do you have someone you like right now?”
She skips my question and throws one back at me.

“Someone I like? I’ve never thought about it…”
“I see. So there’s still a chance for me?
You’re surrounded by attractive ladies, I wonder if I can compete?”

“Huh?”
“I like you too. But I don’t know if this feeling is romantic or platonic.”

“So, Yuki-kun. Can we start over by being friends, just like before?” she asks, reaching out her hand to me.

I take her hand and answer, “Yes, I’d be happy to!”

Yuki-kun was taking a while, so I decided to check on him. To my surprise, I found him in the company of the other model who had also emerged from her dressing room.

Just as I was about to call out to them, the atmosphere changed, and for some reason, I hid and observed the situation.
Listening to their conversation, it was a sequence of unbelievable coincidences.

Yuki-kun’s unrequited love started from a misunderstanding, and the popular model from Senpai’s place was the cause of it.

As I watched the scene, I got anxious.

The two of them clearly had a long history, a gap of time I couldn’t catch up to.

The moment the model said she liked him, my chest tightened in pain.
I wondered what I would do if they started dating then and there.

However, they seemed to agree to start as friends first, and part of me felt relieved.

I thought it would be okay as long as Yuki-kun was enjoying himself.
From participating in VTubing activities, attending Comiket, to occasional dining out, I’ve seen Yuki-kun’s face light up with joy.
Somewhere in my heart felt I’d be okay with a relationship like the one we have now.
But in truth, I…

“I won’t lose. I will make Yuki-kun look my way. I will.”
I made this vow in my heart.