The person who likes me is a yandere.

"The way you complain is just like a primary school student."

When I came out of the restroom, I saw Tohka waiting for me with a surprised look on her face.

How can I get you and me to get along normally?

"No, it's impossible..."

Upon hearing my answer, Tohka sighed deeply.

"If Aki can be this scared, I'm starting to feel uneasy about my own personality."

She practically dragged me to the bus stop, and we stood side by side waiting for the bus. But then, Tohka started "firing" again, and I instantly became nervous once more.

"According to Aki Tomoya-kun, Asago used to be able to interact with others normally, didn't she?"

"Um, I've been thinking about this since earlier, does Asahi often chat with Aki Tomoya?"

"Face-to-face meetings are rare."

"call-."

I see. But did that guy really expose all my secrets so brazenly?

"Do you care a lot?"

Whether you care or not is another matter, but you don't need to suddenly be so diligent in investigating my affairs.

"After all, it was someone who was once my lover, so it's only natural that I want to know about that person."

Well, logically speaking, it seems to make sense.

"So I already said, Tohka and I don't look like a couple at all."

“I heard about this yesterday, but it seems a bit unbelievable to me now.”

"About the fact that we were... boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Including this, I don't consider myself the type of person who's good at socializing with others."

"Ah—" I can understand that to some extent.

Although Tohka is very beautiful, considering both her usual personality and her excessive pursuit of personal integrity, it's simply unimaginable that someone like her could become someone's possession. Especially not someone like me from my first year of high school. Just as I was about to nod in agreement...

"If we're going to date, it has to be with marriage in mind. That's my current thinking."

"Aha!?"

The topic was brought up because we couldn't find any common values ​​to discuss.

"Is that so strange?"

"It's not strange at all..."

Rather than that, the focus right now isn't on that point of view.

"If we go back in time, it means that I once thought it would be okay to marry Qianyu."

"No, really? Is that really true?"

What do you think?

"I do not know."

"?"

"Hey, let's leave this topic here for now, okay?"

"why?"

"Because I'm so shy right now."

"what?"

Ah, this person is so oblivious! Can't they even understand my extremely delicate position right now?!

"In any case, given the current situation, let alone getting married, it's questionable whether the two sides can even communicate properly."

"Please stop using those descriptive terms for wild animals."

They actually said I have communication problems, I'm so hurt. Ugh, you can't even handle normal social interactions—it's like someone said that to me.

"But I finally understand. If I hold you back and don't let you escape, I can still have normal conversations with you."

"It seems that's really the case now."

"Although Qianyu has always had this attitude, I can't believe I can associate with someone like her."

It would be foolish of me to get nervous if someone lectured me so seriously and without any pretense.

Well, that's how it is.

I casually and frankly agreed.

"Could it be that Qianyu has some kind of leverage over me?"

"that……"

"Just kidding. Although I did consider that possibility when I first met you."

Even if you've really thought about it, please don't say it aloud. Besides, telling the other person face-to-face can cause serious psychological harm. "Well, whatever you think is fine, but I have to deny what I just said."

"No, I understand, because—"

Because, that's how it is. Because the reason we ended up in a relationship that was all show and no substance was that the person who confessed was—Tohka-san.

Thinking back to that day, I feel a tingling pain in my fingers.

It was a cold day when my hands and feet were almost frozen.

Chapter Seventeen: You Confessed First

It was a cold day when my hands and feet were almost frozen.

Although we've survived the real winter, spring is still some time away; it's only the beginning of February. I looked at the little note tucked into the shoe box and felt completely awful.

"If you have time, please go to the back of the gymnasium after school. Tohka Yatogami"

First, I was stunned by the high quality of the language used on the note. Ah, this is definitely Tohka's style. The handwriting is so neat and beautiful, like it was written by some unknown agency. I've fallen for it. I feel like I've stumbled into a trap set by who knows who.

Ultimately, there weren't many options available to me. Tohka contacted me after school, saying she needed something.

That's a heavy blow. For someone looking for trouble, that's quite a high level. Group acts of causing trouble fall into two categories: those focused on belittling the other party, and those focused on amusing themselves. This is the second type. If I foolishly go to the designated place, I'm sure a group of people already waiting to see me make a fool of myself will come out to welcome me. They'll laugh even harder and more happily at my panicked expression.

"You really thought Tohka would be waiting for you here? Too bad! You've been pranked! A huge success!"

It must be this pattern.

I'll probably become the protagonist of a stage comedy by then. Completely subservient to everyone else, in a stage play called—"Punishment Confession Game." I can already roughly guess how the story will unfold.

I tried hard to recall if I had done anything bad before, but I couldn't find a single clue.

Even if you understand that this is asking for trouble, you can't ignore it.

I only know one way to handle this kind of situation flexibly.

That means completely following the other side's rhythm. Going along with someone's expectations and trying to make them laugh as much as possible to fool them.

This is how they protect themselves. They abandon their dignity, offering a fawning smile. All for the sake of maintaining "good" relationships with others. When I saw Tohka standing in her school uniform at the designated spot, I was truly hurt.

It's surprising that she, who is usually so righteous, would participate in this kind of game.

I kept about a step and a half's distance from her.

This is my sensitive area, and I'm waiting for that moment to arrive. It's like the feeling of a condemned prisoner awaiting execution. Since I'm going to die anyway, just give me a quick and painless end. I hope the executioner doesn't make a mistake, and that I only experience a moment of agony. I choose to face death bravely.

Not long after, she started talking, and I listened very carefully to each and every word.

One second, two seconds. The silence continued.

From that moment on, I suddenly started to feel that something was wrong.

Huh? Speaking of which, where are the people who set this trap, and the onlookers, hiding? They're nowhere to be seen.

After taking a quick look at Tohka's face, I had a bad feeling.

This is bad; I might have made a big mistake. But by this point, the silence had lasted for more than ten seconds.

Those words, as light as flower petals falling into my hand, felt heavier than malice. I didn't understand what they meant at all, and I still don't understand them now. I just had that feeling. In the end, I still thought it was definitely someone's prank.

Because, for no reason at all—Tohka would confess her feelings to me.

Even now, I can't find the slightest possibility.

Why did she choose to confess to me that day? Was it genuine, or just her usual way of joking? It's hard to understand. If that incident hadn't happened, I believe her image in my mind would be clearer and easier to understand.

Despite wavering, unease, and a touch of disappointment, I forced myself to stay true to my beliefs.

The reason I found Tohka scary definitely started from that time.

Nothing has happened since then that has changed my mind. "I still doubt whether that confession was a joke."

"I hope you don't think that way."

Actually, I don't mind if it's fake—of course, I can't say that out loud; people still need to give each other face.

"But it seems like we haven't had a serious conversation more than a few times since then, right?"

"The number of times we had a serious conversation, well, probably less than five times."

"So what do we usually say?"

"They're all just trivial matters."

Really?

"Uh, um."

"Did I say something I shouldn't have?" Tohka asked, then fell into a brief silence. Then, suddenly, she looked troubled and said...

"Qianyu, do you believe in love at first sight?" Wait a minute, your question doesn't match your expression at all. "I don't know. I've heard of it, but I've never experienced it myself."

"I don't understand why anyone would fall for someone they've barely had a serious conversation with."

"Well, generally speaking, isn't it just about being attracted to the other person's appearance?"

"You're so practical."