Chapter 57: I had nothing to do with it.

[Emi PoV]

Why? Such questions fill my head.

In front of me, a man is ranting about something, but I can’t get any of it out of my head.

　Why now?

　What happened that day is already over, isn’t it? He and I are both victims. And that is all that matters.

Everything will be okay, it’s not too late. I can still make it work…

　No, no.

　I did nothing wrong.

—Because I have done anything.

The man in front of me… Shinohara did everything without any direction from me. It was just something he did on his own.

　Even what Shirakawa did…it was the result of Mizuki’s self-serving outburst. I never told him to do it.

　The people around me did this on their own accord. I am not a part of it.

　”Why didn’t you tell me something so important until now!!”

　Shinohara was saying that out loud. Thanks to my calmness, his words finally entered my head.

“—Don’t be selfish!!”

　Yes, he is selfish. In exchange for making me his girlfriend, he said he would protect me from Kitami-kun.

　I didn’t ask for his help, and yet he suggested it on his own!

　It was simple. I have always liked Shinohara, and the proposal was a no-brainer.

　It was a common story, nothing strange about it.

　And the victim was me.

　Why are you blaming me? When have I ever done anything on my own?

No. There is no way there is. That is why there is no problem.

The bad guy is not me, and I had nothing to do with it—-