Chapter 184 I Will Never Forgive You
Chapter 184 I Will Never Forgive You
The school's building courtyard, a secluded spot.
Under that maple tree, Kagura Hikaru, Ayakoji Chiyoko, Kohinata Motoyo, Kiryu Hina—they sat on the same bench in that order, crowded together.
"...Look, why did you even follow us here? This is between us, it's none of your business," Kiryu Hina glared at Ayakoji Chiyoko with annoyance, "And also, this bench is too cramped for four people. Go back!"
"Who says it's none of my business? I'm Kagura Hikaru's girlfriend. If my boyfriend is going out with another girl privately, of course I need to be there," Ayakoji Chiyoko shifted her seat, trying to make room for Kagura Hikaru who was sitting on the edge.
But as a result, the space for Kiryu Hina who was sitting on the edge too became increasingly small, and now half of her behind was hanging in the air.
"Ah! I can't stand you!"
Kiryu Hina stood up angrily and started scolding Ayakoji Chiyoko, "Do you have a sore on your butt or what, can't you sit still!?"
"Hmm, you actually look better standing up. Let's keep it that way," Ayakoji Chiyoko seized the opportunity and quickly moved to the left, squeezing Kohinata Motoyo over a little more, and just like that the three of them took up the entire bench, leaving no space for Kiryu Hina.
"You..." Kiryu Hina gritted her teeth.
Kohinata Motoyo was in a daze, her mind still lingering on Ayakoji Chiyoko's words, and she slowly turned to look at her and Kagura Hikaru: "You guys... you're dating? When did that happen...?"
"Two days before the elections ended," Ayakoji Chiyoko answered, glaring at her, "Kagura is mine now, don't even think of hitting on him anymore. Of course, if you want to try threatening me with your racy photos, be my guest."
"...."
Kohinata Motoyo fell silent, head down, evidently preoccupied with her thoughts.
Leaving Ayakoji Chiyoko and Kiryu Hina to continue their snarky bickering.
"Alright, stop it,"
Kagura Hikaru finally interjected.
He looked at Ayakoji Chiyoko: "Ayakoji, you should go back first."
Hearing him say that too, Ayakoji Chiyoko's eyebrows shot up: "Why?"
"After all, this is between us, and having you here will just make you feel awkward," Kagura Hikaru paused, "Plus, I'm your boyfriend now, and I won't let happen what you're worried about."
"...Okay, I believe you."
Ayakoji Chiyoko smiled.
She seemed delighted that he acknowledged their relationship in front of Kiryu Hina and Kohinata Motoyo.
Before she left, she provocatively kissed Kagura Hikaru on the cheek and then coolly walked away, leaving the two girls to cast resentful glances at her retreating figure.
Kagura Hikaru wiped the spot on his cheek where Ayakoji Chiyoko had kissed him and calmly picked up his lunch box: "Begin, I'll just listen."
It seemed he had made up his mind to be a spectator.
Kiryu Hina twitched the corner of her eye and asked with a forced smile, "You and Ayakoji Chiyoko, things seem to be moving pretty fast, huh?"
Kagura Hikaru paused with his chopsticks reaching for the lunch box: "... You dragged me here, not to discuss Ayakoji Chiyoko, right?" Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire
"Actually, I think we could talk about it," Kohinata Motoyo also looked at him, her eyes emitting a dark shade, as if black sludge was flowing through the depths of her pupils, "I'm a bit interested too."
"..."
That definitely wasn't just 'a bit' interested.
Pressured, Kagura Hikaru had no choice but to come clean; he put down his hands and said expressionlessly, "We've only gone as far as kissing, that's it."
"In less than a week, you've caught up to us. Ayakoji Chiyoko, you're more formidable than I thought," Kohinata Motoyo said with a smirk, her expression slightly distorted.
'Us,' of course, referred to herself and Kiryu Hina.
Honestly, Kagura Hikaru completely failed to understand how Kohinata Motoyo could be so sure about his past progress with Kiryu Hina, considering they had never talked about such matters before.
Suddenly, it felt a bit creepy.
On the other side, Kiryu Hina's eyes swept over coldly, "You, an unnamed third party, talk so openly about your past 'achievements' in front of me, do you think I won't punch you because I am good-tempered?"
Kohinata Motoyo immediately fell silent, her face awash with embarrassment.
"And that night, you even tried to drag Mister Hikaru off to a love hotel."
"Err....."
"Playing dumb is useless! Your misdeeds don't end there."
Kiryu Hina stared at her, this once most cherished friend, and couldn't help but feel her eyes welling up with tears, "That photo was taken during the school trip, wasn't it? You promised me that you would delete it, but you didn't, you lied to me!"
"...Yeah." Kohinata Motoyo nodded with difficulty, then hastily explained, "I'm sorry, Hina, I really didn't intend to do that. It was later when I was organizing the album at home that I realized I forgot to delete it, and then I was misguided..."
"What did you tell Mister Hikaru, that you would spread the photo to shame me if he didn't agree to date you?!"
"..."
Kohinata Motoyo hung her head in pain, her hands clutching her head.
She did not regret those times, but she never wanted her relationship with Kiryu Hina to turn out like this.
"Mister Hikaru, you too, why didn't you tell me back then..." Kiryu Hina looked at Kagura Hikaru, somewhat angry but more filled with regret and sorrow, "If I had known the truth then, we, we wouldn't have..."
She broke off, unable to hold back her tears any longer.
It had been two years since she broke up with Kagura Hikaru.
During those two years, she had never moved on from that relationship, and the memories of the excruciating pain she had gone through haunted her nights.
The best lover and the best friend, conspiring behind her back, made her feel like a clown being toyed with by both of them.
She initially thought so, and arrogantly did many outrageous things to Kagura Hikaru, even feeling smug about it.
Until the day she learned the truth.
"I heard about this from Classmate Karen."
Kiryu Hina sobbed, wiping away tears in front of the silent Kagura Hikaru and Kohinata Motoyo, and said in fits and starts, "You seemed to have told her not to tell me. I know, you must be disappointed in me... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I don't know how to make you forgive me..."
"There's nothing about forgiving or not forgiving, we both owe each other," Kagura Hikaru said quietly, looking at her, "I won't forgive you, just as you won't forgive me."
Kiryu Hina suddenly lost her voice, her face gone pale.
"Is it... because of Ayakoji Chiyoko?"
"I didn't want to hurt her, it was you who left me no choice."
"I will explain it to her!" Kiryu Hina raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears as she spoke earnestly, "I will tell her that it was because I threatened you, so that's why—"
"I will tell her myself when everything is over, you needn't trouble yourself."
"But!"
Kohinata Motoyo looked at them in surprise, "What are you talking about...?"
"Classmate Kiriyu, you explain to her," said Kagura Hikaru as he snapped his hardly touched lunchbox shut and stood up from the bench, "I'm leaving, you two talk."
He couldn't bear this atmosphere any longer.
Kohinata Motoyo was wrong, he was wrong, Kiryu Hina was wrong too. The three perpetrators were confessing to each other here, yet none of them could take responsibility for the innocent Chiyoko.
They dragged her into this vortex without giving her a ship to escape.
Ignoring Kiryu Hina's pleas to stay, Kagura Hikaru left the place without looking back.