Chapter 18

“Let's get the strawberry flavored one for Yama-chan...” said Chinen as they were picking out the flavor for their ice cream.

“Oh, and for Miyu-chan as well!” squealed Umika. Chinen smiled sweetly at the girl beside him and took another strawberry-flavored ice cream.

“They both like the same flavor... It's cute.” she smiled at him, too. But when she saw him staring at her, she looked away and continued talking,

“I just think they really do look good together. And I was really happy when I heard they started going out. Hehehe. I just find them real cute…”

“Uh-huh… Cute.” Chinen said, still looking at the girl beside her.

She’s really cute, he thought. It was the first time for him to be with the girl because whenever they see each other at school, they simply just nods at each other.

“Ahah… I’m actually pretty nervous being with Chinen-kun like this.”

“Eh?” Chinen frowned upon hearing what the girl said.

She was sighing and her hand was on her chest as if she was getting ready to perform on stage. Chinen had to smile seeing how cute the girl looked at that moment.

“Well… It’s just that we’re never really close, right? And I’m used to just seeing you from afar with Yamada-san and all of your dozen fangirls swirling around both of you… It’s just weird that you’re just about a few inches away from me now.”

“The way you say that, you seem to look at me like I’m some kind of an unreachable idol huh?” the boy even laughed lightly looking at the pouting girl beside him.

“That’s exactly it. You’re like an idol! A totally unreachable idol! And that’s what’s making me all giddy and nervous… Ara~ I’m with the all mighty Chinen-sama, I can’t help but shiver!” she voiced jokingly making Chinen laugh aloud.

“Oi! Stop it! I’m not like that, okay? Hahaha. I didn’t know you’re actually funny Kawashima-san…”

“I told you… Umika sounds better” she smiled and took a half-gallon ice cream and began paying.

“Ah! I should be the one paying for that…”

“Eh? Why? It’s okay! I’m rich.” The girl said seriously, making Chinen flinch.

“Just kidding, Chinen-sama! Hehehe. But really, it’s fine.” She smiled sweetly and started walking towards an empty table after paying for everything.

“You know what, I’m starting to get nervous being with you now! I never thought that you’d be this lively and funny! All this time, I saw you as the really quiet type!”

“Hahaha. Really? So… Does that mean that you’re also glancing my way at times?” she asked giddily again.

“Also?” Chinen asked with a playful smile pasted on his lips. This made Umika blush a deep shade of red.

“Ahhh… Ah! Let’s eat the ice cream! It’s starting to melt already!” she suddenly said, changing the topic. But Chinen just smiled and pressed on the issue even more.

“Hmmmn… So, Umika-chan? Are you saying that you’ve been glancing my way at times? Does that mean that you—“

Chinen wasn’t able to continue what he was saying when Umika suddenly scooped a spoonful of ice cream and fed it to him.

“Just eat, Chinen-sama…” she said a bit too serious, but it didn’t escape Chinen’s eyes how she was also blushing furiously.

He laughed lightly and pinched the girl’s cheek, and then he started eating his ice cream as well.

They were just silently eating for a few minutes when Umika all of a sudden stood up looking alarmed.

“Umika-chan?”

“Isn’t that… Isn’t that Shida Mariya?”

“Huh? Where?” Chinen also stood up and looked at the direction Umika was staring at.

“That’s Shida Mariya, right? But… But why is she with—“

“What the hell is Yamada Ryosuke doing with that woman?!”

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I’m really stupid to think that she’ll just drop everything and stay with me… Ryosuke thought while holding his phone.

He just finished talking with Chinen on the phone… And it didn’t even ease the pain that he was feeling right now.

“And here I thought that I’m more that ready to get hurt again if it’s for you… How stupid could I get huh?” he whispered to himself.

He was walking away from Miyu’s room now. After seeing her and Yuto hug each other and cry their eyes out, he wasn’t that of a martyr to stay and stare at them, he just felt his feet drag him away.

He knew that it wasn’t even long before he met Miyu, but it was crazy how deep his feelings for her seemed to be. He himself can’t accept the fact that he’s acting and feeling this way for a girl he barely know.

“I guess this is my punishment… For being one heck of a player…”

He felt something warm slide down his cheeks, and this made him laugh bitterly.

“Now I’m crying for you… You’re not even mine to begin with and I know that you’ll never be mine… But why does it hurt so bad just thinking that I’d be losing you, huh Miyu? Why…?”

Just like that, he just felt his body drop to the ground. He didn’t even care that the kids were starting to look at him curiously.

He just felt that unbearable pain in his chest, that even his tears weren’t enough to wash it away.

He had his heart broken before… But it didn’t feel any closer to how he was feeling right now.

“She's in love with someone else, Ryo... And eventually, her heart will remember the person she loved most. And it's not you.”

Again, he heard Mariya’s voice inside his head and like a cue, the scene inside Miyu’s room played in his mind…

Miyu was sobbing heavily and Yuto’s strong arms was around her, comforting her, protecting her, and easing her pain.

That’s something I can never do, right…? However I wanted to protect you, to ease your pain… All I end up doing is hurting you… he thou