socalfunplaces Page 155
Page 155
"I..." He felt his defenses being gradually eroded by Mai-senpai.
"So, Yuto, face their feelings, and face your own feelings too." Mai's tone was gentle and encouraging.
"Choices may indeed cause harm, but avoidance will only allow the wound to fester."
“I know you are kind, but true kindness is not about not offending anyone, but about taking responsibility for the people you choose.”
Her words were consistent with her advice on the terrace, but even more profound.
Yuto felt like he had been completely seen through.
All his hesitation, cowardice, and selfishness were exposed by Mai-senpai's words.
He felt a strong throbbing in his heart. This feeling was different from the familiarity and closeness he felt when facing Eriri, different from the worthy opponent he felt when facing Utaha-senpai, and different from the protective instinct he felt when facing Yuzuriha Inori.
This is a profound resonance that arises from being fully understood.
He felt that Mai Sakurajima, standing before him, was the person who understood him best in the world.
She could see the essence behind his chaotic life and understand his inner struggles and pain.
This feeling of being understood is both warm and fatally attractive.
"Senior... Mai," Yuto's voice was a little hoarse, "What... should I do?"
For the first time, he revealed his helplessness to others.
Seeing him finally let his guard down, Mai Sakurajima's eyes flashed with a hint of relief, but also with a barely perceptible pity.
Instead of giving him a direct answer, she steered the conversation toward herself.
“If it were me,” she said, looking into Yuto’s eyes, “if I met someone I could rely on, someone who truly understood me…”
“I don’t expect him to make any promises right away, but I hope he can see my feelings and… give me a signal that it’s worth waiting for.”
Her gaze lingered on Yuto's face several times, as if she had a thousand words to say, but in the end, she didn't say it directly.
She once again handed the choice back to Yuto.
She didn't say "I like you," but every look she gave and every word she uttered spoke of this unspoken confession.
She was like the most skilled hunter, setting the gentlest trap and patiently waiting for her prey to walk into it.
Dinner ended in this subtle atmosphere.
Yuto and Mai Sakurajima walked out of the restaurant side by side.
"Thank you, Mai, for tonight's dinner, and... for your words." Yuto stood at the crossroads and said sincerely.
"You're welcome." Mai smiled, a few strands of her long black hair fluttering in the evening breeze. "I just said what I wanted to say. Well then, I'll be going now."
She waved to him.
Yuto stood there, watching her leave.
Mai's words and her final smile, tinged with a mixture of expectation and melancholy, kept echoing in his mind.
His feelings for Mai Sakurajima became more complicated than ever before.
He began to question himself: Can I really meet her expectations?
If I respond to her, how am I supposed to face Eriri, Utaha-senpai, and Yuzuriha Inori at home?
With a heart as heavy as a mountain, Yuto began his journey home.
He dragged his tired body back to the apartment building and looked up at his own window.
The light is still on.
He took a deep breath and unlocked the door with his key.
"I'm back……"
He said weakly, preparing to face darkness and silence.
However, when he pushed open the door and the motion-sensor light in the entryway turned on, he saw a petite figure sitting on the sofa in the living room.
Golden twin ponytails, a familiar plaid skirt.
It's Eriri.
She didn't sleep; she just sat there, hugging her knees, in the dimly lit living room, as if she were waiting for him to come back.
The moment Yuto saw her, his heart sank.
Only a dim floor lamp was on in the living room, casting a long shadow of Eriri on the wall behind her.
She sat there quietly, not making a fuss as usual, nor watching TV or playing on her phone. She simply hugged her knees, rested her chin on them, and stared unblinkingly into the direction of the entrance in the dim light.
It looked like a puppy that had been left alone at home by its owner and had been waiting for a long time, both aggrieved and stubborn.
"Eri? Why aren't you asleep yet?" Yuto Itsuka asked casually as he walked towards the living room after changing his shoes.
However, his nonchalance did not fool Eriri.
Her radar-like intuition immediately picked up on the unusual atmosphere from Yuto's tone and expression.
"Where did you go?" Eriri didn't answer his question, but instead questioned him directly. Her voice was muffled and had a noticeable nasal tone, as if she had just been crying.
"Having dinner with... a friend," Yuto answered vaguely, his eyes somewhat unfocused.
"Friend? Male or female?" Eriri pressed, like a police officer interrogating a criminal.
“...A woman.” Yuto knew he couldn’t hide it anymore, so he had no choice but to admit it.
"It's that Sakurajima Mai, isn't it!" Eriri's voice instantly rose. She jumped up from the sofa, rushed to Yuto, tilted her head back, and stared intently into his eyes.
Her eyes were red-rimmed; clearly, she wasn't guessing, but already knew the answer.
Perhaps it was information from Kato Megumi, or perhaps she deduced it herself through some channel.
Looking at her, who was on the verge of tears yet forced to suppress her anger, Yuto felt a strong sense of guilt welling up inside him.
He opened his mouth, but didn't know how to explain.
Seeing his tacit agreement, Eriri finally couldn't hold back her tears, which welled up in her eyes.
"I knew it!" She punched Yuto's chest hard, not with much force, more like she was being coquettish and venting.
"You idiot! You big idiot! Do you know how good that woman is at acting? She's definitely playing the victim again to get your sympathy!"
Her voice was filled with intense jealousy and unease.
Mai Sakurajima was an unprecedentedly powerful opponent for her.
The other party is not only a national idol, but what's even more frightening is that her mature and composed temperament is something I can never imitate.
This feeling of powerlessness made her feel extremely threatened.
Yuto didn't dodge, letting her hit him.
He could feel the deep dependence and fear beneath her small fists.
He was heartbroken and felt deeply guilty for not being able to give her a clear answer.
"Say something! Do you think she's better than me? That she understands you better than me?" Eriri became even more agitated when she saw his silence, and tears rolled down her cheeks like broken beads.
Yuto frantically tried to wipe away her tears, but she slapped his hand away.
Just then, Eriri seemed to remember something. She turned around and ran back to the sofa, picked up a small gift wrapped in cute paper and a drawing board, and then ran back angrily, stuffing them into Yuto's arms.
"for you!"
Yuto looked down and saw a newly completed chibi-style hand-drawn picture on the drawing board.
The painting depicts the main characters from his manga "Farming King," with himself drawn as a chibi version of the hero, surrounded by Kasumigaoka Utaha, Kato Megumi, and Yuzuriha Inori.
In the very center of the picture, closest to him, is a blonde, twin-tailed magician girl holding a paintbrush—it is Eriri herself.
The drawing she made shows her proudly linking arms with Yuuto, declaring her dominance to everyone.
When Yuto opened the small gift, he found a warm, insulated box containing his favorite food.
"This...you made this?" Yuto was stunned.
"Hmph, is that not allowed?" Eriri sniffed, turning her head away so he wouldn't see her tear-streaked face. "I... I'm afraid you'll be hungry when you get back tonight..."
Her voice instantly touched the softest spot in Yuto's heart.
This is Eriri.
Unlike Mai Sakurajima, she doesn't guide you with mature reasoning.
Her methods are always so clumsy and so direct.
She will use her best paintbrush to paint the world in her heart.
She'll use her less-than-skilled cooking to prepare a hot late-night snack for you.
Her kindness is all reflected in these seemingly insignificant yet thoughtful little things.
“Eri…” Yuto’s heart was filled with guilt and heartache.
"Don't forget!" Eriri shouted at him as if she were using all her strength.
“We’re childhood sweethearts! We’ve known each other since we were little! I was the first reader of your first story! I was also the first person to stand up for you when you were bullied as a child!”
She began to recount those unique childhood memories that only the two of them shared.
Those long-forgotten, blurred images, buried deep in her memory, became clearer again as she recounted them.
“The bond between us is something that actress who suddenly appeared out of nowhere could never match! I am… I am…”
As she finished speaking, her voice choked up again. In the end, she couldn't bring herself to say the declaration of being the rightful wife, leaving only endless grievances.
The impact of his childhood memories, coupled with the girl's unreserved and passionate emotions, caused Yuto's heart to waver violently.
He reached out and gently patted Eriri's head, then pulled her into his arms.
He didn't say "I'm sorry" or "Don't overthink it."
Any attempt at explanation would seem pale and powerless at this moment.
He was simply conveying his comfort and care to her through this silent hug.
Feeling the warmth of his embrace and his familiar scent, Eriri's tense body finally relaxed.
She buried her face in Yuto's chest and burst into tears, releasing all her unease, jealousy, and grievances through her tears.
After a long while, the crying gradually subsided.
Eriri lifted her head from his embrace, her eyes swollen like two walnuts.
She received the comfort she wanted and felt a little satisfied, but Mai Sakurajima's appearance was like a thorn, still deeply embedded in her heart.
She knew she had to work harder to hold her ground.
She sniffed, turned and ran back to her room, leaving Yuuto alone in the living room.
Yuto looked at the painting in his hand and the still-warm midnight snack, feeling a mix of emotions.
He collapsed wearily onto the sofa, feeling utterly drained of his energy.
Just as he was lost in thought and his head was throbbing, there was another knock on the door.
Beneath, bee, bee.
The voice was neither fast nor slow, but carried a unique rhythm.
Yuto jolted awake and sat up from the sofa.
It's so late, who could it be? Eriri probably won't be coming out again.
Yuzuriha Inori is already asleep.
Could it be...
With a sense of foreboding, he walked to the door and opened it.
Standing outside the door was indeed Kasumigaoka Utaha.
She was wearing a silk nightgown, her long black hair was casually draped over her shoulders, and she was holding an open script in her hand.
She didn't look at Yuto, but instead looked down at the script, a dangerous smile playing on her lips.
"Junior," she slowly raised her head, "I just discovered a major logical flaw while brainstorming a new plot, so I wanted to discuss it with you..."
She paused, her gaze sweeping past Youdou to the late-night snack and chibi-style drawings still unpacked in the living room, and her smile deepened.