Chapter 73

A new chapter begins.

December 28th.

Since it's the end of the year...

Yugen decided to spend the day playing with his two male friends, Satake Soichiro and Ryosenji Sei, without any girls around.

While they were having lunch at a casual diner, Yugen suddenly declared to the two of them:

"I've fallen seriously in love with Arisa."

Soichiro and Sei exchanged glances.

Then...

"O-oh..."

"...Is it really that late?"

Finally, you've noticed your feelings, huh.

That was the expression on their faces.

But Yugen ignored them and started talking on his own.

"On Christmas Day, I realized it. I don't want to give this girl to anyone."

"Hmm."

"...What do you want to tell us?"

"Arisa is mine, so don't even think about touching her."

In other words, he was laying down the law.

Both Soichiro and Sei were handsome enough to catch anyone's eye, even from Yugen's male perspective.

Of course, neither of them was the type to go after someone else's "fiancée"...

And they probably didn't think of Arisa as a potential girlfriend, just a beautiful person to admire.

However...

When you fall in love, even trivial things can bother you or make you jealous.

Yugen couldn't help but lay down the law.

"Don't worry, I'm busy with Ayaka and Chiharu. You can relax."

Soichiro said this calmly.

Yugen and Sei thought, "Is he going to die from this?"

"I don't have any intention of going after my friend's girlfriend... But what if I did?"

Half-jokingly,

Sei asked Yugen.

"I won't allow it."

"Damn, don't say it in such a low voice!"

Yugen had meant it as a joke, but his voice came out lower than he intended.

It wasn't something that could be brushed off as a joke.

Yugen reaffirmed his vow that Arisa would definitely be his.

"So, what are you going to do? Ask her to be your girlfriend... even though she's your fiancée?"

"...Well, it is a bit strange, isn't it?"

The relationship between Yugen and Arisa is complicated by their "fiancé" status.

They've already surpassed the stage of being just lovers and are engaged.

Of course, they had planned to eventually dissolve the engagement...

But Yugen didn't want to break it off now.

"If you confess to Yuki now, it's essentially asking her to marry you."

Soichiro pointed out calmly.

Their "fiancé" relationship was based on the premise that they didn't like each other.

But if that premise broke down... they would just be regular fiancés.

"...If I'm not mistaken, I think Arisa likes me."

When Yugen said this, Soichiro and Sei nodded.

"Yeah, that's true."

"From an outsider's perspective, you two are just a lovey-dovey couple."

"...No, not that much."

Yugen protested, as if they were a couple who flaunted their affection in public.

"Do you not realize it?"

"Lovey-dovey couples are like that, aren't they?"

"That's... well, forget it."

Yugen found it regrettable, but arguing about it wouldn't move the conversation forward.

So he gave up and moved on.

"But if I ask her to marry me... will she say yes?"

"You're still in high school."

"Yeah, it's a heavy decision."

Arisa is a smart woman.

That's why Yugen liked her... but because she's smart, she probably wouldn't act rashly.

"If I were to give advice, the sooner the better."

Soichiro suddenly said this.

It sounded like he had a past of confessing to someone and failing.

"...Hey, Soichiro."

"You don't mean...?"

"...Yeah, I did. To Ayaka. On Christmas."

Soichiro said this hesitantly.

Soichiro and Ayaka were very close.

They had been childhood friends, and their relationship had always been more than that... they had maintained this closeness since they were young.

"So, how did it go?"

"Huh? We've been dating for a long time... that's what she said."

"..."

Indeed, Soichiro and Ayaka had been dating for a long time.

Yugen and Sei had always teased them about it... but it seemed Ayaka herself had the same understanding.

Looking back, her actions and words clearly showed that she recognized herself as Soichiro's girlfriend.

"Thinking about it, I guess that's true... but didn't you notice?"

"Getting used to something can be scary."

Yugen and Sei were exasperated...

But thinking about it, for the two of them, that level of closeness had been normal since they were born.

Because they had always been like a couple, they might have lacked the awareness that they were actually a couple.

"But the important part is what happened next. Ayaka hit me."

"...Why?"

"Why did she suddenly hit you when she hadn't before?"

The confession had been a swing and a miss, but it had already been a done deal.

Why did Ayaka hit Soichiro when their relationship was already established?

Yugen and Sei were puzzled.

"Do you think I'm the kind of guy who would do that to a woman who isn't my girlfriend? Do you think I'm the kind of guy who would do that to a woman who isn't my girlfriend? You're the worst! You're an idiot! You're scum! You're a woman-deceiver! Die!" That's what she said.

"That's right."

"Die quickly."

"Shut up, I'll kill you."

When Yugen and Sei taunted him, Soichiro started to get angry.

But...

If Soichiro's story was true, he and Ayaka were currently in a state of estrangement or fighting.

"So, how do you plan to die and apologize?"

"Should you commit seppuku like a samurai? I can be your second."

"I'm not dying. ...Chiharu mediated, so it's okay. No need to worry."

It seemed to have been resolved.

Yugen and Sei were relieved.

Even if someone is a scumbag, you still want your friends to be happy. Even scumbags.

"Anyway, the point is, if you don't want to end up like me, make sure to set boundaries. If you stay in warm water too long, you'll end up like a boiled frog."

"...I'll keep that in mind."

Soichiro's scumbag story turned out to be more helpful than expected.

...But thinking about it calmly, it might already be too late.

"By the way, Soichiro, what are you going to do about Chiharu?"

"Huh? ...Don't worry. I can't say much yet, but it will work out... I hope."

"...Really? Shouldn't you use your experience to help yourself before giving advice to Yugen?"

Yugen and Sei became very worried that Soichiro wouldn't end up like a boiled frog.

I hope this novel becomes a huge hit, and the demand for spin-offs arises, and if I write a love story about Soichiro, Ayaka, and Chiharu, it also becomes a huge hit.

But I also think that such a convenient thing probably won't happen.

If such a convenient thing does happen (if it sells a lot), and you think it would be nice, please bookmark it and rate it (change the ☆☆☆☆☆ below the table of contents to ★★★★★).

This might help the sales by making the novel more visible, increasing the number of readers, and potentially boosting the sales.