Chapter 25

The following week at the cram school, I asked Aizawa-kun about Fukayama-san's condition after the incident.

"Hmm, she seemed to be unusually concerned about Kishoin-san."

"That's probably the case."

If I were in her shoes, I'd be digging for all the details too.

"It seems she also has some strange misunderstandings."

"Strange misunderstandings? Specifically?"

"She thinks I might like Kishoin-san, or that Kishoin-san might like me. Ah! Of course, I denied it! I don't think Kishoin-san likes me! I'm sorry if that makes you feel bad."

"Don't worry about it."

I'm not going to get angry. It's a common scenario, after all.

"Fukayama-san likes Aizawa-kun, doesn't she?"

I decided to be direct and state my certainty.

"Wh-What? Why so suddenly! E, e-"

"Please calm down. So, what about it? Is Aizawa-kun aware of Fukayama-san's feelings?"

"F-Feelings? We're like siblings... "

"Don't be so vague. It's obvious to anyone that Fukayama-san is in love with Aizawa-kun. So, are you really not aware of it?"

Aizawa-kun fell silent.

"I won't let you off the hook just because you're silent."

"U-Um, Kishoin-san, you're acting different from usual? Ah, I don't really understand why Sakura likes me. I know she likes me, but maybe just as a childhood friend. Ah, but in kindergarten, she... said she wanted to be my... wife, I think."

That's a classic.

"And every year, I get chocolate from her on Valentine's Day. We must visit each other's houses frequently, too."

"Really? How do you know that?"

"I just do."

I see everything clearly.

"Probably, since they've been close since childhood, their parents might have conversations like, 'It would be nice if they got married in the future,' or 'Sakura, why don't you come and be our daughter-in-law?'"

"How do you know that! That's exactly what they say!"

That's how it is, that's how it is.

"I can see Aizawa-kun's future."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"If Aizawa-kun marries a girl other than Fukayama-san, the relationship between Aizawa-kun's mother and the bride will be awkward."

"Why?"

"Aizawa-kun's mother wants Aizawa-kun to marry Fukayama-san, whom she has doted on since childhood. Fukayama-san herself also hopes for it. If Aizawa-kun brings another woman, she won't be pleased. If Fukayama-san starts crying in secret, it will be a disaster. She'll resent the bride."

"Mom would do that..."

In the Thursday drama I watched in my past life, the conflicts between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law she didn't like were terrifying.

"So Aizawa-kun needs to make a decision."

"A decision?"

Aizawa-kun looks a bit pale.

"If you accept Fukayama-san's feelings, you need to be prepared to marry her. After all, it's a family affair. If you break up halfway, it will be very awkward. If you can't accept her feelings, it's better to say it early. If you drag it out, the future will be..."

"The future will be what?"

"A battlefield."

The teacher entered the classroom, and the lesson began.

Aizawa-kun looked pale and couldn't focus on his studies, but I felt relieved to have said what I wanted to say.

I didn't do this out of jealousy because Aizawa-kun was in the classic hero position or to tease him a bit.

Since then, Aizawa-kun has started to consult me about his relationship with Fukayama-san.

Fukayama Sakura, Aizawa-kun's childhood friend, apparently attends a Catholic girls' school that I deliberately failed to get into during my kindergarten days to attend the Ruiuan Elementary School.

They've been close since they were born, and they even went to the same kindergarten. She apparently wanted to go to Ruiuan like Aizawa-kun, but her mother, an alumna of Yurimi Women's School, wanted her daughter to attend the same school, so she reluctantly gave up on Ruiuan.

However, Fukayama-san has recently started saying she wants to go to Ruiuan again.

Most likely, it's because of me.

The last time I met her, I thought she was a delicate and traditional Japanese beauty, but she seems quite aggressive when it comes to love.

She's like a female version of a mini-Takemoto.

"What should I do?"

"That's a tough one."

To be honest, my knowledge of love comes almost entirely from the shoujo manga I read in my past life.

I'm not the kind of person who can give relationship advice.

What should I do?

"For now, the thing Fukayama-san is most worried about is my existence. Why not have her attend this cram school? We hardly interact at the academy."

Actually, I don't want her to attend the same cram school because it will complicate things.

But it's for Aizawa-kun's sake. I have no choice.

If she can see directly that I'm not a rival and that Aizawa-kun is just a friend to me, that would be good.

Aizawa-kun immediately told Fukayama-san about this, and she apparently decided to start attending from the spring when she enters fifth grade.

This year's Valentine's Day chocolate was even more impressive than usual, and Aizawa-kun, who hasn't decided on his feelings yet, was a bit scared.

Did I just make things worse for myself again?