A Pretty Girl Has Her First Kiss Stolen By an Equally Handsome Classmate - Episode 1.4

Friday, December 10th

“Sorry! I can’t make it next week.”

As soon as Kaede Wakamatsu saw her, she apologized.

After school, she had gone to the staff room to pick up some papers to give to Shizuku Mizuhara. While there, Mr. Yamabe had informed her, “Next week is exam week, so keep that in mind.”

“It’s the final exams,” Wakamatsu explained.

“I know. Good luck with your tests.”

Mizuhara flipped through the stack of papers she had received, barely showing any interest. Even though she wasn’t attending school, she still received printed schedules detailing the subjects covered and the exam dates.

A question popped into Wakamatsu’s mind.

“Are you okay with missing school? Won’t it affect your credits?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Mizuhara let out a short sigh.

“What about the exams?”

“I take them in the nurse’s office.”

“Oh, I see.”

Wakamatsu had never known that was an option. That explained why Mizuhara also needed the exam schedules and study guides. It also made sense now why Mr. Yamabe had said he’d be giving the papers to her directly next week.

“If you’re coming to school anyway, why not just take the tests in the classroom?”

“That’s so annoying.”

“Oh—sorry.”

Mizuhara frowned, her displeasure clear in her expression. The way she responded made her irritation obvious. Wakamatsu didn’t know exactly what had upset her, but she quickly apologized.

Did Mizuhara have a specific reason for avoiding the classroom?

“Did something happen with our class?”

“Ugh, stop irritating me!”

Mizuhara’s voice rang through the entrance hall.

Wakamatsu flinched at her sudden outburst.

If something was wrong, she wanted to help. If there was something Mizuhara hated about school, she wished she would just say so. But for some reason, her words only made Mizuhara even more frustrated.

“I guess we just don’t understand each other,” Mizuhara muttered.

She clenched the papers in her hand, crumpling them. Then, she inserted her key into the building’s intercom system.

“I’m sorry. But I really do want to understand you, Mizuhara.”

“Shut up. Stop saying things that exhaust me.”

She didn’t even turn around before coldly cutting her off.

In all her sixteen years, Wakamatsu had never experienced a conversation being shut down like this.

“You just don’t get it, Wakamatsu.”

“But… you could tell me, even just a little…”

“Tell you? Tell you what? My feelings?”

Mizuhara let out a dry laugh. Her voice was cold, void of emotion, and it stung Wakamatsu’s ears.

Even though Mizuhara was looking in her direction, their eyes never met.

“If you just told me, I could—”

“What? Understand me? Is that what you’re trying to say? How arrogant.”

“I didn’t mean it like that—”

“Wanting to ‘help me’ or ‘understand me’—those are just your selfish desires, aren’t they?”

Wakamatsu froze.

Had she really spent the past month visiting Mizuhara out of some self-centered idea?

“Don’t push your ego onto me.”

Mizuhara turned her key, unlocking the door.

“I thought you were different from everyone else, but you’re just the same.”

She stepped into the lobby and disappeared toward the elevator hall.

A warm breeze drifted in from the open door, but it felt unbearably unpleasant.

Wakamatsu stood there, frozen, unable to move.

“…Don’t get my hopes up like that.”

Being rejected by Mizuhara hurt. But more than that, having her own selfishness laid bare shook her to the core.

Why had she been coming here every week?

Had she truly never harbored any selfish intent?

She had tried to understand Mizuhara’s situation—but for what purpose?

She no longer knew.