A Pretty Girl Has Her First Kiss Stolen By an Equally Handsome Classmate - Episode 3.1

Lying on the infirmary bed, I wait for this headache to go away.

The pain is unbearable.

Every thought is annoying.

My classmates’ voices, Mr. Fuchigami’s voice.

Everything.

They keep saying things like, “Come back to the classroom,” or “Everyone is worried about you.” Noisy, annoying—I don’t want to see anyone right now. In Wakamatsu’s mind, emotions never felt before start surfacing.

“Ugh…”

Even though I can’t sleep, I close my eyes while lying on the bed.

But when I do, flashes of the early morning sea and Mizuhara Shizuku’s face appear, tightening the grip on my head. I pull the blanket over myself, just trying to pass the time when I hear the infirmary door open.

“How is Wakamatsu doing?”

“Can he talk now?”

That soft, gentle voice feels especially irritating today. The school nurse, Mr. Sato, gently declines, and the owner of the voice leaves the room. The footsteps head towards either the staff room or the social studies prep room.

Wakamatsu suddenly jumps out of bed, ignoring the nurse calling after him, and runs.

“Mr. Yamabe!”

Despite spending most of the day in bed, his voice comes out loud and clear. Ignoring the stares, Wakamatsu rushes toward his former homeroom teacher, grabbing his collar with force.

“This is all your fault, Sensei! Because of you, I feel awful!”

“Wakamatsu… Did something happen with Mizuhara after all?”

“I was like an older sister to Mizuhara!”

Saying it out loud makes me feel even more pathetic.

“Mizuhara was just using me to fill the hole in her heart left by her sister!”

“I thought we were getting along, having fun together! But Mizuhara—”

“To Mizuhara, I was just a replacement for her sister! Not a friend, not a lover, not anything!”

Mr. Yamabe places both hands on Wakamatsu’s shoulders, speaking in a calming tone.

“You’re not just a replacement. I know that—”

“I don’t care what you think! I was never anything but a stand-in!”

Tears well up in my eyes, despite trying to hold them back.

I’ve never been this hurt before. I’ve never wanted to lash out at someone like this.

And I hate myself for it.

“This is all because of you, Mr. Yamabe!”

“Wakamatsu, I—”

“It’s all your fault! You forced Mizuhara Shizuku onto me!”

My emotions explode, and like a miserable child, I cry in front of everyone.

The tears won’t stop. I just want to blame everything on him and run away.

The hallway in front of the staff room echoes with my voice.

“I should’ve never gone. I should’ve never gotten involved!”

—With Mizuhara Shizuku.

“It’s true, this is my fault. I put too much burden on you—”

“Shut up!”

At a time like this, that counselor-like tone of his only makes me angrier.

I can’t calm down.

I’ve never been so consumed by negative emotions before, and now even I can’t control them.

“You knew about Mizuhara’s situation, didn’t you?! Couldn’t you have predicted this?!”

“…Wakamatsu.”

“If you wanted to play counselor, you should’ve helped Mizuhara instead!”

“Yeah, Wakamatsu, I—”

I don’t hear a single word he says. I don’t want to.

When did Mizuhara Shizuku decide to make me her sister’s replacement?

What triggered it?

Was it after we made up?

Was it the first time she invited me to her house?

Was it the day she asked me about what made someone “special”?

“Ah, I hate this! This is the worst!”

All the memories I built with Mizuhara are now turning into painful ones.

I feel sick.

If I knew this would happen, I never should have made memories with her.

I never should have spent time with her.

And who started all this? It was Mr. Yamabe.

“I should’ve never delivered that printout that day.”

That thought sinks deep into my chest like a heavy weight.

Dragged down by it, I lower my head, staring blankly at the floor as regret floods over me.

“…Because you asked me to.”

I’m the type who never refuses a favor, so I went to Mizuhara’s apartment.

“Because you said it would be fine.”

I thought I could still fix my relationship with Mizuhara, so I went to her apartment.

“Because you flattered me, saying I was full of kindness.”

To understand your words, to understand Mizuhara Shizuku’s heart, I went to her apartment.

“Because of you…”

“……”

But…

Was it really Mr. Yamabe’s fault?

“……No.”

Because I was mesmerized when Mizuhara cut her hair.

Because I accepted Mizuhara’s distant attitude.

Because I listened to Mizuhara’s requests.

Because I accepted Mizuhara’s kiss.

Because I wanted to stay by Mizuhara’s side.

Because I wanted Mizuhara.

Because Mizuhara’s smile was beautiful.

Because Mizuhara’s words felt nice.

Because Mizuhara’s kiss was sweet.

Because Mizuhara’s warmth was comforting.

“…No, it wasn’t him. It was me…”

“It was… it was me.”

“I was the one who delivered the printout.”

“I was the one who kept reaching out to Mizuhara.”

“It was all my choice, wasn’t it…?”

I already know the answer to why this hurts so much.

“Because I… fell in love with Mizuhara.”

I stare at a single point, my heart empty.

“No, that’s wrong. It’s all my fault,” Mr. Yamabe says.

“No… It’s not wrong. It’s not, Sensei…”

“Please, Wakamatsu. Please don’t deny your own feelings.”

With a voice filled with pain, he pulls me into a hug.

“I relied on you too much, Wakamatsu. As an adult, as a teacher… I ended up hurting both of you.”

—Both of us?

Maybe it was because I pulled an all-nighter, or because I used up all my energy yelling.

My vision starts to blur.

A white fog fills my head, and my thoughts stop.

—By the time I realize I can barely hear his voice, my body is already collapsing into the darkness.