After My Girlfriend Dumped Me, I Got Reincarnated As A High School Student. That Part’s Fine—But Why Are All My Ex-Girlfriends Here Too? - Chapter 43 – Prepare to be Traumatized

“Y-Yuu!”

“Eh, Mie?”

As I stepped out into the hallway, Mie called out to me.

“Sorry, I’m in a hurry…”

“The person from earlier ran that way!”

“Huh?”

“So, hurry!”

“Y-yeah. Thanks—”

“Save your thanks for later, hurry!”

“Y-yeah!”

I decided I’d still buy her juice later.

Thinking that, I ran again, and ran some more.

“Hiromi!”

“Mi-Misumi-kun… w-why!?”

I caught up to Hiromi and grabbed her shoulder; she was still crying.

“Let go!”

“Wait, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing… it’s nothing!”

“If it’s nothing, then why are you crying?”

“Th-That’s… well, something got in my eye, that’s all!”

“That’s the classic excuse when tears come out. And the person crying talks in such a whiny voice?”

“Th-That’s because…!”

“Besides, you haven’t really interacted with anyone since this morning.”

“It’s fine to have a day like that. I’m your ex, after all. Usually, you find me annoying, but don’t ignore me just when it matters!”

“…Uh.”

Fair point.

“But you’ve been turning away the whole day, right? Normally, if it’s noisy around you, you’d at least complain a little.”

“What…? You want me to complain? Are you a masochist, Misumi?”

“I-It’s not like that!?”

I swear I just heard a click of a tongue from somewhere, but it wasn’t me!

“Then what is it?”

“Well, it’s just… when you act differently, it throws me off a bit…”

“Even though I’m your ex…?”

“W-Well, yeah… B-But we’re sitting next to each other… friends… at least?”

“You treat me very differently from the others, though.”

“Well… we just broke up, so it’s awkward…”

“Yeah… I guess…”

“Eh, wait…!”

Hiromi started crying again.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

Her voice was so weak that I was at a loss for words.

“I didn’t… I didn’t mean to hurt you, Yuta… Even though we broke up, I don’t hate you, and I still want you to be happy!”

“…!”

It felt like the first time in a while I’d heard her say that. Well, the period hasn’t been that long, but it had felt distant to me.

“It’s my fault, isn’t it…? That I thought I didn’t want to fall in love.”

“Th-That’s…”

“I overheard yesterday. You were talking with the student council president. I couldn’t catch everything, maybe I misheard, so I tried to let it go. But I couldn’t stop feeling uneasy.”

“So that’s why you were avoiding me…”

“Yeah, but today I asked you directly… my mind went blank… Lately, you’ve been surrounded by people like today, and I thought you’d find someone new right away. I wanted you to be happy, so I meddled a little…”

“Ah… Shima and Mizuho, right.”

“Yeah… Who you choose is up to you. I, your ex, have no right to say anything. How stupid of me. No matter how much I want you to be happy… I end up being nothing but a trauma to you.”

“…!?”

It’s true. Part of the reason I became like this is because of her, and I can’t deny that.

“If… I hadn’t said anything misleading from the start… if we had stayed friends all along… it would have been better.”

Seeing her so weak like this was honestly the first time. She was always free-spirited, spinning me around endlessly. Yet in messages, she’d act a little apologetic, and I could never dislike her. She never showed me she was crying before, but maybe she was hurt and crying when I wasn’t looking. I hadn’t noticed. I treated her like she was the most important, but in reality, I couldn’t even reach out when it mattered. Our relationship had already broken down at that point.

“I’m sorry… I really am.”

“Idiot.”

Even if she apologized now, it wouldn’t change anything. Our relationship had already reached that point.

So.

“Sure, you might be partly at fault for this.”

“…!”

Hiromi looked pained.

“But you know, I’m actually satisfied with my life right now. You remember I asked you before if I’m happy? Yeah, right now, I am happy. Even without love.”

“Th-That’s…”

“You say I only become your trauma? But you made that decision knowing it. You thought it through and chose to do this, right? Then don’t regret it.”

“B-But…”

“No ‘but.’ Unfortunately, I’m known for making traumas. One or two more now? Big deal.”

“W-Wait, I’ve heard that before, and that’s why I didn’t want to be a trauma…”

“Idiot. Remember, once you decide to break up, becoming a trauma is guaranteed.”

“Y-Yeah, that’s true…”

“I just want you to be happy too.”

“…!?”

“So, stop thinking about stupid stuff and be happy. I’ll be happy on my own too.”

“I see… yeah…”

Her eyes were still dark.

“Oh, and little by little you’ll get used to it. So… will you be my friend again?”

“…!?”

She looked surprised at first, then—

“Can’t be helped, huh…”

Wiping her tears, she smiled mischievously. That smile reminded me of the free-spirited girl who used to spin me around back then.