Before My Memories With You Melt Away in Tears - Episode 8
The classes that followed were hard to focus on. Despite trying not to let it get to her, every now and then, her thoughts drifted to Kyoya and, of course, his ex-girlfriend. Fujino had said she was beautiful. Well, of course, she must be, to have been Kyoya’s girlfriend.
When she remembered the mirror in her pencil case, she quickly turned her gaze away. She already knew she wasn’t particularly cute, and that she didn’t have the kind of face that anyone would call beautiful. She didn’t need to look in the mirror again to be reminded. She was only going to end up feeling sad, so there was no point in purposely doing something that would hurt.
During the break that followed, something strange was happening. After the first class, the classroom, which had been buzzing with chatter, was inexplicably quiet. She could feel occasional glances in her direction, but no one came over to say anything.
“Ayaka, what’s wrong? You look confused,”
A voice called to her from beside her desk. It was Shuri and Fujino. Fujino’s face looked a bit displeased.
“Ah, um, more importantly, what about you, Fujino?”
“Oh, this? Don’t worry about it,”
“Don’t tell me not to worry about it! I got scolded by Shuri because of that talk about Ikeda-senpai’s ex-girlfriend! Hey, Ayaka, you’re not bothered by that, are you? You wouldn’t get upset over something like that, right?”
Fujino leaned over Ayaka’s desk and spoke in a teasing tone.
“W-Wait a minute, Fujino!” Shuri quickly tried to stop her.
Ayaka… gave a sheepish smile, looking a bit troubled.
“Uh… yeah, it’s fine. If she was Ikeda-senpai’s girlfriend, of course she must be beautiful, right?”
“See, I told you!”
Fujino grinned proudly at Shuri, who frowned in frustration.
“…But Shuri, you were just looking out for me, right? Thanks.”
“It’s fine. If you’re okay with it, then that’s all that matters,”
“I was really happy that you defended me like that,”
Ayaka smiled, and Shuri… sighed deeply.
“Ugh. Seriously, Ayaka, you’re always like this…”
“Shuri?”
“Nothing! Anyway… don’t push yourself too hard, okay?”
“Thanks.”
Ayaka could feel Shuri’s concern, and it made her heart warm. She couldn’t help but smile, and Shuri smiled faintly in return.
“So, why were you looking so confused earlier?”
Shuri’s mood had lightened, and she asked with a little more curiosity. Ayaka thought back to the strange thing that had happened earlier and decided to explain.
“Well, it’s just… I was wondering why.”
After Ayaka finished explaining, Fujino raised her eyebrows in confusion and Shuri seemed surprised.
“You don’t get it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Earlier, Ikeda-senpai said, ‘I was wondering if anyone said anything to you.’ That was a warning to the other girls in class.”
“A warning…?”
Shuri shook her head, a little exasperated, and explained further.
“So, you see, by Ikeda-senpai saying that, even if there are girls in class who might be jealous of you, they won’t be able to say anything. It’s like he was saying, ‘You’re not bothering my girlfriend, are you?’ with that smile of his. With that kind of smile, I don’t think anyone in the first year could do anything to you.”
It finally clicked for Ayaka—why Kyoya had gone out of his way to come to her class and talk to the girls after only a ten-minute break. He was making sure that no one would harm her or say anything to her because of their relationship.
“See, proof of it.”
Shuri pointed toward the hallway.
“The other kids from other classes and the seniors are acting like that, right?”
Ayaka turned and saw that a crowd had gathered around the windows along the hallway. A boy sitting near the window closed it in irritation. She could even see some people pointing at her and saying things.
“Well, I think fewer people in our class will say anything, but dating Ikeda-senpai means you’ll probably attract people like that,”
“Fujino?! You’re scaring her!”
Shuri quickly tried to reassure Ayaka after Fujino’s blunt comment, but Ayaka herself already understood that after yesterday’s after-school incident and today, she’d figured it out.
“I’m not trying to scare you. But you should know. So, are you still going to date Ikeda-senpai?”
If you’re going to stop, now’s the time.
Now is when you can still turn back.
There was something hidden behind Fujino’s words, something that almost sounded like a warning.
But it wasn’t coming from a place of malice. Fujino was worried about her.
Ayaka knew that. But…
“Yeah, I think I’ll stay in this relationship a little longer.”
Normally, Ayaka would have said something like, “Yeah, maybe I should stop” or “I guess it’s impossible after all.” But now, the words that came out of her mouth surprised even herself.
She wanted to stay in this relationship a little longer. She wanted to know more about Kyoya, just a little bit more.
She didn’t know what to call this feeling yet, but she wanted to hold onto this tiny spark of interest she was starting to feel for him.
“Got it. Then I’ll support you. What about you, Shuri?”
“I’m already supporting you. After all, he’s the one you chose.”
The words from both of them made Ayaka’s chest hurt just a little.
It wasn’t that she had fallen in love with him. It wasn’t that she couldn’t refuse.
She just smiled her usual smile, going along with things—just like always.
She hated this side of herself.
“Ayaka?”
“No, it’s nothing. Thanks, both of you.”
But if no one got hurt in the process, if no one felt bad, then maybe it was fine.
If Kyoya’s kindness was real, then Ayaka’s kindness was fake.
She pretended to be kind to avoid hurting anyone, to make sure no one hated her—just fake kindness.
But even so, Ayaka couldn’t stop smiling.
All the swirling emotions inside her heart, she hid them behind the smile she plastered on her face.