I Was Helping My Friend When His Wife Cheated On Him, But He Claimed He Would Forgive Her Once, But The Bad Luck Keeps Coming - Episode 2

I met my husband, Tomoya-kun, when I was a sophomore in college.

It all started when Ayaka, Akari, and I, who became friends after enrolling, were asked to go on a group date with students from the same university.

Tomoya-kun also said that he was forcibly made to join by Ayaka’s husband, Koichi-kun, and his friend, Tsuyoshi-kun. I grew up in an all-girls school from middle to high school, so I had few opportunities to interact with men, and I was scared… but I was also a little interested.

The reason for holding the mixer seems to be that Tsuyoshi-kun, wanting a girlfriend, took the initiative and pleaded with Koichi-kun, and it happened through Ayaka-san’s connections.

The three men are friends from university, just like the three of us women.

Ayaka and Koichi-kun were childhood friends, but it seems they only started dating after entering university.

The group of men wasn’t very refined and their language was quite casual, but I think their behavior and consideration towards women were sufficiently gentlemanly. I’m grateful that they shattered the scary image of men I had in mind. I think we just clicked.

Even after that, I never imagined that our activities as a group of six would continue even after graduation.

I wonder if it was after I started working… We ended up spending a lot of time together, and I fell in love with his personality and kindness. I thought to myself, “I want to be with this person.”

Tomoya-kun was a bit shy like me, but he always took the lead when we were together.

As I approached my late twenties, my parents started asking me, “Don’t you have a good person in your life?”

Around the time I was being asked more frequently by my parents if I had met anyone nice, Tomoya-kun confessed his feelings to me. Weren’t you two dating? You might be surprised, but since we were both scared… heh… it’s funny, thinking back on it now makes me laugh.

When I was confessed to, of course, I said, “I look forward to spending a long time together too.” Overwhelmed with emotion, I ended up responding to the marriage proposal, and then Tomoya-kun… said he would make me happy.

After that, everything went smoothly, and my parents met with his parents, and I also met with Tomoya-kun’s parents…

I think my usual group of four friends were all really happy, and we had a small but truly joyful wedding at a little church with just family and close friends.

With my smiling friend next to me, Ayaka, Akari, Koichi, and Takeshi, as well as all the relatives who will become family from now on, everyone blessed us.

I remember being very nervous on the wedding night.

Tomoya-kun and I were both inexperienced, and we didn’t mind not using a condom, but in the confusion, we ended up using one. Afterward, we both laughed and said, “Oh, we didn’t need to use it.”

After that, when we did it live again, the sense of unity was incredible… I was like, “This is really addictive.”

Both Tomoya and I were working, but I think we enjoyed our newlywed life peacefully and without strain, doing household chores within our capabilities.

And one year after marrying Tomoya-kun, Ayaka and Koichi-san also got married.

If anything, it might have been better to have a joint wedding ceremony with Sumire? Ayaka was laughing, saying, “Maybe we should have had a joint wedding with Sumire.”

Gou-kun and Akari aren’t really in that kind of mood yet, I hear.

Both of them seemed to be having so much fun at work.

Especially Akari, she can’t get enough of her skills as a makeup artist and the joy of advancing her career… I heard she was in charge of a major advertising campaign.

I didn’t have the ambition of Akari, nor was I as sociable as Ayaka, so I was just working at the company I somewhat randomly got a job at. Once I saved up a decent amount of money, I became a full-time housewife.

I spent more time at home and had more time alone, but I felt fulfilled because there were more things I could do for Tomoya-kun.

Every morning, I prepared breakfast, woke him up with a “good morning,” and never missed giving him a kiss as he left.

I don’t cut corners with housework, and while shopping, I save money but still buy nutritious food for Tomoya-kun’s health management. Of course, when Tomoya-kun comes home, I say, “Welcome back, dear,” but it’s a bit embarrassing when others see it.

Taking a bath together and even washing each other’s backs is so much fun.

And then, as long as it doesn’t affect tomorrow, we have our nightly activities… and he says it’s fine whenever we have kids. Tomoya-kun hugs me and we fall asleep.

As I continued living such an exceptionally happy and blessed life for several years, I became more efficient and found myself with too much free time. Since having savings is never a problem, I decided to take on a part-time job.

Deep down, I have feelings about not being able to have children and towards my parents and in-laws, and I hope this can help relieve my stress.

Tomoya-kun agreed to do what Sumire wanted, and I was able to find a job that could be done without interfering with household matters.

Maybe you sensed my pain of not being able to have children.

I never even thought that this choice would lead to a lifetime of regret…

Has it been a few years since I became a part-timer…? Around the time I started being relied upon, giving instructions, and being entrusted with training new hires, a part-timer named Fuwaki-kun joined us.

When we first met, I thought he was shy and somehow reminded me of my friend from school.
Maybe it was because the atmosphere was similar, but as I interacted with him as a mentor, I sometimes felt as if I were with my friend from college, and I even called him by the wrong name.

Our part-time staff also came to trust Fuwaki-kun, who could treat anyone kindly with a smile, and it was around the time he was finally recognized as a colleague that a shadow began to appear on his face.

I noticed that he had started making small mistakes, and when I happened to see him crying in the staff room, I asked him what was wrong. Although Fuwaki-kun refused to talk, saying it was nothing and that he was fine, perhaps due to Ayaka and Akari’s influence, I ended up choosing to get involved actively.

I didn’t force him, but perhaps because I kept offering to listen, or maybe because he wanted to get it off his chest… he finally told me that he had been dumped by the girl he loved so much.
If it were just being rejected by someone I liked, loved, and even thought about a future with, that would be one thing, but to have been taken away by another man…

I became emotionally involved as if it were my own situation.

If Tomoya-kun cheats on me.

When I thought about being taken away by another woman, my chest felt so tight that I ended up crying on the spot.

Fuwaki-kun, looking flustered, said to me, “I’m sorry, please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make Sumire-san feel bad,” and he was stumbling over his words trying to comfort me… Watching that was a bit amusing.

He handed me a handkerchief and said, “Thank you for listening, Sumire-san!” He bowed his head and then looked up, blushing… My heart raced at the sight.

To avoid showing my agitation, I replied with a simple “I’m glad,” but I hurried to the restroom, worried that my cheeks might be flushed.

I have my beloved friend, but what am I doing with another man… especially a younger boy… this is wrong, wrong, I have to forget.

Normally, this story would end here.

Falling for someone younger is something that only happens in dramas… but a continuation like that from a drama actually happened.

From the day he and I had a conversation and the next time we worked together, there was a change in his attitude towards me. He still acted the same way as before, but when it was just the two of us, he got closer to me.

It’s not like they’re pushing me aggressively, but they subtly show consideration for me and quietly take on difficult tasks, changes that only I notice…

It’s not unpleasant, but rather comfortable, and naturally, as I come to rely on him, I find myself entrusting more to Fuwaki-kun.

So, if you say I had a gap, it’s true, but did they force their way in? I wonder if thinking that is just shifting the blame.

A reliable older woman, after all. Just someone who was kind to me, and I mistook it for something more. Just someone I can lean on after being rejected… Is it that I want to think that way, or am I just convincing myself?

Such conflicts faded over time, and on the contrary, Fuwaki-kun’s clear affection for me grew stronger.

Thinking that I needed to set things straight somehow, I told Fuwaki-kun that I couldn’t reciprocate his feelings because I have a beloved husband named Tomoya-kun… and to laugh it off if it was just a misunderstanding on his part.

“It’s not a misunderstanding. Sumire-san… I like you. It’s not that I want to date you or that I want to trouble you… I just… want you to know how I feel.”

The expression on your face when you answered seriously… and those eyes, they drive me crazy.
Sympathy? Pity? Pity? I definitely thought it was pitiful…

But I am drawn to his eyes.

Tomoya-kun is my important person. I can say that without a doubt.

Even so, Fuwaki-kun’s eyes and presence are such that I can’t just leave him be…

I don’t really understand what happened afterward. It felt like we had a close sibling-like relationship, but before I knew it, I was only thinking about him…

I haven’t done anything to betray Tomoya-kun.

I thought I was just going to support Fuwaki-kun for now… a pseudo-romantic relationship… a connection until he gets a new girlfriend, this isn’t serious… a secret…

That’s why we never became sexually involved.

The frequency of us going out together has increased, but I’ve only been lightly kissed on the cheek, held hands, and maybe hugged a few times…

It’s a lie. This is betrayal.

Looking back calmly, I can’t say that I wasn’t aware of Fuwaki-kun… It was clear that I was unconsciously trying to be liked by him, from my makeup and clothes to my underwear.

And then…

When Fuwaki-kun decided to quit his part-time job for personal reasons―――――

It’s time to say goodbye to Sumire-san as well. I was taken care of, encouraged, and supported, and I was so happy and had so much fun… I fell in love…

Could I have one last memory with Sumire-san? …and.

I thought about refusing. Tomoya-kun’s face immediately came to mind.

But it’s the last one.

I won’t tell anyone, it’s a secret just between me and Fuwaki-kun.

That one time, just that one act, would end up destroying everything about my foolish, happy self… But somehow, I felt like I knew. The emptiness of an act not done with a loved one, the guilt towards Tomoya-kun, continued to swirl in my heart.

I knew this would happen.

The broken mirror does not reflect again.