“Sounds like things are pretty complicated.”

“What do you mean, ‘complicated’?”

　Lunch break had arrived.

　I was having lunch with my bad friend Takase in the cafeteria.

　Takase told me in dismay as he chewed on a piece of fried chicken, today’s daily menu item.

“About you and Asuka. Asuka seems to have a lot of unresolved feelings for you. Look, even now.”

　Takase turned his gaze diagonally to the right.

　I followed his line of sight and turned around to see Asuka there.

　As soon as her eyes meet mine, she jumps up and down on her shoulders, and begins to slurp her udon hurriedly.

“It’s just a coincidence. The cafeteria is everyone’s space.”

“Well, If you say so”

Takase spills a gasp of resignation.

“You want to say something…..”

“I guess so. You’ve known her since middle school. ……And you know, it’s pretty amazing that a student couple can last more than two years. I thought you guys were going to end up getting married. That’s why I’m even more disappointed than the couple themselves at the sudden breakup.”

We started dating in the summer of our eighth grade year and are now in the fall of our freshman year of high school.

We have been dating for more than two years, although I wasn’t really aware of it.

　I don’t know the average length of a relationship for a student couple.

“Two years, isn’t that pretty normal?”

“No, not at all. It would have been a miracle if I had lasted six months.”

“That’s because you cheated on your girlfriend.”

“That’s one thing. Well, Hiroto and Asuka are rather rare. That’s why I’m personally attached to both of you.”

“Attached, huh?”

“Yes. I mean, doesn’t Hiroto have some unfinished business with Asuka-chan.”

“Of course not. I’m the one who dumped her.”

　I looked down at the tendon on the table and threw the squid tempura into my mouth.

“Funn….I see”

　Takase mutters sadly.

　I have no regrets. There is no way. If I had, I wouldn’t have break up with her.

“Then what are you going to do?　about Asuka.”

“What will I do?”

“Because Asuka is still in love with Hiroto, right? Shouldn’t you do something about it?”

“…..That being said.”

　Takase has a good point.

　It is not desirable to leave this situation as it is.

However, it’s also strange that I’m the one who has to do the follow-up work,…….

　As I was pondering over this, Takase spoke up

“Asuka thinks that Hiroto will forgive her for anything. So, for some reason, she thinks you two can get back together.”

“That might be the case. ……”

“Right?　So I think the quickest way is to tell her the reality.”

“Well, I’m trying to tell her the reality. ……”

“Words are not enough.”

“…Then what should I do?”

Is he trying to say that it is taught physically?

　Takase slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

It’s simple. All you have to do is get a new girlfriend.

　A new girlfriend, huh?

　Takase has a point.

　Or rather, it would be the best solution to break out of this situation.

　If I get a new girlfriend, the possibility of getting back together will be completely closed.

　If that happens, Asuka will have no choice but to come to terms with the situation.

　But unfortunately, I am not in the mental state to move on to the next relationship. I don’t know what to do.

“Hi-Hiroto ……”

　It was after school and I was changing my shoes in the shoe box.

It was cleaning duty, and the elevator entrance has become completely unpopular.

　I heard a voice calling me from among the sparsely scattered shadows.

　I didn’t have to look up to know who it was.

　Asuka bit her lower lip softly when I gave her a sly look.

“Don’t …… throw me away, Hiroto. Y-You’re not going to have a girlfriend other than me, are you?”

　The voice is so thin that it sounds like a mosquito’s buzzing.

“What’s going on? I don’t understand.”

“I don’t want to be without you, Hiroto.”

　Asuka squeezes my arm tightly.

　She was storing her tears as if they were about to spill over and appealed to me.

　Did she eavesdrop on my conversation with Takase during lunch break?　I don’t think she was in a position to eavesdrop us.

“Don’t touch me.”

“…….”

　I shake off Asuka’s hand.

　As I was about to walk towards the main gate, Asuka followed half a step behind me.

“Y-you know,…… I’m sorry,……. I-I won’t use threats of ‘breaking up’ anymore,…….”

“…………”

“I finally realized how bad I was doing! I finally realized how much I had done!”

“…………”

“I won’t do anything bad to Hiroto anymore. So, you know, we can start over…”

“We can’t start over. We broke up.”

“…..I-I can’t live without you, Hiroto.”

Asuka’s eyes, moistened with tears, turned to me.

　I stopped and turned to Asuka.

　I took a breath and squeezed it out from the back of my throat.

“We broke up, we broke up, we broke up, we broke up….I hope you can understand the feelings of the person who has told you so many times. I cherished my relationship with Asuka. I wanted to cherish it for a long time. I wanted to keep it!”

　I said in an unusually strong tone of voice.

　Asuka’s eyes widened and she rubbed her hands together meaninglessly.

“But when Asuka threatens to break up with me over trivial things, I’m getting more and more confused. I like Asuka, but you don’t like me. I’m just being treated as a convenient existence. …..But I want to cherish this relationship, so I’ve been doing my best in my own way. But I’ve reached my limit.”

And looking back again, I was no longer sure if I ‘liked’ Asuka.

That’s why I decided to break up with her.

“……. I-I’m sorry.”

“It’s no use apologizing.”

“I-I didn’t know I w-was pushing Hiroto that hard.”

“I don’t want you to cry.”

　Asuka burst into tears without stopping.

　But now it is different.

　It would have been counterproductive to be so gentle with her.

　I turned on my heel and headed home.