Chapter 4.5: Friends

The day after the False Memory commotion ended.

Before Shinya arrived at school, Sara called me to the landing leading to the rooftop.

The False Memory had been exposed, and I was back to my usual distance from Shinya. The tension with Sara had also disappeared, but Sara asked me something a little difficult to bring up.

“Yuki, you’ve only had one boyfriend, right?”

“Only one, truly.”

I had my first crush on Shinya in middle school and dated him briefly in the summer of first year high school.

That was the first and last time.

“Why are you asking me something like that so suddenly?”

“I’m happy dating Shinya-kun every day. But I was in an all-girls school, so I haven’t seen much of dating, and I’m curious about what other girls our age are doing…”

“Sara, you’re such a hopeless romantic to worry about something like that~”

“M-Mooom!”

I was glad we could talk happily like this again. The few days Sara was suspicious were honestly painful.

I realized again that I wanted to be friends with Sara forever, and that the time we spent as a trio was important.

“Are you experienced in romance, Yuki?”

“Haha, I broke up with my boyfriend quickly, so I probably can’t help you, Sara.”

I laughed and dodged the question, but Sara looked apologetic.

“I didn’t understand anything about dating.”

She said that, then looked straight at me, her expression turning serious.

“I didn’t understand anything, to the point where I mistakenly thought you and Shinya-kun were cheating. And yet I behaved like that… I’m truly sorry.”

“I-It’s okay. I think I was doing confusing things, too. I’ll make sure to keep my distance from Hayasaki-kun from now on!”

“It really was just my misunderstanding.”

Shinya-kun and Yuki weren’t cheating.

But you, Yuki.

You love him, don’t you?

You love Shinya-kun.

“Eh?”

“It’s true that I only have experience dating Shinya-kun, but I think I understand my own feelings a little.”

And she said my eyes were the same as hers.

“The same as my eyes when I look at Shinya-kun.”

I was careless. I didn’t realize Sara was watching me that closely.

But I should have known Sara’s keen observation skills from the game center.

Sara’s eyes, which quickly improved after watching Shinya’s gameplay.

It was only natural that my feelings for him would be transparent to her.

Despite that, I hadn’t paid attention to the details. I regretted my own lack of caution.

“It’s true that I like Hayasaki-kun.”

I had no choice but to admit it. There was no point in making excuses now. It would only make Sara suspicious again.

“But I won’t make a move on Hayasaki-kun, because our friendship is important.”

“Yes, I knew you would say that, Yuki.”

There was no malice in her words. It was as if she didn’t doubt me at all.

“I love the time we spend together as a trio. Besides, Shinya-kun looks happy when the three of us are together, and I think that’s the most important thing.”

Sara was truly a good girlfriend. She thought about Shinya a lot.

That’s why I understood why Shinya liked Sara, and I also wanted to support their relationship.

“It’s okay. I’ve completely given up on Hayasaki-kun. Because Sara and I are friends.”

But that wasn’t the only reason I was giving up on Shinya.

It was true that I wanted to protect my friendship with Sara, but there was one more definitive reason.

The False Memory incident.

If I tried to become Shinya’s number one, I would lose control of my feelings and act recklessly like that. And Shinya would be forced into a situation where he had to lie.

Shinya looked so distressed when he thought about lying.

Shinya, who saved me when I couldn’t trust anyone, was suffering.

But that was because I craved Shinya.

So, to free Shinya from his suffering, to give up on Shinya—

I decided to graduate from the Daily Girlfriend.