Episode 154: Serves You Right

「Okaa-san!! What have you been saying this whole time!?」

Yuzuha seemed frustrated at being ignored even though the conversation was about her.

But we, and probably Kumiko-san too, knew that talking through Yuzuha would get us nowhere, so we had an unspoken agreement to keep ignoring her.

What I wanted…

Through all of this, Yuzuha finally realized how Yamazaki truly felt about her and the fact that she was being used.

And through her conversation with Sara-san and the interaction with our former classmates, I think she understood at least a little of the pain and suffering I felt.

She must have felt some pain of her own.

In that case, things should have gone according to plan, yet right now she didn’t show any signs of self-reflection; she even had the nerve to say I was at fault too.

It wasn’t that I was looking for an apology.

In the first place, I have no intention of forgiving her.

But as a childhood friend, I at least wanted to wake her up by showing her Yamazaki’s true nature. I just thought that maybe, after that, she’d reflect on what she’d done.

And yet, what is she thinking?

Does she not feel any guilt? Does she not feel sorry toward me, or realize that she’s done something unforgivable?

As I stood there at a loss for words, unable to understand her, Sara-san spoke up again as if to back me up.

「You really are a hopelessly incorrigible fool. Kazunari-san wanted to free you from a piece of trash like Yamazaki, and he thought that if you reflected on your actions after that, it would be enough, you know? That is why we respected his wishes and cooperated, and yet…」

「That… I know I did something bad to Kazunari, but I’m also…」

When Yuzuha started mumbling excuses again, Sara-san let out a massive「Hah…」of a sigh.

Then she suddenly turned a harsh gaze toward Yuzuha, glaring at her sharply.

「Something has been bothering me… you actually realize the gravity of what you did, don’t you? You’re just scared and trying to save your own skin.」

「!?」

Yuzuha looked shocked by Sara-san’s sudden accusation.

But the moment she realized I was watching, she winced and awkwardly looked away.

「I thought so. You were babbling nonsense about how it was Kazunari-san’s fault, but did your victim complex grow stronger because you were tricked by Yamazaki? Are you convincing yourself that because you’re also a victim, your crimes should be considered lighter?」

「…………」

Yuzuha remained silent as usual, but it was basically a confession that she’d hit the mark.

Meaning even now, she’s still only thinking about herself!?

「Yuzuha… don’t you mess with me!!!! What is wrong with you!? Are you really only thinking about yourself in the end!? You haven’t changed at all!!!!」

「That’s not… I wasn’t thinking that far!!」

「”That far” implies you were thinking it to some extent, doesn’t it? I wondered if it was unconscious… but you were convincing yourself intentionally. Kazunari-san thought it would be enough if you just honestly reflected on your actions… that’s why I called you a hopelessly incorrigible fool.」

Cutting off her excuses, Sara-san’s cold, exasperated words weighed heavily on Yuzuha.

Maybe because she’d been called out, Yuzuha went silent again, and the crossfire from everyone else began.

「Heh… so even though you knew, you were just trying to run away by blaming others before apologizing? This woman is the absolute worst.」

「Takanashi-san, I don’t think there’s any need to hold back regarding what we discussed earlier. I’ll cooperate as much as possible on my end.」

Natsumi-senpai and Nishikawa-san both glared at Yuzuha with expressions of pure anger.

「Takanashi-kun, you should really let this girl suffer. There’s no need to go easy on her. She’s definitely thinking some nonsense about how her responsibility is lighter since she’s a victim.」

「I was going to let it go for Takanashi-kun’s sake, but I can’t. She really is the lowest.」

「I can’t believe it… people like this actually exist.」

Hanako-san’s point was a very real possibility considering the current Yuzuha.

Thinking about that, my anger toward Yuzuha flared up even more.

「I’ve seen all kinds of women, but she’s a top-tier nasty piece of work.」

「She’s hopeless. Kazunari, I told you there wouldn’t be a second time, didn’t I? It’ll be hard on Kumiko-san, but it’s better to make Yuzuha take proper responsibility. Being soft won’t help her.」

I didn’t even need to be told. I’d already decided to hold Yuzuha responsible.

However, I wouldn’t forget to keep it within reason for Kumiko-san’s sake.

「Yuzuha, I’ve realized just how naive I was. if that’s how you’re going to be, I’m changing my mind too.」

「Kazunari!! I’m really sorry! I’ll apologize! I’ll apologize properly!! So…」

Yuzuha started panicking violently, repeating the word「apologize」over and over.

But I could tell instantly that this wasn’t an apology to me, but just a desperate attempt to save herself.

「Don’t you mess with me!!! Enough is enough!!!!」

「Hic!?」

Yuzuha flinched at my roar.

Thinking about it, I’d never gotten angry at her like this until today.

I thought I was treasuring her, but in the end, I might have just been spoiling her all along.

「You’re so shameless when you don’t even have the heart to apologize!!!! It’s over. I thought it would be enough if you just reflected, but I’ll never forgive you!!!」

「I’m sorry!! I’ll really apologize!! I’m reflecting!!」

Yuzuha seemed desperate too, but it was too late either way.

If the reason she became so self-centered was because Kumiko-san and I spoiled her, then it’s better for this pampered girl to go through some hardships alone.

「Kumiko-san, please make her transfer schools or whatever it takes, and have her live alone in a place where she has no friends or acquaintances. No allowance. Make her pay for all her living expenses with a part-time job. Don’t let her play around at all; make her life consist of nothing but school and work from now on!!」

For now, I told Kumiko-san the first things that came to mind.

Kumiko-san looked like she couldn’t hide her shock at Yuzuha’s true feelings, but that only seemed to strengthen her resolve as she gave a firm nod to my instructions.

「…Understood. In that case, I think we’ll clear out our current house and move. I’ll have Yuzuha transfer and live alone in a place where she has no friends or acquaintances. I’ll live nearby and watch over her properly this time to make sure she really reflects… I’ll have her work a part-time job and put everything toward her living expenses. How does that sound?」

After listening to me, Kumiko-san proposed a plan she’d judged was feasible.

It had become a big deal, but she seemed to mean it.

And on top of that, she intended to give an apology that truly followed my instructions.

「I don’t want to transfer!! I finally made so many friends, and now I’ll be alone aga…」

WHACK!!!

Sara-san, looking furious at Yuzuha’s selfish protest, slapped her across the cheek with all her might.

「Those friends were made by sacrificing Kazunari-san!! Stop acting so spoiled already!!!」

Sara-san’s roar echoed through the venue.

But this got to me too.

How could she even say that… I was the one who ended up alone because of her, and yet at this stage, she’s still only… saying such self-centered things about herself.

Ignoring Yuzuha, who was crying silently after being slapped, Nishikawa-san started talking to Kumiko-san.

「If it’s a transfer, I know just the place. It’s a private school attached to a facility related to our group. The required grades are low, so transferring shouldn’t be difficult. Besides, I’ll put in a word directly. It’s quite far away, but that’s not a problem, is it? Ah, if you’d like, I can introduce you to real estate and jobs all at once. There are plenty of options over there.」

「Thank you. I’m sorry to end up causing you so much trouble, but I’ll take you up on that.」

With Nishikawa-san joining the talk, the conversation moved forward rapidly, completely ignoring Yuzuha.

As the talk progressed this far, Yuzuha finally realized that this wasn’t a joke or a hypothetical, but that it was actually going to happen, and her panic accelerated.

「Hey, it’s a lie, right!? Okaa-san, you’re not serious!? Moving is way too much!! I’ll apologize to Kazunari properly, so just wait a…」

「Kazunari-kun, I’ll visit your parents later to apologize. And I’ll have Yuzuha prepare compensation to take even a little responsibility for what she’s done to you. I’ll cover it for now, but I’ll make sure Yuzuha pays me back eventually. Just as you instructed, I’ll have her focus on school and her part-time job, and I have no intention of letting her play around at all during her high school life. It’s my responsibility for letting her do whatever she wanted until now… I promise to stay by Yuzuha’s side and discipline her properly this time. I am truly sorry.」

Kumiko-san bowed deeply with tears in her eyes.

Maybe because she had no intention of letting Yuzuha speak, she rapidly decided the details and finalized the talk.

In the end, in this short amount of time, everything was decided: the move, the transfer, the job, the solatium, and even the new school, place to live, and workplace were all being handled with Nishikawa-san’s help.

「Understood. If you’re willing to go that far, I’ll accept it. I hadn’t even thought about compensation, but…」

「Kazunari-san, that is also a form of making her take responsibility, you know? You have the right to receive it, and Sasagawa-san has the duty to pay it, so you should accept it.」

I guess so.

Just as Sara-san says, since I’ve decided to make Yuzuha take responsibility, I should consider that too.

「Understood. Yuzuha, you heard that? Take responsibility for what you’ve done.」

Yuzuha, who probably thought she’d be forgiven if she apologized, likely never expected me to be this firm.

After hearing my words, Yuzuha had a look of pure shock on her face.

And just as almost everything was decided, Nishikawa-san suddenly turned to glare at Yuzuha.

「As for your school life, I have an acquaintance who will be your classmate, so I’ll be sure to tell them everything.」

Nishikawa-san’s merciless declaration would surely bring dark clouds over Yuzuha’s future high school life.

Sara-san jumped on that too, delivering another blow to Yuzuha.

「Isn’t that great? Maybe by the time you transfer, those ‘rumors’ you love so much will already be spreading? And this time, you’re the one at the center of them. You must be happy, right?」

If that happens, those rumors will become the factor that makes Yuzuha follow the same path I did.

And that will become the form I’m looking for:「Taking responsibility while experiencing my pain at the same time.」

All of this is the result of the choices Yuzuha made.

「This is too cruel!? I don’t know what’s gonna happen to me!」

「SHUT UP!!! It is exactly what you did to Kazunari-san!!!!!」

To the Yuzuha who looked like she was about to wail, Sara-san unleashed a roar that silenced her.

Then she let out a massive sigh as she looked at Yuzuha.

「Kazunari-san was thinking of you until the very end, and yet you’re really only thinking about yourself, aren’t you? Why is someone like you Kazunari-san’s childhood friend? Why was I not the one who was his childhood friend?」

Staring at Yuzuha with contempt, Sara-san started saying those things deep from her heart.

「I’ve had a hard time with men ever since I was little. Once I got to middle and high school, it was nothing but nuisances like that piece of trash Yamazaki and other idiots hitting on me… but nobody helped me, and other girls even asked me who I thought I was. So I had no choice but to handle things on my own… but how about you? You had someone by your side who was so kind and would prioritize you even if it meant sacrificing himself, didn’t you? If it were me, I would have cherished Kazunari-san more than anyone else. Because there’s no way I wouldn’t fall for a man this wonderful.」

With that, Sara-san suddenly turned a loving gaze toward me with a smile.

In the middle of her being angry at Yuzuha, being looked at like that made me blush.

Feeling my face turn red for sure, I reflexively looked down to try and hide it.

Sara-san, as if not allowing that, slowly reached out her hand, held my face still, and stared at me.

After a while, she gently pulled my head to her chest.

And without saying anything, she just wrapped me in her kindness.

「That is exactly why I cannot forgive you for making light of Kazunari-san’s kindness. I cannot forgive you for betraying him. I will absolutely never forgive you for trashing Kazunari-san and making him suffer.」

Her words were incredibly harsh, but in contrast, her movements were so gentle, occasionally stroking my head or cheek.

It was as if she were showing her affection for me through her actions.

「Do our actions seem strange to you? If so, it means your relationship with that piece of trash was only worth that much.」

Suddenly pulling back her harshness, Sara-san brought up Yamazaki for some reason.

And when she started comparing it to our relationship, Yuzuha reacted by muttering,「What are you trying to say?」

「When you love someone, you want to be kind to them and make them happy whenever and wherever you are. And by doing so, you yourself can feel happiness. That’s why I always want to do this for Kazunari-san, and it makes me happy at the same time.」

If I had to call it something, it’d be the「Sara-san theory」… Sara-san was laying out her own philosophy.

Of course, I don’t think she’s wrong, but thinking about it calmly, the「whenever and wherever」part might be something we need to consider.

「That’s why I’m truly happy when I’m doing this for Kazunari-san. Kazunari-san… do you feel happy too?」

Sara-san pulled me close and asked in a sweet, whispering voice.

「…Yes. Being treated like this by you, Sara-san… makes me really happy.」

Hearing my honest answer, she pulled her face back a bit and…

Chu.

She kissed my forehead.

Keeping her kind smile, she turned back to Yuzuha.

「This is the happiness you threw away, you know? It’s the result of your foolish choice to think only of yourself, sacrifice a precious man like Kazunari-san, and pick a piece of trash like Yamazaki. And you, who even crushed the last chance Kazunari-san gave you… things are going to be tough for you from now on, aren’t they? I’m sure quite the ‘fun’ second high school life is waiting for you. Though it’s all your own fault.」

After saying all that, Sara-san slowly let go of my head and adjusted my body so that I was facing Yuzuha.

And finally, she linked her arm with mine.

「Let me say thank you one last time. I said it when that man was here too… but thank you for choosing that piece of trash. Thanks to you, I was able to meet a precious man like Kazunari-san. I’m really glad you were so stupid.」

Then Sara-san stared into my eyes with the greatest smile possible.

「I’m definitely going to make you happy, Kazunari-san.」

Shouldn’t that be my line, normally?

In terms of my happiness, by meeting Sara-san… by being with her… I’ve already received a full measure of it. I feel happy all the time.

So I want Sara-san to feel happy too. I want to give her happiness.

「Sara-san, that’s my line, you know? I’m definitely going to make you happy.」

When I shot back those words, Sara-san hugged me happily from the front. I wrapped my arms around her back and held her close.

「Fufu… then let’s be happy together. I really love you, Kazunari-san…」

「I love you too, Sara-san.」

I smiled back at Sara-san’s happy smile.

Then Sara-san shifted her body slightly and turned only her head toward Yuzuha.

「Sasagawa-san, as you can see, Kazunari-san is fine now, so please do your best in your new life without any worries. I’ll be rooting for you, okay?」

「Yuzuha, do your best and fulfill your responsibility, okay?」

Sara-san’s greeting was kind and polite, and it was the ultimate insult to Yuzuha.

Mine was a direct shot, letting Yuzuha know that what was decided was now reality.

「…………」

Whether she realized it was hopeless or she’d given up, Yuzuha, who had been silent the whole time, finally burst into large tears.

Without making a scene or sobbing like before, she just cried silently, as if frustrated and trying to endure it.

Yuzuha didn’t cut into the detailed conversation with Kumiko-san after that.

And that didn’t change until the end; she never opened her mouth or stopped crying.

「Yuzuha, don’t cause any more trouble for Kumiko-san, okay? And… take care.」

Yuzuha remained unresponsive even to my last words.

In the end… until the very last moment, she never said a word of apology or reflection.