Hayashi Megumi’s Misunderstanding

From the heroine’s perspective (second time)

When I woke up from a bad dream, tears were streaming from both my eyes. The memories from that time are gradually being overcome with the passage of time. But when it comes to dreams that catch me off guard, I can’t quite keep my composure.

Right now, there’s a guy living with me in this room.

I didn’t want that guy to see my face like this, so I frantically scanned the room with my eyes to figure out where he was.

The guy… Yamamoto was an early riser. It’s the summer break of a hopelessly lazy college student. That weirdo with his perverse hobbies wakes up at six in the morning no matter what time he went to bed the night before, starting the day by cleaning ahead of everyone else.

As expected, Yamamoto’s not in his bedding.

He’s not in the living room either.

“Woo-hoo! I got a ton of hair out of the drain!”

Sounds like he’s in the bathroom.

He usually acts all cool, but when it comes to cleaning, it’s like he can’t hold back the passion burning inside him, letting out weird yells every now and then.

At first glance, he seems like a total nutcase, and even after a second or third look, there’s no saving him—he’s just plain weird.

But this morning, his ridiculous antics somehow make me smile. I wipe the tears from the corners of my eyes and start preparing breakfast for the cleaning-obsessed idiot who saved me from that hell.

We eat breakfast together, and after a while, he starts cleaning again. It’s the last Friday of summer break. I’d decided last night, as he was snoring away, to bring up something I wanted to talk about with him.

“Hey, Yamamoto. There’s a place I want to go today.”

“Oh? Where?”

“The bookstore.”

“Bookstore, huh?”

Yamamoto, who’s engrossed in cleaning with his back to me, pauses for a moment before looking up at the ceiling, letting out a thoughtful hum as if taking my words seriously.

“Maybe I’ll come along.”

“No, I was planning on you coming with me from the start.”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

There seems to be some kind of misunderstanding here. When I said I wanted to go to the bookstore, I didn’t mean I was just going by myself—I meant let’s go together. His dumbfounded, pigeon-hit-by-a-peashooter expression is honestly kind of annoying.

“…Whatever, it’s fine. What are you buying, Hayashi?”

“A bookkeeping study guide.”

“What, you’re taking the bookkeeping exam?”

“Yeah… If I just stay cooped up in this room, I’m nothing but a freeloader, right?”

Yamamoto, who’d gone back to his cleaning, turns just his face toward me.

A long silence follows.

“…I’ve never once thought of you as a freeloader, you know. You do all the housework besides cleaning.”

“What are you talking about? You’re a broke college student with barely any income, and here you are, taking care of a useless NEET like me. I’m nothing but a burden.”

“Don’t call yourself a NEET. You’re just taking some time to recharge, aren’t you?”

“…I’m going to work.”

“I said…”

“I’ll start with a part-time job, but I’m going to get certified and find a real job too.”

Yamamoto’s expression doesn’t soften. Even though he’s the one hiding me here, he probably doesn’t know how much he’s allowed to meddle in my life. What an idiot. He doesn’t need to overthink it—just do whatever he wants with me. Like someone else might’ve, using me as a stress reliever or an outlet for their desires.

At the very least, this guy who saved me from that hell has earned that right. That’s what I believe.

“…Is going back to university completely out of the question?”

Yamamoto’s words catch me off guard.

I never would’ve guessed he was thinking about that. It hadn’t even crossed my mind.

“No way. I already dropped out.”

“But… didn’t you only drop out because you were pushed into a corner and had no choice?”

Yamamoto’s head droops, and he looks genuinely sad. He’s a weirdo most of the time, but every now and then, he shows this terribly sorrowful face. I hate seeing it. Because whenever he makes that face, it’s almost always because of something related to me. It makes me feel like I’m being crushed by guilt.

“Anyway, it’s already decided.”

“…I see.”

“Thanks for worrying about someone like me.”

Yamamoto’s face still doesn’t clear up. For a while after that, he keeps cleaning the room with that same troubled expression.

By the time we finish lunch, we head out to the bookstore. By then, Yamamoto seems to have switched gears, acting like his usual self again.

The bookstore.

We end up getting into a bit of an argument.

“I’m telling you, it’d be more efficient if we split up.”

“Ugh, that’s not the point! I didn’t come to the bookstore with you to be efficient!”

When I snap at efficiency-obsessed Yamamoto in a sharp tone, he finally gives in. Dragging him along as he grumbles behind me, we wander through the bookstore together. For some reason, maybe because he’s trailing behind me, browsing the bookstore feels kind of fun.

I buy the bookkeeping study guide as planned, and Yamamoto picks up a book on cleaning techniques.

He’s usually pretty quiet, but when he starts talking about the book he decided to buy, he gets unusually chatty, passionately explaining how amazing it is. I understand maybe ten percent of what he’s saying—no, scratch that, zero percent.

“Here.”

Yamamoto suddenly holds out his hand in front of me.

“What? You want me to shake it or something?”

“No, I’ll carry your book.”

“…Thanks.”

I hand the book to Yamamoto with a serious expression.

Honestly, this guy’s surprisingly considerate. When we go to the supermarket together, he always carries the bags, and when we’re walking on the sidewalk, he always takes the side closer to the road.

On top of that, he’s pretty good at picking up on how girls feel… I used to think he was a total virgin. I still don’t doubt that, but I’m starting to think he might’ve at least had some experience with dating.

But every time that thought crosses my mind, I shake my head to dismiss it. For some reason, whenever I start thinking like that, it puts me in a bad mood.

“Sorry, mind if I hit the bathroom before we head back?”

“Sure. I’ll wait.”

Yamamoto heads off to the restroom.

I decide to mess around on my phone near the bookstore’s exit.

“Huh, Meg?”

A familiar voice.

“…Oh, Akari.”

I let my guard down.

This is the closest bookstore to Akari’s place too. I should’ve realized we might run into each other.

…That day.

Ever since I found out that Yamamoto confessed to Akari in the past, I haven’t hung out with her. It’s not like I started hating her or anything. I mean, I’ve turned down plenty of guys myself—more than once or twice.

…But there’s no denying that I’ve been avoiding her because of the feelings stirring inside me.

“Ugh, you haven’t contacted me at all since that day! What’s up with you? What’re you doing in a place like this?”

“…Just shopping. Thought I’d study for the bookkeeping exam.”

“Bookkeeping? Whoa, Meg, you’re going for a certification?”

“…Yeah.”

“That’s awesome! That’s so cool! You’ve got this—keep at it! I’m totally rooting for you!”

“Thanks.”

“…By the way.”

Akari suddenly starts glancing around nervously.

“Is Yamamoto-kun here today?”

It’s just a casual remark.

Since Akari knows I’m staying at Yamamoto’s place, it’s only natural she’d ask something like that—just small talk.

But still, I thought it.

I couldn’t help but think it.

…She turned Yamamoto down back then.

So why is Akari acting so calm about it now?

Now that I think about it, it’s weird.

Back in high school, I was always by Akari’s side. She was one of the few people who didn’t just stick around to use me. That’s why I could let my guard down with her. That’s why we became best friends.

…Being around her so much, I knew.

Akari always kept guys at a certain distance. Physical contact? Out of the question. She got way more attention from guys than I did, so she was extra careful not to give them any false hope, avoiding contact with them as much as possible.

And yet, the other day, Akari was so casual with Yamamoto…!

Was she toying with him?

Did Akari play with the feelings of the guy who once confessed to her?

…I felt strange.

Even though she’s my dear best friend, this emotion—this burning passion—stirring in my chest…

“…I heard, Akari.”

“Huh, what?”

“Yamamoto confessed to you in high school, didn’t he?”

I didn’t mean to say it.

Yamamoto didn’t seem like he wanted to talk about confessing to Akari. No, he probably really didn’t want to talk about it. But I carelessly stirred up his feelings, and he had no choice but to tell me.

Because of that, I made Yamamoto sad.

Pressing the issue here, in any way, would only hurt him more.

I don’t want that—not even a little.

…And yet.

Yet, I said it.

I could tell Akari’s face clouded over.

For a moment, she seemed to hesitate.

I’d never seen her make a face like that before. Even though she was my closest friend in high school.

“You heard.”

“…Yeah, I heard everything.”

“I see. You found out, huh?”

Akari gave a resigned, bitter smile.

“…Yeah, it’s true, just like you said.”

“…I knew it.”

“I’m sorry. It’s not like I was trying to hide it. I just… never found the right time to tell you. That’s all…”

That’s not what I wanted to hear.

Those aren’t the words I wanted.

…I just.

I just wanted Akari to apologize to Yamamoto for toying with his feelings. That’s all I wanted.

With a resigned tone, Akari spoke.

“Like you said, Meg, we were together.”

She confessed with a terribly sad expression.

“…What?”

A pathetic, pitiful sound escaped my lips.

I decided this was enough to cover for that day.

And then I realized! I’m out of stock!

The 20,000 words I had written and saved up!!!

They’re gone!!!!

Please leave ratings, bookmarks, and comments!!!