The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 58

Part 7.5: Dog’s Feeling

Chapter 58

Ren collapsed.

In front of me, Ren lost consciousness and fell to the side.

While I was too shaken to do anything, Misa acted swiftly. She called out to Ren and quickly summoned an ambulance.

Watching her actions, I finally came to my senses and called out to Ren.

Misa and I rode together in the ambulance to the hospital. The Sensei at the hospital asked us about the situation, but we couldn’t explain in detail. We just told them that Ren suddenly started suffering and collapsed.

I thought we might be suspected of harming Ren, but we weren’t questioned further and were let go.

Afterward, we waited for Ren’s mother to arrive.

During that time, Misa and I didn’t exchange a single word. This was the first time things had been so awkward between us since we met a year ago.

Looking at her face, she seemed to be in pain, probably worried about Ren.

Remembering that intense scene made it difficult for me to keep looking at her.

Why did she do that?

It was easy to guess. She had confessed to me that she had started to like Ren.

She must have panicked and tried to take him away from me after seeing the kiss mark I left on Ren’s body.

That was her motive.

I want to erase that memory, but it’s firmly etched in my brain. I can’t even close my eyes without it surfacing, so I avoid doing so.

It’s painful.

“Misa-chan, Haru-chan”

Hearing our names, we looked up to see Ren’s mother standing there.

She was breathing heavily, clearly having rushed here after receiving the call.

“Thank you both of you. I heard you called the ambulance.”

“No… It’s my fault Rento-kun collapsed… I don’t know how to apologize.”

“No, it’s my fault. I don’t know the specific cause, but I was with him, so… I’m sorry.”

We managed to apologize, but it was vague——merely a formality.

But Ren’s mother smiled warmly.

“It’s okay. I’ve told Misa-chan before, but it’s probably because of his constitution. Don’t worry about it too much.”

Hearing this, Misa muttered as if remembering something.

——What?

I didn’t know anything about this.

Why didn’t she tell me?

Maybe Ren’s mother wants Misa to be his girlfriend?

That’s why she only told Misa——That’s not fair.

These thoughts filled my mind, but I pushed them away. Now wasn’t the time for such thoughts, but soon, my ugly side resurfaced.

Come to think of it, Ren once said he had a condition that made him easy to get headaches. Could this be related?

The last time he had a headache was right after we established our relationship. And now, it happened again after I expressed my feelings.

… iit’s my fault. I have caused Ren pain again.

“Um, can I stay here until Rento-kun wakes up?”

While I was struck by the realization, Misa was asking Ren’s mother if she could stay.

I wanted to stay too. If Ren would allow me to be with him, I wanted to be by his side.

Just as I was about to make the same request——

“I’m sorry. Please leave the rest to me, and you two should go home now. Your families must be worried, and you both must be tired, right?”

Her words seemed caring, but I felt rejected.

It was as if she was telling us to leave and not to see Ren right now.

“But, it’s my fault he collapsed. I want to apologize to him at least…”

Misa persisted, seemingly unaware of the true intention behind Ren’s mother’s words.

But——

“It’s okay. He won’t blame either of you. He will never.”

Our request was denied.

“And, please don’t ask him about ‘Ran’. Please.”

(TN: Chapter 40)

I wanted to ask why, but the atmosphere wasn’t right. Even Misa, who had been asking questions until then didn’t show any signs of asking further.

In the end, we left the hospital.

There was no conversation between us while we waited for the train to go home.

As the train was about to arrive, Misa, still facing forward, spoke.

“Let’s meet tomorrow, just the two of us. I’ll send you a message with the location.”

It was a one-sided way of talking, but I also wanted to talk to her, so I simply replied with a ‘Yeah.’

Silence fell between us again after that.

***

The place Misa had chosen was a certain cafe.

The atmosphere inside was very calm, but I felt nervous as I wasn’t used to spending time in such a place, especially with today’s discussion looming.

Finding Misa already seated, I sat opposite her.

“Misa. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“It’s fine. I haven’t been waiting that long.”

After a brief greeting, a bearded shopkeeper came to take our order.

I felt his urging to order coffee, but since I don’t drink it, I ordered orange juice instead.

I felt a bit sorry as I saw the shopkeeper’s eyebrows lower; I hoped he’d forgive me.

I thought we wouldn’t start talking until our drinks arrived, but Misa began the conversation right away.

“Were you and Rento-kun more than just friends?”

“We are friends. For now, at least.”

“…I see. I understand your feelings, but that’s not what I was asking about. What about that kiss mark? How can friends do such a thing?”

“You must have guessed, Misa. Ren and I have been intimate many times. I used a bit of a sneaky tactic. The hickey was from one of those times.”

“…Asking ‘why’ right now is a little foolish, huh?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry, Misa, but I also love Seko… no, Ren. I really do.”

As I confessed this, Misa just muttered, ‘I see,’ without any sign of surprise.

She must have vaguely sensed my feelings before.

“To be honest, Haru, there are parts of me that are angry with you.”

“Yeah, that’s only natural.”

“But I don’t have the right to be angry. After all, I’ve been neglecting his feelings for a long time. …Haru, when did you start liking him?”

“…I don’t know. Before I realized it, my head was full of thoughts about Ren. But it must have been… no, maybe a bit before the end of the first semester.”

“…I see. You’ve liked him since that early… It’s just that I was too late. That’s why I don’t blame you.”

“Will you forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive. I don’t have the right to do so. …But you’re not dating yet, right? I won’t give up on him.”

It was a clear declaration of war.

She had made such declarations to me before, but this time it was different; she saw me not as a best friend but as a rival.

“I won’t give up either.”

I responded and then smiles broke out on both of our faces.

I never thought I’d end up in such a relationship with my best friend.

“But let’s not approach Rento-kun for a while. I think he’s been troubled by our situation.”

“Is it something to do with his condition? Misa heard about it from Ren’s mother, right?”

“Ah, yes. He tends to bottle up his worries all by himself, and when he can’t handle them, he gets a headache and a fever. I feel incompetent for causing such a situation despite knowing that.”

“Then I’m also responsible. Alright, I’ll accept your suggestion. It’s for Ren’s sake, after all.”

“Yes, for Rento-kun’s sake.”

Misa has been calling him ‘Rento-kun’ since earlier. I wonder if that’s not just in front of his mother.

Could it be…

“Hey, Misa. Do you call Ren ‘Rento-kun’?”

“Yes. Only when it’s just the two of us. By the way, he calls me ‘Misa’.”

“Oh, I see.”

“So, Haru, you’ve also been calling him ‘Ren’.”

“Yes. When it’s just the two of us, I call him ‘Ren.’ Of course, Ren calls me ‘Haru’ too.”

“I see.”

The sound of dishes clinking against each other came from the counter.

The cafe felt unusually quiet.

『Misa, you shouldn’t fall for a guy who sleeps with a girl he’s not even dating.』

『Haru, you shouldn’t fall for a guy who publicly shows his affection almost every day to another girl.』

We smiled quietly.

Just then, the shopkeeper brought our ordered drinks. His hand, holding the glass of orange juice, was trembling slightly.