The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Knowing that Matsui Sensei would return soon, I moved away from Haru as her spirits stabilized.

Then Haru begged, ‘At least hold my hand,’ but I refused while suppressing the pain in my chest.

I could quickly let go of her hand when she came back, but doing that was more noticeable than anyone would think.

My smartphone vibrated with a message from Oda.

『I don’t fully grasp the situation yet, but for now, I can only trust Seko. I’ll try to look into this supposed evidence of the rumors.』

“Oda…”

I almost sent a message saying ‘I love you’ out of impulse, but I deleted it just before sending it.

That was close. My friend’s kindness almost took my heart away.

I hadn’t told Oda the whole story so far, but maybe it’s time to open up to him.

It might be a bit too stimulating, and he might even be disappointed in me and cut ties.

But that’s my sin to bear.

“What’s up with Ota-kun?”

Haru asked curiously, seeing me suddenly mention Oda’s name.

“Oda is going to help us out.”

“I see. Ota-kun is really kind.”

“Yeah. He’s my best friend actually. By the way, why do you call him Ota?”

“Oh, that? I mispronounced his name at first, but even after I realized my mistake and apologized, he said, ‘It feels like me, so it’s okay to keep it as it is.’ That’s why I’ve been calling him that ever since. It’s kind of like a nickname.”

“I see. It’s a mispronunciation turned into a nickname.”

“……’ Ren’ is also a nickname. I just wanted to use that to call you. Do you dislike it?”

“No, being called that by Haru…I like it.”

“Hehe, ehehe. I’m glad.”

Relieved, Haru smiled and started to reach out her hand.

Then, remembering our earlier exchange, she frowned and withdrew it.

I felt a twinge of guilt watching her do this.

Then the door opened, and Matsui Sensei and Misa entered.

It was good that I hadn’t given in to guilt and taken Haru’s hand.

Misa looked back and forth between the two of us, her brow furrowing slightly.

“Yosaki, you can use this chair.”

“Is it okay? You won’t have a chair, Sensei.”

“It’s fine-it’s fine. Teachers are used to standing during class.”

“Fufu, I see. Then thank you.”

Misa picked up the chair Matsui Sensei had been sitting in and moved it next to me.

Seeing Misa sitting on the opposite side of the chair from Haru with me in between, Matsui Sensei lets out an ‘Ohh’ sound.

“So you really have that kind of relationship.”

“Did you doubted it?”

“No-no. I believed it, but it’s different seeing it with my own eyes.”

“Is it like that?”

Hearing our conversation, Misa tilted her head.

“What do you mean, Rento-kun?”

“Ah, I just briefly explained our current situation to Sensei. Sorry for speaking on my own.”

“It’s okay. If you talked about it, that means Sensei is on our side, right?”

“Thank you for being so perceptive.”

“Fufu. Your actions are quite obvious, so it’s easy to guess.”

Misa smiled teasingly.

It’s a new charm of hers I’ve recently discovered.

As I was admiring it, a groaning ‘Uhh’ sound came from behind.

It brought me back to my senses, and I looked towards Matsui Sensei.

She was grinning while observing us.

Probably, if there was alcohol here, she would have been gulping it down.

Now, let’s get back to the topic——

“Should we have a discussion right now? Sensei, you’re just going to listen, right?”

“Hm? Ah, yes. I can step out if I’m in the way.”

“I don’t mind at all. What about you two?”

“Ah, I’m okay. I think Matsui Sensei can be trusted…”

“Haru, I like you.”

“Feh!?”

“Your true feelings are showing, Sensei.”

“Fufu. Sensei, you’re kind of like Rento-kun somehow.”

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

“Why are both of you frozen like that?”

“Because… right?”

“Right?”

“See, you’re so alike. It’s almost enough to make me jealous… That’s why I also trust Sensei.”

“This is the trust I’ve earned for Sensei…right, Sensei?”

“Idiot. It’s obviously because of me. Look at those eyes of Yosaki, completely trusting in me.”

“Such clear and beautiful eyes… It’s as if they’re not reflecting Sensei at all.”

“You’re really cheeky.”

“I’m Sensei’s student, after all.”

“Still not fully forming your own character huh? Seko, you’re still a baby~”

Listening to this exchange between me and Matsui Sensei, Haru and Misa chuckled.

Matsui Sensei and I looked at each other and laughed as well.

Now that the atmosphere had softened, we moved on to the main topic.

“Where did this rumor come from in the first place?”

“I don’t know. I found out when everyone crowded around me as soon as I arrived at school…”

“I’m the same as Haru. I only found out when our classmates started worrying about me.”

“Hmm, I see. It’s the same for me too.”

So the rumor had already spread by the time the three of us arrived at school.

“By the way.”

Matsui Sensei, who had said she would just observe, interjected.

“Isn’t it possible that Yosaki spread the rumor?”

The atmosphere froze in an instant.

Yet Matsui Sensei continued without concern.

“I mean, wouldn’t Yosaki be the one who benefits from this rumor spreading? She could eliminate her rival in love.”

Silence fell over the room.

I could hear the breathing of the two next to me.

Nobody spoke or moved. After about ten seconds of this silence, Haru was the one to break it.

Haru stood up from her seat and confronted Sensei.

“Sensei! Please take back what you just said! Misa——Misa would never do that! It’s true that we are rivals over Ren, but before anything, we are best friends! That’s why…That’s why——!”

Haru couldn’t finish her words as she was overwhelmed with emotion and began to cry.

Then Misa stood up to support her, holding her up while looking straight at Matsui Sensei.

“What Sensei says is reasonable, but I have not done such a thing. I do not intend to resort to such malicious measures to win him over.”

After saying this, Misa took out a handkerchief and began to wipe Haru’s tears.

“…I see. I’m sorry, I just wanted to make sure…”

Sensei said so while turning her face away.

She pretended to be calm, but her eyes were moist and her lips were trembling.

I almost became angry when I heard Matsui Sensei’s remark, but I quickly thought about why she asked such a thing.

Sensei probably worried that no one would dare to voice it even if such a doubt arose among us, and that might lead to discord.

In other words, Sensei asked on behalf of me and Haru.

She must have never really believed that Misa was behind the rumor.

But being scolded by her favorite ‘Haru’ seemed to have hurt her more than expected.

“…I’m sorry for that. I’ll go out to the hallway. As originally planned, you three should discuss this amongst yourselves.”

Watching Sensei’s rounded back as she left the room, I decided to regard Matsui Sensei as a respected teacher (恩師).

Next time, I’ll show her the photos of Haru I took earlier.

That might cheer her up, although Haru might get mad if she finds out.

Haru, having her tears wiped by Misa, looked straight at her and spoke.

“I’m sorry, Misa.”

“Why apologize? If anything, I want to thank you.”

“…Because the truth is, I really betrayed my best friend… I never thought Misa was behind the rumor, but the thought that she might have been made my chest hurt… Thinking that I made Misa feel this way… I realized too late that I had done something irreversible…”

“…It’s okay. That matter is already settled, isn’t it? Besides, since he and I are not dating, what you do with him is your freedom.”

“…Uuu. Misa. I love you… but I won’t lose.”

“Fufu. Me too. I will never give up.”

Witnessing this beautiful friendship, I think to myself.

——It was actually me who betrayed Misa.