What If I Told Tomori-san, The Girl Who's Cold Only Towards Me, That I Knew Her Secret Account? - V2 Chapter 6.5

Pool Date Crisis 5

Chifuyu won’t get angry, right?

That’s what I thought, but…

“What are you doing to Kagisaka!?”

Driven by anger, Chifuyu tried to throw the cup of orange juice at Sadaoka, but…

“Stop!”

In an instant, a clear soprano voice echoed.

It was Azusa Tomori who had returned from the lost and found center.

Tomori, in her swimsuit, lowered the cup she had been holding and rushed over to us.

“Seira-san, what happened?”

She asked Seira, who had the calmest expression among us.

“…I’m sorry, Azusa-chan. I should have stopped it, but I was surprised and couldn’t move…”

Seira apologized and explained the situation.

The fact that we had run into each other by chance, the trouble that occurred between Chifuyu and Sadaoka, and as a result, Sadaoka unilaterally hit me, who had shielded Chifuyu.

After briefly glancing at me, who was pretending to be hurt, Tomori seemed to ponder something, and then…

“I’m sorry, Sadaoka-kun.”

“!?”

When Tomori apologized sincerely as everyone’s friend, Chifuyu’s face tensed quietly.

“Chifuyu was rude to you.”

“N-No, it’s not…!”

Seemingly taken aback by the sincere apology from ‘Everyone’s friend’, Sadaoka’s face turned anxious.

“No, it’s me who should apologize! I lost control and… and hit Kagisaka…!”

“…Don’t worry. I’m fine.”

While pretending to be in pain, I stood up to settle the situation.

“Seira-san, for now…”

“Yeah, people are starting to gather. It’s not a good idea to draw attention.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. Azusa-chan didn’t do anything wrong.”

With a gentle smile, Seira left, saying ‘See you later.’

“Kagisaka-san, are you really okay?”

“If it hurts, maybe you should go to the infirmary.”

“Don’t worry. It stung quite a bit, but it’s not bad enough to see a doctor.”

After being visibly relieved by my words, Sadaoka chased after Seira, followed by Jinguuji and Homura.

“…what do you mean.”

And then, after they disappeared from sight, Chifuyu exclaimed,

“Why is Azusa apologizing? That bastard Sadaoka… he hit Kagisaka!”

“It’s okay. Kagisaka-kun is fine, right?”

Tomori asked, and I nodded.

I had shown Tomori my true strength once before.

With her sharp mind, the excellent student probably saw through the fact that I purposely took the hit.

“Besides, it’s true that Chifuyu acted rudely.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a well-known rumor, and Chifuyu must have known that Sadaoka-kun has feelings for Seira. So, being ridiculed in front of her and drenched in juice, it’s not surprising that he lost his composure.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying it’s my fault?”

“That’s not what I meant. I just think you could have handled it more calmly. That way, things wouldn’t have escalated to this point—”

“Don’t give me a lecture!”

“I’m not trying to lecture you! I’m saying it as a friend! Sadaoka-kun is the ace of the karate club, and he even competed in the inter-high! He may be quick to anger, but he’s caring and respected by everyone in the karate club! If you create a grudge with him…”

“You think I might be bullied again?”

“….”

“Because Sadaoka used to be like a little gang leader; in the elementary division, he often teased and bullied me?”

“…It’s not that I’m saying it will definitely lead to bullying. But… I’m worried. If something happens, I’m anxious if I can protect you…”

“Why do I have to be protected by Azusa?”

With her beautiful face flushed with anger, Chifuyu confronted Tomori.

“I’m not the same person as before! I took off my glasses, changed my hairstyle, and even worked hard to change the way I spoke! I don’t need anyone to protect me from bullying like in the past! So why are you concerned about me? Are you my guardian?”

“Calm down… I am…”

“Calm down? Why don’t you calmly think about your actions?”

“Well…”

“You’ve been… you’ve always been worried! No matter how much I tried to change myself, Azusa just kept caring about me! Always helping me, but never relying on me even a little…!”

『Azusa has always been amazing.』

『She was the one who solved the problems and issues of the students all by herself! She excelled in both academics and sports, always at the top!』

『For me, Azusa was someone very special.』

Chifuyu’s words from the park echoed in her mind.

‘Maybe I’m not special enough, and that’s why my best friend is leaving me behind?’ That’s what she thought.

That’s why she pushed herself even harder in piano and tried to achieve good results in competitions.

However, things didn’t go well.

(That’s why Chifuyu admired me and tried to change her appearance and way of speaking.)

She wanted to change herself even a little, especially since she couldn’t even play the piano well, the one thing she was good at.

She believed that if she changed, Tomori wouldn’t leave her behind.

She wanted a relationship where they could support each other, not just where she was the one being helped.

She wanted Tomori to rely on her too.

She believed she could support her lonely best friend who never showed tears to anyone.

(But no matter how hard she tried to change herself…)

Chifuyu’s wish did not come true.

Her best friend chose Kimitaka Kagisaka as an equal partner.

Of all people, the troublesome vice president with whom she had a bad relationship.

Surely, when she understood that reality, Kazami Chifuyu…

“Azusa…why? “

With her voice on the verge of tears, Chifuyu desperately squeezed out her words.

“Why did you choose Kagisaka as your partner instead of me? Why won’t you rely on me? Am I the only one who considered you my best friend? Am I such an unreliable presence to you?”

“N-No, that’s not it!”

“No matter how much I change myself, I guess Azusa’s perception of me won’t change. The shy, crybaby, bullied Kazami Chifuyu will always be the same——”

In an instant, Chifuyu’s expression froze.

As if a knife had been thrust into her heart.

“I see… so that’s why you stayed friends with me? Azusa, I said it before. I told you that I admired heroes and I said you had a ‘justice-like aspect.’ It was obvious now that I thought about it. There is something that Heroes need.”

“Something…?”

“Weak people to protect. That’s why you stayed friends with me, right? Because you saw me as someone weaker than yourself and looked down on me.”

“…!?”

“I see… so that’s why you didn’t rely on me…”

Her voice, which was about to break into sobs, became hoarse.

Tears spilled from her blue eyes.

And then, not wanting her weakness, represented by those tears, to be seen, Chifuyu turned her back to Tomori and ran away.

“Chifuyu…!”

Tomori reflexively tried to chase after her best friend.

However, her feet stopped.

Because she was intelligent, Tomori probably realized.

Consoling Chifuyu right now might actually affirm her weakness.

If that happened, it might break the bond she had built with her best friend since childhood.