One week had passed since Mizuha's conflict with Akemi. Things had returned to normal. Neither Hikaru nor Takeru knew Akemi was behind the conflict, because Mizuha had asked them not to tell anyone.
After a mundane school day, Hikaru suggested a karaoke outing to unwind and have fun after school since they hadn't hung out together in a while. Shimizu teased him, pointing out the suggestion came from someone who had been sick for almost the entire past week.
Hikaru responded with annoyance. "It couldn't be avoided," he said.
As they strolled towards the karaoke venue, Mizuha saw Akemi passing by. She decided to invite Akemi to join them.
"Hey, Akemi-chan. Would you like to come with us to karaoke?" she asked.
What is this girl thinking? After everything I did to her last week, she still thinks I want to be friends with her? Why is she this naive? Akemi thought.
"Wait, Hikaru-kun will be there too, right?" Her eyes focused on Hikaru.
I'd better join them. I think this is my chance for that too.
"Hey, Mizuha, are you sure you want her to join us? After what she did to you..." Shimizu said, upset that Mizuha had invited Akemi.
She suddenly stopped, almost letting it slip. She remembered Mizuha's request about Akemi. "Oh, nothing... just forget it."
Akemi asked tentatively, her expression still cold. "Are you sure I can join you all?" she asked, looking at Hikaru instead.
"Of course! You're more than welcome to come along. We're glad to have you, Akemi," Hikaru agreed. "Understood. Since you said that, alright, I'll join you guys," Akemi said.
Mizuha smiled but remained silent, feeling awkward since Akemi didn't want to talk with her.
Hikaru noticed something was off between Mizuha and Akemi and asked Zul what had happened between them lately, questioning why they seemed awkward together. Zul pretended to know nothing and suggested that they seemed normal, claiming it was just Hikaru's imagination.
He asked Eri. Eri agreed with Zul, saying it was just his imagination.
As they continued walking, they encountered Takeru, who greeted them cheerfully. He commented that it was rare to see them all walking together after school and asked where they were going.
Shimizu replied with a grin that they were going to karaoke and invited Takeru to come with them. Mizuha also encouraged him to join them. Takeru noticed Akemi was with them and was surprised. He shrugged and agreed to go along.
The group chattered as they headed there, their excitement contagious.
Takeru turned to Akemi. "It's so rare to see you hanging out with Mizuha and the others," he said.
"Shut up, it's not any of your business," Akemi replied. "They invited me earlier, and I didn't want to decline. Besides, Hikaru-kun is here too, so why wouldn't I take this chance to get close to him?"
Takeru sighed and whispered, "You still haven't given up on him yet?"
"Did you say something, Takeru-kun?" Akemi asked.
"No, I didn't say anything. Maybe you just misheard," Takeru shrugged.
Takeru noticed the sky getting darker. I bet it'll rain this evening... well, it is the rainy season now, he thought.
Once they reached their private karaoke room, laughter and chaos ensued.
Now let me sing it first," Shimizu said, full of energy. "No, it should be me," Takeru said.
"Then, how about you two sing it together as a duet?" Eri suggested.
"Yeah, that's a great idea, Eri-chan!" Mizuha said.
"Me? Sing with him? Not bad. Maybe that's better than singing a duet with Hikaru," Shimizu said.
"Oh, you still have time to tease me, huh, Shimizu?" Hikaru said, feeling annoyed with Shimizu's words.
"Haha, you got me, huh?" Shimizu said. "Anyway, let's start singing together, Takeru."
"Yeah, let's do it," Takeru replied.
Shimizu and Takeru picked up the microphones and launched into an upbeat, exaggerated, and comical duet, making everyone laugh.
"You two are a surprisingly good duo!" Hikaru chuckled and teased.
"What did you say?" Shimizu snapped.
"No, you guys, it should be Hikaru-kun and Shimizu-chan who make a very good duo," Takeru said, chuckling.
"Yes, that's right, both of them are always teasing and challenging each other," Zul said.
"Wait, did we always do that?" both Hikaru and Shimizu said in unison.
"Hey, stop saying the same thing as me," they said again, in sync.
"Yes, that's right, they are both really in sync," Eri said.
"Hahaha, you guys are really funny," Takeru laughed.
"Shut up, Takeru, I don't want to hear that from you," Hikaru said, upset.
"See, like I told you," Mizuha said, referring to their synchronicity.
They all laughed at Shimizu and Hikaru, finding them a funny duo. While everyone enjoyed the karaoke, Akemi was shocked by their behavior, especially how lively Hikaru looked.
Wait, why is Hikaru-kun acting like that? I've never seen him this lively before, even during our junior high back then, Akemi thought.
"Surprised?" Takeru said as he approached her. "Well, this is the true Hikaru-kun you never saw before." "It's because Mizuha is here, I guess.
"Not at all!!" Akemi said bluntly while sipping her drink.
This guy, what does he want from me? He's been approaching me since earlier, Akemi thought.
Akemi then looked over and saw Hikaru suddenly lean close to Mizuha, the two of them quietly exchanging jokes. Mizuha's laugh was light and sweet, and Hikaru's expression softened as he looked at her. They were in their own world.
Akemi looked down, her chest tightening. Yes, he's right. Hikaru-kun looks cheerful when he's with her. He never looked happy like that when he was with me before, she thought.
Akemi tried to ask Hikaru for a duet, but he turned her down, wanting to sing with Mizuha instead.
"That place should be mine, not hers," Akemi thought, watching them sing together.
She gripped her skirt tightly, trying to push the feelings away.
After finishing their duet with Hikaru, Mizuha noticed Akemi's quietness. She approached her and asked "Hey, Akemi-chan, are you okay? You seem a little down."
Irritated by Mizuha's question, Akemi said "Tch..." without replying.
Mind your own business... Why do you need to concern yourself with me...shethoughtbefore standing up, wanting to leave the room.
Takeru asked Akemi where she was going. She replied bluntly that she was going to the toilet before leaving the karaoke room. Shimizu questioned what was wrong with her.
Takeru, who had observed Akemi earlier, felt worried about her. I wonder why she looks like that, he thought.
"Akemi-chan..." Mizuha said, still concerned about Akemi.
After using the toilet, Akemi washed her face and looked at her reflection.
Why...why didn't Hikaru-kun give me any attention at all...his eyes were only focused on Mizuha.... What makes her so special to him? What am I lacking... Hikaru-kun?
Akemi came out and saw Mizuha waiting outside.
"There you are, Akemi-chan. I want to talk to you," Mizuha said.
"What do you want?" Akemi replied coldly.
"Are you still upset with me from back then? Do you still hate me?" Mizuha asked.
Akemi grabbed Mizuha's collar. "Of course, I'm still upset with you!!! This is all your fault! Hikaru-kun isn't giving attention to me anymore!!! I really hate you!!!" Akemi shouted.
Akemi-chan, I'm sorry, I—" Mizuha said, shocked.
"Enough!!! Stop acting like you're concerned about me anymore. Mind your own business," Akemi cut her off and released Mizuha.
Akemi turned and walked away, leaving Mizuha behind.
As Akemi headed back toward the karaoke room, she happened to meet Hikaru outside in the hallway.
"Oh, Hikaru-kun? What are you doing out here?" Akemi asked, trying to compose herself.
"Just taking a rest from all the noise inside," Hikaru said with a small laugh. "Those guys can get pretty loud."
Akemi looked at him for a moment. "Hikaru-kun...can I have you moment for a while, actually, I want to tell you something."
"Sure, what is it?" Hikaru asked.
"Let's move somewhere first. It's not suitable to tell you here," Akemi said, and they moved to a different spot.
After her conversation with Akemi, Mizuha returned to the karaoke room alone. She noticed Hikaru was also missing from the group.
Mizuha asked Eri about Hikaru's whereabouts. Eri explained that Hikaru had mentioned wanting to rest outside. When Eri asked if he was still outside, Mizuha said she hadn't seen him there or at the restroom. Eri found the situation unusual.
Mizuha decided to leave the room to search for the missing friends. When Takeru asked where she was going, Mizuha said she would look for them and asked the others to stay in the room.
Back to Akemi and Hikaru—once they found a suitable spot, Hikaru started speaking,
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Hikaru asked.
"Hikaru-kun, I really like you. Please go out with me," she suddenly confessed to him.
"Wait, Akemi, why did you say that out of the blue?" Hikaru asked, confused.
"Surprised? Hehe... remember what I said last year after we got our entrance exam results?" Akemi said.
"Oh, back then? Yeah, I remember. Your sudden confession caught me off guard," Hikaru replied.
"But you didn't accept it. You said you needed time to recover from what Misaka did to you," Akemi said.
"Yeah, that's exactly what I told you," Hikaru said.
"I also remember saying I'd get an answer when I confessed to you again."
"Yes...?" Hikaru asked.
"So can I get your answer now?" Akemi said.
"Wait, Akemi, don't tell me..." Hikaru looked at her with growing concern.
"Yes, Hikaru-kun... I can't hold back my feelings anymore. I'm gonna say it again. Give me your honest answer. No more putting it off."
"Got it. I'll make sure to give you a real answer this time," Hikaru said.
Akemi took a deep breath. "Then... Hikaru-kun, I really like you. Please go out with me."
Hikaru smiled at Akemi, then said, "Thank you for telling me, Akemi. I really do appreciate it, but I'm sorry—I can't accept your feelings. I've already found someone I truly love right now."
As I expected, Akemi thought.
"I see. I expected this. The person you mentioned—it's Mizuha-chan, right?"
"Yes... it's her, She's the one I've fallen in love with," Hikaru said.
I see, so that's your answer, huh, Hikaru-kun. Thanks for honest with me.
"Ah, I got rejected...after all the hard work I did to win you, this is what I got…" Akemi tried to act calmly, but then started tearing up. "This is so cruel, Hikaru-kun, You're so cruel..."
"Akemi..." Hikaru said, reaching out slightly.
"Don't touch me,"Akemi said, upset.
She slowly stepped back and ran away.
"Wait, Akemi…." Hikaru called out. I'm sorry, Akemi, Hikaru thought.
Mizuha had witnessed the entire confession from a hidden spot. She questioned whether she had heard correctly—that Hikaru was rejecting Akemi's confession and declaring his love for her. Hikaru's declaration shocked Mizuha, and she felt sad for Akemi.
Akemi ran past her, not noticing her presence. Mizuha turned toward the direction Akemi had fled, concerned about Akemi's feelings after being rejected by Hikaru. She felt guilty that Akemi had been rejected because of her.
After witnessing their confession, Mizuha didn't return to the karaoke room. She stopped at the toilet instead.
Akemi returned to the karaoke room, grabbed her bag, and immediately left without saying anything.
"Akemi? Where are you going?" Shimizu called after her.
Wait, is she crying? Don't tell me… Takeru thought, shocked after seeing Akemi's teary face.
Takeru immediately stood up. "Don't worry, guys. I'll go after her," he said, leaving the karaoke room.
Damn! I expected this would happen. From her reaction earlier, I'm sure Hikaru-kun rejected her confession, Takeru thought.
"Wait, Takeru…," Shimizu said.
What's actually happening right now? Why do you care about Akemi so much? Don't tell me, Akemi is the girl you mentioned to me earlier during the fireworks festival? She recalled a past event where Takeru had mentioned he had feelings for someone in their class at that time.
Hikaru, on his way back to the karaoke room, saw Akemi leave and Takeru chase after her.
Wait, why did Takeru go after her? he thought.He remained silent, feeling guilty about the situation, then returned to the group.
Shimizu informed Hikaru that Akemi had just left and Takeru had chased after her. Hikaru replied that he knew, having seen them on his way back. Zul mentioned that Akemi had been crying earlier and asked if something had happened.
Hikaru began explaining the situation to the others. Shimizu, Zul, and Eri listened to his explanation about what had happened with Akemi earlier.
The trio looked down after hearing his account. Shimizu acknowledged that Hikaru had finally rejected her. Hikaru became confused by his friends' sad expressions and asked if they knew something about Akemi that he didn't.
He then noticed that Mizuha wasn't there with them and asked where Mizuha was. Shimizu mentioned that Mizuha had said she wanted to look for Akemi but hadn't returned yet. Eri offered to contact her, but Hikaru declined and said he would look for her instead, leaving the room.
Hikaru saw Mizuha sitting alone on the bench near the toilet and approached her. He asked what she was doing there.
Mizuha turned to face him with a sad expression and said his name. Hikaru became confused by her sad expression and asked what was wrong. Mizuha began telling Hikaru everything she had witnessed during his conversation with Akemi earlier.
At the same time, after leaving the karaoke center, Akemi was sitting alone on a bench at the nearest playground. Her head was lowered, her body trembling.
The rejection, along with hearing the truth about Hikaru's feelings for Mizuha, left her emotionally overwhelmed.
"This is so cruel, Hikaru-kun… Why did you reject me? Am I not good enough compared to Mizuha or Misaka? This not fair, Hikaru-kun" she muttered quietly. Tears slid down her cheeks until she broke into sobs.
The rain started to fall—first a light drizzle, then becoming a heavy downpour. She stayed where she was, letting herself get wet in the rain. Her chest ached deeply. It looks like the rain sympathizes with my fate, she thought.
Footsteps came closer. Without saying anything, someone held an umbrella over her. The sudden shelter made her lift her head slightly.
"Found you, Akemi-chan. What are you doing here alone? You'll catch a cold if you stay like this," the voice said.
Akemi slowly turned her head, her eyes wide, her face soaked from both rain and tears. "Takeru…kun?" she said.
Takeru stood before her, holding the umbrella over her head, his expression calm but firm.
"Why are you here?! Just go away! I don't want anyone to see me like this!" Akemi shouted, unable to hide her frustration.
Takeru didn’t move. His tone remained steady. "I came because I was worried about you. You left suddenly, and I could tell something was wrong."
Akemi looked down again. "You were worried... about me?" she barely said.
"Yup, let's move somewhere with cover first. You're completely soaked," Takeru said.
Without waiting, Takeru stepped closer, adjusting the umbrella to cover them both. Akemi let him help her up, and they walked to a nearby shelter. Neither of them spoke for a while. She took out a tissue, wiped her face, and tried to steady her breathing.
When the rain stopped, they returned to the bench.
Takeru opened his bag and took out a towel. "Here, use this to dry your hair. It's clean."
"…Thanks." Akemi accepted the towel and dried her hair slowly.
Takeru watched her for a moment, then spoke. "So... you confessed to him, didn't you? And he turned you down."
Akemi's hands paused. "W-Wait…? How do you know about that?"
"I noticed the way you were acting when you came back. You looked like you had been crying. Hikaru had been gone for a while too. I just put it together."
Akemi lowered her gaze, holding the towel tighter. "Yeah... You're right. I confessed, and he rejected me." Her voice shook. "I didn't think anyone would notice."
Takeru waited a moment before asking, "What are you going to do now?"
"I don't know. I can't think straight right now!! Why did you come here? Just leave me already," Akemi said, upset.
"Akemi-chan..." Takeru said. "Hey, don't you think it's time to let him go already? I mean, he already rejected you, and I think it's better if you give up on him and start over with someone else."
"What did you say? Give up on him? No way, I would never do that," Akemi replied.
"You never knew how I felt about him all this time. I did my best to get his attention and to make him fall for me. But I still lost to someone else. Don't talk like you know everything about me."
"Yes, you're right. I might not know your feelings or everything about you. But don't you think you're hurting yourself too much because of it? Think it over, Akemi-chan," Takeru said.
"What made you fall for Hikaru? Was it how he treats people? How he looks? His background?"
Akemi raised her voice. "No! It's none of that! I loved him because he was the only one who helped me when I was struggling. He treated me kindly when I really needed it. That's why I fell for him!"
Her voice cracked again. "I've liked him for so long. I worked hard, changed myself, tried everything just so he'd notice me. But he never did. After everything I did, he never noticed anything about my feelings at all!"
"Tell me, what's wrong with me?" Akemi said as tears started dropping from her eyes.
Takeru spoke quietly. "I know what it's like to care about someone who doesn't feel the same."
He looked directly at her. "But nothing's wrong with you, Akemi. Sometimes people just... don't see what's right in front of them."
"Stop it, stop it," Akemi said.
"I know how important he was to you. But holding onto this pain is only making you suffer more. You've done enough. He didn't see it, and you can't keep letting that happen."
Akemi's hands trembled. "I don't know... I don't know what to do anymore!"
Takeru moved forward, pulling her gently into a hug.
"It's okay for you to cry now, Akemi-chan. Cry as much as you want. I know it hurts so much to get rejected. But you need to move on too. Don't let the past get in your way."
"The Akemi I know always smiles and is focused and hardworking. But right now, you're getting hurt because of your own feelings."
Akemi's eyes widened through her tears. She noticed his shoulders were shaking. She leaned back a little and saw tears in his eyes.
"...Wait, are you crying too? Are you doing this out of sympathy for me?" she asked, surprised.
Takeru didn't look away. "No. It's not pity."
"Then why?" Akemi replied, wiping her eyes.
"Because someone I care about is hurting right now, and I can't stand watching that."
Akemi stared at him through her tears. "Wait... someone you care about? Me?"
"Yes, Akemi, it's you," he said softly. "I've been watching over you this whole time.
"Wait, you've been watching me...?" Akemi asked, surprised.
"Yes, I always saw how hard you worked to get Hikaru-kun's attention, even when he didn't notice. Even struggling with that, you never gave up and kept trying. That's what I like about you…"
I see… That's why he kept approaching me when I was turned down a few times before. He tried to calm me down and cheer me up. He actually cares about me.
Why didn't I notice this all this time? Was I too obsessed with Hikaru-kun, so much that I never gave attention to other people like him?
He's right. I got hurt because of my own feelings... not because of others… Is this what Mom said to me before? That I need to be honest with my own feelings?
What have I done all this time? Wasting my time trying to be Hikaru's girlfriend. I even did bad things to someone like Mizuha and others because I was jealous of her being close with Hikaru and because she resembled the person I hated in the past.
It's not her fault, it's my fault… I'm sorry, Mizuha… I'm sorry…
"Thank you… thank you so much, Takeru-kun, for caring about me all this time… You know... when I think about it now, some of my happiest moments weren't trying to get Hikaru's attention.
They were the times when you made me laugh, or when you just... understood. I think... I think I've been looking in the wrong direction this whole time. What I was searching for was right here."
"Yes," Takeru replied, "I'm glad to hear that."
He slowly released her but kept his hands on her shoulders.
"Minato Akemi... I like you. Will you be my girlfriend...?"
"Yes... I will," Akemi replied softly as their foreheads touched. "Thank you for waiting for me to find my way to you."
Meanwhile, back at the karaoke center, Mizuha told Hikaru about what she had witnessed regarding Akemi's confession to him earlier.
Hikaru's eyes widened. "I see, so you saw that. Sorry you had to see it."
"It's okay," Mizuha replied, then looked down. "I feel really bad for Akemi-chan. Getting rejected must have hurt her so much."
"Mizuha…" Hikaru said.
She hesitated before continuing. "Hikaru, do you think... do you think I got in the way between you and Akemi-chan?"
"Why are you saying like that?" Hikaru asked.
"Well, that's what Akemi said to me earlier before she confessed to you," Mizuha said.
"No, absolutely not," Hikaru said firmly. "Mizuha, you're the one I like. That's what I told Akemi earlier, and I meant every word of it."
Mizuha's cheeks turned pink upon hearing his declaration again. "Hikaru..."
"Listen, don't blame yourself, okay? It's not your fault at all. Everything that happened to Akemi—it's my fault," Hikaru said with a heavy sigh. "I'm the one who rejected her."
"So don't feel down because of that, okay?"
Just then, Hikaru's phone buzzed with a text message. He pulled it out and read it quickly.
"It's from Takeru," he said. "He found Akemi and managed to calm her down. He's telling us not to worry about her and to continue our karaoke. He'll walk her home."
Relief washed over Hikaru's face. "This guy... he's really great at handling things like this."
That's so expected from your childhood friend, Mizuha, Hikaru thought.
Hikaru showed the message to Mizuha and expressed feeling relieved. Mizuha agreed that it was good, though she still looked concerned.
Hikaru suggested they could talk with Akemi later when things calmed down, but for now they should return to Shimizu and the others. Mizuha nodded in agreement. Hikaru extended his hand toward her and encouraged her to come.
Mizuha looked at his outstretched hand momentarily before accepting it. Both blushed as their fingers intertwined, and they walked back to the karaoke room together with their hands clasped.
Back at the playground, both Takeru and Akemi continued their conversation.
"Okay, I've done telling Hikaru-kun about our situation, so they don't need to worry about us," Takeru said after sending a text message to Hikaru.
"So, Takeru-kun… You said you like me... right?" Akemi said with some embarrassment after accepting Hikaru's confession earlier. "Can I ask you since when you've liked me...?"
"Oh, about that? It was the first day of our high school, remember when I picked up your cookies in front of our class? That was the moment I fell for you. I liked the way you smiled at me then," Takeru said, blushing.
"What? That was a long time ago…. Why didn't you say anything to me back then?" Akemi said.
"If I told you, I don’t think you'd have given much attention to me," Takeru said.
"Why?" Akemi asked.
"Well, you were focused on getting Hikaru-kun's attention all this time. I knew I didn't have a chance against Hikaru because of how popular he is, that's why I kept a low profile and just watched you from the side," Takeru said.
" I see, sorry about that… you're right, I was too obsessed with Hikaru-kun back then, until I ignored other people around me."
Akemi wondered aloud why Takeru had chosen her over Mizuha, given their childhood friendship. Takeru explained that childhood connections didn't equal romantic feelings. Mizuha had forgotten their past anyway, and she belonged with Hikaru-kun. He had no interest in interfering with their perfect match. To him, Akemi was the one who had always caught his eye.
Akemi felt reassured that his feelings were genuine, not settling for second best. Takeru confirmed she had always been his first choice.
He really is being honest about his feelings, I think I better be honest with him too, Akemi thought.
Akemi then told Takeru that she was the mastermind behind the Mizuha rumor conflict last week. Hearing that made Takeru's expression turn serious, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry at Akemi.
" I see, so you're the one behind all this" Takeru said. "I never expected this"
"Are you angry with me for that?"
"Angry? No way I could be angry at you after I confessed to you earlier."
"Do Mizuha and her friends know about this?"
"Besides you and Hikaru-kun, Mizuha and others know, as they found out about it and exposed me earlier"
"Then, why didn't Hikaru-kun and I know about this until now?"
"Well, Mizuha-chan said that she decided not to tell anyone about this. She didn't want me to get hurt because of this. She was worried this would make me look bad to others, especially to Hikaru-kun."
That's so expected from Mizuha. Even though Akemi did that to you, you could still forgive her, Takeru thought.
"I'm truly sorry for that. I know I did this because of my jealousy. I even involved you into the conflict too back then," Akemi said.
Takeru held Akemi's shoulder saying, "Listen, I'm not the one you're supposed to apologize to. You should apologize to Mizuha instead"
"But how? If I apologize to her, I don't think she easily forgive me for this, after all the things I did to her"
"Don't worry, I'm sure she will accept your apology, I guarantee it. I know Mizuha well. She's not the type who holds a grudge. If you feel nervous, I will accompany you to meet with her, I got you back"
"Thank you Takeru-kun… Thank you," she said, suddenly hugging Takeru.
Realizing the sky had turned dark, Takeru spoke. "It's already turned dark, we'd better return home now. Here, I'll walk you home, he said, offering his hand to Akemi.
Akemi hesitated to accept his hand at first, but slowly she did, and both of them held each other's hands. They blushed, feeling awkward as their hands connected.
"It's so embarrassing…!!" they thought in unison. "Then, let's move now," Takeru said.
"Ye…Yes…Let's…go," Akemi said. They held each other's hands while walking together until they reached Akemi's house.
As they arrived in front of Akemi's house, Akemi spoke. "Takeru-kun, thanks for everything today. Your words earlier made me realize that I was on the wrong path all this time. I really appreciate what you did today."
"No worries, I'm glad I can help the person I care about and like."
"Then Akemi-chan, I should be going now. See you tomorrow," Takeru said.
"Takeru-kun, wait…" Akemi called out.
As he turned around, Akemi approached him and kissed him on the cheek before running into her house. The kiss made Takeru freeze. He touched his cheek before starting to walk back home.
He blushed. Geez, you didn't have to do that yet, it's too early, Akemi-chan! he thought.
That night, at Akemi's house, Akemi was lying on her bed after having dinner with her family. She suddenly recalled the moment she kissed Takeru earlier. Why did I do that to him earlier? It's so embarrassing! But thanks to him, I realized I was wrong all this time.
Akemi then noticed a book that she used as an album for saving pictures of Hikaru since middle school.
She took it and looked at it. I didn't know that I had this many pictures of him. Looks like I was really obsessed with him all this time. But it's all pointless now. He rejected me, and I found another right person besides him.
I want to forget everything, forget everything about him, Akemi thought.
So, I have no need for this anymore. Goodbye, Hikaru-kun, she thought, throwing it into the trash bin.Akemi also deleted the pictures of Hikaru from her phone after that.
Akemi looked at herself in the mirror, then thought, I have to start over everything from scratch.
First, I need to change my appearance. Hmm, should I cut my hair as girls usually do after being rejected? Nah, no need for that. Besides, I don't like having short hair.
Then Akemi got an idea…I know!!
Akemi changed her hairstyle to twin braids, like before meeting Hikaru. She believed this was better as this hairstyle reminded her of good moments with her mother.
She also decided to switch back to glasses. Akemi looked back in the mirror. This was her true self from before meeting Hikaru-kun—though she was no longer chubby and shy.
Alright, I'll start using this appearance at school tomorrow.
The next morning, Akemi walked into her classroom. Her classmates were surprised by her new hairstyle and glasses. Some of them asked about the change, and she explained she just wanted to start from scratch—this was her original appearance, no longer using a mask to hide herself. She wants to be honest with herself.
After that, Akemi turned her gaze toward Hikaru. Hikaru seemed to be chatting with Takeru from his seat. I want to go to Takeru's seat, but I feel awkward facing Hikaru-kun, especially after yesterday, Akemi thought.
"Takeru-kun, good morning," she said.
"Good morning," Takeru replied, looking up at her.
"Wow, you look different with that hairstyle and glasses," he said.
"Thanks. Well, I want to start over everything, like you told me yesterday—including my appearance," Akemi said.
"So, what do you think? Does it fit me?" Akemi asked.
"Yes, it fits you, and you look cute," Takeru said. "Are you calm now?"
"Yup, better than usual. I feel free now—all thanks to you," Akemi said.
"Really? Good for you," Takeru said, relieved.
Akemi, however, didn't look at Hikaru, still feeling awkward about her confession and rejection the day before. Hikaru noticed this but tried to keep the mood light. His eyes moved to the box of cookies on Takeru's desk.
"Oh, Takeru, you got cookies from her today? Good for you," Hikaru said, grinning.
To break the tension, Hikaru added jokingly, "Hey, Akemi, where are my cookies? Like usual."
I see, Hikaru-kun is trying to break the tension between us. Better I play along with him, thought Akemi.
Akemi turned to him with a sharp reply."Huh? Cookies for you? Are you joking? Why would I give them to you anymore? Go enjoy yourself with your beloved Mizuha-chan."
Hikaru froze, caught off guard. Before he could say anything, Akemi continued as she looked at Takeru.
"From today, I'll stop giving anything to you, but I'll be giving my cookies to my new boyfriend, Takeru-kun," she said, clinging to Takeru's arm.
"Eh?!" The classmates were surprised.
"Wait, you two are dating? Since when?" they asked curiously.
"Since yesterday, right, Takeru-kun?
"Really? Takeru-kun, you're dating her?"
"Yup, just like she said," Takeru agreed.
"Good for you, Takeru. I never expected you to make a move on Akemi," Hikaru said.
"Yup. From now on, if anyone tries to hurt her, they'll have to deal with me. She's mine."
"Stop it, Takeru-kun. It's so embarrassing," Akemi said.
I see, so that happened after I rejected her yesterday. Good for you guys, thought Hikaru.
As they focused on Takeru, Akemi then approached Hikaru and said, "Hey, Hikaru-kun, can we meet at the rooftop during lunch break later? We need to talk."
"Understood. By the way, I also need to talk with you," Hikaru replied.
"Hey, Hikaru-kun, stop getting close with her anymore," Takeru interrupted.
"Don't worry, I did not do anything to your girlfriend," Hikaru said.
"Haha, you two are so funny," Akemi chuckled.
Akemi told Takeru she was going to meet Hikaru during lunch break and asked him to accompany her. Takeru agreed to accompany her and said she had his back.
Akemi arrived with Takeru to find Hikaru waiting alone. She took a deep breath.
"Hikaru-kun, I want to apologize for yesterday. I acted like an idiot, running away after... after you rejected me. I'm sorry for that."
Hikaru shook his head. "No, Akemi. It's not your fault. It's mine for rejecting you so directly. I never intended to hurt you, especially after you've had feelings for me all this time."
Akemi looked down, then back up at him. "Can I ask you something? Why did you choose Mizuha? Is it because she reminds you of Misaka? They both resemble each other and have similar talents."
Hikaru paused. "That might have been part of it initially, but that's not the real reason I chose Mizuha. To me, Mizuha is better than Misaka ever was. I can see something in Mizuha that neither you nor Misaka have."
"What do you mean?" Akemi asked quietly.
"Mizuha is genuinely kind and forgiving. She doesn't judge anyone by their appearance or first impressions. That's why I fell for her."
Akemi nodded slowly. "I see. Thank you for explaining that to me. I understand now."
"Sorry I'm late!" a voice called out.
Akemi and Takeru turned."Mizuha-chan? What are you doing here?"
"I called her," Hikaru explained. "She wanted to talk with you too."
Takeru squeezed Akemi's shoulder. "That's good. You wanted to say something to her as well, right, Akemi-chan?"
"Yes... you're right," Akemi said.
Mizuha walked over to Hikaru, facing Akemi."Akemi-chan, I'm sorry. You were right yesterday—it was my fault. I stood in your way of getting close to Hikaru-kun. I didn't mean to do that. I didn't know about your feelings for him. I'm sorry for that. I didn't mean to steal him from you; it wasn't my intention."
"Enough, Mizuha-chan!" Akemi exclaimed, tears forming. "You didn't do anything wrong! I'm sorry for blaming you yesterday. If anyone needs to be blamed, it's me. I caused you trouble over and over because of my jealousy. I sabotaged you, I spread bad rumors about you, I was cold toward you even when you tried to be friends with me. It was all my fault. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." She broke down.
Through her tears, she confessed, "Hikaru-kun, I need to tell you this---I was the one behind what happened to Mizuha this past week. I made those bad rumors about her and used Kurumi to spread them. I regret it so much."
Hikaru's eyes widened. "Is that true, Mizuha?"
Mizuha nodded sadly. 'Yes, that's right. Sorry I hid it from you. I didn't want you to hate Akemi for that.
I see... so Mizuha was protecting her. You're so kind, Mizuha, Hikaru thought.
Akemi looked up."If you want to hit me, do it. I deserve it."
Hearing this, Mizuha slowly approached Akemi. Both Takeru and Hikaru tensed, wondering if Mizuha was actually going to strike her. But instead of what they expected, Mizuha suddenly pulled Akemi into a warm hug.
Akemi was shocked. "What are you doing? I thought you'd be furious with me!"
"No, Akemi-chan. I was never upset with you—because you're my friend," Mizuha said gently.
"But why? After everything I did to you... why do you still call me a friend? I don't deserve to be called that."
"I know you didn't do those things to bully me intentionally. You did them because you were jealous and hurting. What happened is in the past now. I don't hold any grudges against you. From now on, let's be true friends, okay?"
"Mizuha-chan... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Akemi sobbed, returning the hug.
"Yes, Akemi-chan, it's okay. It's okay. I forgive you. Please accept me as your friend, okay?" Mizuha said, a tear rolling down her own cheek.
"Understood. I accept your friendship," Akemi replied, then whispered to Mizuha, "Also... I'll leave Hikaru-kun to you... I'm counting on you.
Watching this moment, Takeru felt his own eyes welling up. "You did it, Akemi... looking at you both... I..."
"Wait, why are you crying too?" Hikaru asked, surprised to see tears in Takeru's eyes.
"Of course I'm crying. This is too touching..." Takeru replied, wiping his eyes.
Hikaru looked at Takeru. "Takeru... thank you for being there for Akemi. I can't imagine what would have happened to her if you hadn't chased after her yesterday."
Takeru scratched the back of his head. "Don't worry about it. Besides, I've actually liked Akemi for a long time, but I had to keep a low profile because I knew I couldn't compete against this guy right here." He playfully punched Hikaru on the shoulder.
"Oh, you still have time to tease me, huh? Looks like Shimizu's been a bad influence on you," Hikaru replied with a grin before both of them chuckled.
"Hey, you two!" Akemi called out, wiping her tears but with a slight smile. "Both of us are being emotional right now, and you have time to laugh with each other?"
She turned to Mizuha. "My friend Mizuha-chan, what should we do with them?"Mizuha giggled, still holding back her own tears. "I don't know... I'll just leave it to you, Akemi-chan."
"Sorry, sorry! We didn't mean to be insensitive," both boys said in unison, bowing apologetically.
Seeing their synchronized apology, both Mizuha and Akemi burst into laughter at the humorous moment, the tension finally breaking as genuine friendship began to form between all four of them.
That evening, after school, Akemi and Takeru walked together down the quiet street.
"So much has happened between yesterday and today, huh?" Takeru said, glancing at her. "I'm glad we managed to clear the tension between you, Hikaru-kun, and Mizuha-chan. And you finally made up with her too."
"Yes, it's all thanks to you. If you hadn't chased after me yesterday, none of this would have happened," Akemi replied gratefully.
"Are you free tomorrow? Let's go somewhere together, since it's the weekend," Akemi suggested.
"Sure. Just let me know the place later," Takeru responded with a smile.
After a moment of comfortable silence, Takeru spoke up hesitantly. "Um, Akemi... can we hold hands?"
Akemi looked at his embarrassed expression and couldn't help but smile. "Geez, you're hopeless. Here." She extended her hand to him, and they intertwined their fingers.
As they continued walking, Akemi felt a sense of peace wash over her. With Takeru, she didn't feel like she had to be anyone but herself. For once, she wasn't chasing someone or trying to fit into an idea of what they wanted. She could just be Akemi.
Their conversation flowed naturally, filled with small jokes and gentle laughter. For the first time in a long while, Akemi felt like she wasn't carrying the weight of someone else's expectations or her own desperate hopes.
"Oh, look at the sky today," Takeru said, pointing upward. "It's finally clear after a week of rain."
"Yes, you're right. Looks like the rainy season will end soon," Akemi agreed, looking up at the peaceful evening sky.
Just like my long feelings for Hikaru-kun have ended, she thought, squeezing his hand a little tighter.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDZVLYKQGE
The end of Amemonogatari Arc
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