Chapter 159

“I’m not gonna lose!” Ryou Takamori It felt like the whole gym sighed in relief. The actors and those backstage probably felt the same as the audience. For about five to ten seconds, the stage seemed frozen in time. I wondered whose line was next, and it turned out to be Fushimi’s. Was this part of the performance? “I’m not gonna lose!” Fushimi—or rather Riina—shouted, moving her body dramatically. I’d felt like my gaze had met hers a few times already, and this time I was sure: She was looking at me. “Because I love him!!” Fushimi’s voice echoed across the gym. She stared at a single point, a desolate look on her face, as if she was about to cry. “Even when he’s with someone else and I’m feeling jealous, I can’t help watching him from the corner of my eye! And when we’re apart, I’m always wondering where he is and what he’s doing!” I knew she was just acting, but I felt my heart skip a beat. Maybe every boy in the audience felt the same. Fushimi was the most popular girl in school—it was said that every boy had imagined himself as her boyfriend at least once. I wasn’t going to consider myself special just because I was her childhood friend. “I won’t let you say that’s just friendship! I won’t let you say it’s just attachment! I know my feelings are special and I’m in love!” …No. Fushimi always showed me a different side of her. It couldn’t be the same with everyone else. Just like she said she could tell when I was lying, I could do the same with her. With me, Fushimi always made it clear how she felt. I kept moving away from her for some reason—memories of the past or whatever—but she never let that deter her. In fact, she was still trying her best to… As I thought over the past few months, regret filled my chest. The play went on, and the two girls parted as rivals. Yumi and Keigo kept up their communication, and, once her lingering regrets were satisfied, Yumi was able to move on. The story came to a close as Yumi was reborn and once again met Keigo, now her boss at work. The audience exploded in applause. I, too, clapped for everything I was worth. The story’s ending felt right—it made me want to talk about it with other people. I wondered how Ms. Ashihara felt and noticed her seat was empty. She’s gone…? Her manager wasn’t there, either. Had they already left? I stood up and pushed my way through the crowds and out of the gym. She couldn’t have gotten far. I ran all the way to the school gates, but I didn’t see her. Maybe she’s in the parking lot? I turned around and ran as fast as I could. In the lot, I saw a woman about to get into a taxi. Another woman was already inside. It was her. She must’ve kept the taxi from the airport waiting for her. “Ms. Ashihara!” I shouted, my breath ragged. The manager furrowed her brow in suspicion and hurried into the taxi. The door closed, and then the back window lowered on the other side of the car. “Fushimi…did her best for you… Won’t you please say something to her?” “It wasn’t me, Ryou.” “Excuse me?” “She didn’t work hard for me…” Ms. Ashihara turned to speak to her manager before opening the door and getting out. She had an awkward look on her face—an odd expression for an actress—as she focused her gaze behind me. I turned around and saw Fushimi, still in costume. “Mom.” “I noticed you forgot your line.” “Yeah. But I remembered it, a-and rehearsal was perfect!” “Oh, I didn’t mean it that way…… I’ve been there before. I know how it feels.” Her chuckle resembled Fushimi’s. “You do?” “Hina, you’re terrible. And if that’s the level you’re at even after taking lessons, I think you’d be better off quitting.” I didn’t think Fushimi was that bad. She’d been the best actor in the play, that much was for sure. Maybe Ms. Ashihara was just being strict, as her mother. “I’ll get better, don’t worry.” “You should cherish what you have now. Don’t try to reach for the stars. There’s no guarantee that what you hold dear will wait for you forever.” “I’ll be okay, Mom.” “Is that so…? Well, don’t overexert yourself. Enjoy the present.” “Yeah.” “And take care of your health.” “Yeah…” I saw tears forming in Fushimi’s eyes. You’ll get to see her again. Don’t cry. Then the topic changed to me. “And I see you’re just as chummy with Ryou as always.” “Yeah.” “You always have been, ever since you were little…” Ms. Ashihara looked away, hesitating for a moment. Then she lowered her head briefly before raising it again and looking straight at me. “I ran into one of Hina’s friends before the play. A black-haired girl with pigtails.” Torigoe? She must have met with Ms. Ashihara after she told me to go on without her. What did they talk about? “She said it was my fault that you became afraid to love. If that’s the case—if I hurt you like that, then allow me to apologize.” I frowned in confusion. “You don’t remember?” she said. “I lied to you and said that Hina didn’t really like you.” As she said that, the memory suddenly became clear in my mind. Fushimi and I had been playing together, and Ms. Ashihara had glared at me like I was her nemesis and said, “Hina doesn’t really like you.” Fushimi didn’t say anything. Did she know? Maybe that was why I’d always been frightened by her mother. “…It was a lie. I’m really sorry if that made you distrustful of women.” So that was why I’d stopped wanting to spend time with Fushimi. Because of what Ms. Ashihara said to me, I began to think Fushimi didn’t really feel the way she said she did. But if that was true, then Fushimi had always… “Ever since she was little, Hina has always been head over heels for you.” “Aaaah! M-Mom! D-don’t say that!” Fushimi frowned, her cheeks flushing. The woman inside the taxi called to Ms. Ashihara, and she nodded. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I have to go.” “Mom! What did you think of the play?” “The script was cliché, and your acting wasn’t good enough for someone taking lessons.” “Aww… R-really?” Fushimi looked disappointed. “But your acting improved after you forgot your line. I wonder who you were thinking of when you said all that.” The redness in Fushimi’s cheeks spread across her face. “See you.” Ms. Ashihara giggled and got into the taxi. Then the driver put on the left turn signal and headed out of the parking lot.