The words “pretend dating” confused the hell out of Rio.
To quickly summarize Mina’s slightly convoluted explanation: Yuuki promised he’d get a girlfriend in exchange for her making a friend. Yui acted as his co-conspirator, taking on the role of pretend girlfriend.
“I didn’t know about any of this.”
“They’re keeping it a secret, so I don’t find out. Dunno about Yuukie but Yui seems really into it, she’s just too shy to admit it. Cute, right?”
“Wait. How do you know about any of this?”
“I saw his DMs with Yui the other day.” Mina crossed her arms, grinning evilly. “Heh. Silly Yukkie, thought he could keep me in the dark.”
The pretend dating thing was a little hard to swallow, although it felt very much in character.
“But don’t tell them, okay? If they find out that I looked at Yukkie’s phone, even if it was laying there just begging for me to do so, things won’t be pretty for poor ol’ Mina.” She emphasized, a concerned look on her face. It appeared she wasn’t completely without guilt.
Rio stood there, completely appalled. “D-Does that mean I... was Lyucifer all along?”
“Lyucifer?”
You’re no Lyucifer, you’re nothing but a clown. How didn’t you realize Mina had no friends? How can you, in good conscience, condemn them for doing what’s best for Mina? So what if it’s a lie? As Rio’s mind flooded with questions, she noticed Mina’s confused stare.
Rio hastily put on a smile, placing her hand on Mina’s head. “Must be rough, not having any friends.” She softly said.
Mina never gave any such indication, at least not to her anyway. Rio’s eyes started watering. She knew the feeling all too well.
“I haven’t made any yet but... it’s okay. Yuukie takes good care of me, even if he can get a little busy sometimes.” Mina said, smiling.
As much as Mina liked messing around, in the end she let Yuuki study in peace. Rio thought she’d watch over in his stead but Mina started studying practically of her own volition, almost as if she had been looking for an excuse to do just that.
“Yui’s fun to tease too. She’s great, not as great as Yukkie, but still. So I start crying the other day, right? Yui brings this weird joke book thingy to try and cheer me up but it’s the most boooring thing ever…” Mina continued gleefully reminiscing on the event.
That’s right. Yui... Yui, of all people, would never trick and mock someone behind their back. How could I forget what she did for me.
✦ ✦ ✦
Rio couldn’t quite recall when but one morning, seemingly out of the blue, her homeroom teacher announced, “Today is the start of no insult week. If you catch anyone throwing insults around, be sure to let me know.”
Those caught insulting one of their peers were forced to apologize in front of everyone.
In hindsight, the approach was definitely less than ideal. Grade Schooler Rio, however, didn’t think much of it, happily complying.
Rio always had a strong internal sense of justice; likely the influence of her mother, a former middle school teacher.
She poked her nose into everyone’s business, girls and boys alike, reporting even the mildest of insults. Rio felt no shame, on the contrary, she felt her cause was noble.
The constant praise from the teacher left Rio blind to the tension starting to form between her and her classmates. At some point the tension peaked. The catalyst? Something as trivial as one of the boys sneaking candy into the classroom.
They boy hadn’t insulted anyone. He was the mood setter of the class-- not the type to throw insults around. Even if he did, no insult week had ended ages ago. Rio reprimanded the boy before proceeding to snitch on him.
“Ms. Righteous Confusion at it again. So annoying.”
Later it came out that it wasn’t actually him who snuck in the candy, a friend tempted him into taking one. Rio hadn’t actually seen him eat the candy, she went off of what one of the girls from her former friend group had told her.
The girl insisted she had said nothing, refusing to speak further on the matter. Rio suspected she might’ve lied on purpose to screw over a boy she didn’t like.
In the end, no one could figure out who was right or wrong. All Rio gained was infamy along with the title of ‘Ms. Righteous Confusion’.
It was only a matter of time before everyone began distancing themselves from Rio, talking behind her back. Rio didn’t run, she tried talking things out head on.
“What’s with the condescension?”
“I wish she’d get off her high horse for once. So annoying”
If she was in the wrong, she’d apologize. If they were in the wrong, she’d make them apologize.
Despite Rio’s best attempts at initiating a dialogue, all she got was made fun of. If anything, their ridicule only became more blatant as she had apparently not learned her lesson.
Rio was convinced she had done nothing wrong; If a rule was correct, she made sure others obeyed it, respected it.
In her mind Rio knew the world wasn’t all black and white, yet she nonetheless refused to bend, nay, she couldn’t, it would’ve invalidated everything she stood for.
I don’t care what they say. It’s just who I am. She told herself.
Rio quickly realized that sticking by her principles required will. The will to carry on alone, the will to push past everyone in her way.
Rio had that will. She had it in spades. She excelled both academically and athletically. Her grades were consistently high. Teachers recognized her.
Despite all the backbiting, no one actually confronted her head on.
After realizing she could get by fine on her own, Rio’s isolationist tendencies only worsened.
While others struggled in vain, she cruised by. Occasionally Rio would extend a helping hand, only to be viewed as condescending, perpetuating her infamy. She’d act as nice and friendly as possible, only to get disgusted looks in return.
I’m just one of those people who get hate for everything they do. She thought, having given up and gotten used to it by now.
Rio knew she could make it on her own, and she intended to do just that.
“Nice to meet you, Hanashiro! You wouldn’t believe how much a relief it is sitting next to a girl for once.”
“Please, Rio! Please! I promise I’ll do my homework next time!”
“Feast your eyes on this, the perfect... huh? It’s wrong? Uugh, can we switch bodies or something? Can we?”
Day after day after day, Yui’d hit her up with a smile, persistent to a fault.
Despite her cold demeanor, Rio was... happy. She realized that, even after all this time, she still longed for human connection.
Rio thought she’d gotten used to being the outcast, that she had the strength to endure solitude. And yet, it appeared the wounds ran deep, deep enough for Rio to lose sight of her surroundings over Yui.
✦ ✦ ✦
“So then I said ‘big words for someone named Yue!’ to which she... hello? Rio, you listening?”
“Huh? I’m listening.”
“Wake up already, jeez. Anyway, we keep this between us, understand? If they find out I found out, they might pretend break up. You see, I’d actually like them to start going out for real. I’ve tried getting them together but progress has been, shall we say, limited.” Mina’s innocent smile pierced Rio’s chest, stifling her breath.
She had mistook their relationship. She had intruded upon it. Here you go running to conclusions, being nothing but a massive bother again. You haven’t changed one bit. So what if you didn’t know any better? Have you tried having some faith in Yui for once? You did this to yourself.
Mina spoke so positively of Yui.
She gets nothing but love and kindness anywhere she goes... my polar opposite. We were never meant to intersect; We just happened to become seatmates by pure coincidence. That’s all our relationship ever was-- coincidence.
She got on with others, whereas you avoided them, brandishing empty self-righteousness: borrowed strength hiding weakness. Without it you fall quiet, unable to do anything but maintain silence.
Everyone knows you’re hopelessly shallow, they’ve always known. No wonder you get mocked and made fun of.
This is your destiny, the destiny you almost forgot thanks to... because of Yui. It was all a big mistake. Her... Yui’s kindness blindsided you. It gave you false hope.
You’re nothing but a nuisance, doomed to be hated by everyone you meet. Accept it. Embrace it. You have to let Ms. Righteous Confusion go, or else...
“Shut up. You’re so annoying.”
Rio would’ve rather lived the rest of her life alone, eyes closed, ears plugged, than to hear those words coming out of Yui’s mouth.
All you have to do is return to your former self, your pre-Yui self. Simple. Now you just need to announce it to her, face to face.
“We need to get ready!” Mina exclaimed, rummaging through the shopping bags once more. As she pulled out a box of candies, her hands stopped. “Crap, I only got chocoshrooms! We can’t have a war with just these. Imma run back to the store real quick, finish prepping without me!” Mina said as she hastily rushed out of the room.