The initial reactions to Katsumi's declaration were mixed, to say the least. There were plenty of guys that lamented the fact they'd have no chance with the new beauty, though there were some that decided to think about more… unsavory possibilities. There were also a few that wondered why she had felt the need to announce her romantic interests right away.
Just like the boys, some of the girls were also wondering about Katsumi, but because they were in her field of vision, so to speak, a few did imagine what it would be like to be hit on by her. Katsumi really was stunning, and the girls that let their imaginations go wild were certain that if they did get asked out, it would be very difficult to say no.
However, those dreams were quickly dashed when Katsumi immediately rushed to Kanako and asked her out. While some in the class needed to reorient themselves, the ones who had direct connections to Kanako tried to process just what exactly was happening.
"Who is she?" Mayu wondered as she watched events unfold. It definitely seemed like this Katsumi girl knew Kanako, but as far as Mayu could remember, she couldn't recall just who Katsumi was. "Katsumi Ikehara… Ikehara…" Mayu kept repeating, but for as hard as she tried, the girl just wasn't popping up in her memories. Of course, Mayu hadn't become friends with Kanako until later in her life, so it was entirely possible that Katsumi was from a time when Mayu didn't know Kanako, such as elementary school. But, Mayu had also been someone who had been in the Iwanai school system for all her life. If someone like Katsumi had been around, Mayu was sure she would've remembered her.
Honestly, it bothered her. "She seems like an energetic type of person, and her hair is so bright… Would I really forget about someone like her? Maybe she changed from the kind of person she was. But, then again, Kana-chan recognized her within a minute or two, so maybe Ikehara-san hasn't changed much at all? Mmm, I don't know…"
Meanwhile, Itsuki was having much the same thoughts, but she also couldn't seem to remember who Katsumi was. "I wonder if she's someone from Kana-chan's past that we just don't know?" Itsuki thought. "And seeing her ask Kana-chan out like that… I hope Haruna-chan is okay."
Of course, for the two resident gyarus of the class, that particular relationship was their number one concern. Upon Katsumi's arrival, they had both been interested, but seeing her go straight to Kanako made them both worried. "As if Haruna hasn't had enough to deal with lately," Jasmine thought. Then, when it was suggested that maybe she was the one who was dating Kanako, Jasmine was honestly a little offended. "I get that she probably made that assumption based on my looks, but like… seriously? Besides, no offense to Kana-chan, but she's not really my type." Her eyes then drifted over to Haruna as she saw the girl look like she was about to fight. "Oh boy," Jasmine thought. "There's no way this'll be good."
And as Jasmine watched on, Chiyo sat and stared. Really, being guessed as being Kanako's girlfriend didn't really bother Chiyo, but she was far from unbothered in general. "Who the hell is this girl?" she thought, annoyed. "I've never even heard of her. Is she one of Kana-chan's old friends? It seems like Kana-chan remembers her, but maybe she's just being nice? Kana-chan doesn't really look too sure."
There was also the major issue of Katsumi asking Kanako out. "I guess I can kinda understand how she feels, but…" Chiyo thought. "It'd be one thing if she just backs down after finding out Kana-chan's already in a relationship, but I doubt it'll go that well. Actually, I know it won't, because I know exactly what kinda girl this Ikehara person is."
Energetic. Loud. Seemingly perfect in both grades and athletics. It was like she had walked straight out of a storybook. Upon hearing her credentials and seeing her, most people would just assume Katsumi was the perfect girl. But… Chiyo knew better. Being as experienced as she was, she was pretty familiar with the kind of girl Katsumi really was. After all, one of the girls in Chiyo's old "friend group" had been fairly similar.
Instead of energetic, it was really just narcissism pushed onto others. Instead of being loud, it was more like it was just another method to get attention. And when it came to grades and athletics, for as much as they seemed like the real deal, they probably weren't. "There's just no way someone that perfect could exist," Chiyo thought. "Even if her grades are actually really good because she's super smart, or she is a standout athlete, I guarantee I'm right about the other stuff. I've seen her kind plenty to know." The gal just couldn't help but glare. "This Ikehara girl is gonna be nothing but trouble."
And next to her, Michi just stared. "Chiyo looks upset…" she thought. "Is it because of this new girl?" To be honest, Michi wasn't sure what to make of Katsumi. The fact that she declared her sexual tastes with no hesitation had been so sudden and bold that Michi was more impressed than anything. Then there was the fact that right after she said that, Katsumi went straight to Kanako. It was all so fast that it was making Michi's head spin. She just didn't have enough time to process everything happening.
So, instead of focusing on Katsumi, Michi directed her attention to Chiyo. "I wonder how she feels about this…" Michi thought. Michi still didn't like that Haruna and Kanako were a couple, but she also knew that in the gal's own way, Chiyo had been watching over them. To see someone suddenly intrude on that had to be pretty annoying. "And it's rare to see Chiyo actually angry…" Michi thought.
For a moment, she considered what it would be like if Katsumi had asked out Chiyo instead of Kanako. To her surprise, Michi found that it made her uncomfortable, but it felt like her discomfort wasn't just from the idea of seeing two girls dating. "Rather than being uncomfortable," she thought. "I just… really don't like how that sounds…"
*****
"Please go out with me!"
When those words hit Haruna's ears, there was only a singular thought going through her mind.
"What. The. Hell!"
She had finally managed to settle everything in her life, and just when it seemed like things might start going well, this random girl comes from out of nowhere and suddenly asks out her girlfriend? "Seriously, what the hell?!" Haruna repeated to herself. Obviously there was no way she was going to stand for something like that happening, so she took action.
It was precisely because of what resulted from those actions that Haruna was extremely irked through the rest of class. "I just know she's looking down on me," she thought, taking a look at Katsumi. Unfortunately, Haruna had to admit that on paper, Katsumi was better than her. "Better grades and better looks…" she sighed internally.
However, that didn't mean Haruna was just going to give up. "Kanako is mine," she thought. "There's no way I'm just going to let this transfer girl steal her from me." Haruna was almost tempted to be super dramatic and shout a declaration of war, but she decided not to. "There's no need. After all, it won't be a war, because Kanako's not going anywhere." That thought helped to calm Haruna, and thanks to that, she began to give more thought to something else that had come to mind.
"Why is it that I feel like I know this girl?" Haruna wondered. "I don't remember her at all, but she says that she used to go here…" She tried and tried, but in the end, nothing was coming to mind. "I feel like it's important too. If I could just remember…"
*****
Needless to say, Kanako getting asked out in the middle of class was not something she had been expecting. "W-W-W-What's g-going on?!" she panicked inside. "W-Why is Kat-chan asking me out?!" The girl had mentioned something about a promise, but Kanako honestly couldn't recall. It made her feel a little bad, but there was nothing she could do about it, so she tried to react as best she could.
Fortunately, thanks to her classmates' intervention, that gave Kanako enough time to gather her thoughts. "Why am I panicking?" she thought, now more clear-headed. "I already have Haruna. There's no reason to do anything else."
But while her reaction was calm at first, hearing Katsumi insult both Haruna and their relationship was something that Kanako wasn't going to put up with. While she may not have been completely aware of it, she spoke her mind and then some, being sure to get the message across to Katsumi that she should not only not hurt Haruna, but also to think more before she says such mean things. She was satisfied enough with that, but that didn't mean that Kanako was necessarily back in a good mood.
"I certainly remember Kat-chan, but… that's about it," Kanako thought. "We kind of played together when we were younger, I think, but I don't remember anything we did… and she said something about a promise…" That was the main thing Kanako wanted to know about. Just what was this promise that she had supposedly made? If it was something along the lines of them going out together, Kanako felt like Katsumi probably had the wrong person. By the time Kanako and Katsumi had really started hanging out, Kanako was already in love with Akio. "If only I could remember…"
Regardless, one thing was certain. Everybody involved had been rubbed the wrong way by Katsumi Ikehara. Well, almost everyone. As Mayu and Jasmine wondered, Chiyo and Haruna fumed and Kanako tried to jog her memory, there was one person watching it all unfold who it felt like all she could do was watch and worry.
A girl with black hair cut in a bob and a perfectly kept uniform, Hinami Yamane took in the reactions of all of her friends in the classroom. "They all don't look very happy…" she thought, then she look at Katsumi, who was sitting in her seat. At the moment, she seemed to be making conversation with the girl next to her, and based on the girl's expression, the conversation was far from innocent. Just watching it happen made Hinami blush a little, so she looked away as she tried to gather her thoughts.
"Katsumi Ikehara…" she repeated the name in her head. "She's very pretty, but I get the feeling she might be a little mean too. I hope she doesn't hurt anybody. I just want to see everybody happy." Hinami was perhaps the one person involved of all of this holding out any hope. As for the others, they could only hold their breath and wait.
*****
It was right as the lunch bell rang that yet another inconvenience happened. "Hey Kana-chin, let's eat together!" Katsumi said excitedly as she dashed over to Kanako's desk. "S-Sorry, but I have plans-" "-with me," Haruna said, sliding in and bumping Katsumi out of the way. "Why don't you go make some new friends? After all, it looks like the girls are just lining up to spend some time with you," Haruna said mockingly. In truth, there were a few that wanted to exactly that, but they all also couldn't work up the nerve.
"I don't wanna eat with them, I wanna eat with my beloved Kana-chin," Katsumi said with a pout. "Who the hell are you calling your beloved?" Haruna growled. "Well certainly not you. Nobody wants a sweetheart that growls," Katsumi shot back. "G-Guys, please don't fight..." Kanako whimpered, caught in the middle. It seemed like her life was only going to get more chaotic, but as she bemoaned that fact, the worst thing yet came around.
"Um, Nakatomi-san?" a boy called from near the door. "There's someone here to see you." "Huh? W-Who?" Kanako asked, getting up to check. "Yes, who is- UGH." Immediately, a sound of pure disgust left Kanako's lips. "Great, now I don't even have an appetite anymore." "C'mon, don't be like that Kana-chan," the other person said. "I came here just to see you, after all."
"Huh? Is Nakatomi-san actually seeing two people at once?"
"No way, that only happens in manga, right?"
"Poor Endo-san, getting NTR'd like that…"
"I'M NOT GETTING NTR'D YOU JERKS!" Haruna exclaimed. "God, just who the hell is here causing all of these prob… lems… ah."
Standing just outside of the door way was a boy with slightly messy, short brown hair. His height was a little above average for a guy his age, and to indicate he was a third year, he wore a lavender tie to go with his white, long-sleeved shirt and grey pants. "Yo, Haruna-chan," he said. "It's been a while."
"Go away," Haruna said, then slammed the door shut. "H-Haruna, that's pretty mean!" Kanako cried. "You just looked completely put off by the sight of him, and you're telling me slamming a door in his face is too much?" Haruna pointed out. "W-Well…" Kanako sputtered, realizing just how evident her disgust had been.
Of course, since the door wasn't locked, the boy, Akio Miyashita, just simply reopened it and smiled, looking completely unbothered. "Sheesh," he said. "Bad temper as always, huh Haruna-chan?" "Shut up dirtbag," Haruna spat. Akio shrugged. "Not your best insult, but that's fine." Then, looking past the two of them, he saw Katsumi standing in the middle of the room, watching.
For a moment, his eyes went wide, but before Haruna or Kanako could notice, he quickly went back to his more composed appearance. "So, Kana-chan," he said. "Can I talk to you?" "No," Kanako said immediately. "To quote my girlfriend, go away." Kanako hoped that would be the end of it, so she went to walk away, but Akio stopped her.
"Kana-chan," he said, sounding serious. "I really need to talk to you." Then he turned to Haruna. "I'll need to talk to you too." "Why not just both of us together?" Haruna asked. "Because I have different things I want to tell you," Akio said, remaining serious. The two girls looked at each other, wondering what they should do. But, in the end, they both agreed.
Taking Kanako to a more private part of the school (a lesser used hallway), Akio leaned up against the hall and sighed. "We're really third-years now, huh?" he said casually. "If you just want to reminisce, I'm going back," Kanako said. "Y'know, you really got meaner after you started dating Haruna-chan," Akio said. Kanako only glared at him in response, so Akio just shrugged. "Alright, alright. Guess I'll just get straight to it." Clearing his throat, he made sure to get Kanako's full attention.
"I'm leaving, Kana-chan."
"Bye."
Akio's shoulder's slumped. "C'monnn. That's hurts, y'know?" "Well it's not like I know where you're going," Kanako said. "Are you leaving school for today? Going to another city in Hokkaido? Somewhere else in Ja-"
"I'm leaving Japan."
"...oh," was all Kanako said. Her voice was quiet, and if it wasn't for the relative silence of the hall they were in, Akio probably wouldn't have heard her. "So that's what you mean…" she added. "Yeah," Akio said. "And because I'm leaving, I thought it was finally time to tell you the truth." "The truth?" Kanako repeated, confused. "The truth about what?"
"About the real reason why I wanted you and Haruna-chan to get together."
"...eh?" Kanako let out. "T-The real reason? Didn't you just want us to get along again?" "Well, that was the reason I gave, but there was a worse reason, I guess you could say," Akio said. Kanako stared at him, unsure of what to make of this development. Akio looked like he was in a certain amount of pain too, making Kanako even more curious.
Taking her silence as a signal to go on, Akio continued. "When we were kids, it always felt so natural for the three of us to be together. You, me, Haruna-chan… we'd spend so many days together just doing all sorts of things. I think when I was younger, I thought those days would go on for forever."
"But, it didn't take long for me to notice that things were changing. In fact, two things happened at once. The first was really the biggest shock, and that was realizing you liked me. Maybe it was presumptuous of me to think such a thing, especially at such a young age, but as time went on, I only became more sure of that assumption. Although, when we were in early grade school, processing the fact that a girl liked me felt like a huge revelation."
Akio laughed a little to himself before continuing. "Because you liked me, that got me thinking about my own feelings. What was it I wanted? Who was it that would capture my heart? It surprisingly didn't take long for me to find the answer. While you liked me, I… liked someone else."
Kanako wasn't entirely caught off-guard by this reveal, but it still got her attention. "So he liked someone else…" she thought. "All that time I spent liking him, and his heart wasn't looking at me… That really… just makes me feel like an idiot." Even though she had Haruna now, the fact that she had spent years picturing a future with the boy she had known for so long and now finding out it was all pointless was definitely a hard blow to take. However, instead of making a comment, Kanako remained silent, allowing Akio to continue.
"It's terrible, isn't it?" he said, echoing Kanako's thoughts. "Even as kids, I was already being awful to you. But, like the saying goes, the heart wants what the heart wants, and for me, it was one girl in particular that wasn't you or Haruna-chan. It was a girl who had plenty of energy, easily was in the center of every conversation, and who shined like none other."
"But then, just as we went to move up to middle school, the girl moved away, and at the same time, the friendship I had with both you and Haruna-chan began falling apart. It was around then that I also picked up on how Haruna-chan felt, probably realizing before she even did."
"With that girl gone, I started to wonder what I was supposed to do with these feelings. Could I just forget about her and move on? Or, should I hang on to them, hoping that one day she'd come back? Then there was also the problem that I had found myself in. What are you supposed to do when both the girls that you grew up with have a crush on you, especially when you don't like them back?"
"For a while, I tried to feel the same. I tried it with both Haruna-chan and you, Kana-chan. I tried treating our outings as dates, sitting a little closer and acting like we were a couple, and even imagining a future as far as I could manage. But, it just seemed like no matter what I did, I just… couldn't feel the same. Ultimately, it came down to one thing: I could be happy with either one of you. If our parents had said I needed to marry either you or Haruna-chan, I could've and I think we would've been happy… but… neither of you were her. Neither of you could compare to the girl in my heart. I know that's a cruel thing to say, but I'm being completely honest here, so that's the truth, cruel as it may be."
"And then, a miracle happened."
Akio paused, as if he were taking in the moment. "...The day Haruna and I confessed…" Kanako said quietly. Akio nodded. "That's right. I had felt like it would be pretty soon for you, considering how you had been acting up until that point, but when Haruna-chan's came too, I was surprised. With how stubborn she can be, I figured I might not get a confession out of her until graduation."
"Honestly, I didn't want to hurt either one of you, and with how spineless I am, I think I probably would've said yes if only one of you had confessed instead of both at the same time. It had been years since that girl disappeared, and I was starting to lose hope. I started thinking 'even if you aren't her, at least I'd be happy to some extent.' It's certainly a feeling that isn't fair to either of you, but it was how I felt at the time."
"But, when I got both those letters marked for the same place on the same day at the same time, an idea hit me. I thought to myself 'if I can somehow get them together, then I'll be completely free to pursue my own love, and I won't have to hurt them by rejecting them.' I also just wanted you to stop fighting so much, so it all worked out."
"So I steeled myself and used a bit of twisted logic. I knew in order for this to work, I'd have to hurt you anyways, but at least this way, you two would have each other to fall back on. Little by little, the other girl would look like a better option compared to yours truly. It sounds crazy, right? But, somehow, it worked! It actually worked, and I couldn't believe it. And yet… I had to sacrifice my friendship with both of you to make it happen. The worst part is I can't even claim it was for some selfless reason, like for the sake of you two. I did it all for me. Me, the coward and liar, and perhaps even the fool too, sacrificed his two closest friends for the sake of a love that will never bear fruit…"
Akio turned away for a moment, and to Kanako, it appeared that he was possibly trying to hide tears. "It wasn't easy," he said, his voice sounding a little shaky. "Lying to you, and hurting you two the way I did… especially you Kana-chan. I hated doing it, but I just kept telling myself that it was for the best, that this way I could pursue my love, that Haruna-chan was better for you than I was…"
Akio paused, then finally, he faced Kanako again, his eyes looking just slightly red on the edges. "I won't say I'm the victim, and I won't ask you to forgive me. I know what I did, and I don't regret it, because for all the pain it caused, in the end, I at least made sure you two would be just fine without me."
"Where… are you going?" Kanako asked. "To a school in South Korea," Akio answered. "They have a program there that's perfect for me, and I'm still eligible for it even in my last year of high school, so I figured I'd finally give it a shot." "But why now?" Kanako asked. Akio let out a self-depreciating laugh. "Because, indirectly, I just got rejected."
She had had a feeling, but it was that sentence that allowed Kanako to make her conclusion. "The girl you loved… was Kat-chan…" she said. "Yep," Akio said. "How's that for cruel irony? I held out for years for her, and then she finally comes back only to say she's only into girls. What a joke, huh?" "So you're transferring just because you got rejected?" Kanako asked, but Akio shook his head. "No, I was probably going to do it regardless. Ikehara-san's announcement was just the final nail in my heart."
She shouldn't feel this way. She shouldn't, but… Kanako couldn't help but feel bad for Akio. It was true he had hurt her and Haruna quite a bit, but it was also true that they had grown up together. No matter how hard you try, that's a bond that's hard to forget. It was from that bond that Kanako truly felt like Akio deserved a better fate than this.
"I'm sorry, Akio-kun," Kanako said. "Don't be," Akio said quickly. "Like I said, I know what I did. I guess you can just call this what I deserve." "Ah, hang on," Kanako said suddenly. "How'd you know about Kat-chan already? Did someone tell you in between classes or something?" "Ah, about that…" Akio said awkwardly. "I actually… ran into her on the way here this morning. At first she didn't remember me, so she quickly said she had no interest in guys. Then, during class this morning, a friend of mine in your class texted me about what Ikehara-san said."
With that explained, a silence fell over the two. "...Well, that's it," Akio finally said. "That's the whole story." Having made his conclusion, Akio waited for Kanako to respond.
"I… can't say I agree with how you did things," she began. "And really, you did hurt me a lot. I mean, you took my heart and crushed it right in front of me. But, without you… Haruna and I… may have never gotten together. I don't even know if we would've reconciled. So, while I don't think I can go as far as actually thanking you, now that I know everything, I can say that I understand, and I'll just take my current relationship and be happy."
"I guess I can't ask for much more than that," Akio said. Then, he started to walk away, but just as he did, he stopped. "Kana-chan," he said. "I hope that one day… we can all get together again like we used to." "Maybe… one day…" Kanako said back. And with that, Akio left.
*****
"Did you seriously have to drag me out to this dark corner of the school?"
"Why not? It suits you."
"Shut up. I hope you realize how much trouble you keep causing. Now my class thinks something weird is going on between you, me and Kanako."
"Well, that won't matter for much longer."
Upon saying that, Akio began to tell Haruna his story as well. He kept it shorter, telling her that Kanako could fill in the gaps, and he knew that Haruna probably just wanted him to get to the point. When he did, Haruna just stared at him in silence before finally opening her mouth.
"...Can I hit you?"
"Huh?"
"Just one good slug to the face."
"I'd like it if you didn't do that."
In summary, Haruna was furious. "How could he treat us both like that all for one girl?" she fumed inside. Really, she was mad for two reasons. The first was being manipulated so much by Akio for a dumb reason like unrequited love. The second was knowing that her feelings for him in the past had essentially been ignored. "I'm not sure which one makes me madder…" she thought.
"Look, I understand you're anger, but it's not like you getting mad at me will change anything. And, it's not like you'd want anything to change now, right?" Akio said. "I still wanna hit you," Haruna said flatly. "I really don't want to have to explain a black eye to my parents or teachers, so don't," Akio said. Haruna sighed. "But c'mon Miyashita-kun, you did all of that for Ikehara-san? What's so great about her anyways?" "I'm mean, she's pretty cute," Akio said plainly. "I don't think so," Haruna pouted.
"I heard about what happened, by the way," Akio said. "About how Ikehara-san wants Kana-chan." "...Yeah,' Haruna said, being brought back to the main problem on her mind. "That girl is gonna be a pain." "Probably," Akio said. "But at least you're already dating Kana-chan. That should make things easier for the both of you to deny her advances." "Right…" Haruna said, her mind starting to go deeper into thought. However, Akio brought her out of it.
"Haruna-chan," he said. "Take care of Kana-chan, okay?" "She's mine, so of course I will," Haruna stated. "And, um… thanks I guess. Without you… I wouldn't have Kanako, so…" "It's probably better that you don't thank me for that," Akio said with a hand raised. "After all, while the result was good, I caused you both a lot of pain." "You know what? That's true. Screw you, you big damn jerk," Haruna said with a huff.
Akio laughed. "Alright, well, I have things to do, so I'm going to head back home." "So you're really going to South Korea?" Haruna asked. "Yeah? Why would I lie about that?" Akio asked, dumbfounded. "I used to think you were nice and look how that turned out. A girl can never be to careful, y'know?" "Sure," Akio said with an exasperated smile. "Anyways, I'm off."
Akio began walking away, and Haruna watched him go. "...Good luck," she said, just loud enough so he could hear. The boy stopped for a moment, but then he continued on. If things played out the way he had told Haruna, it would probably be quite some time before she saw him again. She wasn't sure whether she should say good riddance or just goodbye. So instead of making a decision, she just watched the boy she had grown up with, Akio Miyashita, head off on a journey of his own.
*****
"So he's really gone…" Kanako said as she and Haruna walked back home. "Yep…" Haruna said.
"Haruna?"
"Hm?"
"Are you… sad at all about Akio-kun leaving?"
"Nope… well… I don't know… a little, maybe. Just a bit…"
"Same here…"
They may have had complicated feelings about the boy, but he was someone who had had a profound impact on their lives. In fact, it might not be an exaggeration to say that he set the course for their futures. Though neither girl wanted to go that far in admitting such a thing, they both understood how much Akio had done for them.
"Well, at least that's one potential rival gone," Haruna muttered. "I-I'd hardly call him a rival at this point," Kanako said. "That makes it sound like I'm still interested in him." "Yeah well, even if he wasn't a rival anymore, he still got on my nerves…" Haruna said awkwardly. Hearing that, Kanako laughed. "Don't worry Haruna. There aren't any rivals for you when it comes to love." "That sounds so corny," Haruna said, laughing a little.
The two of them continued the walk home, enjoying each other's company, as the sun began to set on what would be the last of their peaceful days for quite some time…
End of Chapter Three.