"It's really sad, isn't it? The people you trusted, the friends you called your companions—none of them came to find you."
"Instead, it's me, the one you think of as your enemy, the person you despise, who's standing here in front of you while you're feeling so down."
"Doesn't that tell you something?"
Suzumiya Chisato didn't immediately state the conclusion but let Kasumigaoka Utaha think about it on her own after hinting at the meaning.
"No… it's not like that!" Kasumigaoka Utaha's voice was full of anger.
She wasn't sure if her anger was directed at Suzumiya Chisato or if it was because she was starting to believe what he was implying.
Her uncertainty magnified the anxiety and fear within her.
Her instincts told her this was a trap set by Suzumiya Chisato to mess with her emotions, to toy with her thoughts.
Everything he did was to get revenge for the time she broke her promise.
But there was no proof, just speculation.
On the other hand, everything he said, the facts he pointed out, were undeniably true.
There was no need to overthink.
The reality was right there in front of her.
So much time had passed, but not a single person had appeared at the rooftop door.
Kasumigaoka Utaha bit her lip, thinking that maybe she really wasn't important, that maybe she really wasn't needed.
In the past, the calm and clever her would never have entertained such self-destructive, negative, and foolish thoughts.
But over the past few days, the arguments with Tomoya Aki, the disappointment from not being able to trust those she once relied on, and the anger that had just surfaced had left her unable to control her emotions.
Under Suzumiya Chisato's subtle manipulation, she found herself falling into a pit of despair.
Noticing that Kasumigaoka Utaha was glancing toward the rooftop door, Suzumiya Chisato spoke again,
"Still holding onto such unrealistic hopes? I don't even know what to say. Naive, or just plain stupid?"
"…My own business is none of your concern." Kasumigaoka Utaha's voice grew weaker.
Her usual cold and emotionless tone had turned into a frustrated and desperate denial.
This change alone showed how shaken she was.
Suzumiya Chisato remained unfazed, following the steps of the plan he had carefully crafted.
"This is exactly why you were so easily tricked by Tomoya Aki into working for the club for free."
"You spent all your time and effort, moved by your own self-sacrifice, without realizing that you didn't gain anything in return."
"I said, my own business is none of your concern!"
[Your carefully chosen words made the already upset Kasumigaoka Utaha even more confused.]
[She didn't want to listen to you anymore, so she mustered the courage to push you away and chose to flee.]
[You watched her run off, her back trembling, and with a cold smile, you pulled out your phone and instructed your followers still in the club to create a lively and happy atmosphere.]
[After finishing this, you slowly descended the stairs.]
[As you approached the club, you saw, as expected, Kasumigaoka Utaha standing dazed at the entrance.]
[From inside the club room, cheerful and carefree laughter could be clearly heard, with Tomoya Aki's voice being the louder one.]
Suzumiya Chisato walked past her without glancing at Kasumigaoka Utaha's beautiful face, now filled with sadness and loss, her shoulders trembling slightly.
"I know this truth will hurt you, but even so, I won't lie."
"You're too naive."
"The friendships you value, the gratitude you cherish, and perhaps even the feelings you have for someone—all those things that seem so precious to you are meaningless to everyone else."
[You reached out and gently hooked her slender, slightly cold fingertips with your right hand.]
[Though your grip was light, Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't move at all, showing no signs of resisting or pulling away.]
"They ignored you because they found a replacement, so your existence became unnecessary to them."
"But while they think that way, I don't."
[Your actions grew bolder as you tightly clasped Kasumigaoka Utaha's hand, intertwining your fingers with hers, leaving no space between them.]
"When I unexpectedly ran into you at school, my first reaction was anger because I hated you for not keeping your promise all those years ago."
"That's why I said those things to you in the student council room. I thought doing so would make me feel better, but I was wrong."
"After seeing the fear mixed with unease on your face, I regretted it."
"I realized I still couldn't forget the feelings I had when I first met you."
"Upon calming down and reflecting on the past, I understood how you felt."
"When you were approached by strangers on the street, I happened to come over with a group to help you out."
"That familiar scenario could easily be seen as premeditated with ulterior motives. So, I began to understand you—after all, a girl does need to know how to protect herself."
[Kasumigaoka Utaha's hand trembled slightly in yours.]
"But after that, I realized I had already left a bad impression on you."
"I thought if I tried to get closer to you, it would only backfire no matter what I did."
"So, I made up my mind to just watch over you from a distance, as long as you were happy at school."
"That's why I not only agreed to Tomoya Aki's request but also extended the time limit and provided extra funding for club activities."
"It was the most help I could give as the student council president."
"But not everything goes as we expect…"
[You felt Kasumigaoka Utaha gently tighten her grip on your hand, so you quickly stopped talking.]
[The next moment, Kasumigaoka Utaha softly released your hand.]
[You handed her a tissue that you had prepared in advance.]
[She took it, gently wiped the corners of her eyes, and then opened the clubroom door and walked in.]
[She ignored the sudden quiet in the room, grabbed her novel and laptop without saying a word.]
[Tomoya Aki watched her leave, raising his left hand as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.]
[After Kasumigaoka Utaha left the club, a new member put an arm around his neck, trying to lighten the mood with jokes.]
[Tomoya Aki forced a smile, but inside, he felt a deep emptiness, as if he had lost something very important.]
[Kasumigaoka Utaha followed you back to your apartment, where you both ignored Japan's laws against underage drinking.]
[In a slightly tipsy state, you gently kissed away the tears from Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes.]
[That night, she willingly gave you her first time.]