Infidelity and Slander
"Aah..."
I, Rowan Ash, a regular second-year high school student. The sound of crickets is continuous. Due to the intense heat this year, sweat is constantly dripping from me.
"Today was supposed to be my anniversary date..."
August 28. The summer vacation is almost over. I have been dating Iris Jasmine, my childhood friend, since I confessed my feelings to her last Christmas. We have been friends since elementary school. Although she used to be shy about expressing her feelings, I always admired her like a class idol. If not for our long-time friendship, we might never have spoken, let alone started dating. I'm too nervous, and even after half a year, we've never kissed.
I wanted to take our relationship further. That's why I was so excited for our anniversary date today.
But this morning, she suddenly sent me a message, "Sorry, Ash. There's a club event I can't miss." This was the first time she canceled our anniversary date since we started dating.
Honestly, I was really disappointed. With no clear destination, I took the train and went to the administrative center of the prefecture, which is a bit far. Walking alone, following the route we were supposed to take together, like watching a movie or playing at an arcade, felt really sad.
"How stupid am I?"
I felt stupid walking aimlessly, so I decided to head home. Maybe I would stop by the famous noodle shop at the station and celebrate my birthday by myself.
With thoughts of a middle-aged person full of sadness, I turned back toward the station. In a small town like this, there is usually a district with adult entertainment located a bit far from the large electronics stores. Ah, damn. Maybe because I had checked out places like that, my feet subconsciously brought me there.
I felt so pathetic.
"Eh?"
I saw someone I shouldn't have seen here. Maybe I was hallucinating because I wanted so badly to meet her. I rubbed my eyes and looked again. But it wasn't a hallucination.
I saw something I shouldn't have seen. I tried hard to deny it in my head. The more I denied it, the more I felt suffocated by the bitter reality.
Her long black hair. A slender body like a model. Her favorite dress. But her makeup was thicker than usual. She looked very lively.
"Ah..."
Iris saw me and immediately froze.
The man walking with her looked confused, but after seeing me, he smirked.
"Why are you here?"
We, my childhood friend and I, reacted the same way. The man beside her was Cedar Pine, the star football player. He's a handsome guy, popular with girls, but his reputation is bad because he frequently changes girlfriends. He's very different from Iris, who has always been a model student.
Why is she closer to him than to me, her boyfriend? And on my birthday, too!!
"Hey, Iris!"
Unconsciously, I grabbed her arm. "Ouch!" she screamed, and I immediately let go. I was too rough.
"I'm sorry..."
Before I could apologize, I felt a sharp pain in my left cheek. My body was thrown backward. I only realized that I had just been slapped.
"Asshole! What did you do to my girlfriend?!"
His voice was full of anger, and people around us started to pay attention.
"What are you talking about... the one who's cheating is..."
Breathing heavily, I looked at him with hatred.
"Huh? Who are you? Iris' stalker?"
What is he talking about?
"Hey, Iris. Say something to him. You always complain about him when you're lying next to me, right? You said you only accepted him because he's your childhood friend, but he's boring. You said his hands sweat and are disgusting when he holds your hand."
I heard my self-esteem shattering into pieces.
Please, deny it. I looked at the face of my childhood friend and girlfriend with hope. Her face was pale and trembling.
"What's wrong, Iris? If you prefer him, fine. We can break up here. Choose him or me. Which one do you choose?"
I felt like I was waiting for a sentence in front of a judge.
She clutched the arm of the man she was cheating with.
"No, don't leave me. I can't live without you, Pine."
My vision blurred.
"Then tell him who he is. Say it out loud."
I had passed beyond despair. My heart was dead.
"Ash... he's just a childhood friend... but he's annoying, like a stalker... a rude and asshole boyfriend."
"II..Ris..?"
My voice sounded like a mosquito. Was our 10 years of friendship only this much? I...
"Then tell him. Tell this misunderstood stalker."
Pushed by that man, she gave me the worst birthday gift.
"Sorry, Ash. I can't date you anymore. Don't talk to me at school again."
And with that, our relationship ended.
---
Rumors and Slander
After the sad birthday ended, I hid my swollen cheek from my mother and locked myself in my room. My father had passed away from an illness three years ago. Now, only my mother, older brother, and I remain. Since both of them were busy working and came home late, I was lucky they didn't notice.
I sent them a message, "I'm not feeling well, so I'll sleep in my room," and locked the door to my room. They, worried, came home from work and talked outside my door. Feeling guilty, I lied, "Maybe I have summer flu. I don't want to spread it to you. I'll sleep until summer vacation ends."
They, concerned, prepared porridge, pudding, and sports drinks in front of the door. I only ate a little and then slept without thinking about anything, and my important second-year summer vacation ended.
With a feeling of unbearable emptiness.
---
I had nightmares repeatedly.
I saw Iris and Senior Pine hugging and kissing in a hotel, and I could only watch them on a monitor screen.
"He's really disgusting, Ash. I was only nice to him because we're childhood friends, but he misunderstood and confessed his love to me."
"Forget about such a disgusting guy. Now, look only at me."
"Yes!!"
In the end, even though we had been friends for 10 years since childhood, I never got to touch her even once. That senior made Iris say bad things about me repeatedly and enjoyed it.
Even though it was just a dream, I felt nauseous. My dignity as a human being was shattered. I could hear my heart shattering.
Please stop this. It's too painful.
I knew what couples do in that adult entertainment district. Even though I was stupid, I understood. In the end, I was ignored on my birthday because that senior was more important to her than I was.
In the end, I had no value as a man.
---
I started the new semester with an unbearable disgusting feeling. I tried to put on my uniform and went to school. The world felt like it had turned sepia. The uphill walk to school felt like torture.
"Hey, that's the guy who hit Iris, right?"
"Ew, disgusting."
"Iris, poor thing. Her hand has bruises, right? A man who hits a woman is really low."
"He was too nice. That's why a stalker like him misunderstood."
"By the way, Senior Pine is cool, right? He was brave to fight that stalker and kick him out. He's really cool."
Every time they looked at my face, they whispered. My heart hurt. I already knew. Since that day, some friends contacted me. It was about the rumor that I hit Iris.
It seems like Senior Pine was actively spreading the rumor. The source of the information was always from the football club members...
I repeatedly stated that I wasn't guilty, but no one listened to me.
---
"The criminal always says that."
"We broke up. Don't talk to me at school again."
"Lowlife!!"
---
My close classmates blocked me on SNS. Now, no one supports me anymore.
I ignored their cold stares and managed to make it to class. But, as expected, it was hell too. No one wanted to look at me.
"Idiot."
"Die."
"Criminal."
"Don't come to school again."
On my desk were scribbled curses. Small laughter could be heard from a distance.
Then Iris came. Her eyes met mine, and she awkwardly turned her face away. The childhood friend I thought was like an angel had turned into a demon who trapped me.
"Iris, are you okay? No wounds, right?"
"Scary, right? If he did something to you, just tell us."
"How low to hit a woman after breaking up."
Iris spoke vaguely as she sat at her desk. To those who didn't know, she looked like a delicate, beautiful girl. It only made people sympathize with her more.
Damn, why doesn't anyone believe me?
I was never a stalker.
I did grab Iris' arm in a panic, but I didn't leave any bruises.
Why, why, why!!!
I couldn't take it anymore and ran into the hallway. But there was also a demon there.
Cedar Pine.
He smiled slyly while looking at my suffering face. Maybe he came to see the result of his plan. He used the football club juniors to spread bad rumors about me and isolate me at school.
"How is it, criminal? How are you?"
That bastard laughed at me with a satisfied look on his face.
"Why... are you lying like that?"
"Because it's fun. I took your woman, and you lost everything. It's the best show, right? A guy like you who misunderstood Iris deserves to be destroyed. You better leave school or something. I like ruining people's lives. I'm a psychopath."
I could smell cigarette smoke from Pine. He chewed gum to cover it up.
It made my nerves tense.
I fell to my knees. I screamed without sound as my body collapsed. After feeling the coldness of the hallway floor, my consciousness slowly faded into darkness.