Meanwhile…
Right after Fuyuki ran, Kaede took this opportunity and said, “Girls, let’s go somewhere more private.”
The 2 girls obliged. They soon arrived at the secluded room at the main library. Kaede slammed her hand on the table. “Okay, we definitely need to talk about Fuyuki-chan!” She pouted.
Haruka rolled her eyes. “What is it now?”
Kaede glared at her. “Anyways, as you saw earlier, aside from stealing all the boys, she defended that pathetic mangaka lesbian. Don’t you all think that she isn’t exactly one of us? She is just nothing but a fake, a fake that pretends to be one of us, but in reality, she’s a manipulative witch who made us into fools!”
Haruka raised an eyebrow. “And what did she do?”
Kaede rolled her eyes. “Don’t you think that her randomly getting a bunch of letters is odd? Why only now? This definitely means that she did something!”
Akane bashfully retorted. “Fuyuki-chan would never do such things!”
Kaede leaned closer to Akane. “And what makes you think that she’s not playing with you at the palms of her hand? I’ve always had a bad feeling about her, like she’s hiding something, that she’s bad news… There’s just something off in her cheerful exterior.”
Akane let out an exhale before retorting. “But that’s just how Fuyuki-chan is…”
Kaede smirked. “Heh, that’s how good of a manipulator she is. Seeing how she got a shoe locker filled with love letters out of nowhere definitely means she did something to seduce the boys! I may not have a clear idea and concrete evidence, but I’m sure that she did something. She never got any love letters yesterday, did she? And yet she got so much today! Well, anyways, she really thinks she’s all better than us, that she’s the prettiest girl in school? Heh, well, that’s where she is mistaken!”
Akane’s eyes widened for a split second and averted her gaze.
Kaede carried on with her little speech. “Feeling so confident that she SEDUCED every single guy in our school, I can’t believe I was ever friends with that arrogant flirt! And to think she’s defending that lesbian mangaka just to make herself look like an angel, she’s going way too far! Acting all high and mighty, hiding that messed-up nature of hers. Just thinking about it makes me feel so sick! If she really is as much of an angel as she presents herself to be, she would’ve done it a long time ago!”
Akane looked at Kaede hesitantly. “I… I… I still don’t believe that Fuyuki-chan would do such things… She has been getting some love letters, but it was never as much what she received today… But then again, you do have to admit that Fuyuki-chan is rather attractive…” She then had a pained expression on her face.
Kaede rolled her eyes. “Oh please, she may have gotten a few, but why did she get a lot today? Why only now of all days?”
Haruka contemplated. “You actually have a point. It is odd that she suddenly got hundreds of love letters. I’ll give this to you.”
Kaede pouted. “Are you calling me a moron!?”
Akanr lowered her head and said, “I will be going to the toilet…”
Kaede said, “Okay, just a word of advice: don’t get too close to Fuyuki-chan.”
With that, Akane went to the toilet. Luckily, she was the only one there. Akane looked at the mirror, tears threatening to fall. “If I were only as attractive as Fuyuki-chan, maybe mother wouldn’t hate me as much…”
•••
Right after I got back inside my room, the tears I held back after calling Koto-chan’s maids started flowing uncontrollably.
“Koto-chan… she’s gone… SHE’S GONE! I’m such a coward! Screw manga, screw Kaede-chan, screw Akane-chan, screw EVERYONE! I just want you back, Koto-chan. I need you. Just talking to you- no, just seeing you makes my day so much better! But I was a coward! I couldn’t defend you… I- I… CURSE LIFE! All I can do now is honor your words and make manga… That same thing that ruined your life…”
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Just then, I felt a vibration in my hand.
Akane: Fuyuki-chan, iD*SMiLE just released their latest collection
I sighed.
Fuyuki: Not now, Akane-chan
Akane: Did something happen?
Fuyuki: Koto-chan’s gone
Akane: I’m here for you
Fuyuki: Thanks, Akane-chab, but all I ever truly wanted was to be with her. You were right. I do have feelings for her but it’s too late. I just wish I had defended her
Akane: You did defend her
Fuyuki: THAT WASN'T ENOUGH! I SHOULD’VE DEFENDED HER SINCE THE START!”
Akane: Calm down, Fuyuki-chan
Fuyuki: HOW CAN I BE CALM WHEN KOTO-CHAN IS GONE, AND IT'S ALL MY FAULT!
Akane: It’s not your fault. You didn’t bully her. In fact, you did everything that you could to make sure that she ate well. You’d even buy a new set of our uniform if the bullies would ruin it
Fuyuki: And that will never be enough. She’s gone now, and there’s nothing that I can do about it
Akane: You’ll eventually get over it. Who knows, maybe you’ll find another someone who’ll steal your heart
Fuyuki: I DON’T CARE! I ONLY WANT HER AND ONLY HER
Akane: Calm down
Fuyuki: If I could only reverse time
Akane: Fuyuki-chan, you have to accept that she’ll never come back, and you can’t do anything about it. All you can do is accept it and move on
Fuyuki: At least I was able to kiss her yesterday
Akane: YOU DID WHAT!?
Fuyuki: We snuck out of school yesterday, remember?
Akane: Yeah, and?
Fuyuki: Before that, we saw each other in the toilet. I was having a panic attack, and she helped me. After that, she thanked me and asked for a favor, and I said yes. I didn’t expect it to be a kiss. Ah, if time could only stop in that moment. I would like for it to last forever…
My heart raced from the memory.
••
We could’ve had a collab, or we could’ve gone on a date, or… Sigh, there’s no use. All I can do is to carry those sweet memories…
Akane: I’m glad that it’s mutual. Oh wait, she got outed. Seriously though, it took you way too long to realize your feelings, Fuyuki-chan. You shouldn’t be so oblivious around your surroundings. I bet you don’t even know how much people adore you
I couldn’t help but smirk. Who would adore someone like me…
Fuyuki: That’s because it’s not true
Akane: You’re so painfully oblivious
So oblivious that I missed my chance with Koto-chan
Fuyuki: Don’t remind me anymore
Akane: Cheer up! Would you like to go to iD*SMiLE to unwind?
Fuyuki: I’ll pass
We continued chatting until midnight. Talking to her made the pain feel a bit less painful.
•••
While chatting with Fuyuki, Akane let out a deep sigh.
“Why are you so oblivious, Fuyuki-chan? You’re perfect! You’re very attractive, have a lot of admirers, and your crush even likes you back! Not everyone is as lucky as you, like me, who’s not as attractive or as adored. I’m my mother’s eyes, all I’ll ever be is a disgrace to the fashion industry…”
She then checked Instagram and saw an attractive girl on the beach, posing in a cute manner. It gave her an idea.
•••
1 year later
We were at a cafe, enjoying our drinks and desserts. As usual, Akane-chan and I are seated next to each other, and Kaede-chan and Haruka-chan are seated next to each other and right in front of us.
“So Fuyuki-chan, I bet you’re so happy with the fact that guys are gushing over you.” Kaede-chan had a sarcastic tone.
I sighed. “I don’t know. I’m just not in the mood for it.”
Kaede-chan rolled her eyes. “Don’t even dare deny it, girl. We can tell that you secretly like it. Besides, it’s every girl’s dream!”
Haruka-chan scuffed. “Girl, we’re not blind”
Akane-chan, who was on her phone the entire time, replied. “Ugh, look at her hair. It’s so perfect, unlike mine.” She then looked at me. “Even your hair looks perfect, Fuyuki-chan! You need to be grateful for how you look! I would die for that hair.”
I sighed. “If only I could give it to you, Akane-chan…”
Kaede-chan scoffed. “There she is again, acting all humble. It can’t fool us, Fuyuki-chan.”
They continued talking about my popularity.
•••
I was drawing in my room when I got a notification from iD*SMiLE. They apparently released their latest collection. I was about to send it to Akane-chan when I remembered
“Right…”
I’ve slowly drifted apart from the others, which I don’t mind. I still have the keychain Koto-chan gave me, our memories, the kiss…, manga… I’m doing perfectly fine!
I sighed.
I guess the only person who genuinely cared was Koto-chan, and I had to mess up terribly. Not even Akane-chan… Eh, I still have manga with me, my only connection to Koto-chan… I hope your soul is doing well, Koto-chan. I miss you. I really do, but we can’t get everything that we want in life… I wish I was able to say “I love you” though… Well, staying with them is better than nothing, I guess. I still have manga, so it won’t be too bad… Koto-chan…
I couldn’t help but feel empty.
Eh, it’s fine. It's nothing too bad. I pretty much have the perfect life! I can do whatever I want, and I’m not alone. I can wear as many cute dresses as I’d like, and I can read and draw as much manga as I want to. I also have my friends. I’m happy that everything’s going really well!
I held onto the keychain Koto-chan gave me.
Don’t worry, Koto-chan. I’ll never give up. I’ll continue writing manga. I’ll do anything for you, Koto-chan.
Tears continued streaming down my face, staining my drawing tablet.