Chapter- 23

Rie's point of view:-

　...A lot of things happened today. I went to school with the person I like from the morning. I was so excited that my dream was about to come true, but it was cruel to tell Mamoru about it! ...But he said I was cute. ...Yeah, I'll forgive my mother.

　After that, I met Touka, and lo and behold! Mamoru proposed to me! puff..puff! ...But, you know. He was just saying that you're a kind person and that you make me smile all the time, right? Because after that, he tried to go ahead right away. I can't be in the wrong for holding him back, right?

　A lot happened after I got to school. Yeah, really. …It was well known that I'd been dumped. But everyone was worried about me... Then, I got a little jealous that Touka and Mamoru were getting along well. I should have been happy, but I was worried that she'd take him away... And then he said the most shocking thing today. "Let's stop being together"!! As soon as I heard that, my head went all messed up and I couldn't think about anything. …No, I refused to think. So I ended up letting my emotions out and saying all sorts of things. I don't remember what I said in my daze, but I'm sure I said some pretty awful things... But Mamoru understood. He listened to me, thought about me, and really faced me. I was happy about his kindness. …It was also at that time that I was a little selfish and he started calling me by my name. This was probably the biggest achievement of the day!!

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　And so the lesson began. Maybe we could make eye contact and maybe even wave a little. I looked at Mamoru with that thought in mind, but he didn't look my way. But he looked at the blackboard intently, studying with a cool expression on his face, so I was very satisfied!

　And then the exciting break begins. I wonder if I can talk to him, but when I check on him, he's reviewing or preparing for the next lesson, so I can't talk to him. I didn't know he was studying so hard. ...Come to think of it, he said he studied in the library almost every day after school. But my frustrations are building up.

　And so it was time for lunch break. I got up to talk to him...but before I did, Mamoru got up. He then left the classroom, and came back a little later with a watering can. He started watering the flower bed in the classroom. It was a given that there were people taking care of the flowers I thought were beautiful, and I had never really thought about it that much before. When did I become so horrible at thinking that it was natural for something to be there? But even so, I would rather have a chat with him, even if it was just small talk, than take care of the flowers. Even so, I couldn't bring myself to interrupt Mamoru, who was in a bit of a hurry to eat with the little lunch time left.

　"You're ruining your pretty face if you keep sulking like that," Touka told me while we were eating together.

Did I really look that bad? But Mamoru-kun also said I look cuter when I'm smiling.

Wow, Rie has such a sexy expression, she said, but I don't know what expression she means. But maybe because I remembered Mamoru-kun, my dissatisfaction has lessened a little.