With a mixture of curiosity and unease, I quickly grabbed my hooded jacket and headed out of the house without eating.
The sun was still shining a lot, casting a warm glow over the quiet streets of the neighborhood.
As I walked, my mind raced with questions and uncertainties about Ema's sudden plan to go out with Kanna.
I tried to push aside any negative thoughts and focus on the task at hand: following Ema discreetly to see where she was really going.
I knew it wasn't the most ethical thing to do, but my gut feeling told me that something wasn't right, and I needed to find out the truth.
It wasn't the first time that Ema went to shopping , so i knew where she used to walk.
I walked for sometime and i found Ema standing on the sidewalk , alone.
"Wasn't she with Kanna?" I asked to myself, while my suspicious grew into my mind.
Then, i saw her grabbing her phone from her little bag.
She started speaking.
She was smiling a lot.
She was happy.
She was dressed with the same dress she used for our anniversary date: A long , light blue dress decorated with gold ornaments and some draws on it.
She was also wearing her blue high heels.
"She is meeting with someone. That's for sure. She never dresses like this for a normal occasion." I thought, while my anxiety levels were rising.
Suddenly, she ended the phone call and put her phone back in her bag.
Ema then started walking towards a cafeteria.
I decided to follow her.
I kept a safe distance behind Ema, making sure not to attract any attention as she made her way through the streets.
She seemed unaware of my presence, engrossed in her own thoughts as she walked with purpose.
After a while, Ema stopped in front of a cozy-looking café nestled in a corner of the street.
I watched from a distance as she entered the café, her demeanor relaxed and carefree.
She was stil alone but , since i was suspicious, i walked close to the Café.
My heart sank as I realized that perhaps my suspicions were unfounded, and Ema was simply enjoying a casual outing with her sister Kanna.
But why was she waiting for her inside? Weren't they toghether ?
But something still nagged at the back of my mind, urging me to investigate further.
I hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to approach the café and confront Ema or continue observing from afar.
Ultimately, curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to gather more information before jumping to conclusions.
Steeling myself, I approached the café and discreetly peered through the window.
Inside, I saw Ema and Kanna seated at a table, chatting animatedly over cups of coffee.
"Oh… so she really was with Kanna. I had nothing to worry about." I let out a sigh of relief and all my anxiety flew away.
They seemed relaxed and at ease in each other's company, laughing and sharing stories like old friends.
Relief washed over me as I realized that there was nothing suspicious about Ema's outing after all.
She was simply spending time with her sister, enjoying a moment of relaxation amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Feeling a sense of guilt for doubting Ema's intentions, I made a mental note to trust her more in the future and not let my insecurities cloud my judgment.
With a newfound sense of clarity, I turned away from the café and made my way back home.
As I walked, I couldn't shake the feeling of embarrassment and regret for doubting Ema's loyalty.
She deserved better than my unwarranted suspicions, and I resolved to make it up to her in any way I could.
Despite the twists and turns, one thing remained clear: I needed to learn to trust those closest to me and not let my fears dictate my actions.
But once again, even after what i saw, I wasn't feeling fully at ease, so i decided to walk back to them to follow Ema again.
"Why am i even doing this…? Is this normal?" That's what i was thinking.
I went near the cafe again, but this time the scenery was different.
I saw another person sit at the table with Ema and Kanna.
I couldn't see his face clearly, so i decided to enter the cafe without being noticed.
I then sat in the table behind them.
"Kanna, I'm going to the bathroom!!" Ema said.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The bathroom was right in front of me.
"Oh shoot….! She must not see me…!" I then raised my hood up, hoping that she wouldn't notice my presence.
Luckily , she didn't even at my place.
She walked straight into the bathroom.
"So, Chiko, why are you here?" Kanna asked.
At the mention of his name, my blood started to boil in my veins.
What the hell was that guy doing with Kanna and Ema?!?
I was truly angry.
And most of all, I was angry because Ema didn't tell me about his presence.
"Kanna-Chan, come on! Don't be so angry! You know that i like to spend time with you and Ema!" He said with an ironic and superior tone.
His tone of voice , his presence , his name; everything about this guy seemed disgusting to me.
I didn't know him but my instincts were telling me that this guy was scum.
He said he wanted Ema for him, and he put Suzuki-San in danger.
"I'll never forgive this scumbag." I said to myself.
My hands were trembling from anger.
All i wanted to do in that moment was taking Ema and Kanna with me while telling this guy to leave us alone.
I wanted him to leave.
Just his presence was making me angry.
"Chiko, don't lie to me. What do you want?" Kanna said with a very cold and sharp tone.
I could feel that Kanna hated this guy too.
"Oh… you're so clever~ Ahahaha!" He said, laughing loudly.
"You see, i just want your sister, nothing more." He added.
His voice was cold and deadly serious.
He really wanted to take away my Ema from me.
I clenched my fist and i was about to jump on that guy.
I wanted to beat him until he passed out.
My body was shaking from anger, but I couldn't do anything.
I couldn't do anything, Ema and Kanna absolutely shouldn't know that I was there listening.
My mind was blinded by anger, but the only thing that kept me warm was Kanna.
"Chiko. Ema is already engaged and will have to get married once she graduates. Disappear and leave her alone. Otherwise, I'll take action," Kanna said, with a calm yet aggressive tone.
"Oh? But how? You know I like him so much! Just think about it, we'll both benefit," Chiko replied, laughing with a mocking laugh, as if she wanted to make fun.
"What?" I thought. "Benefit?!"
"Think about it, Kanna, you'll have your beloved Fumihiro while I have Ema. And don't worry, this time you won't have to use Benjiro as a replacement," Chiko added.
"Beloved… Fumihiro…?" I thought, shocked as my eyes widened.
This response touched Kanna emotionally, who with a sudden gesture, slammed her fists on the table, getting up from her seat and shouting:
"NEVER SAY SUCH A THING AGAIN OR YOU'LL PAY DEARLY FOR IT!" Kanna yelled. She was really furious.
A moment of noisy silence filled the room.
The looks of all the customers including mine were directed at Kanna.
"Oh, calm down!! Hahaha! Alright, I'm leaving for now. Goodbye," Chiko said, getting up and leaving.
Kanna began to breathe heavily, she was really angry.
She remained silent, watching Chiko leave through the main door.
At that point, a waiter from the establishment approached her.
"Is everything okay, miss?" he asked with a concerned tone.
Kanna nodded and sat back down, while Ema came out of the bathroom and immediately ran towards her.
"Sister?? Is everything okay?" She asked with a really worried tone.
Kanna nodded again and smiled at Ema, reassuring her.
"Yes, everything is fine, let's get out of here."
She said.
"But we still didn't eat anything!!" Ema said.
"I don't care. Let's go shopping , Fumi is coming home, we must buy something for him. Didn't you say that you wanted to bake a cake for him?" She said.
"A cake? For me" I thought.
My heart squeezed itself.
I was feeling guilty again for not trusting Ema.
Ema nodded with a sad sigh.
"Yeah, sister. Let's go." Ema said, while taking Kanna by the arm and walking out from the cafe.
She apologized to the waiter before going out.
"That situation is… strange." I thought.
"I see that Ema is in danger. I must protect her at all costs , but why doesn't she talk to me about this situation?" I asked to myself.
"Now I'm sure that she didn't cheat on me."
The plan was far from over, so I decided to follow Ema and Kanna again.