Episode- 02

Koizumi and I had been crying for about 30 minutes.

　We must have both gotten tired, because in the end we just sat there in silence.

　Although things like that don't make my heart any brighter, I feel like I can organize my thoughts better than before. I feel calmer.

　Feeling the cold wind on my skin, I looked next to me and my eyes met with Koizumi's.

　Koizumi, her eyes are more swollen than at the beginning, stood up from the bench and stretched her legs.

　and.

"A diversion. I'm going to diversion."

　He declared.

　Perhaps the heartbreak hasn't healed.

　But tomorrow will come, and I can't keep crying forever.

　Perhaps my feelings overlapped with hers, and strangely enough, a smile spread across my face.

"That would be great. I'll go home and take a bath."

　When I stood up to go home, Koizumi grabbed my bag again.

"What are you talking about? You're coming too."

"Huh? Ah, wait!"

　Without even listening to my answer, she took me away, using my bag as a leash.

　I left the school gates feeling like a dog, something I never wanted to know.

　♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢♢

"You fool of youth!!!"

　Koizumi shouts with a voice that is unexpected from her small body.

　If this were the ocean where the sun was setting, it would have been as moving as a scene from a movie.

　However, this is Room Six of a karaoke bar, a five-minute walk from the nearest station.

　Koizumi shouted loudly while holding the microphone, then let out a sigh as if she had finished her job.

"You're too noisy! At least put down the microphone and shout!"

　Even though I tried my best to cover my ears, there was a ringing in the back of my ears.

　The person in question didn't seem to mind and handed me the microphone.

"Come on, you do it too. By the way, what's your name?"

　This guy! He doesn't even know my name, let alone that I'm his classmate.

"It's Souma. Souma Minato. We're in the same class."

"Oh, sorry..."

"It's fine, nothing special. I'm not the type to stand out."

　I take the microphone as I answer.

　No, I wouldn't scream when I received it.

"Souma, right? Ah, I'm Koizumi Koyori. Well, two people who've been rejected get along well... Yes, I was rejected..."

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　Koizumi is on the verge of crying again.

　Oh come on!

　I take a deep breath.

"You bastard of youth!!!"

"Shut up!"

　I turned off the microphone and shouted anyway.

　Koizumi, who had been crying a moment ago, is now laughing out loud, so I guess it's okay.

　She takes out another built-in microphone and starts fiddling song .

　The songs selected were fast-paced and intense.

　It's a song that seems to vent frustrations and dissatisfaction with the world.

　Actually, she's really good at singing. The lyrics are hard, but when sung by Koizumi's voice, they somehow sound mild.

"Okay, next. Souma's turn."

"Oh, yeah. I wonder what I should sing."

　I'd only ever been to a karaoke place a few times, so there was no way I had any songs of my own.

　As I was groaning, Koizumi asked me.

"...You're not really used to karaoke, are you? Even though you had a girlfriend?"

　I heard a sharp stab to my heart.

"...That's right."

　If I tell them honestly, they look genuinely surprised.

"Well, then where did you go on a date?"

"...I haven't gone anywhere."

"Eh...?"

　This time he was pulling for real.

　It was a face that seemed to be wondering if they were really dating.

"I've asked her out many times, but she always turns me down, saying she has other plans..."

"Souma..."

　Koizumi seemed to want to say something, but she stopped.

　I know. Somewhere in my heart, I thought the same thing. Maybe she was just playing with me.

　But I couldn't doubt it without any proof. I wanted to believe Shiina-san, who had accepted my confession.

　I was dumped before I found out the truth, but I still believe that's not the case.

"me too……"

"wha..?"

"I understand how you feel. Even though I asked him out on a date, I only managed to go a few times. I got dumped within a month... Even though he was my first boyfriend..."

"Oh, your first boyfriend?"

"Yeah, is there something wrong?"

"No, that's not true. I thought Koizumi had more romantic experience."

　To be honest, I just thought they were having fun.

"Huh? There's no way that's true. He really was my first boyfriend. I'm still in the middle of--what are you making me say, you pervert!"

　She yells abuse at me while wrapping her arms around her body as if to protect herself.

"You just killed yourself and now you're calling me a pervert..."

"Shut up! You're probably a virgin anyway!"

"I-I'm not a virgin!"

　But this response was no different to a positive one.

　Koizumi still glared at me like a threatening dog.

"Well, it's my fault. Are you going to have some fun today?"

　Perhaps remembering her original purpose, she let her guard down, but judging from the sudden change in her mood, she must have remembered something else as well.

"...That's right. Today we're all just going to have fun together after being dumped. You have to give it your all too."

　The difference between the words and the tone of his voice was so stark it hurt.

　...What am I doing? I'm not the only one suffering.

　I operate the search bar and play a famous song, although I only vaguely remember it.

"...Can you sing this song? The key is high."

"Do your best."

　My terrible singing voice echoes through the microphone.

　I vaguely remembered the A and B verses, I was out of tune in the chorus, and I didn't know the C verse at all so I stopped.

　However, what was waiting for me after I finished singing was...

"Haha! You're terrible!"

"Shut up."

　After making fun of me so much, the next song Koizumi chose was a famous duet of heartbreak that even I knew.

　and.

"Just for today."

"wha...?"

"I'll be so depressed I'll probably cry, but only for today!"

　Unlike her sad face from a moment ago, even though she had tears in her eyes, there was a strong will there.

"So, Souma, you too should enjoy your heartbreak to your heart's content for today!"

　What a cruel consolation.

　It's as gentle as pouring a drop of water into an empty glass. But that gentle drop of warm water seeps into your body just a little.

　He takes the microphone that is placed in front of him and faces forward in the dimly lit room lit only by a pale blue light.

"Yeah. Just for today."

　From there it was pretty awful.

　They shamelessly vented their frustrations to each other about what they liked about Koizumi's ex-boyfriend Sakuma, and what they found cute about Shiina-san.

　I had been wondering whether to talk about it, but after starting the expose with Koizumi, it seemed foolish to hide it, so I just blurted it out in the open.

　Koizumi was put off by my words and I was put off by her delusions, but we were both in the same boat.

　We were making so much noise that it was no wonder people suspected we had been drinking, and as a result, we didn't even notice the phone call ten minutes before the final whistle, and a bar staff member came all the way to our room.

"I thought karaoke would be more expensive."

"Student discounts are great."

　When we left the karaoke bar, both of our voices were hoarse.

　It's only natural after all that fuss.

　It was completely dark outside, with only scattered lights illuminating the world.

"yeah"

　Koizumi, who was standing next to me, took out her smartphone and pointed it towards me.

"what up?"

"Contact information. You know that."

"Oh, contact information."

　When she said that, we naturally exchanged contact information.

　Thinking about it objectively, this was only the second time I'd exchanged contact information with a girl, after Shiina-san.

"Okay, now I can contact you when I want to make some noise like today."

"What, are you doing this again?"

"Of course. When you get stressed out, you need to let it all out. I'll need your help then."

　That's fine, but I really don't want to come to this karaoke place.

　I can't help but feel like the store clerk has his eye on me.

"I'm fine, but is it okay with Koizumi? It seems like it would be easier to be friends."

"There's no way I'd expose my friends to such a disgrace like today!"

　That's true.

　We both had a terrible time today. I can't imagine showing it to my friends.

　Because I don't have any friends.

"You don't have to worry about me anymore, it'll be easy. Oh, you can contact me too, Souma. If I'm free, I'll join you."

"That's encouraging."

"Right?"

　We laugh together.

　The two of them walking side by side in their uniforms might just look like a couple.

　Thinking about that, I shook my head.

　Here we have a loser with a broken heart.

　They were just two losers who could comfort each other and share their pain; that was all.

"See you, Souma. Let's make use of each other as fellow broken hearts."

"Yeah, see you later. Koizumi."

　I want to cherish this unclear relationship for now.

　That's what I thought.