CH 11

〜From Kaede’s point of view~

“Eh? What do you mean you’re breaking up with me?”

“I mean it as it is.”

I broke up with a certain guy.

I started dating a guy in my class three months ago — his name is Tetsuji Sato.

I went out with him to fill in the gap that was supposed to be for Ryosuke, but it didn’t work out so well. …… He’s a man not worthy of comparison.

“B-But, but you never complained before!”

“I’m sorry.”

He is a womanizing b*stard every step of the way. I accepted his confession because he walked just like Ryosuke, but I guess it failed.

The relationship …… that I had planned to break eventually in the first place, it just happened a little bit earlier.

Above all, Ryosuke needs to be redeemed now.

To be honest, I’m in a pretty tight corner,……, and I don’t have time to devote to a lover.

I left my ex-lover, whom I had called to the back of the school building, and hurried to my house.

I was on edge today until after school.

I was thinking over and over again whether or not I should go to Ryosuke’s classroom, but I’ve already messed up so much that I can’t take it back.

I thought that I should avoid further unwanted behavior, so I somehow endured it.

“He didn’t come home yesterday, …… that Mai Nakazato ……! While I was out of sight, she did whatever she wanted!”

I am disgusted to think that such a dull woman is still next to Ryosuke.

I should be next to Ryosuke.

She doesn’t get good grades, she’s not the best looking girl in the world, but she really thinks she can compete with Ryosuke?

I head for home, feeling pissed off.

I had been cold to him in order to make him reflect on his behavior, but how do I make up for it now?

Fortunately, Ryosuke was very attached to me before the rift. He was very close to me, not to Mai Nakazato.

So if I do my best with sincerity and diligence, the relationship will return to the way it was before. It may take some time, but considering how I have treated him, it can’t be helped.

I just need to take the time to get to know Ryosuke better.

[Let’s leave him alone for a while, okay?]

I told Nagisa but she refused.

I was disappointed that that was the extent of her love for her brother.

Unlike Nagisa, I was going to forgive him when I graduated from high school, even if he wasn’t falsely accused. I don’t think I could stand to live without my brother any longer.

But before I do that, I have to do something.

“……I heard Ryosuke came to stay over yesterday?”

“…… Yes.”

I am visiting the house next door.

This is Mai Nakazato’s house. She is a nasty woman who seduced Ryosuke, taking advantage of my distance from him.

I had no interest in her because she was not much of a woman, but it seems that she took advantage of Ryosuke’s heartbreak and established a good relationship with him.

I’m sure it was Mai Nakazato’s fault that Ryosuke didn’t cling to me, even though he is now guilty of a crime he didn’t commit.

So is my mother, but she is my family member, so let’s be happy about that. So there is only this one woman who needs to be eliminated.

“……, from today on, stay away from Ryosuke.”

“EH……, W-won’t happen.”

“What did you say?!”

I thought she’d obey me maturely, but …… surprisingly, she rebelled.

I knew that Mai Nakazato had a hard time with me,…… and it was only natural that this woman was so blatantly nasty to me when I approached her,…….

When we were playing together, I told her that she was ‘in the way’ so that Ryosuke wouldn’t hear me, and this pathetic woman ran away, almost tobogganing and crying.

I am angry only because of her insubordination.

Because of Mai Nakazato, my plan has gone drastically wrong.

Originally, I had planned to approach the battered Ryosuke and make him helplessly dependent on me.

But because Mai Nakazato was by his side, Ryosuke did not come to me …… and just barely survived.

It was a chance to outwit my sister, a chance to overtake Ruiko Himekawa and Fumika Kirishima and make Ryosuke mine for eternity,……, and then this person!

───The anger I have felt so far overflowed, and I unintentionally grabbed Mai Nakazato by the chest.

I’ve never been violent before, but I can’t stop now! If it weren’t for her, Ryosuke would be mine!

“It…..It hurts…..”

“Tell him! Tell Ryosuke to stay away from you!”

“………(Furufuru)”

I can feel the blood draining from her face in horror.

Still, she shakes her head and refuses to let go of Ryosuke. …… She is a woman who strikes a nerve in me to no end!

I tried to slap Mai Nakazato with my free hand with all my might.

“W-What are you doing!?”

“…… mother.”

I was loudly stopped by a petite woman who looked like a small animal. I looked closely and saw that it was my mother on the other end.

“………Aunt Rinka …….”

Mom rushed over to me.

I couldn’t resist and was about to hit her, but it would have been pretty bad …… I was in danger of getting my hands on her.

But, as I said, Mom, you are always there when your daughter is in a pinch. I had lost a lot of respect for you because you kept defending Ryosuke, but this time it has been restored to some extent.

“Why did you do such a terrible thing?”

“This woman let him stay at her house.”

“It’s because you guys took away Ryosuke’s place?!”

“…………”

Aah, not good, I can’t talk about it.

Her attitude of defending Mai Nakazato instead of me is also a bit on the nose, and I can’t say she’s a good mother.

First of all, it’s not right to say that I took away Ryosuke’s place in the family.

It was Mai Nakazato and my mother who took away the place I tried to make for myself. All I wanted was to be compatible with Ryosuke.

He was behaving badly …… yes, …… an ordeal to say the least.

If only Mom and Mai Nakazato hadn’t interfered, Ryosuke would have had happy days of just being spoiled by me.

Mom, dad, and stepsister love him as a family member.

But I have all kinds of love for Ryosuke. …… I have infinite love for him that cannot be expressed in words.

That’s why I couldn’t forgive him for attacking a woman I don’t even know! Why don’t you just do that to me! We’re blood related sister and brother!

I couldn’t be nice to him because I couldn’t help but think like this …….

So I decided to make him dependent on me after I ripped him to shreds, with a sense of guidance and warning.

Well, it all ended in vain.

“….Mother….I’m leaving”

“Wait! Kaede!”

I turned on my heel and left.

My mother was grumbling behind my back, but I didn’t feel the need to listen any longer.

But it would be troublesome if Ryosuke knows about it, so I’ll just apologize to my mom afterwards. The other day, I was in the middle of a party with a friend of mine who was a teacher.

“…Fue, I’ve wasted my energy for nothing.”

—-After entering my home, I head to Ryosuke’s room.

Ryosuke isn’t here because he’s meeting with a friend right now.

Anyway, I’m aware of all my brother’s activities —- though I’m not happy that he’s mostly out with Mai Nakazato.

“Oh, I’m sorry Ryosuke, …… For not believing you were innocent.”

I muttered as I rested my body on Ryosuke’s bed.

The warmth of this bed was the only thing that made it possible for me to endure a year without Ryosuke.

—-Now, how can I get him to forgive me?