Chapter 257: Another Issue

Mizuki left the room satisfied with the talk we had. All this time, they wanted me to acknowledge my feelings for them. Maybe they also felt it. However, I was too dense or just couldn't really care enough to notice. Even if I already felt something for them, I will just move on to another girl.

I know it's me, but hearing about myself from these girls… It's a lot different than what I could remember about myself. Am I really that much of a romantic?

Haa…

Well then let's wait for the next one. What more could I realize, I wonder.

"Kaneda-san?"

A minute later, footsteps could be heard coming to the room once again. However, it was stopped by that somewhat familiar voice.

"Miyajima-san, what's wrong?"

Aika's voice replied to it and for sure the two knew each other.

I know it's bad to eavesdrop but hearing that other voice and that name… I couldn't help myself. I always said I would forget them once I cut them off but here I am again, just with the voice and a surname, I started remembering things.

"Is it him?"

Miyajima asked in a low voice. If I stayed at the previous place, I would've failed to hear it.

"Huh? I can't follow you, Miyajima-san. What do you mean 'him'?"

"Y-you know who I'm talking about… H-he's inside that room, right?"

Miyajima replied while stuttering and still keeping it in a low voice. Truly a poor attempt to prevent me from hearing whatever it was they would talk about.

"I see. So that's it. Why don't you see for yourself?"

Aika answered her as she reached for the doorknob. Before she could open it, I went back to the table's side and leaned my back to it.

Well, I could stay and surprise them but I wanted to see if that Miyajima would go in with Aika.

When the door opened, two figures could be seen entering from it. Aika who had a slight smile on her face and Miyajima whose eyes showed various emotions as soon as our gazes met.

"It's really you… Ruki."

"Un. Long time, no see, Miyako."

Miyajima Miyako. It's easy to guess that she's also someone I stole before but unlike Aika and the others from Akane's group, she didn't chase after me.

As soon as she heard my voice reciting her complete name, Miyako's knees started to tremble. Through difficult and heavy steps, she started to close the distance between us with her arm gradually rising.

I knew what she's about to do and I decided to accept it. I don't have any right to stop it. What I did to her before, it deserved that and probably more.

However, Aika stepped forward and held her arm in place, preventing Miyako's palm from landing on my face.

Miyako turned her head and gave Aika a questioning look but it was met with a calm response.

"I don't know what your issue is with him, Miyajima-san. But as you can see, I have limited time to talk to Ruki. If you really wanted to confront him, can you wait until we're finished talking to each other?"

"Why… Why are you defending him? Why did you stop me? Aren't you one of the girls he took advantage of?!"

With a pained expression and eyes about to burst into tears, a series of questions came out of Miyako's mouth.

Miyako is that girl I used to get Sena. I ordered her to seduce someone else to achieve my goal. Nothing happened between him and that guy. True. But just the fact that I ordered something against her will was already despicable enough. She could've rejected but I knew that I wouldn't allow any rejection from them, the way I was back then.

And the next time I met her, she was too furious at me but even if she's like that, she couldn't act under my cold and unfeeling eyes gazing upon her. In the end, she swallowed everything she wanted to say.

When I finished conquering Sena, I probably tried to make it up to her by staying close to her for a time. However, all those times that I could recall, she stayed silent and took everything with a closed mouth. I might've tried to become considerate but in the end, that most likely deepened the wound I gave her.

"Yes, I am."

Aika responded calmly once more as she let go of Miyako's arm. The latter stepped back while Aika continued to step forward to stand next to me.

"Then why?! This man. He… He destroyed my life. Not just mine but yours and many other girls too."

Miyako pointed at me and a hatred-filled voice came out of her mouth.

Is she here to try and stop the others to reconnect with me? How did she even know that I'm here? Did she see me going upstairs with Yua earlier or did she recognize me despite the mask and glasses I wore earlier?

"Aika, can I ask you not to stop her? I deserve whatever it is that she wanted to do."

I know that even if I let myself be hit by her, it wouldn't erase what I did to her. At least, I was hoping that it would lessen the hatred she was feeling at the moment. Not for me, but for her to start moving on. For her to show up this time, she surely couldn't move on from the past. She most likely needed some closure.

"No, Ruki. I'm already generous enough to let her see you. She should wait for her turn. Now, can you please leave the room?"

Aika shook her head and directed a rather cold voice towards Miyako. I also don't know what's in this girl's mind but I guess the limited time with me was what's currently important for her.

"Kaneda-san, why are you not angry at him? He's someone despicable. I thought I already left his grasp but now he's here again…"

Ah. I see. She thought I'm back here to haunt her and the other girls. However…

"He's not here for you, Miyajima-san. You're the one who couldn't help yourself but barge in when you know that it's him. Tell me, will you deny that you want to see him?"

Aika completed what I'm thinking.

I'm not here for her or any other girls who already left my grasp.

But what's that last question? Can't it be explained that she wanted to confront me instead of seeing me?

"No... I… I've been observing this place. He's meeting girls left and right again. I thought he's already living with that childhood friend of his? Why is he back here? Isn't he attending another school?"

Another series of questions left her mouth. Surprisingly, she's been keeping up with the news about me… And she's observing the place. Since when? Am I right with my guess earlier? She recognized me when I was being escorted by Yua.

"I see. You want answers, right? Wait for your turn. There will be three more after me, so keep observing outside."

Aika replied and pointed her to the door. Upon hearing that, the words that Miyako wanted to say was once again stuck on her throat as she stood there, trembling all over.

"Miyako--"

"Stop calling me with my name!"

"Alright. Miyajima-san. Whatever it is you want to say or do to me, I will hear it all later. Like Aika said. We have limited time."

That hate-filled scream to stop me calling her by her first name…

Haa… This is what I am expecting to hear from my girls but experiencing it now. It's pricking me.

"H-huh? What happened to you? Since when are you this easy to talk to? Wait, no! I have to stop you from doing indecent things in this school."

Her surprise at how easy I conceded was expected. If it was before, I will just continue using her first name until she gives up.

"Miyajima-san. I will really start to get irritated if you keep this up."

Aika's slight smile earlier already left her lips and like she said, she's about to be annoyed at how hard it is for her to convince Miyako to leave and wait.

Well, this girl was the one who let Miyako meet me and now, she's also the one who's asking her to leave. Typical of the Aika I remembered.

"…Kaneda-san. I will not be able to change your mind, will I?"

"Yes won't. I'm dead set at talking to Ruki. You have a past with him, that's easy to deduce, but so do I. You're probably out of touch with what actually happened to him or what is currently happening. If you want to know, you can go to the Home Economics Clubroom and ask there. Or if you want to keep what's on your mind, wait until we're done."

"Miyako... I mean. Miyajima-san. I won't tell you to trust me. But can you wait for now? I promise I won't run away. As much as I want to answer to what I did to you, I also don't want to make Aika and the others wait for their turn… That's why…"

Upon hearing my words, surprise once again filled Miyako's face as she started scrutinizing my appearance as if she's trying to see if I'm the same person in her memory.

"… What the hell, are you really Ruki? I don't know anymore. Don't you dare run away later. I'm leaving!"

When she couldn't determine after looking at every angle, Miyako left those words as she stomped her way out of the room.

That's a very normal reaction, right? I'm still not done with these girls who wanted to reconnect with me and now another issue turns up… What should I do with that girl?