Episode 43: A Relationship Crumbling
“Yuna… did you stop liking me?”
The question came in a thin, fragile voice.
“That’s not—”
“Then why…!”
Honoka bit down hard on her lip.
Tears were welling in her eyes.
I didn’t have the words to save her from that.
“Hey, Shiraishi-san.”
Shiori spoke up, out of nowhere.
Quiet, but carrying something cold underneath it.
“You love Yuna-chan, don’t you?”
“…! Of course I do…!”
“Then why are you cornering her like this?”
Honoka caught her breath.
“Doesn’t Yuna-chan look like she’s in pain?”
“That’s—”
“The more you try to make Yuna-chan ‘yours,’ Shiraishi-san, the more bound she becomes. Yuna-chan loves you, so she tries to meet your needs. But that’s going to break her.”
“…That’s not it… I never meant…”
“It is, though.”
Shiori slowly placed a hand on my shoulder.
It was a gesture that seemed deliberately staged for Honoka to see.
“I want Yuna-chan to be happy.”
“…”
“So, Shiraishi-san. Rather than making Yuna-chan suffer like this — why don’t you let her go?”
The color drained from Honoka’s face.
“N… no…”
A hoarse voice slipped out.
“I don’t want that… I don’t want Yuna to disappear…!”
She gripped my hand desperately.
“Yuna loves me, doesn’t she…? You do see me properly, don’t you…?”
“Honoka…”
“…Why are you making that face? Please, I’m begging you…”
— Looking into those eyes, I couldn’t say anything at all.
“You’re kind, Yuna-chan, so once she says something like that, you can’t bring yourself to leave, can you.”
Shiori’s words rang close to my ear.
“But that’s not okay.”
“…!”
“You don’t belong to Shiraishi-san, Yuna-chan. You belong to yourself.”
“That’s not true!!”
Honoka screamed.
“Yuna is mine!!!”
Spilling tears, Honoka pleaded desperately.
“Look at me…! Yuna, please, I’m begging you…!”
— But my mouth wouldn’t open.
That silence drove Honoka further and further into despair.
“See? Just as I thought.”
Shiori smiled quietly.
“Yuna-chan doesn’t belong to you, Shiraishi-san.”
Honoka’s hand fell, powerless.
“…No…”
“Let’s go now, Yuna-chan.”
Shiori gently pulled my hand.
“…!”
I looked back at Honoka one last time.
There she was, collapsed to the ground as if her legs had given out beneath her.
“No…”
A small, trembling voice.
“I don’t want this… Yuna…”
I—
Couldn’t bring myself to shake Shiori’s hand away.