[Vol 1] The Secret Life Of An Honor Student Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - The voice of the person I least wanted to see, yet somewhere deep in my heart, had been waiting to hear

 

It was Monday, right after the weekend I’d spent going out with Mamiya.

I had a sinking feeling that Natsu would corner me with questions the moment I got to school. And sure enough, as soon as I entered the classroom, there he was, walking up to me with a grin that stretched across his whole face.

“Yo, Akito. What’s with that face first thing in the morning?”

“Should I just tell you straight up that you’re the reason for it?”

“Since when did you get so cold? You and I are kindred spirits, connected by the soul, remember?”

“Don’t make it sound so gross.”

Brushing off Natsu’s nonsense with a sigh, I took my seat.

Beside me, Mamiya had arrived earlier than I did and was quietly reading a book. When she noticed me come in, she briefly lifted her eyes from the pages to check that I was there—then quickly returned to reading as if nothing had happened.

Is she in a bad mood or something?

Before I learned her secret—and even after—she always greeted me politely with a "Good morning.” But not today. Ever since I found out, she’s been teasing me every chance she gets, pulling some prank or two before classes even start, leaving me drained by homeroom. Yet today… nothing.

I doubt it has anything to do with Natsu being here.

If that were the case, she could’ve just switched to her honor-student face like usual.

“Morning, Mamiya.”

When I greeted her, Mamiya flinched slightly in surprise and turned to me with a stiff, awkward smile.

Her cloudy, unreadable expression—neither her usual self nor her honor-student persona—didn’t seem like her at all.

“...Good morning.”

Even so, she managed to squeeze out a reply before retreating behind her book again.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, and Natsu whispered into my ear.

“What’s this? You two break up or something?”

“We didn’t even date in the first place.”

My glare was sharp enough to drive the point home, and Natsu clasped his hands together like he was begging forgiveness. Not because he thought it was wrong to pry—but because he knew better than to talk about it here.

Still, I could tell he’d try to dig it out of me later when he got the chance.

“But seriously, that was weird, man.”

“...It’s not my business to worry about. I’m sure she’s got her own stuff going on.”

“See, that’s exactly why you don’t make friends. You build walls around yourself.”

“Don’t really see the need.”

“Even with me?”

“You’d just tag along anyway.”

“You know me too well.”

The reason Natsu started hanging around me in the first place was because, in his words, he found someone interesting. Which made no sense—there’s nothing interesting about me or the way I act. But for some reason, he found it amusing.

And so, after being constantly dragged into his pace, I eventually gave up resisting. That’s how we ended up like this—friends, I guess. Natsu’s one of the few people I actually trust.

I’ve even told him about my past. Yet even after that, he never tried to distance himself from me.

Honestly, he’s a good guy. Way too good for someone like me.

…If only he didn’t talk so much.

“So, what was up with you and Mamiya that day?”

“Just friends. Let’s leave it at that. A lot happened, okay? Don’t ask.”

“Heeey, fine, fine. Still, that’s a surprise. Never thought you’d have any kind of connection with Mamiya.”

“We just live close by. That’s all. Sometimes we talk because of that.”

“Damn, that’s the kind of setup guys who like her would kill for. Better watch your back before someone stabs you out of jealousy.”

And what exactly am I supposed to do to avoid that?

We kept chatting about things completely unrelated to the weekend until the bell rang, signaling the start of homeroom.

Natsu returned to his seat, and homeroom began.

 

◆

 

[Mamiya's POV]

 

Ah… I knew it. This isn’t good.

I couldn’t help but be overly conscious of Aisaka-kun, and it made me act awkwardly. I’m supposed to be the honor student who treats everyone equally and kindly at school.

In the end, a few days passed without me even being able to ask Aisaka-kun what I wanted to ask.

“...Again?”

Morning. When I went to put my outdoor shoes into the shoe locker, I noticed something inside.

A long, white rectangular envelope—looked like a letter. Love letters weren’t exactly rare, but no matter who confesses to me, my answer is always the same.

I quickly slipped the letter into my bag and headed for the restroom. Taking it out, I opened the seal and unfolded the tri-folded letter.

I thought it would just be the usual 『I like you』 or 『Please go out with me』 —something along those lines. But when I read the neatly printed text, my blood ran cold, and my eyes froze on what was printed beneath the words.

My hands nearly went limp from shock as I barely managed to catch the letter. I read it over and over again, confirming that I wasn’t mistaken.

The letter said, 『I know your secret, Mamiya-san,』 and beneath it was a printed screenshot of my ura-aka account—the one only Aisaka-kun should’ve known about.

Somehow managing to suppress my panic, I survived the day and, the moment I got home, I dove straight into bed without even changing. Hugging my shark plushie to chase away the fear and anxiety, I forced the small, rational part of my mind still intact to think about that letter.

Someone had found out about my ura-aka account. Thinking about how it might’ve leaked—

“...Did Aisaka-kun spill it?”

The first person that came to mind was my supposed partner in crime—Aisaka-kun.

After all, he’s the only one I’ve ever shared that secret with. But I quickly denied the idea, thinking the likelihood was nearly zero. Not impossible, but… Aisaka-kun had nothing to gain from that.

“Then who could it be?”

As I ran through possible connections in my head, faces of people from school came to mind.

Classmates, students from the same year, seniors, teachers… There were too many candidates. Well, maybe not the teachers, but among students, there were plenty who might’ve done something like this.

Maybe a guy I’d turned down, holding a grudge. Or someone harassing me for some ridiculous reason. Just thinking about it made me sick.

If it wasn’t Aisaka-kun who sent it, then it must’ve been discovered by chance. But they didn’t have the courage to confront me directly, so they sent a letter instead—a cautious person. Or maybe 'cowardly' is a better word.

Besides, the letter didn’t contain any demands. If they had a hold on my weakness, you’d think they’d ask for at least one or two things. That made it all the more suspicious.

If it was purely to mess with me—to make me anxious by saying nothing at all—then the sender had a pretty twisted personality.

“I have no idea what’s going on… The text was printed too, so I can’t trace the handwriting. And there are just too many suspects. I don’t even have anyone I can talk to about this.”

If things weren’t so awkward between me and Aisaka-kun, I might’ve been able to talk to him about it. But I didn’t have the courage to take that step. Even if he was innocent until proven guilty, he was still the most likely suspect right now.

Which meant… I had no choice but to wait and see what the other side would do.

“Guess I should avoid reacting too much. If they think I’m rattled, that’ll just make things worse. I’ll act like usual, don’t let anything slip, and pretend I don’t care. Eventually, they’ll get impatient and make their next move.”

That settled my plan for now. I’d also avoid taking photos at school. As for talking to Aisaka-kun… that would have to wait until this was over.

If possible, I wanted to make up with him soon. It’d clear any doubts between us, and honestly, I didn’t want to suspect him in the first place.

Still… where did the sender even find out about my secret?

From the next day onward, I became even more cautious at school.

Keeping a mental list of people who seemed to be watching me while trying to act normal was mentally exhausting. By the time I got home, I was too drained to even cook dinner.

I stopped talking to Aisaka-kun altogether. We exchanged only the bare minimum—no personal conversation at all.

Maybe he sensed something from my cold attitude, because he didn’t try to talk to me either.

But judging from the way he still looked at me with concern, I was starting to think… maybe he wasn’t the culprit after all.

Maybe I just wanted to believe that, but even so, it made me feel a bit better.

Three days later. When I arrived at school again, there was another letter in my shoe locker.

Just like before, I opened it in the restroom and read it—then let out a deep sigh.

The letter simply said, 『I watch you every day,』 with a photo attached—one clearly taken without my knowledge.

The fact they bothered to say 『I watch you every day』 probably meant it was someone who liked me—or used to. Twisted, but likely.

The photo was monochrome. Probably taken with a smartphone. It was a shot of me talking to a classmate, taken from behind. And by chance, Aisaka-kun appeared faintly beside me.

That alone completely cleared Aisaka-kun of suspicion. He’d already seemed innocent based on the first letter, but this proved it. Well… unless he was working with someone else—but I knew he wasn’t that kind of person.

In the short but deep time we’d spent together, I could tell—Aisaka-kun had no romantic interest in me. Maybe he cared a little, but only as a friend.

That narrowed it down quite a bit.

“...Ah, this must be a grudge. Probably some guy from class. He confessed, I turned him down, and now this is payback. You can feel the obsession oozing from it. And the delusion too. Doing something like stalking… must be someone who doesn’t stand out much.”

Muttering quietly, I organized my thoughts. It didn’t seem too far off.

Based on that guess, I mentally listed the quieter boys in my class who fit the bill—those who’d confessed to me before. The number went down to about a handful. But beyond that, I had no more information.

Still, it was progress. The only problem was, I couldn’t contact them directly. I needed to draw the culprit out somehow.

“Guess I’ll have to make them want to show themselves. Risky, but it’s the quickest way. I’m getting tired of this anyway… Being the perfect honor student really isn’t easy.”

Playing the honor student was always a defensive choice for me.

It’s not that I want to hide my true self.

But I had no other choice. Though the irony that nothing has changed despite it… isn’t lost on me.

Anyway, I knew what I had to do. I’d use myself as bait to lure out the culprit.

People like that are usually the same as me—they crave acknowledgment.

That day, I went about things as usual, but before heading home, I left something behind for the culprit.

—A letter addressed to them, placed inside my shoe locker.

The content was simple: 『The day after you receive this, I’ll be waiting for you in an empty classroom after school.』

If they took the bait, great. If not, I’d still get some kind of reaction.

As expected, they were cautious about me making contact first. But the next day, another letter was in my locker.

Suppressing my racing heart, I opened it in the restroom. It said, 『So you’re finally responding to me, Mamiya-san,』 printed neatly—and beneath that—

“...Your love’s a little too heavy, don’t you think?”

Dozens of printed photos spilled out—all of them taken secretly. A shiver ran down my spine.

This was seriously bad. It wasn’t just creepy—it felt dangerous.

They must’ve been taking pictures of me for a long time. Some were even from summer, judging by my uniform.

Which meant the culprit must’ve confessed before summer, got rejected, started taking photos afterward, and only recently found out about my secret.

“I really messed up… Where could they have learned it? I never mentioned my ura-aka account when I was alone, so maybe it was after I met Aisaka-kun. But there’s no point regretting carelessness now.”

I couldn’t let this chance slip away.

While thinking through my next move—how to handle the culprit—I fixed my expression and went back to class.

After school, I decided to wait in the empty classroom, just as I’d written.

Five minutes left. A short yet painfully long amount of time that seemed to slowly strangle me like silk threads.

I was uneasy, but all I could do was endure. I couldn’t say my plan was perfect, and depending on how the culprit acted, everything could fall apart.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I looked at my reflection in the window.

My face still looked stiff. Had I been like this all day? Maybe my classmates thought I was acting strange.

“...This really isn’t easy, huh.”

A self-deprecating whisper slipped out, and the reflection of me beyond the glass gave a troubled smile.

Then, I unlocked the window so I could step out onto the balcony if needed. It connected to an exterior staircase, so if the classroom door was blocked, I could escape that way.

Next, I opened one last contact—Aisaka-kun. If things went truly wrong, I planned to ask for his help.

I typed out a message saying where I was and that I needed him to come right away, leaving it unsent for now. If we weren’t so awkward, I might’ve explained everything and asked directly—but I hoped he’d forgive me.

Whether he’d come or not was a gamble, but I believed he wouldn’t ignore it. It felt manipulative, using his kindness like this—but with the situation as it was, I needed all the cards I could get.

Just in case, I also turned on the recording function. That was all I could do to prepare.

Now all that was left was to put on a calm, confident smile and wait.

After a brief moment, I heard the classroom door open behind me. My heart thumped loudly from the tension, and I turned around slowly, suppressing my urge to panic.

“...Utsumi-san. So it was you.”

Standing there was one of the names I’d narrowed it down to—a quiet boy from my class.

When I said his name, he reacted with a mix of relief, joy, and a faintly eerie smile.

“You remembered me, Mamiya-san. I’m so happy.”

“I remember all my classmates’ faces and names.”

He—Utsumi Shinji—was a boy from the photography club. He’d once confessed his feelings to me, and I’d politely turned him down. I didn’t think I’d rejected him harshly… but maybe that wasn’t for me to say.

Regardless, if he’d felt his feelings were dismissed, that was all it took.

“First, can I ask you something?”

“Sure. Ask me anything.”

“Where did you find out about my secret… my ura-aka account?”

This was something I had to know first. Only two people knew about it—me and Aisaka-kun. So there was no way to dodge it. I needed to know when he’d found out.

His answer came immediately.

“Just recently. I was trying to take a picture of you, like always, when I overheard Aisaka-kun talking with you in the classroom. That’s when I found out. It was hard to track down, but only I could’ve found you, Mamiya-san.”

He then operated his phone and showed me the screen. On it was my ura-aka account—the one where I posted as that 'ura-aka girl.'

I felt the warmth drain from my body.

I’d been careless. If one person found out, it wasn’t strange that another might too. Yet I’d assumed Aisaka-kun was the only one. That was a terrible mistake—a fatal one.

And then—『Trying to take a picture of me, like always』 …? So my hunch was right. The hidden photos had been going on for a long time. I hadn’t noticed at all.

“Even if I can’t see your face, I can tell it’s you. The shape of your legs, the denier of your tights, the texture of your skirt fabric… It’s the same as all the pictures I’ve taken of you every day.”

He said it proudly, with a look of bliss on his face.

A chill ran violently down my spine.

As I tried to stay composed and not show my fear,

“Aisaka-kun is blackmailing you, isn’t he?”

“...What are you talking about?”

“Aisaka-kun found out about your ura-aka account and started threatening you into taking those lewd pictures, right? It must’ve been hard. You must’ve been scared. But it’s okay now. I’ll protect you. I’ll convince Aisaka-kun to stay away from you.”

Utsumi-san wasn’t even listening to me—just muttering words from inside his own delusion, completely lost in his fantasy world. Honestly…… no, it was terrifying.

“You’re wrong. I’m the one who’s been threatening Aisaka-kun.”

“...You’re lying because Aisaka-kun made you, right? I’m sorry, Mamiya-san. But I’m not like that guy. I—I truly love you from the bottom of my heart!”

With exaggerated gestures like an actor on stage, Utsumi spoke, repeating the same 『I like you』 he once confessed to me before.

But the 『love』 he once expressed, the one I turned down, hadn’t been this dark and twisted.

It used to be a much purer, more straightforward feeling.

—Was it my fault that it became so warped?

A sour taste welled up from my stomach. My vision began to spin slowly, and sweat dampened my back. My breathing turned shallow, and my hands and feet trembled against my will.

Even so, I had to ask.

“...Utsumi-san, were you secretly taking photos and harassing me because you liked me?”

My voice, squeezed out like a whisper, spread through the classroom.

Utsumi tilted his head, as if he couldn’t comprehend what I’d just said.

“Harassment? No, no, that’s not it. I just wanted to protect you, to show everyone that you belong to me. That’s why I kept sending those pictures. They were all good shots, weren’t they? Of course they were—I’m always watching you, Mamiya-san.”

He said it so casually that a chill ran down my spine.

We weren’t even having the same conversation anymore.

It felt like we lived in entirely different worlds—our hearts separated by an unbridgeable gap.

“That’s why, Mamiya-san...”

He stepped closer.

Each footstep grew louder, heavier.

I stepped back to match his pace.

“I love you, Mamiya-san.”

“...I can’t return those feelings.”

The distance between us didn’t change, only the tension thickened in the air.

“Why not? Is it because Aisaka-kun’s threatening you—”

“No. He’s my friend.”

“Then go out with me.”

“That’s a completely different matter. To begin with, I don’t feel that way about you, Utsumi-san.”

His steps stopped dead.

Confusion clouded his expression.

Ah... he finally understood, I thought for a fleeting moment, a sliver of relief washing over me—

“—But if this gets out, you’re the one who’ll be in trouble, right, Mamiya-san?”

That faint hope vanished instantly.

Holding up his phone, showing me my ura-aka account, he advanced—no, he threatened me.

“...What are you trying to say?”

“If you don’t want this exposed, then be mine, Mamiya-san. Be mine and mine alone.”

With a creepy smile, he stepped closer again.

I kept backing away—until my back hit the wall.

His face loomed right in front of me.

His gaze traced over me—from my chest to my waist, then down my legs.

I realized there was no escape. With him holding my secret, I had no power to resist.

If he revealed it, not only I, but even Aisaka-kun could be dragged into it.

I couldn’t let that happen. Absolutely not.

The escape route I’d secured meant nothing now. Trying to reason with him felt hopeless—he wasn’t listening to anything I said.

That left me with only one choice. I reached behind me to send the emergency message I’d prepared for Aisaka-kun—but stopped just before pressing send.

Taking advantage of Aisaka-kun’s kindness would be no different from what was done to me back in middle school. I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t forgive myself for trying to use him for my own convenience.

With trembling hands, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and took a deep breath, steeling my resolve.

“...Do whatever you want.”

I let my body go limp, showing no resistance as I faced him.

I hid my terror and tension behind the perfect mask of an honor student.

Because that’s the version of me he wanted to see.

I’d worn that mask every day—but why did it hurt this much now?

“So... you’ve finally decided to be mine?”

“..................”

“Silent, huh? Still, I’m happy. You’re mine now, Mamiya-san. Only mine. It’s okay, really. You were only doing those things because that guy was forcing you. You’re not at fault for any of it.”

No... that’s not true. The ura-aka account was my choice. I was the one who blackmailed Aisaka-kun.

I’m the one at fault. And I’m the one who should bear the consequences.

His arm reached for my shoulder.

Through my uniform, his fingers traced along my arm. A faint, trembling cry escaped my throat—one I could hardly recognize as my own. My body stiffened under the weight of fear and disgust, unable to move.

Ignoring my shaking heart, he tried to pull me into his arms—

“—Stop.”

The single word slipped out, barely audible, yet filled with rejection.

It reached him—it actually reached him. His eyes went wide for a second—then twisted.

“Why? Why, why, why, why, why!? You’re mine, Mamiya-san! So why are you rejecting me!?”

“Ah—!”

He yanked me forward with brute force, gripping my shoulders tightly.

Each breath he took was rough and heavy, and I could feel his obsession—this possessiveness dressed up as love—pressing against me.

“Mamiya-san! I love you this much! You must love me too, right!?”

“I’m... sorry...”

“But you were so kind to me, Mamiya-san! You smiled at me! That means you liked me, doesn’t it!?”

He was wrong.

And as if to speak those words for me, the door that had been shut all this time swung open.

“──Forcing your feelings on someone without listening to theirs... isn’t something to be proud of.”

That was the voice of the person I least wanted to see—yet, somewhere deep in my heart, had been waiting to hear.

 

◆

 

[Aisaka's POV]

 

Ever since we stopped talking at school and messaging each other, Mamiya’s behavior had clearly started to change.

There was this constant tension in her atmosphere—like she was strung too tight—and though I noticed it, I couldn’t bring myself to ask about it. Because if the reason behind it was me, I wasn’t sure I’d want to hear the answer.

It had been going on for over a week now—and today, she looked like she was surrounded by an invisible wall, keeping everyone away. The other classmates seemed to notice it too, since no one really tried to talk to her anymore.

When lunch break came around, Mamiya disappeared from the classroom, and right after that, Natsu showed up with his lunchbox.

“Let’s eat together.”

“Sure.”

“You look gloomy. Did you and Mamiya have a fight or something?”

“No. We haven’t even talked for days now.”

When I told him that, Natsu, who had just sat down in front of me and started unwrapping his lunch, froze mid-motion and looked up in surprise.

“My condolences.”

He pressed his hands together with a serious expression, as if I’d suffered some tragedy. I’m pretty sure I hadn’t done anything that bad... I think.

Mamiya isn’t the type to hold back against me, after all.

“...It’s been about a week, I guess. Mamiya’s been acting strange since then.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that too. Honestly, I think everyone in class has by now.”

“Did I do something?”

“Doubt it. Mamiya’s the type to say what she’s thinking straight up, even if she picks her words carefully. And you wouldn’t do something awful to a girl, right? You’re too kind for that.”

As Natsu gave his thoughts, he opened his lunchbox, said "Itadakimasu” with practiced ease, and started eating.

Maybe he was right—he usually picks up on people’s moods pretty well. Still, being called kind by another guy was... kind of embarrassing.

“...There’s a lot I could say about that, but I’ll leave it for now. You have any clue what’s causing it?”

“Nope. I mean, if you don’t know, how could I?”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re the one who’s been closest to Mamiya.”

He pointed his finger straight at me, and my throat went dry.

Closest to her... me?

I’d never thought about it like that, but maybe he was right. Looking back on how things had been between us, I might’ve been the one who understood her best.

I was the only one who knew Mamiya’s secret—the fact that her honor student image was just a mask, and underneath it, she was an ordinary, down-to-earth high school girl.

But if that’s true... then why had she started avoiding me? What was really bothering her?

“If you really want to know, why not just ask her yourself? If you’re not the reason, she might actually tell you.”

“Easier said than done. It’s been over a week, I don’t even know how to start that conversation anymore.”

“...Guess that was a bit harsh of me. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I wasn’t even thinking about it that much until you said that, but now I just feel kind of... empty.”

All I wanted was to know what was wrong with her—as a friend.

But Natsu had a point. If we both stayed silent, nothing would ever change.

And honestly, this awkward atmosphere between us had already gone on long enough.

“If you want to patch things up with her, do it soon. The longer this drags on, the harder it’ll be.”

“...Yeah. Thanks.”

“You can thank me with a bowl of ramen later.”

“Sure, fine.”

Talking to Natsu made me feel lighter somehow—and gave me some resolve.

That afternoon, I decided: before going home, I’d talk to Mamiya.

“──Mamiya, can we talk for a bit?”

I called out to her after class, but she didn’t seem to hear me and just left the room. For some reason, her retreating figure looked lonelier than usual as she walked away.

Her bag was still on her desk, so she’d probably come back. I figured I’d just wait and kill time with some homework.

Ten minutes passed. Still no sign of her. When I finally stood up to take a break and maybe go to the restroom, my hip accidentally bumped into Mamiya’s desk.

From inside, a folded sheet of paper and a stack of photos slipped out and scattered onto the floor.

As I crouched down to pick them up, I noticed something strange—every single photo had Mamiya in it. And none of them looked like selfies; they were all taken from weird, distant angles.

“Photos of Mamiya...? Why would she have these?”

I couldn’t imagine her carrying around pictures of herself. If anyone saw them, they’d think she was a narcissist—and that would totally ruin her honor-student image.

But then I looked at the folded paper, and everything made sense.

Printed on it were the words: 『So you’re finally responding to me, Mamiya-san,』 The message sent a chill down my spine.

“...No way.”

I checked the photos again. As I thought—every one of them looked like they were taken secretly.

Only one word came to mind: stalker.

Could Mamiya have been dealing with a stalker all this time?

If that was the case, then her strange behavior suddenly made sense.

But if so... where was she right now?

“Damn it.”

I hated how slow I’d been to notice it.

Knowing Mamiya, she’d probably gone to confront the culprit herself—thinking she could talk them down or something.

She didn’t tell me because she didn’t want to drag me into it. Still trying to be the perfect honor student, even now. She’s usually so bold and pushy when it comes to me, so why pick now to act like this?

This wasn’t the time to hesitate. I pulled out my phone and sent her a message: 『Where are you?』

While waiting for a reply, I stuffed the paper and photos into my pocket and rushed out of the classroom.

I had to find her. I didn’t know where she was, but I’d search every suspicious spot I could think of.

Neither she nor the stalker would risk being somewhere crowded.

First stop: behind the gym. Perfect for a secret meeting, but... no sign of her.

“Damn...” I gritted my teeth and checked my phone again. Still no reply. Maybe she couldn’t answer right now.

Next, I tried the outdoor emergency stairs. A good place to hide, but still nothing. No reply either.

“Where else...? Somewhere quiet... where no one goes...”

Her bag was still in the classroom, so she hadn’t left the school grounds. That meant she had to be somewhere on campus—somewhere isolated.

“...An empty classroom?”

Trusting my gut, I ran through the hallways toward the unused rooms. There weren’t many—maybe two per grade. I checked one at the far end of the first-year wing, but it was empty except for dust and silence.

My pulse quickened. I had to hurry. I couldn’t waste any more time.

When I reached the other side of the building, I stopped. I could hear voices coming from the next empty room.

『──Stop.』

『Why? Why, why, why, why, why!? You’re mine, Mamiya-san! So why are you rejecting me!?』

『Ah—!』

The voice was unmistakably Mamiya’s. The man’s voice... I couldn’t place it. But from the tone, it was clear she was scared.

『Mamiya-san! I love you this much! You must love me too, right!?』

That was when I froze in place.

What a horrible assumption.

I couldn’t understand how anyone could be so sure of themselves. If this guy really was her stalker, there’s no way someone who did this could ever be loved back.

My mind went cold—but underneath that, something hot began to burn.

I didn’t love Mamiya. Not like that. But even I knew forcing your feelings on someone wasn’t love.

『I’m... sorry...』

『But you were so kind to me, Mamiya-san! You smiled at me! That means you liked me, doesn’t it!?』

That was enough. I grabbed the door handle and flung it open.

Just as I’d thought, Mamiya was there—cornered. And the guy holding her shoulders was Utsumi, our classmate.

Both of them turned toward me. Utsumi’s eyes were wide in shock; Mamiya’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

“──Forcing your feelings on someone without listening to theirs... isn’t something to be proud of.”

I spoke sharply, deliberately, already knowing he was the culprit.

“...Aisaka-kun.”

“Nice to skip introductions. I’m Aisaka Akito. And you’re Utsumi Shinji, right?”

“...What do you want? I was just having an important talk with Mamiya-san.”

“Yeah? Must’ve been real important, considering how hard you’re gripping her shoulders. Anyway—”

I pulled out my phone, which I’d readied before coming in, and snapped a picture of the two of them. As I checked the image, I showed it to him.

“How about we both calm down? From where I’m standing, this looks a lot like you were assaulting her.”

“N-no! I was just—”

Now that a third person was there—and one holding clear evidence—Utsumi began to panic, letting go of Mamiya and waving his hands frantically to defend himself.

But it didn’t matter.

Freed from his grip, Mamiya took a shaky breath and stepped behind me, clutching at my uniform like she was hiding.

“...Why are you here?”

“I bumped into your desk by accident. These fell out.”

I took the paper and photos from my pocket and showed them, making sure Utsumi could see. Mamiya looked away, embarrassed.

“Utsumi. You’re the one who sent these, aren’t you?”

“...So what if I did? I was only trying to protect Mamiya-san from you, Aisaka!”

“Funny way of protecting someone—stalking them, taking hidden photos... oh, and that little moment just now counts as assault too, doesn’t it?”

“...Tch.”

Listing out his actions one by one, I watched his lips tremble as he fell silent. So I’d hit the mark. Good. Made things simpler.

“...But you were blackmailing her too, weren’t you, Aisaka?”

“What?”

“Yeah! You knew about her ura-aka account—you used it to threaten her into taking dirty pictures! Which one of us is the real scumbag here!?”

His voice rose to a desperate, almost hysterical scream.

I didn’t get what he was talking about at first—but then, little by little, the situation started to make sense.

At some point, he must’ve discovered Mamiya’s ura-aka account. And then, using that knowledge and the hidden photos, he tried to force a relationship on her.

Pathetic. If he hadn’t known her secret, he never would’ve had the guts to do anything.

Still, the rumor that I was the one threatening Mamiya to take those indecent photos… yeah, even if I told him the truth was completely the opposite, Utsumi probably wouldn’t listen.

He claims he’s in love with Mamiya, after all.

“You let your guard down, Mamiya.”

“Shut up.”

Hey, don’t poke me in the back like that. I just saved you from a dangerous situation—this is the thanks I get?

But maybe Utsumi noticed how Mamiya refused to leave my side, because his expression twisted and he shouted,

“...But I’m the one who loves Mamiya-san more! So much more!!”

His fists clenched tightly as anger flared in his eyes.

I was relieved he didn’t try to punch me, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but be bothered by the contradiction between his words and actions.

Trying to threaten the person you love into being yours—that’s pretty far from what love should be.

It’s more like possessiveness, obsession.

Sure, everyone has those feelings to some extent, but his are clearly out of control.

“If you love someone, there’s a proper way to show it.”

“Shut up! What do you know!? You just show up out of nowhere, acting like her boyfriend! You’re laughing at me inside, aren’t you!?”

“You’ve got it wrong. Mamiya and I aren’t dating. We don’t even have romantic feelings for each other. We’re just friends.”

“You can say whatever you want!!”

“Guess there’s no point in talking to you.”

Seeing that reasoning wasn’t getting us anywhere, I looked toward Mamiya. She paused for a moment, thinking carefully, then said,

“...Aisaka-kun and I are just friends. And I don’t think what you did to me is something you’d do to someone you truly love.”

Her calm, steady tone spread through the classroom. Utsumi muttered “You’re lying,” under his breath, shaking his head violently as if refusing to accept it.

“No! Mamiya-san and I were just confirming our love for each other—”

“...I had no choice. I didn’t know what you might do if I didn’t play along.”

“You heard her,” I said.

Mamiya’s voice trembled slightly as she spoke. For a second, I wondered if she was acting—but it didn’t feel unnatural at all.

Utsumi looked utterly stunned, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

Mamiya pressed a hand gently against my back for support, her tear-filled eyes reflecting Utsumi’s figure.

“...Why? I love you so much, Mamiya-san.”

“If you truly love someone, don’t lose sight of what’s right. What you did was stalking and blackmail. Depending on the situation, the police could easily get involved.”

“...I just wanted her to notice me. Mamiya-san was the only one who ever said ‘good morning’ to me, the only one who smiled kindly at me, so I thought… I thought…”

His knees gave out as he broke down, wiping his tears with his sleeve.

...What the hell, man.

In the end, all you did was force your own ideals onto her.

You dragged Mamiya around for your selfish desires, dressing up your ugly obsession as love. What part of that is real affection?

“...I’m sorry, Utsumi-san. But I still can’t return your feelings.”

Mamiya, who had been standing behind me, stepped forward and spoke gently.

I tried to stop her—it was still dangerous—but she turned to me and mouthed, “It’s okay.” So I stayed where I was, ready to move if things went wrong.

“It’s not because I hate you,” she continued softly. “It’s my own issue. I gave you the same answer before, when you confessed to me the first time.”

“...But I thought you were just making excuses to turn me down.”

“No. Lying in response to someone’s confession would be beyond rude—it would be an insult. You’ll have to believe me on that.”

Utsumi looked completely bewildered. The way she spoke to him wasn’t like someone talking to a man who’d just grabbed her shoulders—it was the calm tone of a honor student, tinged with faint sadness.

Mamiya was even accepting his twisted feelings as part of him. No wonder he couldn’t understand her.

Especially now that he realized what he’d done.

“So please, don’t lose yourself. Once you do, it’ll be too late to turn back. Just like me.”

“...Then, can I still… love you, Mamiya-san?”

“My answer may not change. But if you’re fine with that, then yes.”

Finally, Mamiya smiled and turned toward me. Oh, come on—don’t give me that 'See? I handled it' look.

We still had things to deal with.

“Utsumi, I have a proposal.”

“…………”

“We’ll promise not to tell anyone what happened today. No police, no spreading rumors. In return, you’ll promise not to talk about what you know.”

If we kept everything contained here, all three of us could protect our reputations and school lives. I doubted Utsumi wanted to end up in police trouble either.

And we had secrets we didn’t want exposed too.

“...But I hurt Mamiya-san.”

“Well, that’s true... What do you think, Mamiya?”

I left the response to her.

“Well, it’s fine. Everyone makes mistakes.”

Mamiya said it in a light, casual tone, the mask of the honor student gone. Utsumi blinked in surprise, stunned.

“Uh… Mamiya-san?”

“Hm? Oh, the way I talk? This is the real me. I put on a bit of an act at school.”

“‘A bit of an act’ might be an understatement.”

“Whatever. Anyway, I’m fine as long as you keep this secret.”

She winked playfully, and though Utsumi still looked confused, his gaze darted around before he finally nodded.

He must’ve realized the benefits of keeping quiet outweighed the risks. On top of that, Mamiya showing him her true self probably gave him a sense of being special.

It was almost scary how calculated that was.

Having someone you like reveal a secret to you—that sense of privilege is worth a lot to someone like him.

“Thanks, Utsumi-san. So, today nothing happened. You didn’t see or hear anything. Right?”

“...Yes. I’ve done awful things to you, Mamiya-san. I’m really sorry.”

“Everyone makes mistakes. I’m fine with it now. You’re fine too, right, Aisaka-kun?”

“Why are you asking me?”

“Because your face when you came in was terrifying.”

Even Utsumi nodded in agreement.

...Was it really that bad?

I touched my face self-consciously, but there was no way to tell, so I gave up.

“Um… Mamiya-san, Aisaka-kun—are you two… dating?”

He looked up with serious eyes, asking as if his life depended on it.

“No. Like I said, Mamiya and I aren’t together.”

There was no reason to hide the truth. I glanced at Mamiya for confirmation—she frowned slightly, a complicated look crossing her face—but then turned to Utsumi and said,

“That’s right. Aisaka-kun and I are just friends. Just friends.”

Hearing that, Utsumi let out a small, relieved sigh.

“...I know I have no right to say this after everything, but… I still love you, Mamiya-san. So… is it okay if I keep feeling that way?”

“If you’re fine with me not being able to return your feelings, then yes.”

With that, Utsumi smiled faintly and left the classroom.

“...Was that really okay?”

“About Utsumi-san? Well, part of this mess was my fault too. I know the way I act—the honor student mask—can cause misunderstandings. Being nice to everyone equally makes people think things.”

Even after what he did, Mamiya accepted her share of the blame like it was nothing. I just couldn’t understand her.

“You know what could’ve happened if I’d shown up a little later.”

“Yeah. Maybe I’d have ended up kissing him, emotionless and mechanical, or worse. If I fought back, maybe he’d have gotten violent.”

“...How can you talk about that so calmly?”

Unlike Mamiya, who was eerily composed, I couldn’t keep my emotions in check.

She could’ve been scarred for life, and yet she acted like it was no big deal. I couldn’t wrap my head around that.

My fists were clenched tightly without realizing it—until Mamiya reached out and gently took my hand in hers.

“I should’ve told you everything sooner… sorry. Honestly, I even suspected you might’ve been the one to leak my secret. I realized later I was wrong, but… you had that unapproachable vibe lately, and it made things awkward.”

“...Yeah. If the misunderstanding had cleared up earlier, I could’ve helped.”

“Just to be clear, it was my fault things got weird. I didn’t know how to keep the right distance. So really, don’t blame yourself.”

She spoke quickly, like she was trying to convince me before I could object, and then added, “Okay?”

Even though I wasn’t fully convinced, I let it go. If that’s what she wanted, I wouldn’t press it.

“The truth is… I almost sent you a message asking for help. But I realized that would’ve been the last thing I wanted—to rely on your kindness like that. And then, you came anyway.”

“Just coincidence. I found you by chance.”

“Even so.”

Her gentle smile and clear eyes met mine, filled with warmth and sincerity. Something deep in my chest stirred painfully.

But I still couldn’t fully believe her words. The contradiction between my thoughts and feelings made me hate myself.

What kept me grounded was the warmth of her hand holding mine.

“So, Aisaka-kun… did you run out here because you were worried about me?”

“...No. It’s not like that.”

My heart jumped.

Honestly, it was just coincidence. If I hadn’t found those photos and that note, I’d still be in the classroom waiting for her.

Though, if I looked back on it, yeah… I probably was worried. Maybe that’s why I came.

I couldn’t just ignore the thought that she might’ve been in danger. It wasn’t about Mamiya herself—it was about not wanting to regret doing nothing.

Because if your friend’s in trouble, helping them is only natural.

That’s all there was to it.

“...Still, thank you. I think I’m at my limit.”

Mamiya released my hand, then buried her face against my chest.

Her arms wrapped weakly around my back, and I could feel the faint tremor in her voice—something raw and fragile beneath her usual composure.

“You know people might get the wrong idea if someone sees this.”

“...Maybe. But just let me stay like this until I calm down.”

“You say that like you’d ignore me even if I said no.”

I sighed heavily but didn’t push her away. I just silently prayed no one would walk by. Thankfully, the hallway was quiet, and the soft afternoon sunlight streamed through the window.

I used to avoid getting close to girls, but now, even though I knew how fragile this situation was, I couldn’t bring myself to pull away from Mamiya.

Maybe I didn’t hate this uncertain, twisted relationship as much as I thought.

What was this feeling?

I didn’t think it was love—how could it be, when I’d lost faith in women before ever falling for one?

I decided to leave the strange emotion buried deep inside and just focus on keeping things the way they were.

After a while, Mamiya loosened her hold and stepped back.

“Feeling better?”

When I asked, sunlight fell softly across her face, giving it a warm glow.

“...Not exactly, but close enough.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Girls have all sorts of secrets they can’t talk about.”

Fair enough. No point pushing further.

“If you’re done, let’s head back.”

“...Wait. There’s one more thing I need to ask you.”

As I turned to leave, Mamiya caught my sleeve, stopping me.

Her serious tone made me face her again. She pointed to a nearby chair, gesturing for me to sit. I followed her lead, taking a seat, and she sat beside me, turning to face me fully.

The air in the classroom suddenly grew tense again.

“It’s about why things got awkward between us.”

She paused for a breath, then continued,

“...If I broke our promise to keep each other’s secrets—and told everyone about those photos—what would you do?”

Her eyes fixed on mine, as if testing me, waiting for my answer.