If He Knew The Truth

“And that’s how I ended up getting dumped.”

Ishida said with a self-deprecating smirk.

On the way back from our double date, Ishida and I got off at Makuhari Station.

For context, Shin-Kemigawa Station—one stop further down the line—was the closest station for Toko-san and Kazumi-san.

As we walked out of Makuhari Station, Ishida spoke up.

“Yuu, do you have a little more time to spare?”

I could tell instantly that Ishida had something he wanted to get off his chest.

Did something happen between him and Kazumi-san?

Sensing this, I decided to keep him company.

“Sure. Want to grab a bite at a family restaurant?”

“No, I’d prefer somewhere without people around, if possible. Somewhere we can talk quietly.”

“In that case, want to come over to my place? My parents are going to be late tonight anyway.”

“I’d really appreciate that. Thanks man.”

Ishida and I stopped by a nearby convenience store to stock up on canned chuhai and bags of snacks before heading up to my room to start drinking.

However, Ishida seemed quite hesitant to dive into the main topic.

Thinking it would be tacky of me to force it out of him, I simply kept the casual conversation flowing and waited for him to be ready.

It wasn’t until Ishida reached for his second can of chuhai that the atmosphere shifted.

“You’re pacing yourself pretty fast.”

I hadn’t even finished half of my first can.

“This isn’t the kind of stuff I want to talk about while sober.”

So Ishida really did get rejected, I thought to myself as he looked up and locked eyes with me.

“You’ve already guessed it, haven’t you?”

“Based on the way you’re talking, yeah… but when exactly did you tell her?”

“When we rode the Ferris wheel at the very end. You know, since we split up into separate cars.”

With that, Ishida began recounting everything that had transpired over the course of the day.

“And that’s how I ended up getting dumped.”

Hearing Ishida lay it out like that made a wave of sadness wash over me as well.

“Man, but it really felt like you and Kazumi-san had an awesome vibe going.”

“We were just bantering and talking smack like we always do. I was the only one harboring any romantic feelings; Kazumi-san didn’t see me as a potential partner in the slightest.”

“Isn’t it a bit too early to throw in the towel after just one rejection? It’s not like Toko-san gave me an immediate ‘yes’ right off the bat either, you know.”

“Yuu, you and Toko-senpai were both looking in the same direction from the very start. It’s completely different for me and Kazumi-san.”

Ishida let out a heavy, profound sigh after saying this.

“But still… Toko-san was saying that if it’s Ishida, surely…”

The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

Ishida picked up on the weird nuance immediately.

“What do you mean, ‘if it’s me, surely’? And since when is Toko-senpai saying stuff like that?”

Panick set in.

At this point, without consulting Toko-san first, was it really okay for me to talk to him about Kazumi-san’s boyfriend…?

“N-no, I just meant she was saying, ‘Ishida and Kazumi would probably make a great match’—that’s all!”

“…Suspicious. The way you phrased it just now didn’t sound like that at all.”

Ishida leaned his upper body forward.

As expected of someone I’ve known for so long, he was incredibly sharp when it came to reading my reactions.

“I knew something was off today. You guys were trying way too hard to leave me and Kazumi-san alone together, weren’t you?”

“Well, we just thought it’d be better if the two of you had some privacy.”

“I told you from the very beginning, didn’t I? I said, ‘I don’t need to pursue that kind of relationship with Kazumi-san. I’m perfectly fine with things staying exactly the way they are.’ Yet, not only you, but even Toko-senpai is practically desperate to hook us up. No, honestly, Toko-senpai seemed even more intense about it. Why?”

“…”

“Spill it, Yuu. Why are the two of you so completely hell-bent on forcing me and Kazumi-san together?”

Ishida glared at me with piercing, dead-serious eyes.

Given his rugged, intimidating facial features, the sheer pressure he exuded was intense.

“Don’t tell me… is something going on with Kazumi-san?”

I realized there was no escaping this.

Ishida is normally a good-natured guy, but he can be incredibly stubborn and relentless when he wants to be.

He wasn’t going to let me leave this room until he got his answers.

“Alright. I’ll tell you. You’re bound to find out eventually anyway.”

I held both hands out in a placating gesture, and Ishida took a breath, sinking back into his seat.

“Just promise me you’ll stay calm while you listen,” I warned him.

Ishida gave a firm, resolute nod.

“Have you noticed anything unusual about Kazumi-san whenever you’ve seen her lately?”

When I threw the question out, Ishida tilted his head in thought.

“No, can’t say I’ve noticed anything out of the ordinary.”

“What about our last circle meetup? Do you remember what Mina-san said?”

“What did she say? Something about the summer training camp?”

“No, not the official talk. I mean the comment Mina-san made to Kazumi-san right as the meetup was wrapping up.”

“When it was wrapping up…? Oh, wait. Now that you mention it, I think she said something about the side of her face or her eye…”

“She’s the girl you’re in love with, right? Don’t you think you should be paying a little closer attention to her face?”

“It’s because I’ve fallen for her that I can’t bring myself to stare directly at her face like that. But yeah, I think Kazumi-san claimed she accidentally bumped into something.”

“Who bumps the side of their eye into a door?”

“What are you trying to say?”

Ishida seemed to mull over the implication for a brief moment, before his entire expression warped in shock.

“Wait, you don’t mean…”

“That’s not all. When I saw her another time, the corner of her mouth was cut open.”

Suddenly, Ishida lunged across the space between us.

He violently grabbed me by the collar of my shirt, pulling me in close.

“What the hell is the meaning of this, Yuu?! Are you telling me someone is laying their hands on Kazumi-san?!”

“Hold on, I told you to stay calm, didn’t I? Venting your anger on me isn’t going to solve anything.”

At my words, Ishida slowly released his grip and stepped back.

“Sorry.”

Despite the apology, a blazing aura of pure fury radiated from his entire body.

I adjusted my rumpled collar.

“What I’m about to tell you next is going to be incredibly painful to hear, Ishida…”

“I don’t care. Just tell me.”

“I only found out about this very recently myself… but apparently, Kazumi-san has a boyfriend she’s been dating since high school.”

Ishida’s eyes went wide.

“She’s had a guy since back then? But she’s never shown even a single hint of being taken this whole time.”

“According to Toko-san, the two of them rarely see each other these days. The story was that the boyfriend is constantly busy.”

“So they’re basically on the verge of a natural breakup?”

“I wish that were the case. But unfortunately, it’s not. The guy forced Kazumi-san to lease an apartment under her name, and he’s basically moved himself into it.”

“Wait, doesn’t Kazumi-san commute to campus from her family home?”

“She leased an apartment in Nakano when she first entered the university. But in reality, just like we’ve always known, she spends almost all her time living with her parents. It turns out she only goes to the apartment whenever the guy summons her at his own convenience.”

“What kind of sick joke is that?” Ishida spat out, his voice dripping with disgust.

“It gets worse. Not only is she footing the bill for the apartment’s rent and utilities, but the guy is actively bleeding Kazumi-san dry of her own money.”

“What a scumbag! That’s not a normal human being. What kind of guy is he?”

“Supposedly, he claims to be an up-and-coming comedian. He calls himself a ‘multi-talented entertainer’ or whatever.”

“So this prick is treating Kazumi-san’s apartment like his own personal playground, all while mooching off her for pocket money.”

“He tells her the money is absolutely necessary for him to put on his stage shows.”

“He’s nothing but a pathetic parasite.”

“I completely agree. In fact, Kazumi-san has reportedly lent him money multiple times, none of which has ever been paid back. And when Kazumi-san finally told him, ‘I can’t lend you any more than this,’ it looks like he beat her.”

Suddenly, Ishida slammed his fist violently against the floor.

“Damn it! Why would someone as amazing as Kazumi-san stay with a piece of trash like that…”

“I asked the exact same question. Toko-san told me that the guy is incredibly skilled at playing the victim and manipulating her emotions. Apparently, Kazumi-san is under the delusion that ‘if I abandon him, he’ll completely ruin his life.’”

“…”

I could see the sheer, unadulterated frustration building inside Ishida.

His knuckles remained white against the floor, every muscle in his body tightly coiled.

“That’s exactly why Toko-san and I wanted you to spark a romance with her, to finally make Kazumi-san snap out of it. I don’t know what her ultimate reasons are for staying with that leech, but we figured that if she realized a great guy like Ishida was genuinely in love with her, it might give her the push she needs to change her mind.”

Ishida just stared silently at the floor, keeping his head down.

In that quiet moment, he might have been fighting back tears of rage.

No man could bear to hear that the woman he loves is being treated like prey by a parasitic scumbag.

“Ishida, I get how incredibly painful this is for you, but…”

Just as I started to console him, Ishida snapped his head up.

“Yuu, I’ve made up my mind.”

A fierce, unwavering determination burned in his eyes.

“About what?” I asked, a faint surge of anxiety hitting me.

I had been terrified that hearing this dark truth might cause Ishida’s feelings for Kazumi-san to turn cold.

“I’m going to make Kazumi-san mine. I’m going to rip her away from that leech. I refuse to let that woman stay anywhere near a piece of trash like him!”

Hearing those words, a massive wave of relief washed over me.

Ishida really is a phenomenal guy.

“Yuu, from here on out, promise me you’ll back me up.”

Looking into his eyes and feeling the raw strength behind his words, I gave him a powerful nod.

“Duh, of course I will. We’re going to set Kazumi-san free. Besides, for me, this is the perfect way to pay both of you back for everything you’ve done.”

With that, I clapped Ishida on the shoulder.

Ishida was completely fired up now.

This was going to be a massive step forward.