Youjin Kinoshita’s POV

 

Since I was first-year high school, I had no time to make friends, because I was traumatized, thanks to my two mortal enemies, my former girlfriend Nonaka-san and my former best friend Kutake-san, who betrayed me when were in middle school.

I recognized some of my classmates from my middle school. But it seemed none of them recalled the incident with me before. Still, I was too afraid to interact with them. If I did, they might instantly remember me about what happened in the past.

One day, I noticed the female second-year student, who had a long blonde hair, struggling with a heavy load of books. Without a second thought, I stepped in to help. Together, we carried the books to the Student Council Office.

“Thanks for helping me.” She smiled warmly.

“Yeah, no problem.” I nodded. “I’m Youjin Kinoshita.”

“I’m Naomi Susami. Nice to meet you, Kinoshita-kouhai.”

“You too, Susami-senpai.”

Day by day, week by week, and month by month, our friendship blossomed. Slowly, I began to heal from my painful past, and I was grateful to Naomi for that. She never pressed me about my reluctance to make more friends, sparing me from additional stress. For me, one friend was more than enough.

A year later, Naomi-senpai became a third year while I entered my second year. We continued to address each other by our given names, with honorifics, as always. She became Student Council President that made me happy. However, she seldom needed my assistance. Nevertheless, we cherished the time we spent together, especially during lunch breaks and our daily commutes. As our closeness became more apparent, some students didn’t pay us much mind, while others, particularly the boys, grew envious. Not to mention my mortal enemy Nonaka-san tried to get closer to me. But still, I avoided her to not cause more trouble.

It was noon now, just as I was heading to the cafeteria, someone called out.

“Youjin-kouhai!” I turned to her. It was my senpai.

“Yes, senpai?”

“Before lunch, could you come with me for a minute?”

“Eh? Why?” I was puzzled, but she took my hand, causing me to blush.

“Let’s go.”

Naomi-senpai and I descended the stairs. She scanned the surroundings, ensuring no one was nearby.

“Senpai, what’s going on?”

Then she took a deep breath.

“Youjin, I have to say something.”

“Yes?”

“Kouhai, I want to be honest with you.” She took a deep breath again. “I like you, Youjin-kouhai.”

Wait, what? What did she say?

“I like you, Youjin.” She repeated. “I’ve liked you since we met last year. You really helped me and I trully appreciate it.”

She liked me? I didn’t expect this! But her confession triggered memories of my former girlfriend's confession. I tried to calm myself, but it felt like I was about to black out.

“Youjin!” Naomi’s voice brought me back to reality.

“I’m sorry, but you like me?”

My heart was racing, but did she truly feel this way?

“Yes!” Naomi nodded, a shy smile gracing her face. She then bowed to me. “Please, go out with me.”

My heart raced even faster. But I didn’t have the time to enter a relationship, especially with someone like Naomi-senpai. Images of the past incident flooded my mind. I was still too scarred from the idea of a romantic relationship.

I hoped Naomi-senpai would understand my feelings.

“Naomi, I…” I bowed my head to her. “I’m so sorry, but I can’t.”

When I looked up, I saw the sadness in her eyes. But then she suddenly glared at me.

“Senpai?”

Then she raised her fist. But was she going to hit me for rejecting her?

 “S-Senpai, I… I didn’t mean to hurt you-”

Instead of hitting me, something unexpected happened. She punched herself on the face with her own fists.

“Eh? Senpai, why- stop!”

I tried to stop her, but she punched her own face again.

“HEEEELLLLP! PLEASE, HELP ME!” Senpai shouted.

I finally managed to grab her arm to prevent her from hurting herself.

“Naomi, what are you thinking? Why did you-”

“What’s going on here?” Someone called out.

We turned, and the female teacher spotted us.

“Sensei, it’s not what you-”

“Sensei!” Naomi interrupted me. “He assaulted me!”

Eh? What did she mean by that? Wasn’t she the one who hurt herself?

“You two, principal’s office. Now!” The teacher glared at us.

Later, after the awkward silence, the three of us, including the teacher who had witnessed the scene, entered the principal’s office.

“What is this?!” Shinohara-sensei, the principal of the high school, looked shocked, especially when she saw Naomi’s face. “Why is Susami-san’s face bruised?”

“Shinohara-sensei, you see-” I raised my hand nervously, but Naomi-senpai interrupted me.

“He assaulted me, sensei.” She started crying.

No! That was a lie. She just hurt herself after I rejecting her. I mean, was the history repeating itself for false accusation?

“That’s right, sensei.” The teacher nodded. “I saw him about to attack her.”

“N-No, that’s not true!”

I tried to speak the truth, but I began to feel traumatized, reliving the middle school incident in my mind.

“She attacked herself when I rejected her confession, Shinohara-sensei. Because I-”

“Shut up, Kinoshita-kouhai!” Naomi glared at me with her tearful eyes, then turned to the principal. “He’s a liar!”

No, I wasn’t lying! I tried to explain why I rejected her. But why wouldn’t she let me?

“Enough!” Shinohara-sensei said loudly as she slammed her office table with her hands, then pointing at me angrily. “You will be suspended for two weeks for assaulting the Student Council President, Kinoshita-san.”

“Sensei, please. Believe me-”

“Suspended for two weeks. Do you understand?!” The principal retorted. She still wouldn’t listen to the truth from me.

But I had no choice.

“Y-Yes, sensei.”

I nodded sadly as I accept the punishment.

I was about to leave the principal’s office when I looked at my treacherous senpai. I was shocked to see Susami-senpai smirking at me and making a mocking gesture by sticking her tongue and placing her index finger beneath her left eye.

That gesture reminded me of an anime ‘The Rising of the Armor Hero’ I watched a year ago. In that anime, the protagonist was falsely accused by a princess and everyone believed in her that she was assaulted by him, even though he was innocent. Then that princess gave him a mocking gesture just like Susami-senpai’s.

But wait a minute, had the Student Council President watched that anime too? If so, I guessed she admired the princess who betrayed the Armor Hero. Seriously, that mocking gesture made my blood boil in anger.

Thanks to Susami-senpai, I lost my appetite during lunch time and felt incredibly stressed. So I decided to go home early.

“I’m home.” I said as I entered the house.

I saw my step mother watching the tv, then looking surprised to see me.

“Youjin, why did you come home so early?”

I sighed as I made half-truth response.

“I don’t feel well, okaa-san.”

“Why? Did you catch cold?”

“Not really. Please excuse me.”

I immediately retreated to my room and fell asleep even though it was still the afternoon.

I couldn’t believe it. I never expected Susami-senpai betrayed me like that, just like my former girlfriend did years ago. I still couldn’t escape the trauma from the past, and that’s why I couldn’t enter into a romantic relationship. Now, I realized having at least one friend like Susami-senpai was another biggest mistake. I regretted having a friend like Susami-senpai now. Her friendliness was just a façade. I shouldn’t have become friends with her in the first place.

History had repeated itself. I had been falsely accused not once, but twice – first by my former girlfriend Nonaka-san, and now by my former friend Susami-senpai.

Hours later, I was jolted awake by a loud knock on my bedroom door.

“Youjin! Youjin! Get out of your room right now!”

It was my stepmother, and her voice made my heart race. I assumed my twin stepsisters had told her about the lunchtime incident with Susami-senpai.

As I opened the door, my step mother grabbed my arm and dragged me to the living room.

“You assaulted the Student Council President?” She asked me angrily. “Your sisters told me.”

Just as I expected.

“I heard what happened, onii-chan.” Sakura glared at me.

“I can’t believe you assaulted a girl like Naomi-sama.” Hana said with a grim expression. “I thought you two were friends, nii-nii.”

“Guys, believe me.” I raised my hands to defend myself. “She just hurt herself after I rejected her. I didn’t assault her at all. I didn’t have the time to date her. She lied about me attacking her. Please believe me.”

“As if I believe you.” Sakura rolled her eyes.

“You’re an enemy of women now!” Hana scoffed at me.

“First, you betrayed your childhood friend, and now you assaulted the Student Council President?” My step mother sighed. “No dinner for you tonight, Youjin. Do you understand?”

It was happening all over again, just like before! I went back to my room without saying a word. My family here at home except my father still refused to believe me. But I was sure they would inform him about the second incident later. He already knew about the first incident with me and Nonaka-san, but he didn’t believe me before. And I expected he wouldn’t believe me again for the second time with another incident at school no matter what.

Thanks to the two traitors who falsely accused me, I decided not to make friends anymore. It seemed being alone was the best option, as no one cared about me anymore.