Volume 1
Chapter 3: The Gears of Fate Begin to Turn (Part1)
● A Childhood Friend’s Worries ●○●
The university cafeteria is, to put it bluntly, a battlefield at lunchtime. If you don’t show up early, good luck finding a seat. The number of students far outweighs the available chairs, so it’s no surprise that many give up and head off-campus to eat.
But let’s be honest—cafeteria food is cheap, and it’s not half bad either. For most students, it’s the go-to option if you can snag a spot.
“Koumi! Over heeere!”
That’s why having someone like Mizuho, who’s kind enough to save you a seat, is an absolute godsend in university life. Waving her arms with boundless energy, Mizuho beckoned me over.
I carefully navigated through the crowd, balancing my lunch tray, and made my way to her.
“Thanks, Mizuho! You’re as lively as ever today, huh?”
“Hehe! You know it! Let’s dig in, let’s dig in!”
“Hold up, Mizuho… katsu-don for lunch? Isn’t that a bit heavy?”
Mizuho is hands-down the most spirited of my friends. Ever since high school, she’s been a ray of sunshine—always cheerful, always hyped up.
I can’t count how many times her innocent, bubbly energy has pulled me out of a slump. Sure, her daily routine seems to involve throwing herself at guys only to crash and burn… but how does someone this cute not have a boyfriend yet?
Her signature twin-tails bounce with every move, and her wide, sparkling eyes scream “adorable.” She’s petite, shorter than me, with a delicate frame that just screams “cute.”
Today, she’s rocking an oversized T-shirt, a light denim jacket, and black shorts that show off her slender, gorgeous legs. That friendly, infectious smile of hers? Even I, as a girl, get a little flustered sometimes.
“Check it! Today’s a super important day, so I’m powering up with katsu-don! Gotta win, ya know?”
“Win… what, exactly?”
“Why, a battle of love, of course!!”
…Yeah, she’s got that whole “in love with love” vibe going on. Maybe that’s her Achilles’ heel? I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.
“You planning to confess or something?”
“You bet! I’m feeling good about this one, Koumi! We’ve been talking a bunch, so I’m thinking my odds are pretty high!”
“Wait, is this about Keito from the badminton club?”
“Yup, that’s the guy! I swear, we keep locking eyes during club activities. It’s a done deal, right?”
“Uh… isn’t that bar set a little low?”
That’s the kind of thing fans say when they’re in the front row at an idol concert and think the star noticed them…
“Hey! Don’t mock me just ‘cause you’re riding high lately, Miss Smugface!”
“I-I’m not riding high or anything!”
“Oh, you’re totally grinning! That’s not fair!”
Okay, I’ll admit it—I’ve been on cloud nine with Masato lately, so I can’t really talk. I must’ve had a smug look on my face because Mizuho reached over and playfully poked my shoulder.
“Hold your horses, Koumi! Once I lock this down, we’re going on a double date, you hear me?”
“Ugh, don’t jinx yourself like that! That’s a total death flag!”
Mizuho hasn’t changed a bit since high school. She’s always been this bright, magnetic presence—the kind of person who lights up a room and gets everyone pumped. That’s why I want her to find happiness more than anything.
Finishing her katsu-don, Mizuho clapped her hands together. “Thanks for the meal! Alrighty, I’m off to the clubroom to seize my destiny. Wish me luck!”
“Wait, now? Isn’t that a bit sudden?”
“Strike while the iron’s hot! Fate doesn’t wait for anyone, little lady!” she said, wagging her finger with a playful tch-tch-tch. With that, she hopped up from her seat, practically skipping out of the cafeteria. I watched her go, her cheerful figure disappearing into the crowd.
“…Is she gonna be okay?” I muttered, taking a bite of my pasta while mentally calculating the odds of Mizuho’s confession succeeding.
Keito, huh? He’s a senior in the badminton club, and sure, he’s friendly enough. But something about him feels… off. I don’t trust him. He only hangs out with a select group of senior girls, and it rubs me the wrong way. Glancing at my watch, I saw I still had some time before third period.
“Maybe I’ll swing by the clubroom building…”
Third period is with Masato, and while I’d love to save him a seat, I couldn’t shake my worry about Mizuho. If she pulls this off, we’ll have to celebrate! I shot Masato a quick message and headed toward the clubroom building.
---
The clubroom building is quiet this time of day, only getting lively after third period. It’s a bit out of the way from the lecture halls, so unless you’ve got a free period, you don’t usually come here between classes.
“…Not here, huh?”
I checked the badminton clubroom, but there was no sign of Mizuho. Maybe she already finished, or perhaps the confession got called off entirely.
“Guess I’ll head to class.”
No messages from Mizuho either. If she’d succeeded, I’d expect a flood of texts by now, so… maybe not.
“Are you seriously saying you want to go out with me?”
A voice stopped me in my tracks. A bad feeling crept up my spine as I followed the sound.
…!
I ducked behind a corner. At the far end of the clubroom building, near the emergency stairs, stood two figures. The girl’s back was to me, but those low twin-tails were unmistakable.
It’s Mizuho…
There was no mistaking my best friend.
“What, you’re serious? Look, Satsuki told me to talk to you once in a while, so I did. That’s it. You really thought that meant something?”
“…I’m sorry.”
What?
A chill ran through me, my body temperature plummeting.
“So, yeah, that’s how it is. Don’t pull this kind of stunt again, okay? It’s a waste of my time. And if you go blabbing to the other girls, I won’t let it slide. Know your place. Later.”
Unforgivable.
Unforgivable, unforgivable, unforgivable, unforgivable, unforgivable.
The fact that he could hurt Mizuho like that? It’s unforgivable.
…Damn it. I should’ve recorded it. If I had proof, I could expose that jerk for who he really is.
“Eavesdropping, huh? You’re quite the sneaky one, aren’t you?”
“…Mizuho, I’m so sorry.”
Before I realized it, Mizuho had walked back to where I was hiding.
“No worries, no worries! You came to check on me, right? Your kindness has this warrior in tears, Koumi-dono!” she said with exaggerated flair.
“Mizuho…”
I know her too well. Even without our years of friendship, anyone could see it. Mizuho was putting on a brave face.
“Man, I really thought I had a shot! But nope, I got smashed! My HP’s at zero—waaah!” she cried, clutching her chest dramatically and sticking out her tongue.
“…”
“It’s not going so smoothly, huh? Hang tight, Koumi-dono—our double date’s just gonna have to wait a bit longer! ☆”
“You’ll find someone way better than that jerk, Mizuho. I know it.”
I know these words are hollow. They can’t heal her heart. They’re cheap encouragement, and we both know it. But she smiled anyway.
“Woo! Now I’m fired up! I’m gonna make it happen!” She paused, her voice softening. “So, Koumi… you better take care of that guy of yours, okay?”
“Yeah…”
Why did I feel like crying? Why did someone as sweet, earnest, and kind as Mizuho have to go through this?
“Hey, don’t you have third period with him? Get going! Shoo, shoo!” she said, waving me off.
“But… what about you?”
“This warrior needs a moment to bask in the evening breeze! Don’t keep your man waiting—go, go!”
“Mizuho…”
She shooed me away with a playful gesture. A thousand words caught in my throat, but I swallowed them all. Saying anything now might only make it worse.
She needed to be alone.
I headed to the lecture hall, not looking back. The presence I felt from Mizuho behind me was frailer than ever.
---
The lecture chime rang, and I slipped into the classroom just in time.
Whew, made it!
I swiped my attendance card and scanned the room. In the back, a guy waved at me.
…I love him.
The rush of affection hit me, but the memory of Mizuho’s ordeal stabbed at my heart.
That jerk… I’ll never forgive him.
“Thanks for saving me a seat. Sorry I’m late…”
“No worries, no worries. We’re a team, right? You’re always saving me a seat anyway,” Masato said with a grin.
God, he’s too perfect.
He’s like every good quality in the world rolled into one person. Which only made me think of that trash from earlier, stirring up a wave of disgust. Dark emotions swirled inside me.
How dare he hurt Mizuho… Unforgivable.
“…Something wrong? You look kinda down,” Masato said, picking up on my mood.
“…Well, actually…”
He always notices the little things and checks in on me. Masato’s just that good. I told him what happened, leaving out Mizuho’s hopeless romantic tendencies. He knows I have a best friend, so I explained how she’d been treated and how much I despised that senior. I struggled to keep my voice low as my anger flared.
“…That’s awful. What a jerk,” Masato said, his brow furrowing.
“Right?”
Even he thought it was too much. Sure, some guys can be arrogant, but this was next-level cruel. I’d never heard anyone talk like that before.
“That’s unforgivable… Maybe you could tell the other seniors what he did? Or… maybe that’s too naive,” he said, hesitating.
“Mizuho’s too kind for that. She’d probably hate the idea. But personally? I’d love to call him out.”
That senior’s popular with the girls. They don’t know his true colors. If we spoke up, we’d likely be the ones ostracized. It’s frustrating, but that’s the reality.
“…Okay, hear me out,” Masato said after a moment of thought, his face brightening. “We’re mad at this guy, no question. But maybe the best revenge is for Mizuho to be happier than he could ever imagine. Like, ‘Look at me, I found someone amazing, and I’m thriving!’ That’d really stick it to him, don’t you think?”
God, I love how kind he is.
“You’re right… I want Mizuho to be happy,” I said, recalling her fragile expression from earlier. I meant it with all my heart.
---
Fourth period ended, and it was Wednesday. I’d been hoping to maybe score a date with Masato today, but…
“Sorry! I got called in for something and gotta head out! My bad!” he said, bolting out of the university.
“Called by who?!” I shouted after him.
“Someone like a parent!” he yelled back.
Well, can’t argue with that. I’ll see him tomorrow anyway. After waving him off, I checked my phone. No reply from Mizuho since earlier. I’d called her, but it didn’t go through.
“…Is she okay?”
Even for someone used to romantic rejections, this one hit hard. I’ve always thought Mizuho’s in love with the idea of love, not the actual person. I just hope one day she finds someone she truly loves from the bottom of her heart.
Someone like Masato is to me.
“Maybe I’ll treat her to a parfait tomorrow,” I thought, picturing Mizuho’s sweet tooth. With that, I headed home.
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