I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me V1 Chapter 6
Chapter 6
The Exam
The next day, I found myself killing time with Ayaka during a free period in the university’s designated smoking area.
Now in the second semester of our sophomore year, our timetables were becoming increasingly peppered with these empty slots, so-called “free periods.” The ability to strategically create these pockets of freedom is one of the distinct privileges of being a university student.
I was in the middle of enjoying this blissful downtime, but my peace was currently disturbed by the fact that Ayaka, standing next to me, was clearly not her usual self. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed tightly, radiating an unapproachable aura.
Being a beauty, she already had a slightly intimidating air about her. If I didn’t know her, I probably would’ve made a hasty retreat.
“Hey. You’re in a bit of a bad mood today, aren’t ya?”
“Hm? I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine, at least not from where I’m standing. And that’s a pretty convincing argument, coming from a friend of many years—”
“You’re annoying.”
“My bad.”
My attempt at a joke to lighten the mood was unceremoniously cut short, morphing into an apology before I could even finish.
“Well, you should probably sort that out before the next lecture. You’ve got that reputation for being able to make friends with anyone, right?”
“…It’s not like I’m trying to cultivate that image, but you’re right. I’ll be careful. Thanks.”
Ayaka thanked me sincerely and began fiddling with her phone. From the movement of her fingers, I could tell she was playing some kind of minigame, but there was absolutely no energy in her taps. She got a game over almost immediately, and as she repeatedly hit retry, I couldn’t help but ask again.
“What happened?”
Ayaka shot a brief glance my way before her eyes darted back to the screen. This time, however, she didn’t deny that something was wrong. Something had clearly happened, though whether it was last night or something else entirely, I couldn’t tell.
A normal friend would probably stop prying here, but this was Ayaka. I decided to press on.
“Just tell me.”
“Have you no tact?”
“Left it back in my mother’s womb.”
“Then maybe you should crawl back in there and start over as a fertilized egg.”
Ayaka snapped at me before turning on her heel and walking out of the smoking area. Reluctantly, I stubbed out my half-finished cigarette in the ashtray and hurried after her.
“My bad.”
“I’m not mad. In any case, the lecture starts in twenty minutes.”
“You’re not the type to go save a seat this early.”
“It’s different when there’s a test, you know.”
Without slowing her pace, Ayaka entered the school building and pressed the elevator button. Once inside, we were the only two people in the confined space. The university elevators were relatively spacious and moved quickly, but you were still trapped in a sealed box for a few seconds. The faint smell of the cigarette I’d just smoked lingered in the air.
“You really should quit smoking, you know.” Ayaka said in a firm tone, as if seizing the opportunity to lecture me.
“Why? It’s not a big deal, is it? It’s my choice.” I couldn’t help but pout at her out-of-the-blue comment.
“There’s nothing in it for you.”
“Sure there is. You can have some pretty deep chats with the upperclassmen over a smoke, you know.”
It was true that smoking was an extra expense, and considering my less-than-abundant funds, it would probably be better to quit. Factoring in the harm to my body, I knew there were plenty of downsides. But it had helped calm me down when I broke up with Aisaka Reina, and like I’d just said, it was useful for socializing with my seniors. There were actually quite a few upsides.
The elevator doors opened, and we arrived on the fourth floor where our lecture hall was located. As we both vaguely watched the indicator show the elevator descending back to the first floor, Ayaka suddenly spoke.
“Well, I’ll just say this… it doesn’t suit you.”
“……Seriously?”
“Smoking doesn’t suit you, Hasegawa Yuuta.”
“You don’t have to say it twice!”
If she had said it was bad for my health, I would have argued, but being told it didn’t suit me was a different story entirely. I wasn’t obsessed with fashion enough to go on brand-name shopping sprees, but I still had about as much interest as the average university student. Being told something didn’t suit me dealt the most damage.
Looks like I’ll have to seriously consider quitting.
“And don’t you think Shinohara-san would hate it, too? A lot of girls can’t stand the smell of cigarettes, you know.”
“No, I don’t smoke at home. I don’t think I’ve ever smoked in front of Shinohara.”
“You say that as if she’s always over at your place.”
As Ayaka spoke in an exasperated voice, I muttered to myself internally. She has been, lately.“So, why are you in a bad mood?” I asked again.
Ayaka frowned. “Again?” she said. “You just don’t give up, do you? It’s rare to see someone so persistent, without any fear of getting on my bad side.”
“That’s a pretty high opinion you have of yourself. I can’t help it if I’m curious. Besides, it’s us we’re talking about.”
We’ve known each other for what was about to be four or five years now. We were far from being lovers, but that didn’t change the fact that we had a special relationship. Ayaka didn’t argue with that and sighed as if in resignation.
“It’s because of the upcoming tests. I’m on edge.”
“Oh, are you in trouble this time?”
“Don’t be stupid. It’s the same as always. Don’t lump me in with you.”
“You’ve always got an extra jab, don’t you!”
When I retorted, Ayaka’s cheeks finally softened into a smile for the first time that day.
“I could tell you… but I’m suddenly craving a café au lait from that vending machine over there.”
“Okay, and?”
Ayaka didn’t answer. She just sent her gaze toward the vending machine.
“……Fine, I get it.”
I reluctantly took out my wallet and bought a warm café au lait. When the can dropped with a clatter, I tossed it to her, and Ayaka hurriedly caught it.
“Hey, don’t just throw it at me like that.”
“It’s fine, you caught it.”
“Hmph. Thanks.” Ayaka snorted, popped the top, and started chugging it down. A female university student downing a hot café au lait was quite an amusing sight.
“It’s all these slackers asking to see my notes when they don’t even bother showing up to class,” she finally revealed, tossing the empty can into a nearby trash bin. “And there’s nothing in it for me.”
“What about charging them?”
As I said it, I figured Ayaka wouldn’t think that way. Sure enough, she shot me a glare like an arrow.
“I don’t need it. I’ve been offered a few times, but it’s always around five thousand yen. If you break that down to an hourly rate for the work I put in, it’s just pocket change.” Once she started talking, it seemed she was ready to spill everything, and her mouth didn’t stop. “Besides, if you’re going to ask someone for a favor, you should offer something of equal value in return. Like taking notes for a class I missed. That’s why those freeloaders get ignored.”
From her words, I could guess that the people Ayaka was referring to were guys. It was probably hard for her to refuse since she maintained a friendly-to-everyone facade on the surface. I didn’t really remember Ayaka acting like a people-pleaser in high school, so this must be a new source of stress for her since entering university.
But, there was one problem.
“I spend the same amount of time in class, so why should I have to give my notes to people who give me nothing in return?”
…The problem was, I was also one of the people who borrowed Ayaka’s notes like crazy. To say I’m not a morning person sounded nice, but I’ve often skipped lectures simply due to my slovenly lifestyle. Each time, I’d borrowed Ayaka’s notes, and even when I did attend, I’d borrow hers because they were easier to understand. I have almost no memory of ever giving Ayaka the “equivalent exchange” she mentioned.
A wave of guilt washed over me.
“……Right. I knew it in my head, but hearing you actually say that made me realize it. My bad. No, seriously, I’m sorry.”
When I apologized sheepishly, Ayaka blinked in surprise.
“It’s fine. You’re different, you know?”
“Eh?”
“Don’t apologize so suddenly,” Ayaka laughed.
“How am I different?”
“Who knows? Maybe just lending them to you is benefit enough for me.”
As I tried to understand the exact meaning behind her words, I couldn’t help but cough.
“Wh-what’s that supposed to mean?!”
“It means I can hold it over your head and make you do things for me. See?” Ayaka grinned mischievously and entered the lecture hall ahead of me.
At her nasty joke, I swore to myself that I would never treat her to another drink again.
◇◆
At the university I attend, it’s relatively easy to earn credits in the humanities departments, with the exception of the faculty of law. There are no lectures with a failure rate exceeding eighty percent, and more than half of the students always manage to pass. My understanding is that as long as you attend, you’ll be fine if you study properly.
And today’s test was the last one of the semester.
I had been allowed to copy Ayaka’s beautifully organized notes and had pulled an all-nighter to cover the wide range of topics. The exam was closed book, but thanks to my cram session, I wasn’t too worried about failing.
The test was scheduled to start in twenty minutes, but at this rate, I probably wouldn’t need to cram until the last minute. I cleared my desk, leaving only my writing utensils.
Then, I sensed someone watching me and looked up.
“Mind if I sit here?” a student who looked to be my age asked.
“Yeah, go for it.”
The unfamiliar male student gave a slight nod and began to prepare for the test. In high school, I never would’ve used honorifics with someone my own age, even if I didn’t know them. That was one of the things that had changed since I’d entered university.
With nothing else to do, I glanced around the room. Ayaka was on the opposite side, quizzing her friends. I couldn’t see her expression from this distance, but we’d known each other long enough that I could identify her by her gestures alone.
There are various types of lecture halls at the university, but this one was on the larger side. It was structured with long desks arranged in about fifteen rows from front to back and twenty columns from left to right, each accommodating three students. During tests, only two people could sit at each desk to prevent cheating, but this never resulted in students not having a seat.
When the professor came in, the buzzing lecture hall gradually quieted down, and the test papers were distributed face down. I squinted, trying to see the questions through the back of the paper, and it seemed there were no multiple-choice questions. The text was only divided into two large blocks.
“Ugh, seriously……”
I fully agreed in my head with the mutter I heard from the guy next to me. With only two questions, they were undoubtedly detailed essay prompts. It was game over for any student who had only studied on the surface level.The bell rang, and I gripped my pen.
The test began.
◇◆
“It’s over.”I’d managed to answer the first question completely. But the second question was on a topic that had completely vanished from my brain; my pen gave up after four lines. Four lines for an essay that should have been at least twenty.
To put it in perspective, if the question was, “Describe your winter vacation in detail, focusing on the most enjoyable activity and the most delicious meal,” my answer would have been, “I’m thinking of going to a café today.”It was a catastrophic failure, to the point where I hadn’t even grasped the question’s intent. I probably couldn’t expect any partial credit either.
Seeing me enveloped in a gloomy atmosphere despite being freed from the test, Ayaka spoke in an exasperated voice.
“Huh? You couldn’t solve it? Didn’t I mark all the likely essay questions in the notes I gave you?”
“Ahaha…”
“……A-are you okay?” Ayaka asked, looking slightly put off as she offered a word of concern. After a moment of thought, she clapped her hands.
“Oh, right! We’re having an end-of-exams party tomorrow. You should come. It’s been a while since you’ve been to a big drinking party, hasn’t it?”
“……A drinking party? Ah, you’re right. I probably haven’t been to a big one since I was in the circle.”
As soon as she heard my reply, Ayaka took out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen.
“There, I sent the confirmation that you’re coming. It’s a pretty open circle, and I think you’ll have fun once you’ve had a few drinks.”
I hadn’t even said I was going, but Ayaka was way too quick on the draw. This time, however, I was a little interested myself, so I decided to thank her honestly.
“Thanks.”
“Mm.”
Ayaka gave a short reply and stretched widely.
“Well, well, that means we’re free for a while. Time to enjoy our long, long spring break, eh?”
“Yeah, we’ve got two months, after all.”
“Exactly. My circle is going on a trip, and I’m pretty excited about it.”
“You’re in multiple circles, right? Which one are you talking about?”
“The outdoors circle.”
“Oh, you going to climb a mountain or something?”
“Nah, we’re going to a hot spring to eat crab.”
“Of course it is.”
When people hear “outdoors circle,” many probably imagine things like mountain climbing, but in reality, that’s often not the case. The majority of them are social clubs that have large drinking parties or go on normal sightseeing trips. It probably differs by university, but at least at mine, the multiple outdoors circles are all pretty much like that. I remember being shocked as a freshman that some of them even had a selection process involving application forms.
“Have you been going to your circle lately?”
“Nah, not at all.”
I was actually in a basketball circle myself. Circles are the quickest way to expand your social circle in university. Conversely, if you don’t join one, it’s extremely difficult to broaden your friendships.
“You should probably start going again, don’t you think? You quite liked that circle, didn’t you?”
“Well, I did like it, but…”
Usually, it was all about playing games, but sometimes we’d practice seriously. I certainly liked that balance, as it was a good way to relieve stress. The reason I’d stopped going was because of my breakup with Aisaka Reina. Which meant I hadn’t been in about two months. The problem was that Reina was acquainted with some of the people I knew there. Right after being cheated on, I just really didn’t want to be interrogated by them about why we broke up.
But my mental state now was different from back then. It was about time I returned to my usual life.
“……Yeah. I should probably start going again.”
“Yeah. It’ll be a good distraction.” The corners of Ayaka’s mouth lifted into a smile. “Well then, I’m gonna go. I’m getting food with my friends from my department.”
“Alright, roger that.”
Ayaka waved her hand and went back into the lecture hall, where her friends were presumably waiting.
“……Guess I’ll go too.”
If I missed the window of opportunity right after exams, I felt like it would take me even longer to go back to the circle. I sent a message to my friend: “I’m coming to the circle for the first time in a while!”Still, I knew Ayaka’s friends, but I’d never gone out to eat with them. We’d talk a bit when we saw each other, so I probably could go anytime I wanted, but the reality was I didn’t have a reason to. Ayaka probably wasn’t too keen on having me hang out with that group, either. If she was, she would have invited me at least once by now. She was quick enough to invite me to mixers or other circle drinking parties.
I wondered if that group knew a side of Ayaka that I didn’t. I didn’t even know if such a side existed. I just knew that I’d never heard anything about Ayaka from before I met her in high school. I was curious, but I probably wouldn’t find out without some kind of trigger. Whenever I’d casually asked her about it, she’d always just dodged the question.
As I was lost in thought, the phone in my pocket vibrated. It was a LINE message from Shinohara.
Tests are done! Where are you~?What bad timing. I had just decided to go to my circle for the first time in a while, so if she was asking to hang out, I had no choice but to refuse.
Then, an incoming call from Shinohara displayed on the screen. After a moment’s hesitation, I answered.
“Senpai, congrats on finishing your tests!”“Ah, yeah, thanks. But sorry, I can’t meet up today.”
“Huh, why not?”“I’m going to my circle for the first time in a while today. So give me a break.”
“Ehh? Then just lunch is fine, isn’t it? I just turned down another lunch invitation, so I’m free until this evening.”Did she mean she turned down an invitation with the intention of having lunch with me? I started to feel a little bad, but I stopped myself.
“No, that sounds like a you problem.”
“Yes, it is my problem. And since Senpai is such a kind person, I know he’ll indulge me in times like these.”“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Did you know? They say if you keep telling someone they’re kind, they’ll actually become kind.”“I see. Then I guess I’m not a person. Later.”
“W-wait! I’ll treat you!”I wavered at Shinohara’s desperate plea. To reiterate, for a student living alone, food isn’t just waiting for you when you get home. You either cook for yourself, eat out, or buy a bento box. Since I didn’t cook, I was left with only the more expensive options. In other words, being able to cut down on food expenses was quite appealing. Even if it meant letting a younger girl treat me.
“I guess I have no choice… Fine, I’ll go. Meet me in front of the campus cafeteria.”
“Hehe, you’re so simple.”The call ended with that one cutting remark. For a second, I seriously considered just ditching her and going home.
◇◆
“Senpai, over here!”
I looked around and saw Shinohara waving her arms widely. Judging by the students passing by and glancing in her direction, it was obvious that she stood out. I saw a group of guys start talking animatedly the moment they saw her, and I couldn’t help but let out a small sigh.
She stands out just by having a cute face; I wish she’d refrain from raising her voice in a place where so many people gather. I wish she’d consider my position, as the one who was about to walk over and join her.
“Yo.”
When I called out to Shinohara, the group of guys looked disappointed and walked away, muttering, “See, someone was already meeting her.” As expected, it seemed they were discussing whether to ask her to lunch. I wondered if Shinohara didn’t notice, or if she’d noticed and simply ignored them.
“Congrats on finishing your tests!”
“You’re full of energy.”
“More importantly, why are you in such low spirits, Senpai? Your exams are over, you know!”
I wanted to complain at least once to Shinohara, who was her usual self, completely oblivious to my feelings.
“I’m tired from all the tests.”Hearing my reply, Shinohara puffed out her cheeks.
“Senpai~, getting invited to a meal by a girl and looking so miserable… that’s a luxury you can’t afford to waste, you know.” Shinohara added the unnecessary words, “Especially when it’s me!” and watched for my reaction. Her teasing expression, as if to say, ‘You should be happy to be with me,’ was very similar to Ayaka’s. Though I wouldn’t say that out loud, since they didn’t seem to get along.
“Even a guy can’t get his energy up right away if he’s sleepy.”
“Is that how it is~?”
Shinohara, still looking dissatisfied, pouted as she walked slightly ahead of me. I’ve felt this for a while now, but every single one of Shinohara’s expressions tugs at a man’s heartstrings. I wasn’t sure if she was aware of it or not, but I wondered if Motosaka was also captivated by these kinds of coy words and actions. I’d heard at Christmas that even before she had her “trial boyfriend” Motosaka, there was no end to the guys who confessed to her.
Countless men were made to dance to her tune, only to be shot down and sent to a watery grave. When I thought about those sunken corpses, there were times when I couldn’t help but want to keep a slight distance from Shinohara. However, since her own proactiveness didn’t allow for that, those feelings never surfaced.
The person in question, Shinohara, seemed to be searching on her phone for a nearby restaurant. There were cafeterias and cafes on campus, but while they were cheap, they were also crowded. Shinohara had said before that if you wanted to eat in peace, a regular restaurant was better.
However, there was one hurdle I wanted to clear before we ate.
“Shinohara, I’m not hungry yet.”
Thanks to staying up most of the night studying, I’d had plenty of time that morning. I was able to eat more for breakfast than usual, but it seemed my stomach wasn’t ready to accept lunch just yet.
“In that case, what should we do? Should we find a restaurant first and then walk around the area?”
“I’d still rather you let me go to my circle now!”
“No way! How am I supposed to fill my free time then?” The moment she said that, Shinohara’s face lit up.
I had a bad feeling about this.“I’ll just go with you to the circle!”
“You idiot, no way!”
The good thing about circles, unlike clubs, is that there’s less of a sense of commitment. Of course, the longer you’ve been away, the harder it is to go back, but that’s not much of a problem as long as you’ve built up some level of relationships. In other words, if I were to bring Shinohara along, the circle members wouldn’t be annoyed; in fact, they’d be delighted.
But the basketball circle I was about to go to, “Start,” was a place I hadn’t shown my face at all since breaking up with Aisaka Reina. Showing up to practice for the first time in a while with a girl would be a bit awkward. Not just for me, but it would also make my friends feel like they had to be careful around me.
But my thoughts didn’t seem to reach Shinohara.
“I’m looking forward to seeing you play basketball, Senpai~! I wonder what kind of moves you’ll show me.”
“Don’t expect too much from my playing. I can’t pull off any super-plays or anything.” After saying that, I steeled my resolve. It seemed like it would be less trouble to just let her watch than to keep refusing.
Please, just don’t let this turn into some weird misunderstanding, I prayed silently.
◇◆
“Sorry about this, borrowing your practice clothes.”
Wrapped in an unfamiliar scent, I spoke to my friend who was tying his basketball shoes next to me.
“’S all good,” replied Toudou Masato, who had his hair dyed ash gray. Toudou was a friend I’d met at a welcome party for a different circle. He was one of the first friends I’d made after enrolling in university, and it was his influence that got me to start smoking. He was a calm guy and easy to be around.
“Been a while since you showed up at the gym. Not since you got dumped by your girlfriend, right?”
“For the record, I wasn’t dumped.”
When I made my excuse, Toudou chuckled. “What’s with that flimsy pride? I get it, though.”
“I told you, she cheated on me. That’s embarrassing enough, so just let the facts be that I dumped her.” I didn’t think being dumped was embarrassing in itself, but it was a different story when a guy gets cheated on and then dumped. It probably depended on the person, but for me, at least, my pride was greatly wounded.
But Toudou, while stretching, said, “The one who cheats is the embarrassing one. Good thing you broke up with a cheater when you did.”
“Well, it’s true it would’ve been more tragic if I had kept dating her without knowing.”
“Right?” Toudou grinned and picked up a ball. With his handsome features, Toudou was naturally popular. But he seemed to be devoted to his girlfriend of two years and didn’t play around with other girls. The time I spent with Toudou was one of the things I liked most about the circle.
“Hey, are those basketball shoes the right size for you?” Toudou cast his gaze on the basketball shoes I was wearing. The shoes were on loan from the circle and were slightly too big. But if I tied the laces tightly, it probably wouldn’t affect my performance.
“They’re fine. A little lame, though.”
“Oi oi, what are you saying when you’re behind on your circle fees? Be grateful you can even use them.”
“Ah, are these shoes paid for by the circle fees?”
“That’s right, it’s the blood tax squeezed from us. Use it with care.”
“Yes sir, roger that.”
At my reply, Toudou cackled and spun the ball on his finger.
“By the way, who’s that girl standing by the entrance? She’s staring over here pretty hard.”
I followed Toudou’s gaze and saw Shinohara peeking into the gym. The other circle members were glancing at her, and she was clearly standing out. When our eyes met, Shinohara jumped up and down, waving enthusiastically at me. When the other members saw she was waving in my direction, they all looked surprised.
“Oh crap, right. I brought her with me.”
“New girlfriend?”
“No way in hell.”
“Yeah, right. I can’t imagine you’d be in the mood to get a girlfriend right away.” Toudou narrowed his eyes as if he saw right through me. I couldn’t find the words to reply and was at a loss.
It wasn’t that I had absolutely no intention of ever getting a girlfriend. But I couldn’t deny that I’d become timid when it came to romance. What if I get cheated on again? I was done with feeling like all the time we’d spent together had been a waste. In that sense, Toudou’s words were right on the mark.
“How are things with Ayaka-san?”
“Nah, it’s not like that with her. She’s in a different category.”
When I said that, Toudou rolled the ball he had been spinning to a corner of the gym.
“You always say that, Yuu, but I don’t get your logic. I’m surprised you haven’t fallen for a girl that beautiful when you’re always so close to her.”
“You say that, but you don’t fall for your cute friends, do you?”
“That’s ’cause I have a girlfriend. You’re single right now.” Toudou placed a hand on my shoulder and shifted his gaze back to Shinohara. “But man, she’s super cute. You didn’t have a junior that cute at your part-time job, did you? How’d you meet her, a mixer?”
I thought about that question for a moment before answering.
“……I met Santa Claus.”
“Huh?”
Leaving the bewildered Toudou behind, I ran out onto the court, towards the girl who used to be Santa. For someone who had just pulled an all-nighter, my body felt surprisingly light.
Join the conversation