NTR Kousuke

Chapter 132: Promotion or Failure [side Yukari Tomonaga]

3/14 White Day.

I only gave chocolate to Kuzu-kun.

...And I got chocolate from Satsuki.

...Today, I was contacted by my homeroom teacher to come to school.

Not to threaten me, but after the staff meeting ends, whether I get promoted or not will be announced verbally by my homeroom teacher.

That's just how strict this school is about grades.

...But, getting wrapped up in all kinds of things, I ended up neglecting it...

To put it simply, I let romance distract me and neglected everything else.

There was a time I looked so different, I even climbed up to be Miss Hokusho.

...But because of some regulation issue, I got demoted to Miss First-Year, and after being suspended, my popularity plummeted.

But it's my own fault—I chased after my long-time crush Kuzu Tatsuo-kun, got swept up, and betrayed Kousuke-kun, who supported my dieting both publicly and privately, just to get Kuzu-kun.

...But now, Kuzu-kun isn't interested in me anymore.

For a while, I averted my eyes and escaped into binge eating.

But now, I finally realized it.

Once I realized, I knew I couldn't look away anymore...

For now, I've been working hard with Satsuki, aiming for promotion so I wouldn't trouble my family.

Even then, it wasn't enough—I bowed my head to Osada-san and joined the study group, and since enrolling in Hokusho, these were my best grades ever.

...From here, I'll have an interview with my homeroom teacher and be told if I can move up.

With a feeling like praying, I step into the entrance; since the shoe boxes are cleared out for the new school year, I brought my indoor shoes with me.

...I wonder, will I be able to put these indoor shoes in the second-year shoe box?

I put on my indoor shoes with an apologetic feeling.

11:20—my appointed time.

Since my homeroom teacher is the chemistry teacher, I head to the chemistry preparation room.

Satsuki said she was told to come around 11:45.

...Like summer break, even during long holidays, there are actually a lot of students coming to school for club activities or committees. If anything, it just feels a bit emptier because the third-years have graduated.

I wonder if I'll be able to move up?

That's definitely what I'm worried about. My grades are a bit better than Satsuki's, and I didn't get any failing marks first semester.

But I did get suspended for an inappropriate relationship.

That's a minus, right?

Kuzu-kun is probably in the same boat.

Kuzu-kun said his interview was at 11:00... I wonder how it went?

I haven't heard anything, but I'm overwhelmed with my own stuff.

Lately, I've been giving everything I have for the sake of promotion.

At last, I arrived at the chemistry preparation room.

Why did I give up thinking so much back then?

No matter what I do, I remember.

The me who can look at things objectively now is still me; the me who got lost in Kuzu-kun and betrayed Kousuke-kun is also me; and the old me—pathetic and just went with the flow—that's me too.

Even so, I shouldn't have given up thinking.

Knock, knock, I knock on the door.

A voice from inside tells me to come in.

I take a deep breath and step inside.

☆ ☆ ☆

Homeroom Teacher: "Good job, Tomonaga. Once you're a second-year, don't let your guard down, alright?"

My homeroom teacher, the chemistry teacher, is a middle-aged man in a lab coat, smiling kindly at me.

"Sorry, but I have no idea what you're saying?"

...That's Kousuke-kun's catchphrase...

It comes out at times like this, I guess.

Homeroom Teacher: "Congratulations on moving up, Tomonaga. You were a serious, unremarkable student in the first semester, but then in the second semester, you suddenly lost weight and got pretty? You got a bit weird, but... in the third semester, you pulled yourself back together, huh?"

The teacher gives his impressions.

He was watching even the unremarkable me that closely...?

Homeroom Teacher: "Well, I'm sure you made a lot of mistakes, but? Watching you in the third semester, I figured you realized something important along the way, right?"

Two words rise up inside me:

Osada: "It might not get through, but [staying earnest and humble]—that's your way to get by, okay?"

See Chapter 78, I wonder why?

And another one—

Kousuke: "...Just watch, okay? Tomonaga-san is a wonderful woman. She'll definitely become beautiful, so just watch..."

See Chapter 16, The One Who Laughs, The One Who Is Laughed At.

Kousuke-kun was my first kiss.

After betraying him like that, I could never face him...

But you know, even at my lowest, when I ballooned up again, those words stayed with me.

...My memories with Kuzu-kun are just the lovey-dovey times before and after doing naughty things.

With Kousuke-kun, I remember laughing, crying, feeling butterflies—all those memories from summer through fall.

I'm a mess.

But even then, Kousuke-kun's words that affirmed me still support me, even now... I can't ever make it up to him, but I...

Even so, even so, as long as I move up, we'll be in the same year and can spend time together.

Even if he doesn't see me, even if he ignores me, we'll still be at the same school.

Relief at moving up, memories of working hard with Satsuki, and that passionate time from summer to fall—thinking of all that, I can't stop crying.

The teacher hurriedly calls out to me, but it's not his fault.

I apologize and leave the chemistry preparation room.

More than joy, it's relief.

I can't control my emotions, and still teary-eyed, I wander over to the vending machine corner, thinking I'll get something to drink.

...

...

Ah.

Nagase...Aya-san.

The one walking over from the other side is Nagase-san.

Nagase-san is so beautiful, there's even a rumor she's the prettiest in the grade—she's an absolute stunner.

Maybe she's here for girls' basketball club? She's still in her practice clothes.

...She hates me, for betraying Kousuke-kun.

As I walk along the edge of the hallway, I stiffen up as we pass—she always gives me a cold look.

When we're closest, Nagase-san opens her mouth:

Nagase: "...Is the slut still at school?"

I answer with self-deprecation,

"Haha... I managed to move up...?"

Nagase: "...I see. ...Kousuke-kun is kind, so he wouldn't say anything mean. ...Same goes for the other slut, but if you have a boyfriend, just keep your eyes on him, okay?"

"...Yeah."

For once, Nagase Aya-san actually meets my gaze,

Nagase: "I'm going out with Kousuke-kun after this♪ As a White Day return gift♪"

Saying that, she left, looking so happy.

I'm jealous...

No, I don't have the right to feel that way...

From my boyfriend, Kuzu-kun,

Kuzu: "Dodged being held back! Officially promoted to second-year!"

That's what he sent me on LINE.

I'm sure he doesn't care about my promotion, and he probably doesn't even remember it's White Day.

I don't have any right to say anything.

"...I wonder how Satsuki did?"

I muttered to myself.

☆ ☆ ☆

The first thing Yukari Tomonaga, who had learned to see things objectively, noticed was what she herself had done.

When I write Yukari as being more uptight than usual because her promotion is on the line, I get shocked by the contrast with how she used to be and get nervous. If I check back on her more relaxed days, I end up getting pulled in, so now I only look at the post-objective part when I write, but even though I'm following the plot, the difference in Yukari from just a few days ago is so extreme it almost makes my ears ring, aru (lol).