I took a sip from the can of choco milk I was holding while pondering about a certain thing. The taste of chilled chocolate flavoured milk was melting in my mouth. Wondering about the events that happened in the past few days.

I was trying my best to develop my relationship with Tomose and her group but a few days ago I ended up being the reason for a disagreement between them. I wouldn’t call it a fight because that might be an overstatement.

Today, I had a particular task in my mind. I was on my way to do that.

That fight between them actually ended up being a negative thing for me. I wanted to be friends with all of them and then see where things go from that point. But that fight developed seeds of resentment between them.

I haven’t been talking with Tomose for a long time but I feel like something is disturbing her from inside. Last day while talking to her, it felt like she had so much to say but she can’t express herself.

Also, her fake smile that is always on her face. She might be good at faking her emotions, but she can’t hide it from me.

She also had so much pent up emotion directed at certain people. If she could somehow convey her emotions to them and talk to them upfront, she might have arrived at a closure.

I was once like her too, so I know how it feels. The feeling of being under the weight of other’s perspective of you.

Also, I might have an idea why she is like that. Though it’s still a hypothesis in my mind.

Yoshiwa made things harder for me too in the past days. If she keeps interfering between me and Tomose, it will be difficult to be friends with her, let alone make her fall for me.

She might be responsible for Tomose acting so strangely. Of course I don’t have enough evidence to accuse her of Tomose’s weird behaviour. She can’t keep making Tomose sad and being a thorn in my way to win Tomose’s heart.

I will confront her today.

I was waiting for when I could be alone with Yoshiwa. And as soon as the bell rang for lunch, I noticed Yoshiwa carefully. Ever since that argument, Yoshiwa and Sakura haven’t been spending much time with Tomose and Kana.

Therefore, lunch was the best time for me to have a talk with Yoshiwa alone.

I slowly sat up from my chair and followed Yoshiwa and Sakura out of the class. The corridor was already crowded since all the second-year students were roaming around. This made it easy to hide my presence.

It looked like Yoshiwa and Sakura were going to the girl’s washroom. I kept my distance and slowed my pace of walking. That’s not a place I can lurk around.

Sakura and Yoshiwa were talking outside the entrance of the washroom and it seemed like they were done exchanging words as Sakura went inside the washroom and Yoshiwa headed upstairs.

Upstairs? It’s the third floor and only third-year classes were on the top floor.. Maybe she had an upperclassman as her boyfriend. I went upstairs behind her and called out her name.

“Yoshiwa-san.” She turned around and I could tell that she didn’t enjoy meeting me.

“What?” She responded rudely.

Well, it was a reaction which I expected.

“I want to talk about something.”

“I don’t have time to talk with you.” She said that started walking again.

“Why do you hate Tomose-san?” She didn’t respond to me.

“Are you jealous of her because she is better than you?” She stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at me. I could tell that she didn’t like the comment I just made.

“What do you think you are saying!?” Irritation was clear in her voice.

“Exactly what you heard.”

“Listen here you little-” The pitch of her voice was increasing.

“I don’t think you want people to overhear our conversation.” I said. We received some stares from some students near us.

“I have nothing I want to talk about with you.” She turned away from me and started walking.

“Listen, I’m not dying to talk to you, I’m just concerned for Tomose-san.” I slowly walked beside her.

“Huh? Since when did an outsider like you care for people I know?”

“Ever since I’ve noticed you trying to gaslight her.” I stared into her ivy coloured eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t act dumb. See, I don’t have time for you so I would like to settle this quickly.”

“Settle what?” It irritated her voice.

“Getting irritated at me won’t make you better than her.”

“Oy, Sakamaki you’re really getting on my nerves.”

“And?”

“And? And what!?” She said, but I didn’t reply to that.

“I can help you settle things between you two. But in return, stop doing whatever you’re trying to do with her.”

“And what is my gain from what? And why the fuck should I listen to you in the first place?” she glared at me.

“Listen, holding a grudge against her for a long time will just waste your time and energy.”

“So what?”

“I didn’t know you’re such a bitch.”

“Huh!?”

“I mean, you think you can satisfy your own inferiority complex by making her feel bad about herself. You’re the worst kind of scum.”

“Why are you!? Who the fuck are you to tell me that I’m a scum or not?”

“Listen, I didn’t want to be rude that day, okay? Is it just that my tone was rude”

“Yeah? You think I’ll blow it off like that?”

“I just want to be friends with you guys. Don’t make it tough for me.”

“Why should I care? Tell me. You’re an outsider who just invaded my group one.”

“True, I understand that.”

“Then stop talking with us and go back to your place.”

“I would’ve if I didn’t care for Tomose-san, but I don’t like the way you treat her.”

“Oh, my god!!! What are you? Her boyfriend?” She said, “As if she is going to get one.” She mumbled that under her breath.

“Not yet.”

“Huh?”

“Listen, I’ll not take your time, since it’s a waste of my own time. I’m just saying my opinion, okay?”

“What!?”

She doesn’t have to be so irritated. I’m trying my best not to lose my head here. If I don’t do this, I’ll die. How lame would it be? Dying because some girls hated each other?

“I think you have so much hatred for her, there must be a reason for it. I know it’s not my place, so I won’t pry anymore. From a neutral point of view, I think both of you should just confront each other. Instead of living with a grudge.”

“Wow, Mister, I’m always right.” She mocked me.

“I have never said I’m always right. It’s just advice. Taking it or throwing it is up to you.” I gave up the authority of our conversation.

“Yeah, whatever” She rolled her eyes.

“And if you were that worried for her, then you must know one thing. If I do anything, it won’t be direct.” She laughed.

I stared at her with a cringe on my face. She noticed my expression.

“What? Are you going to tell Tomose? Go ahead.”

“I won’t.”

“I don’t care, even if you do. Tomose has always been good at making boys dance in her palm. And you’re also one of them.” She said that and left.

I was standing in the corridor like an idiot, contemplating what I did. I could’ve used a more indirect method instead of confronting her straight up.

Seems like my attempt to talk things out with her failed miserably. I was a fool to think that I can negotiate with her. Now I might have made her mad at me now and she will interfere even more than before.

Also, there’s a possibility of her taking out her frustration on Tomose.

I just made things even harder for me.

But I was right about one thing, that Yoshiwa was indeed gaslighting Tomose.

Now that the problem was clear, I can try from my side to make things better for Tomose.