Chapter 31: Am I friends with Shoko?

As the days passed, it became increasingly difficult for Matsuyama Shoko to speak the truth.

Her mother’s words were like shackles, trapping her and preventing her from revealing the facts.

However, her inner anxiety and guilt only grew with each passing day.

Today, Ishikawa Yuka once again sat alone in the corner of the classroom, enduring the deliberate neglect from those around her.

Ever since she had taken the fall for the blunder at the party, Ishikawa Yuka had been burdened with the infamy of “intentionally soiling Shoko’s dress,” enduring unfair criticism and cold stares.

Yet, even so, she never offered a single word of defense, quietly bearing it all.

Sitting there alone, what could she possibly be feeling?

How hurt must she be to be ignored by nearly everyone?

And how much must she hate me for pushing everything onto her while I remained safely uninvolved?

Just imagining it made Shoko’s chest tighten.

If she were in that position, she would surely be covered in scars and might not even dare to come to the Academy anymore.

But… Ishikawa Yuka just sat there silently.

She showed no emotion, didn’t cry or make a scene, and offered no defense…

“That Ishikawa Yuka, intentionally ruining Shoko-sama’s dress at the banquet and doing such a terrible thing, she actually has the nerve to show her face at the Academy.”

“Exactly, exactly.”

“!”

A few girls sitting in a corner further away from Yuka’s seat were whispering.

They feared the “Ishikawa” name too much to say it to her face, only daring to gossip behind her back.

Yuka’s seat was too far for her to likely hear, but Shoko heard every word clearly.

These people feared the Ishikawa family’s power while simultaneously envying Yuka’s lineage and beauty.

They often behaved far worse themselves, yet they couldn’t wait to kick Yuka while she was down now that they had a chance to slander the person they resented.

“You lot!”

“Y-Yes! Shoko-sama, is something the matter?”

Shoko, unable to take it anymore, stood up and walked over to the group of girls.

Those who were suddenly called out froze, their bodies stiffening at the approach of this high-ranking lady with whom they weren’t normally close.

“Outsiders who were neither involved nor know anything shouldn’t act like they understand everything!”

“If you have an opinion, don’t skulk around gossiping here—go say it directly to her face!”

“S-Sorry!”

“Our apologies.”

They didn’t understand at all.

What was the use of apologizing to Shoko?

Shoko let out a helpless sigh and returned to her seat.

There was no point in saying more to these people; they didn’t even understand why they were being scolded, or rather, they didn’t want to understand.

Moreover… she had no right to act superior.

Hadn’t she also remained silent about Yuka taking the blame?

How was she any different from those gossiping behind someone’s back?

No, she, who knew the whole truth yet chose silence, was even worse.

At that thought, Shoko’s mood grew even heavier.

As time passed, the rumors about Yuka did not subside; instead, they grew more intense.

Initially, the girls in Shoko’s circle were also spreading bad things about Yuka.

Shoko had clearly and strictly warned her own faction members not to spread rumors… or at least, that was what she thought.

Yet the rumors did not stop, spreading even further.

Perhaps those of her lineage and faction were still spreading rumors behind her back.

But Shoko had forbidden it so strictly; why was it still spreading like wildfire?

It was as if someone were deliberately pushing it…

But none of that mattered now.

The truth was that Shoko herself had knocked over the food, and Yuka had taken the fall for her.

Yet she… had pushed everything onto Yuka and was peacefully enjoying her own innocence.

Yuka, who was enduring everything in her stead, was going through such hardship while she remained silent out of cowardice.

Shoko gradually became depressed.

Her chest always felt heavy and congested… she didn’t know what to do.

She had never experienced this emotion before and was completely at a loss.

Until one day after school, she arrived at the Ōka Association Salon as usual, and Anmiya Marina, who came in a bit later, quietly whispered into her ear:

“Yuka said she wants to talk. She’s waiting for you on the balcony.”

“!?”

Hearing those words, Shoko’s shoulders jolted violently.

It had come… what was meant to happen had finally arrived.

Even without going, she knew what the talk would be about.

Yuka would surely question why Shoko had been so slow to speak the truth.

She had been dreading this moment, and today had become that “Judgment Day.”

It was only logical.

If the roles were reversed, she would have called the other person out to protest long ago.

She would have questioned why they didn’t tell the truth, and how they could watch someone suffer a false accusation while staying silent.

The moment had finally arrived.

That was all.

In fact, it had come too late.

And…

‘Ah… I see… so that’s how it is…’

Shoko finally realized that deep down, she had actually been longing to be scolded.

Her mood had been gloomy and miserable these days precisely because Yuka neither blamed her nor pressured her, but simply endured everything in silence.

Shoko subconsciously wanted to be yelled at by Yuka, as if that would lighten the weight of her sins even slightly.

Therefore, upon receiving this invitation, she felt a sense of relief alongside her fear.

She could finally be released from this pain.

She would go to Ishikawa Yuka, let her be scolded, and be asked why she hadn’t taken the initiative to tell the truth.

Then she could be free… from this deep-seated guilt…

How contemptible… in the end, she just wanted self-redemption.

She even secretly blamed Yuka for not scolding her sooner.

The suffering Yuka had endured these days—though she couldn’t fully comprehend it—must have been incredibly difficult.

Yet she was only thinking about how to find her own relief…

Filled with loathing for her own vileness, Shoko finally walked toward the balcony.

“Shoko, I’m sorry! I didn’t expect things to blow up like this! I’m so sorry for dragging you into this!”

“…Eh?”

When Shoko called out to the girl with long black hair who was looking melancolically at the sky from the balcony, the other girl turned around and immediately bowed her head in apology.

Shoko was completely unable to understand Ishikawa Yuka’s words.

She had expected to be scolded and questioned sharply the moment they met.

But Ishikawa Yuka was apologizing?

What on earth was she talking about?

She was the one who should be apologizing.

“Ah…”

Shoko had intended to listen to the other girl finish before apologizing, but this was so far beyond her expectations that she was left standing there in a daze.

“And… Shoko, you looked even more down this morning than you have lately? Did something happen? If you’re willing, could you tell me about it?”

“Wha…?”

Yuka lifted her head as she spoke, stepped closer to Shoko, and grasped her hands.

Those eyes, filled with worry, gazed sincerely at Shoko without a hint of hypocrisy or pretense.

Shoko understood clearly that she was truly concerned about her.

Even her mother… no, her mother didn’t care about Shoko’s feelings at all, only persistently demanding that she do painful things.

No one in her family cared about her pain.

And yet… even though she was the one who should be in trouble… only Ishikawa Yuka had noticed Shoko’s abnormality and offered care.

Among the followers surrounding her, not a single one had said anything about her unusual state.

The people of her faction and lineage either didn’t notice her worries or noticed but pretended not to.

No one wanted to invite trouble, especially when that trouble came from a superior.

But Yuka had noticed Shoko’s odd behavior and, instead of fearing her, faced her head-on.

Why… why would she go this far for someone who had caused her such pain?

“If the worry itself is hard to say out loud, don’t force it.”

“But… if it hurts, say ‘I’m in pain’; if you’re sad, say ‘I’m sad.’”

“Even just venting like that will make your heart feel lighter.”

“So, please give a bit of your pain to me. Okay?”

“Wh… why…?”

Why could Yuka say such things to the person who caused her suffering?

When even those closest to her in her faction and lineage turned a blind eye, why did she…?

“We’re friends, aren’t we, Shoko?”

“You were the one who told me, Shoko—a friend is someone who should listen when the other person is worried, in trouble, sad, or in pain.”

“…Ah?”

Hearing Yuka’s words, a drop, then another… tears began to fall from Shoko’s cheeks.

“Waaaahhh—!”

She didn’t even understand why she was crying.

She just clung to the young girl before her who always wore a gentle smile, leaning on her and crying until her voice was hoarse.

She didn’t know how long passed.

It felt both incredibly long and like only a brief moment.

“Ugh… hie… hic…”

“…………”

Yuka just quietly held the sobbing Shoko, stroking her back and hair without a word until she calmed down.

Shoko’s tears soaked Yuka’s uniform, but Yuka didn’t mind at all.

“I’m sorry…”

“…”

“I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! I’m sorry!”

Once she had calmed slightly, Shoko’s words poured out like a burst dam.

She didn’t care about logic or coherence, nor did she care if the other person could understand; she just poured out her emotions in a disorganized stream.

Yuka said nothing, just listening to Shoko’s words, holding her tightly, stroking her head, and patting her back as she focused on listening.

“Mother ordered me… I should have told the truth, said it wasn’t Yuka’s fault!”

“But I have to marry into the Noyama family… Mother said to use every opportunity by any means…”

“I couldn’t tell the truth… even though Yuka is the one suffering, even though Yuka is the one truly hurting! I stayed silent because I was afraid!”

“It’s alright, Shoko. Go ahead and say it.”

“If saying it makes you feel better, I’ll listen to anything… okay?”

The words were fragmented, with no sequence.

But Yuka didn’t press her, simply letting Shoko vent in her own way, accepting every emotion she wanted to release.

Shoko didn’t care what she said; whatever came to mind, she poured out her inner thoughts.

She repeated the same things over and over, her logic messy, but she desperately needed to confide, throwing everything at the Yuka who listened in silence.

How long had she been venting the torrent within her heart?

Her words were so disorganized that the other person likely found it hard to understand fully.

But that didn’t matter anymore; she just wanted to pour out all the stagnation in her heart.

“I’m sorry… I should have made it clear sooner…”

“Don’t say things like that.”

“If anything… I’m sorry that my meddling caused you such pain, Shoko.”

“No! Yuka did nothing wrong! It was all me—”

Before they knew it, the two began to argue over who was at fault.

Neither would yield on this point.

They argued back and forth… and then…

“Pfft.”

“Hehe.”

“”Ahaha!””

The two, neither willing to give in, unknowingly looked at each other and laughed.

The problem was still far from solved… but after pouring out all the stagnation in her heart, Shoko finally laughed from the bottom of her heart for the first time in a long while.