[Mayu]
I was busy texting Seiho while I was staying on the veranda of Rinako's room. I would usually go there whenever I felt that I didn't want to stay in my own house since there was no one there.
Even during weekends, my parents were always busy with the family business. That was why I would always go to my cousin's house since Uncle and Aunt agreed to it. They said that since they didn't want Rinako to be lonely somehow.
And speaking of my ever-dearest cousin, I immediately saw her looking dejected and listless as she entered her room. I even frowned at the sight of it but it didn't take me long to conclude one thing.
Something must have happened... again.
I wonder whose fault was it for making Nako-chan this gloomy again? Seriously! I would end up punching whoever jerk did that to my cousin.
I entered Rinako's room when I saw her wearing a blank expression as she was looking at the yellow tulips placed in a ceramic vase on her study table. When I saw that, I became aware of the possible person that I should blame for this to happen to my cousin.
I released a sigh before I finally approached Rinako.
"What did that jerk-slash-dance partner of yours do to you this time?" Yikes! What in the world was I saying at the moment? I think Rinako's habit of creating some naming conventions for Seiho's fraternal twin brother was rubbing off on me.
But my cousin didn't say anything. She just continued staring at the yellow tulips with the same blank--
No, wait! Her face wasn't that blank anymore. More like... confused and worried.
What the heck was happening between Rinako and Setsuji-kun that I didn't know?
To be honest? My head hurt because of these two. If they weren't fighting, some sort of invisible wall that had been built from their frustrations and confusions.
I think I would be the one who might lose mind because of them, to be honest.
"Mayu... Does the whole Uminaribara University know the real Mitsuta Setsuji?" Nako-chan asked out of the blue without even looking at me.
So at that point, I knew that something must have happened during their dance practice.
"Nako-chan, what exactly happened? Why did you become suddenly interested in Setsuji-kun?" What in the world? Were we just going to end up throwing questions at each other?
I saw her smile. But her smile was somewhat lopsided. "I don't know. I don't know anymore..."
Looked like Rinako was confused.
"He took me there... to see the legendary Promise Tree..." I heard her add next, but it seemed that she only said that to herself.
But I had to admit, I was surprised when I heard Rinako say that. She wasn't joking, right? "Setsuji-kun was the one who brought you there?"
She nodded which made me even more surprised than I was earlier. A weird reaction came from me because of what Rinako had answered, I knew that. But there was a reason why I was like that.
It was a reason that only I and Seiho knew at the moment.
"He wanted the truce between us to last, Mayu," Rinako declared that making me frown this time.
To make the truce last? Just wait a minute! Don't tell me that Setsuji was already starting that?
But when I looked at Rinako, the same confused look was still on her face. I think I knew where the discussion between those two with regards to the truce had headed to.
"But you ended up disagreeing. Am I right?" I asked though it was more like a statement.
"Sort of..." she answered almost in a whisper. "He said to me that... it was enough that the truce had already disrupted a lot of things between us. I don't want that to disrupt it any further."
"Nako-chan, wasn't it enough that Setsuji-kun had already disrupted the normal flow of your life ever since you met him? The way he would always tease you just to call your attention, it was still called disruption, right?" Although I had to be honest, I knew that Setsuji-kun wasn't just aiming to get Rinako's attention if I would analyze all the things he had done to my cousin.
I could tell that he was also trying to get Rinako's heart--to capture it. I wasn't blind and I wasn't also naïve for me not to notice that. No matter how much Setsuji-kun would deny that his intention was still obvious.
Though he didn't know, he was patching up what was broken in Rinako's heart by getting her attention like that. With just a little more effort, I knew that Setsuji-kun would succeed in getting the attention of Rinako's heart and I had no doubt about that.
"Everything is getting confusing for me, Mayu," Rinako said in a tone that definitely indicated her confusion and even her frustration. "I asked for a quiet life upon relocating here. But I guess that wasn't what God had given me. And now, everything got even messier."
I saw Rinako heave a heavy sigh after she blurted it out like that. "But even if it was like that, I'd still admit that... I was thankful to him. He was there for me during those times I was alone dealing with the frustration and pain I was feeling because of my confrontation with Yushiro. He made a way for me to finally let it go."
I couldn't help smiling because of Rinako's words. No matter how vague she said it, she couldn't hide the fact that this cousin of mine had cried because of that Nakagome Yushiro. And Setsuji-kun was there to comfort my cousin. Whatever he did to do so, I was thankful for that.
The confusion that crossed my cousin's face once again didn't escape my eyes. It looked like Rinako and I would be having a longer conversation than usual, huh?
Well, I might as well give my full attention to listening to my cousin's story.
But then, I suddenly thought of something. What exactly entered Setsuji-kun's mind and he even thought of bringing Rinako to the place where the Legendary Promise Tree stood? And why only now?
Yup! Weird question, I knew.
"Was he breaking those girls' hearts for a deeper reason? I don't know... maybe for revenge..."
I faced Rinako when I heard those words she uttered.
So it was true. Setsuji-kun was already starting.
"How did you come up with that kind of question?" Well, I had to know. I didn't want to get caught in trouble if I made a wrong assumption.
It took my cousin a few moments before she answered. Without looking at me, of course. Go figure! What else was new? But I just let it be.
"He said something about those girls who only knew how to break others' hearts without even thinking of the consequences. He also said that I shouldn't let what happened between me and Yushiro to destroy my life and my dream. The way he said the reason why he brought me to the seaside cliff for me to see the tree and I asked how many girls did he bring there, it was like... he was really angry about them. So I thought something terrible must have happened to him before..."
So that was why Rinako was suddenly interested in Setsuji-kun past. But that guy was seriously surprising me.
"What if I tell you that with all the girls that entered his life and had relationships with, all of them had no romantic feelings involved?"
Rinako frowned. "Aren't those a trait of a heartbreaker? You disregard your own heart to accomplish the goal of breaking the hearts of others."
"But in his case, he was doing that because he was seeking vengeance," I finally said firmly. And that was because what I said was the truth.
"Vengeance? For what? And why?"
Typical questions. But I would've asked the same thing if I was in Rinako's situation who was already confused with all that had been happening.
My first response was a deep sigh because, to be honest, I didn't know how should I start telling things to Rinako. Besides that, I didn't know what could be the result of saying all these to my cousin.
"Are you sure you want to know?"
"I think that's better than ending up getting crazy because of all these confusions I'm dealing with, right?"
Well, Rinako does have a point. But wouldn't that cause even more confusion for her?
I sighed once again just to prepare myself for the biggest revelation yet--at least in my opinion--that Rinako would know about the person that was making her mind all jumbled and confused.
None other than Mitsuta Setsuji.
Seriously, does that guy have no idea on how he was making this girl's mind messy? And that girl happened to be his object of affection?
Well, considering the current situation, I guess he doesn't.
I didn't waste any more time and started telling the story. I would think of the consequence later because of me doing this at the moment. I guessed it was about time for my cousin to know the truth, anyway.
And maybe... just maybe...
This would stop Setsuji-kun from doing his version of taking revenge.
Maybe...