บท 472: It's bitter and sweet

Everyone's mood should be good when they go home, but who would expect everything to turn awkward?

Everyone could see how Usa was in a daze and didn't seem to wake up, like a lifeless doll who had lost its string. Still, they could also see how strange Ritsu was, especially when she sat on the back seat of the bus, trying to distance herself from someone.

Ritsu held her book as usual, but she was in a daze while she glanced out from time to time.

Hikigaya looked at Usa, who sat next to him and could only sigh helplessly.

Usa was on the verge of crying, but he held it and tried to be strong. However, the damage caused by the rejection was harder than he had thought. If possible, he wanted to ask why Ritsu had rejected him and whether there was a way to make her accept him since he was really in love with her. However, when he thought about how she told him she didn't love him and he was rejected by her clearly, he knew everything had ended.

His first love had ended.

"Ugh..." Usa wanted to cry again, but he was too embarrassed to be seen, so he could only hold it.

Hikigaya was also helpless since he didn't expect Usa to confess so suddenly without any precautions, even if he tried to stop Usa. Still, even if he said he tried to stop Usa, all he was doing was something subtly by staying on Usa's side as long as he could. However, who would have thought that when he went to the toilet, Usa would suddenly confess, and everything would end when he arrived.

No one expected Usa would confess so suddenly when he was given a chance. They thought he would hesitate, but it seemed that wasn't the case since he was ready and confessed to Ritsu without hesitation.

However, the result was...

As he had promised, Shishio set up a chance for Usa to confess when they were almost going home. Then, with his skill, it wasn't hard for him to gather the people around him to give Usa and Ritsu a chance to be together.

Frankly, when Usa confessed, everyone happened to see it, and they just could feel helpless when they saw Usa's confession. It wasn't because it was cringe or something. Instead, it was normal. However, it might be because they knew the mood wasn't right and knew the result of the confession, so they felt it was painful to watch the confession.

However, everyone also knew it was impossible to stop Usa from confessing unless Shishio confessed to Ritsu. Still, they knew Shishio didn't have any intention of confessing to Ritsu, so it was impossible to stop Usa.

"Hey, are you not going to do anything?" Nana whispered.

"What do you want me to do?" Shishio was helpless.

"You were the one who set this up, right? Shouldn't you also think about how to erase this awkward atmosphere?" Mai asked.

"What can I do?" Shishio had done what Usa asked, and Usa was able to confess, so that's all?

Shishio knew Usa had already known this consequence, or Usa might have known, yet a love blinded him of this fact. The feeling of love was complicated. It made someone become one wasn't be, and most of the time, it would cloud their judgment. It was some kind of sickness, yet many people still wanted to have it.

"Let time heal him," Shishio said since there was no other way to solve this problem besides time or find another person they loved.

They looked at Shishio and knew this was the only way.

"Still, I don't really care about Usa, but what about Ritsu? She's acting strange, you know?" Mai said with a worried expression.

Shishio glanced at Ritsu for a moment and said, "Let's leave it to Mashiro and Nanami. I'm sure she can handle this. Also, it is quite wrong for me to talk with her after she has just rejected someone, especially..." He glanced at Usa before he shut his mouth.

While his morals were doubtable, Shishio wasn't cruel enough to attack Ritsu when Usa was right in front of him. It might be different when they parted, and he could talk with Ritsu since he must admit he regretted the fact he let Usa confess to Ritsu.

It wasn't that Shishio felt jealous or anything, but he could see how distressed Ritsu was after she rejected Usa.

If the person she rejected was just a stranger and didn't have a relationship with everyone, Ritsu might not think too much and could just continue to read her book as usual. However, Usa was different since he was Shishio's friend, and she was afraid she might cause awkwardness for everyone.

Still, everything had happened, and there was no medicine for regret.

What Shishio could do was take care of the aftermath after they went home.

"Ritsu, are you okay?" Shiina asked.

"...I am okay." Ritsu looked at Shiina and said, "It's alright. You don't need to worry about me."

"But I am worried about Ritsu," Shiina said while looking straight into Ritsu's eyes.

"........"

Ritsu was silent, and her mouth opened and closed before she smiled helplessly. "I-I don't know what to do." She just didn't expect she was being confessed so suddenly, and it made her feel awkward. Not only did she feel awkward, but she was also scared when she thought she had made everyone become awkward because of this matter.

Still, could someone blame Usa?

Or should they blame her for rejecting Usa?

No one could be blamed for this matter, and there was also no point in searching for who was at fault.

The most important thing was to solve this matter as soon as possible.

Still, Ritsu and Usa didn't know since their heads were clouded with various emotions, and they were teenagers, so it was normal for them to make a mistake. After all, even an adult could make a mistake, and as long as they were human, they could make a mistake.

However, if there was one that made someone different, it was whether one wanted to fix that mistake or just let it away like this, forget everything before they drifted apart.

"Talk with Shishio," Shiina suddenly said.

"Huh?" Ritsu was dumbfounded.

"He has promised to bring you to Jimbocho, right? So just ask him to bring you there," Shiina said while holding Ritsu's hands. After all, Ritsu was her first friend in this country, and Ritsu had taken care of her many times, so this time, she was going to help her!

"But..." Ritsu hesitated since she wasn't even Shishio's girlfriend, he also had a boyfriend, and she had just rejected his friend's confession.

Could she brazenly ask Shishio to go out to the Jimbocho just like this?

"I'll talk to him." Shiina didn't care much about Usa since she only cared about Ritsu, so she just stood up and was about to walk toward Shishio, but she was stopped and held by Nanami and Ritsu.

"Stop!" 2x

Ritsu and Nanami looked at each other and let out a sigh in relief since they were glad someone had common sense around them.

"Mashiro, I'll help Ritsu later. You should rest, alright? I'm sure you're tired," Nanami said.

"Yes, I'll ask Nanami for help later," Ritsu said.

Shiina looked at the two before she nodded and sat on the chair before she slept directly since she would be lying if she wasn't tired.

Looking at Shiina, who was sleeping, Ritsu wondered whether it was morally okay to ask Shishio to go out after she was confessed by his friend. However, she also wanted to know what he thought when he knew she was being confessed.

What would his reaction be?

Would he feel uncomfortable?

Also, why did she feel this way?

Ritsu had read various romance novels after she met him, and even now, she might have realized what kind of feeling she had, but she knew this feeling shouldn't be born, especially for someone like him.

Ritsu looked in Usa's direction and saw him depressed. She would be lying if she didn't feel guilty, but she just didn't feel that way toward Usa, and she just didn't think there was a possibility for them to be together, at least for now.

On the other hand, Usa was just in a mess, and he wondered whether there was something he could do to fix this situation. He had forgotten all of the words that Shishio had told him, and he just didn't want his relationship with Ritsu to end. However, he just didn't know how to face her, and he just felt helpless after being rejected.

Being rejected was, of course, not something fun. It was painful, and it made one a mess.

Usa was in a daze even until they arrived at the bus station. It wasn't until his shoulder was patted that he had woken up. He looked up and saw Shishio was there. "Come on. Come with me. Hikigaya-senpai, follow us too."

Hikigaya was speechless, but he nodded and decided to follow Shishio.

Usa felt hesitant, but being half-forced by Shishio, he could only nod and follow him.

With three left, the girls also left too since it was quite late, and they thought of going home, but they kept watching Usa, Hikigaya, and Shishio, who slowly left at night.

Shishio didn't need to worry about the girls since Roberta would take care of the rest, and right now, he was going to handle his promise with Usa.

"Where are we going, Shishio? I want to go back." Usa's mood wasn't good since he was rejected, and he was thinking about whether there was a way to mend his relationship with Ritsu.

"Just follow me," Shishio said simply before he ignored Usa again. "We're going to arrive soon."

Usa and Hikigaya were confused, but then they saw a simple ramen shop in front of them.

'Why ramen?' They were confused.

Shishio entered the shop without hesitation while looking at Usa and Hikigaya, who were looking at him in a daze. "Come in. I am going to treat you."

Hikigaya didn't hesitate, but Usa hesitated for a moment before he entered.

"Boss, three ramens, gyoza, and fried rice. Also, give us a beer!" Shishio said without hesitation in one go.

"Huh? We're in high school. Do you think it is alright?" Hikigaya asked in a whisper. Also, he wanted to say they ordered too much.

"It's okay. It's okay. If you don't drink, I'll drink them." Shishio looked at Hikigaya and Usa and said, "Just order what you want. Let's eat."

Usa sat in the middle between Shishio and Hikigaya.

The boss ramen looked at the three and didn't question them.

Neither talked, and they just waited quietly for their order to come.

Before long, they heard the voice of the boss, and their order was given.

"Here's your order."

The boss didn't give the alcohol and gave the ramen to the three of them. Also, instead of alcohol, he gave them cola, but Shishio didn't say anything and looked at the hard-boiled and solemn expression of the boss, wondering whether the boss was a part-time assassin.

Shishio and Hikigaya took the chopsticks without hesitation, but Usa hesitated before he also ate ramen.

Shishio and Hikigaya must admit the taste of the ramen wasn't bad, but Usa felt it was too salty.

"It's salty..." Usa ate his ramen with tears and snot on his face. "It's salty... ugh..." Finally, his tears couldn't be contained anymore, and he bawled.

Shishio and Hikigaya didn't say anything and just patted Usa's back.

While the boss quietly gave them the gyoza as a bonus to Usa and lowered the volume of the television.

The three were in silence while listening to Usa's sobbing that echoed through the store.

Ahh, bittersweet youth!