"You had no right to touch him!"
Utaha's face turned deathly pale, her eyes burning with fury, eyebrows arched low—she was clearly livid.
The man she hadn't even dared touch, Eriri was treating like a bicycle she could ride around town?
Eriri had never seen Utaha so furious before, and it startled her.
But she quickly recovered—and got mad herself.
"He's my boyfriend. Why shouldn't I touch him?"
What a joke. Like she needed Utaha's permission?
"Not only will I touch him, I'll send you pictures of us in bed."
"If you want, I can send you videos too."
"After all, that'll be the only memories you'll have left to cling to, loser~"
Megumi gasped at that.
Wait, Sawamura was this bold?
Anyone who truly knew Eriri would've known—she talked a big game. All bark, no bite.
If someone actually made her send something like that, she'd probably chicken out.
"Loser…"
Utaha froze, then repeated the word in disbelief.
"There are some things I didn't want to say."
Utaha stepped forward, black stockings wrapping her long legs.
The distance between them shrank—Eriri could now clearly see her reflection in Utaha's sharp eyes.
Utaha poked Eriri's chest with a slender finger and said,
"But I guess I need to say it, to stop you from getting cocky over a temporary win."
"Say it then. Just more nonsense from a sore loser," Eriri said, arms crossed, unfazed.
"Los—"
Utaha clearly still couldn't stomach the word. She took a deep breath.
"You only got Takashi because I didn't understand my own feelings and gave you the opening. Otherwise, do you really think you ever had a chance?"
"From the very first time we met, Sawamura, you've never beaten me. Not even once."
"And this time is no different."
There was intense confidence in Utaha's eyes.
She leaned close to Eriri's ear and whispered,
"Watanabe Takashi was mine from the start."
"And I'm going to take him back. Bit by bit."
"So don't go crying when that happens, Sawamura."
Eriri gave a mocking smile, her tone full of challenge.
"Try it, if you think you can."
Their eyes locked. Megumi could practically smell the gunpowder in the air.
…
As Takashi sat awkwardly, Utaha and Eriri returned together.
What he'd feared didn't seem to have happened. The two of them were calm, as if nothing had gone down.
They sat on either side of him and started eating dinner.
That only made Takashi even more curious about what had been said between them.
Midway through dinner, Eriri suddenly dropped a bomb:
"Takashi, come sleep at my place tonight."
"...Huh???"
Takashi froze.
Tomoya widened his eyes in surprise.
Utaha's hand tightened subtly around her fork, her gaze like a dagger aimed at Eriri.
She knew that Eriri had said it just for her to hear.
Megumi looked at Utaha, then Takashi, then Eriri—then popped a bite of dessert into her mouth like she just remembered something.
Drama.
Pure drama.
These three made love triangles on trashy TV shows look like child's play.
"I already booked a hotel, so I'll pass," Takashi said.
"Just cancel it," Eriri said sweetly, stabbing a piece of steak and bringing it to Takashi's mouth.
Takashi awkwardly opened his mouth to take the bite.
"Besides, my parents like you. They've been telling me to bring you home."
"Maybe next time. It's a bit inconvenient this time."
Takashi tried to hold his ground.
"You keep dodging like this. You're not planning to ditch me later to go meet some woman, are you?"
Eriri shot a glance at Utaha, clearly implying something.
Utaha's expression didn't change. She just kept twirling her ramen with her fork.
But in reality, she had been planning to visit Watanabe Takashi's hotel that night.
Too bad—Eriri had seen through her plan in advance.
"Do I look like that kind of guy?" Takashi said, clearly annoyed.
"Then it's settled," Eriri said, in a tone that left no room for debate.
After dinner, the group of five parted ways at the restaurant entrance.
Takashi rode Eriri's bike, carrying her as they headed toward her place.
The moon was high and the night breeze gentle.
Sitting on the back of her boyfriend's bike after school, zipping through the city like the wind, the colorful neon lights reflecting on his face—it was a scene Eriri had imagined countless times.
Holding tightly onto Watanabe Takashi's waist, Eriri wished time could freeze in this moment.
But then she remembered what Utaha had said to her:
"Takashi was mine from the start."
"And I'm going to take him back. Slowly, piece by piece."
Eriri lifted her little face and, after some hesitation, asked Takashi:
"Takashi, you liked Utaha before, right?"
"…You found out?"
Takashi kept pedaling calmly.
"Yeah. Aki told me."
"Yes, I used to like her."
Even though she already knew the answer, hearing it from him still made Eriri feel upset.
"Do you still like her now?"
"No."
Takashi answered instantly.
"The one I like now is you."
"Liar. I don't believe you."
Eriri pouted.
"You're just saying that to make me happy."
They stopped at a red light. Takashi said lightly,
"Rereading a book might give you new insights, but it won't change the ending."
"I tried with her. So if there's any regret left, it's not on me."
Eriri thought that was a pretty profound line. She couldn't help but look at Watanabe Takashi with admiration.
She realized her boyfriend was actually impressive.
"You asked me, so it's my turn now. Do you still like Aki Tomoya?"
Takashi retorted.
"Do you still like him?"
Eriri hesitated for a second before shaking her head. "I don't like him anymore."
Liar.
If you didn't still care, you wouldn't have hesitated.
Takashi's eyes lowered; he wasn't surprised by the answer.
After all, Tomoya was someone Eriri had loved for ten years.
Even if she liked him now, how could she forget those ten years of feelings?
But Takashi wasn't particularly upset about it.
He had gone into this for the money from the start.
And he was glad he had—if it had been for love, he would've lost everything.
"If you're lying, I'll disappear from your life," Takashi said, half-joking and half-serious.
"You dare!"
Eriri raised her fists in mock warning, but then she burst into laughter.
"But I know you won't leave."
"Because you like me so much—how could you bear to leave me?"
Takashi smiled faintly and said nothing.
___
20 Advanced Chapters available on p@ tr eon (.) com/HalflingFics
Also, please point out my mistakes in the comment, thank you!
Don't forget to leave a review too~
Check out the other translations too
___