"I am dating a married man."
"....."
Nifuji was silent and didn't say anything, just took another puff before he said, "You are not a good girl."
"Right?"
Still, despite how calm he was, his cigarette slightly shook as Hina smiled sweetly, then kissed his cheek.
"...what are you doing?"
The sticky, warm feeling on his cheek stunned him silly.
"You are so cute, after all~!"
"...bitch."
"I might be."
"..."
No, Nifuji couldn't say that Hina was a bitch, especially when she saw this kind of expression on his face. He wasn't sure whether there were proper words to describe it, but he felt that, despite how bright she was, she seemed to be trapped in the darkness alone.
If there was someone who loved her so dearly at this moment, Nifuji could imagine that they would hug her tightly as if wishing to share her sadness.
Frankly, Nifuji even wondered why those women would date someone who wouldn't even give them everything, afraid and hesitant to make a decision, to give the women feelings of reassurance that they were the only one, but he knew that once the women were trapped in love, it was almost impossible for them to leave.
Still, whether it was men or women, it was so damn hard for them if they fell for someone who was such a bastard, and because of that, he let out a helpless sigh before he gently stroked her hair.
"...why were you gentle with me?"
As her eyes were slightly wet, Nifuji said, "It's because you are such a good girl."
Even if he knew nothing, he could tell that Hina wasn't such a bad girl, and, frankly, while it was just his personal opinion, the women with better appearances had a difficult time making friends.
For women, their appearance was everything, and because of that, when they saw women who had a better face than they did, naturally, they would be jealous, which led to carnation.
Still, by then, Hina had told him everything, as she felt like she needed to talk with someone. Her only friend was a whore, and from that woman's perspective, who couldn't even feel the feeling of love, and probably already broken, she would just diminish her.
As for her family?
Hina didn't think that she could talk about her problem, as she knew that they would just tell her to break away.
Nevertheless, what did she want to do?
Why did she tell Nifuji, whom she had just met for the second time?
Probably, because he was a stranger?
After all, sometimes, it was far better to talk to a stranger, as that way, one had no need to fear being judged, and they could talk freely about what they wanted to inside their hearts.
So, Hina talked, as she told Nifuji, about how she met her current boyfriend, who happened to be an intern during her high school time, when she was being isolated by everyone, as she was too attractive, which caused the others to feel threatened that their loved ones would be taken away.
Hina, who could read the mood, could only succumb and decided to be alone, but during that moment of being alone, she met her boyfriend. Still, they were just friends and didn't get close to each other, but as she graduated and became a university student, they met once again, and then...
"You two become lovers."
"Yes."
"But, he is married."
"Yes."
"Did he say that he has an unhappy marriage?"
"...." Hina.
Nifuji didn't even need to guess what Hina's lover had told her. Even if he closed his eyes, he was sure that the lover said to her. "He doesn't love his wife, but he loves you."
"....." Hina.
"...you are such a bastard." Hina cried. "Why did you make his love for me so cheap?!"
"I can't read minds. If you think that his feelings are like that, then it is just your assumption since you can't read his mind, either. More importantly, you have decided to date him, so you should understand the consequences, right?"
"That's..."
To love someone that we shouldn't love.
Nifuji felt that it was perfectly normal, as he had seen, or he also had such an experience, but the difference was that there were those who succeeded and those who failed.
Still, he had to say, love was really similar to a war, since, as there was a winner, there was a loser, especially the wife of Hina's lover, who was definitely hurt by her husband, and also Hina.
Would he take responsibility for you by divorcing his wife?
Nifuji knew that this was the most common question that should be asked of Hina, but as she had told him her story, he knew that she had her doubts about her relationship.
So—
"Did you wait for him there?"
Hina knew that Nifuji was trying to change the topic of their conversation, but she pouted, "Are you just going to leave all of my problems like that and change the conversation?"
"...what do you want me to do? You are the one who made that relationship, and I don't know your boyfriend that well. You are the one who has spent time with him, thinking it carefully, thoroughly. What do you want to do with your relationship?"
If Hina was fine for being a lover, then it was all fine. Nifuji wouldn't stop her since some people were just weird, but it wasn't the case with her. Yet it was weird of him to be the one who made such a decision, especially when he wasn't the one who made the decision.
Wrong or right.
If people could judge the relationship so easily like that, then there wouldn't be any people who were in torment due to it.
Regardless, with this, he felt that he should end this outing, as more than this was a little troublesome.
"Then, I will go back now."
"Wait, I will go out with you, too. It's too lonely to drink here alone."
With her previous experience, she wanted someone to stay by her side, and Nifuji gave her the most comfort. "I will pay you, too."
"You are being so kind to me."
Nifuji didn't refuse Hina's offer and even teased her, "Is there something that you want me to do?"
"Oh, just kiss me on the cheek too~!"
Hina laughed as she was being flirty after they left the izakaya.
"..." Nifuji.
"What? Are you shy?"
Nifuji rolled his eyes and kissed Hina's smooth cheek. "Satisfied?"
Yet, he felt a bit regretful of asking her such a question when they were so close.
Their eyes met, and her gaze seemed to melt, hot, and it felt even more intense under the cold night.
Nifuji lost his voice for a moment, thinking that he was really a scumbag.
As their lips touched, the softness spread entirely from their lips, then their entire body, but it was also because of that, they held each other's hands and went to the place where they could be together, alone, forgetting everything, as they just enjoyed the moment.