第10話:尾行
【奏の視点】
今頃はゆーくんがあの2人に急遽合同練習になったことを伝えている頃だろう。これから合同練習は確かに行われるのだが、実は最初から決まっていたことだった。あの2人には合同練習のことを伝えずに、試合があるからとだけ言って来てもらったのだ。
ちなみにその合同練習には私は最初から参加しないで、ゆーくんは途中で抜けることを監督もチームメイトも知っている。もちろんその理由を正直に伝えることはしていない。
そして、私は今何をしているかというと、出口付近に身を隠してあの2人が出てくるのを待っているのだ。なぜそんなことをしているのかというと、これからあの2人を尾行するためだ。
実はこの学校がある駅前付近は、大人が愛を語らい合うお城、つまりラブホがたくさんあることで有名だった。それをあの2人が知らない訳がない。そして、降って湧いて来た2人きりになれるチャンスを見逃すとも思えなかった。だから私とゆーくんは2人のことを罠に嵌めて、ラブホから出て来たところを現行犯で捕まえようとしているのだ。
もしラブホに入らなくても、動画をネタに呼び出してしまえばいいし、どちらにせよ今日中にゆーくんと私は決着をつけるつもりだった
(はぁ、今日のゆーくん本当にかっこよかったなぁ。まさかあのチーム相手にあそこまで無双するなんて思ってもみなかったよ)
私は2人を待ってるのが退屈で、今日のゆーくんの活躍を思い出して、一人でキュンキュンしていた。すると会場出口付近から、見慣れた2人が歩いてくるのが見えた。私はキュンキュンモードで心がポカポカしていたのに、あの2人を視界に入れた途端に血が冷え切ったのが分かった。
(やっぱりあの2人のことは許せない。ゆーくんを裏切ったあの2人を許せる訳がないよ)
私は楽しそうに話している2人のことを、憎しみがこもった目で睨みつけながら後を追った。
仲良さそうに歩いている2人は、ラブホが密集しているエリアを抜けて、駅に向かって歩いていた。
(あれ? 今日は何もしないのかな?)
当てが外れたと一瞬思ったが、2人は改札の方に向かわずに逆の出口に向かっている。そこで私は、反対出口にも何個かラブホがあるのを思い出した。こっち側の出口にあるラブホに入ると、練習終わりのゆーくんたちと鉢合わせる可能性があったから別の出口にあるラブホを選んだということか......。
どっちのアイデアか分からないが、その冷静な判断が私を苛々とさせる。
それにしても改めてあの2人が歩いているところを見ると、誰がどう見てもカップル以外の何者でもない。何を話しているかまでは分からないけど、光輝くんが何かを言うと、羽月ちゃんは手で口元を隠してクスクスと笑っているのだ。そして、反対側出口を抜けたくらいから、羽月ちゃんは光輝くんに腰を抱かれていた。あれがカップルじゃなかったら何なのだろう。
私はゆーくんと羽月ちゃんのそういう後ろ姿を何度も見たことがあるし、その度に羽月ちゃんを羨望の目で見ていた。しかし、今日の羽月ちゃんを見る私の目には、軽蔑と侮蔑が入り混じった感情しか篭っていない。
(なんで。なんでゆーくんがいるのに、別の男に腕を回されてあんなに幸せそうな顔をしてるのよ)
私には信じられなかった。今まで美しいと思っていた羽月ちゃんのことが、醜くて悍しい何かにしか見えなくなっている。
2人は駅からちょっと離れたラブホに入った。外にある看板を見ると、『休憩(最大3時間)5,500円〜』と書かれている。私はラブホのちょっと先にあった喫茶店に入って窓際の席に座った。ラブホの出入り口がしっかりと見えるし、良いところに喫茶店があって感謝した。さすがにラブホの前で女の子が3時間くらいずっと立ってるなんて怖すぎるもんね。
RINEでゆーくんに現在地を伝えると、私はやることがなくて、ただ窓の外をぼんやりと眺めていた。1時間ほどそんな感じでいると、店内にゆーくんが入って来た。
「悪りぃ。待たせちゃったな」
「ううん。良いんだよ。ゆーくんも試合の後に練習もやってお疲れ様だよ」
「ありがとな。けど、ぶっちゃけ練習に身が入らなくてさ。心ここに在らず状態だったよ」
無理して明るく話すゆーくんの顔を見て、私はチクリと胸が痛んでしまう。
「まぁ、これからのことを考えたら仕方ないよ。だって私もここで何もせずにただぼんやりとしてただけだもん」
「そっか。それでも感謝だよ。つか、それよりも奏もあいつらとの話し合いに付いてくるって本気なのか? 俺たちは確かに幼馴染みだけど、奏はこのゴタゴタに直接的に関係はしてないだろ?」
「そんな寂しいこと言わないでよ。私にだって関係あるもん。だって、羽月ちゃんも光輝くんも信頼してた友達なんだよ? それに、ゆーくんを一人であんな2人の前に行かせる訳にはいかないよ。だって、多分ゆーくんたくさん傷ついちゃうもん」
ゆーくんは私の言葉を聞いて、ちょっと苦しそうな表情をしたけど、すぐに笑顔になって「ありがとな」って言ってくれた。一番苦しいのはゆーくんなのに、何でそんなに優しいの? 本当はあなたのことを傷つけたくない。これ以上苦しめたくない。私はあなたの隣に立って、あなたの苦しみの一端を背負うんだ。
(私があなたを絶対に救ってみせる)
ゆーくんが喫茶店に来て2時間後くらいに、あの2人がラブホの出口から出て来た。飲み物を飲みすぎた私たちは、お腹をタプタプさせながら急いでお会計をして、あの2人のことを追う。そして追った背中が眼前に迫ったときに、ゆーくんは2人に声をかけた。
「よう。こんなところで奇遇だな。ところでラブホから出てきたみたいだが、お前ら2人で何してたんだよ?」
Volume 1 - Ch 10
[Kanade's Point of View]
By now, Yuu-kun must have told those two that he was going to have a joint practice session suddenly. The joint practice would indeed take place from now on, but in fact, it had been decided from the beginning. I didn't tell them that we were going to have a joint practice but just told them that we were going to have a game and asked them to come.
Incidentally, both the coach and my teammates knew that I would not participate in the joint practice from the beginning and that Yuu-kun would leave halfway through. Of course, I did not honestly tell them the reason for that.
And what I am doing now is hiding near the exit and waiting for those two to come out. The reason why I am doing that is I am going to follow them.
You see, the area in front of the station where this school is located is famous for its many love hotels, or in other words, castles where adults talk about their love. There was no way those two would not know about it. And I didn't think they would pass up a chance to be alone with each other. That's why Yuu-kun and I were trying to trap them and catch them red-handed when they came out of the love hotel.
Even if they didn't go into the love hotel, we could call them out on the video, and either way, Yuu-kun and I were going to settle things by the end of the day!
(Wow, Yuu-kun was really cool today. I never thought he could be so muscular against that team.)
I was bored waiting for the two of them and was squealing by myself, remembering Yuu-kun's performance today. Then I saw two familiar faces walking toward me from near the venue exit. I was in a heart-fluttering, heart-pounding mode, but as soon as I saw them, I knew my blood had run cold.
(I still can't forgive those two. How could I forgive those two for betraying Yuu-kun?)
I followed them, glaring at them with eyes filled with hatred as they talked happily.
They were walking in a friendly manner, passing through an area with many love hotels and walking toward the station.
(Huh? They're not going to do anything today?)
I thought for a moment that my guess was off, but the two of them were heading for the opposite exit instead of toward the ticket gate. Then I remembered that there were several love hotels at the opposite exit. If they entered the love hotel at the exit on this side, there was a possibility that they would run into Yuu-kun and his friends after practice, so they chose the love hotel at the other exit. ......
I don't know whose idea it was, but that calm decision irritates me.
But then again, when I see those two walking around, they are nothing more than a couple, no matter how you look at them. I don't even know what they are talking about, but when Kouki says something, Hazuki covers her mouth with her hand and giggles. Then, about the time we passed through the exit on the other side, Hazuki-chan was being held by Kouki around the waist. If that isn't a couple, I don't know what is.
I have seen Yuu-kun and Hazuki-chan in that kind of back position many times, and each time I have looked at Hazuki-chan with envy. But today, when I look at Hazuki-chan, my eyes are filled with nothing but a mixture of scorn and contempt.
(Why? Why is she looking so happy with her arms around another man when Yuu-kun is there?)
I couldn't believe it. Hazuki, whom I used to think was beautiful, is now just something ugly and terrifying.
The two entered a love hotel a short distance from the station. Looking at the sign outside, I saw that it said "Rest (max. 3 hours) from 5,500 yen". I went into a coffee shop a little further from the love hotel and took a seat by the window. I had a clear view of the entrance and exit of the love hotel and was thankful that the coffee shop was in a good location. It is indeed too scary to have a girl standing in front of a love hotel for three hours.
After I told Yuu-kun where I was on RINE, I had nothing to do and just stared blankly out the window. After about an hour of that feeling, Yu-kun entered the shop.
"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting.
"No problem. It's okay. Yuu-kun, you had to practice after the game, too, so thanks for your hard work."
"Thanks for your help. But to be honest, I couldn't concentrate on practice. My heart was not in the right place."
Seeing Yuu-kun's face as he forced himself to speak cheerfully, I felt a prickle of pain in my chest.
"Well, I can't help thinking about the future. Because I've been here too, doing nothing, just moping around."
"I see. I'm still grateful. Or rather than that, is Kanade serious and will accompany me in discussions with them? We're childhood friends, but Kanade isn't directly involved in this mess, right?"
"Don't be so lonely. I have something to do with it too. Because both Hazuki and Kouki are my trusted friends. I'm not going to let Yoo-kun go in front of those two by himself. Yoo-kun will probably get hurt a lot."
Yoo-kun looked a little pained when he heard my words, but he immediately smiled and said, "Thanks." Yoo-kun is the one who suffers the most, so why are you so kind to me? I really don't want you to be hurt. I don't want to make you suffer anymore. I will stand next to you and bear a part of your suffering.
(I will definitely save you.)
About two hours after Yoo-kun came to the coffee shop, those two came out of the exit of the love hotel. We had had too many drinks, so we hurried to pay the bill with our stomachs feeling flabby, and then followed those two. And when their backs were in front of us, Yoo-kun called out to them.
"Yo. What a coincidence to see you two here. By the way, it looks like you guys came out of the love hotel, what were you two doing together?"
After Being Betrayed By My Beloved Childhood Friend and Best friend, It Was Another Childhood friend Who Saved Me
最愛の幼馴染みと親友に裏切られた俺を救ってくれたのはもう一人の幼馴染みだった
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/after-being-betrayed-by-my-beloved-childhood-friend-and-best-friend-it-was-another-childhood-friend-who-saved-me/
Drama Romance
Beautiful Female Lead Betrayal Childhood Friends Depression First Love First-time Interc**rse Love Triangles Male Protagonist Modern Day Netorare Obsessive Love Revenge
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n0937hf/
音の中