Chapter 16: What If I Found the Carefree Scumbags?

It was just when I was wondering what to do next.

In the distance, I saw a woman I knew walking, a man beside her.

「I just remembered I have plans. Sorry, but let's call it a day here.」

「Is that so? Then it would be wrong to keep you. Let's head home, Aali-san.」

「Understood. Well then, Kouto-san, please be careful on your way home. It is not my place to say, but it is still quite cold these days, so it would be better not to stay out too late.」

「Yeah, thank you for the warning. See ya. Let's go hang out somewhere again, Laila.」

「Yes, Kouto-sama. Farewell. ...Ah, but one thing before that.」

Laila says, as if she's just remembered something. She gives my sleeve a little tug.

Guessing what she wanted, I bent my knees and crouched down to meet her gaze. Laila then gives me a kiss on my cheek and smiles faintly.

Her cheeks were faintly red, and seeing her like that made my heart skip a beat.

「Well then, we will be on our way. Kouto-sama, please come to my mansion next time. I would like for us to spend time together, just the two of us.」

「Oh my, my lady. It seems I am the third wheel. Well then Kouto-san, until next time.」

The two of them went home.

I feel a little reluctant to see them go, but I can't get them involved in this.

I approach them inconspicuously, so they won't notice me.

Once I'm close enough to hear their conversation, I activate the voice recorder I brought just in case.

「I'm so~ happy to be with Sou-kun! Because we can finally be alone together!」

「Me too, Meari. I can finally have you all to myself.」

「Kyaa, Sou-kun! Gosh, do you really love me that much?」

「Of course I do. You're my everything, so if you'll love me, I have to give you even more in return.」

The man──Kiyama, spouting needlessly pleasing words. He probably says the same thing to other women. If I hadn't seen that video, I might have believed those words.

Meari, drunk on superficial love, is completely smitten.

She was always a noisy woman when it came to love and romance. It was fine when it was directed at me.

But in reality, anyone who said they loved her would have been fine. No, maybe not just anyone. They'd have to at least be good-looking, or this woman wouldn't even look their way.

I wouldn't say I'm that good-looking myself, but I don't think I'm bad-looking either.

For that shitty woman, wasn't I just the bare minimum? Thinking about it now, that's how it feels.

In a complete change from the dreamlike mood I was in just a moment ago, the inside of my heart began to stir again.

I have to suppress my irritation and focus on gathering evidence of their guilt.

「But, having fun with you like this, I feel bad for Tonoshima-kun. Even if he's the kind of boyfriend who neglects you, I can't help but feel a little jealous that he gets to have someone as wonderful as you all to himself.」

「Ufufu, that's not true, you know? I'm Sou-kun's girlfriend now. I like Kou-kun too, but Sou-kun is my number one. I only dated him because we're childhood friends.」

「You're good at toying with men's hearts. A woman like you is one who can shine. Tonoshima-kun is a lucky man to have a woman like you as his girlfriend.」

The nerve of him! How can a man who goes around picking up and dropping women as he pleases say something like that!

Spouting things he doesn't even mean. And Meari, being deceived by it, is beyond stupid.

I told her about the rumors... but in the end, it came to this.

Ahh, this is bad. If I listen to any more of this, I think I'll go crazy.