Chapter 25: Daily Life Beginning to Tilt

「See you later, Honoka!」

「Yeah, bye-bye...」

Honoka waved her hand small and drooped her shoulders.

Honoka had gone out with friends after school to change her mood, but ultimately her mood didn't improve and she decided to go home alone.

A few days ago, when Honoka confronted Shigure, she was counter-attacked. She hadn't expected to be rejected by Kanato, and she ended up heartbroken as a result.

To Honoka, the woman called Shigure Ren is nothing but a disturbing factor. A dangerous existence that threatens the relationship between Kanato and herself. Definitely not an existence that should be left alone.

The reason she was being distanced by Kanato was because of that woman. Selfishly, Honoka had decided that.

She wants to somehow separate Shigure from Kanato. But Kanato wouldn't try to leave Shigure. Honoka was troubled by this situation that was hopeless for her.

(I have to somehow get that woman away from Kanato...)

It was just when she was thinking such things. A familiar shadow appears at the edge of Honoka's vision.

Stopping involuntarily to look, there was the figure of the detestable Shigure. Next to her is a tall man in a suit. They are walking quite close together.

Honoka instinctively sensed it. This was a chance. If she spread rumors trading on the lying girl's reputation, she could tear Shigure away from Kanato.

The shutter sound that echoed in the crowd had become a signal fire of revenge.

▼▽

「...Hey, are you some kind of celebrity or something?」

On the usual rooftop, I called out to Shigure sitting across from me.

Next to me is Misumi with a grim expression. On her mobile device screen was displayed a single photograph.

「To have rumors spread this far with just one photo, you're basically a celebrity.」

「Being popular is tough...」

A certain rumor was spreading through the academy along with a certain photograph.

Shigure Ren is doing compensated dating.

I thought it was a baseless rumor. But seeing that photograph, I understood why some people would believe it.

Her figure walking with an adult man in a crisp suit could, depending on how you put it, look like a prostitute.

「So, let me hear your excuse. Who is this?」

Shigure said with a pained expression, as if it was hard to say.

「...He's my Papa. I told you before when you came to my house that we're separated, right? On this day I was meeting him after a long time. He was in a suit because he was coming from work.」

Shigure looked truly reluctant to speak, but it didn't seem like she was spinning lies.

The fact that she honestly tells me things now feels like progress in our relationship. I wish the constant problems would stop though.

「So this wasn't compensated dating?」

「That's right. ...Even though I have Tsukishiro-kun, there's no way I'd cheat with another man, right?」

「Well, I figured it was something like that. ...Still, whoever took this has a nasty personality. To secretly photograph and spread rumors... You must be really hated.」

「Really...」

Shigure's voice contained exhaustion as she murmured.

「Another troublesome thing happened.」

「Who on earth is the scoundrel doing this...」

「...Senpai.」

「Yeah. ...I have a few people in mind. But until I'm certain, things stay as they are.」

「...I think I know who the culprit is.」

Looking at Misumi's worried eyes, it seems her thoughts match mine.

It was one possibility I'd considered as a worst-case scenario, but if Misumi thinks the same way, there's no mistake. The culprit is that person.

「Hey, Tsukishiro-kun is really...」

「Aren't they probably in that kind of relationship? He looks quiet but behind the scenes...」

「I knew their dating was a lie after all. He seems to have a bad personality...」

Naturally, criticism comes my way as the boyfriend of the girl at the center of the problem. I'm already used to being talked about with made-up stories, but this time was abnormal.

Rumors are being spread as if I was doing bad things too. It would be endless to deny each one, so there's nothing I can do, but if we don't quickly resolve this situation, both Shigure and I will be in trouble.

「......」

Bitter feelings show in Shigure's expression. Seeing that expression I'd never seen before, I felt baseless anxiety.

Shigure, who had maintained a strong attitude until now, is showing slight cracks. This is a problem I can't overlook.