Upstairs, Yuzuki quietly lay down as Rei's mom tucked her back into bed. She turned off the lights. Before she left, she said.
"Let me know if you need anything, alright?"
"Okay. "
Yuzuki saw her closing the door. She couldn't fall asleep, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling. Her hands moved to her lips.
"It tasted like... cocoa."
Tears began to fall slowly. She wished someone was there to listen to her. Something inside her was regretting everything. Her actions had betrayed her feelings.
"I always wanted to kiss you…It was amazing...
But I can't forgive you."
Tears streamed down as she clutched her blanket, hiding her face. Yuzuki continued in a sobbing voice.
"You killed my cat, Pito..."
"I know you didn't like her… and yes, she bit you once.
But that didn't mean... you had to..."
Her voice breaks. She covers herself with the blanket, weeping quietly. Yuzuki whispered to herself before silence took over.
"It's completely fine. That's what you get... You deserve it!"
Yuzuki cuddles the pillow tight, as tight as she can, crying her hurt out. She wanted to scream. In a few moments, she fell asleep.
That night, Yuzuki was having a lucid dream about the past. It was blurry, and her voice was echoing. She was running through streets.
Pito ran away from home… I searched everywhere. That's when I found her… lying in the middle of the road, covered in blood. I cried so much.
She gasped out of fear, slowly moving toward Pito. She couldn't stop crying. She sat down beside her.
At first, I thought she was hit by a truck. But then… an old shopkeeper told me he saw a boy — wearing a white cap with a black dragon pattern — throw Pito onto the road. Then… the truck hit her.
The shopkeeper then helped her move Pito out of the road. She was having trouble just seeing Pito dead. The shopkeeper calmed her down and went back to talk on the phone.
The moment the shopkeeper left, I saw Rei in the distance — angry, running somewhere — holding that same cap. I didn't want to believe it.
A chill ran down her spine. She saw Pito, then Rei, again and again. Many thoughts ran through her mind.
But over the next few days, I had to accept the truth. It was a Dragon Ball special edition cap. Only Rei owned one. I remembered him bragging about it.
Events passed in her dream. Rei was holding the cape when he came home, not actually surprised by Pito's death.
I asked him again and again… and every time, he said it was his. That's why I… I burned it.
Yuzuki shifts again and again abruptly as her nightmare continues. Night turns to morning. Rei was watching TV, clearly out of boredom, while his mom was preparing breakfast.
"REI!! Go wake Yuzuki up!"
"Yeah!"
He walks into the room and finds her curled up, peacefully cuddling a pillow. Rethinking why—what caused this?
"I'm not falling for your cuteness again."
Yuzuki's expression changed, eyes worried. She was mumbling Pito's name in her sleep.
"Pito... Pi..."
Rei instantly recognized what had happened and recalled how dear Pito was to her, how she cried nonstop.
Pito? I remember that… A bully threw her cat in front of a truck. I was mad — that's why I grabbed a stick and chased him. He was the same guy who stole my cap... Wait, come to think of it… where is that cap?
Rei ditched the thought before waking her up. With a slow and gelt voice said.
"Yuzuki… wake up."
She stirs, rolls over to the other side. Rei sighs and leaves. She subconsciously touches her lips.
After that incident, years went by quickly. Yuzuki and Rei kept fighting every time they met — all without there parents ever knowing. Ever since that night, Rei took her words seriously… and started hiding his personal stuff from Yuzuki.
Four Years Later. At yuzuki 's house.
Yuzuki was taking a shower when she heard Rei's voice from the living room. Wrapping herself in a towel, hair dripping, half wet and flustered, she stormed out.
"Ahhh!! Mom! Rei is peeking into the shower again!.....
He's trying to strip me!"
Rei was not at all surprised by her actions or seeing her in a towel. His face was plain, as if he had predicted her.
"Nice acting. But your mom left a while ago."
"Aww… and here I thought I'd get you in trouble."
Rei, smirking, held his phone up, showing that he was recording their conversation.
"Just so you know… I recorded your Oscar-worthy performance."
Yuzuki didn't bother. She was having fun teasing and wasn't ashamed of being a little perverted.
"Are you going to blackmail me? Make me strip for real?"
"Stop acting like this. I didn't record anything valuable. I can't trust you at all. That's why."
Rei looked at his phone, deleting the voice note. He slowly turned toward her.
"I just want to know — why are you doing this?"
Yuzuki, mockingly innocent, looked aside, avoiding eye contact.
"Doing what?"
Rei was annoyed; he knew she was acting. A part of him was tired. He raised his voice a little.
"Why do you always go out of your way to mess with me?"
Yuzuki was grinning; a part of her also wanted this to stop, but the past didn't let her. She burst into anger.
"You already know why. Just think harder... And don't act like you've never taken revenge either."
"Sometimes, you just take things too far."
Rei stepped forward, ready to be receptive, but she wasn't even considering it. Yuzuki, provocative, said.
"You deserve it. Besides… aren't you enjoying this view? A girl in nothing but a towel, half-wet, fresh out of the shower? You perv."
Rei was deadpan, seeing right through her, knowing she wanted to change the topic.
"We used to bathe together when we were kids. Don't change to subject. It's just getting harder to talk to you these days."
Yuzuki, grinning wider, continued. Not falling for his words or emotions.
"I know you like this kind of stuff. I saw you enjoying those magazines Haruki brought to school."
Rei, defensive, moved back, clearly shocked that she knew.
"That was Haruki's. I wasn't—!"
Yuzuki giggled a little at his face and his poor state. With a flirty tone, she smiled and said.
"Wanna try something now?"
Rei cut her off, serious, looking away, blushing. Not falling for her traps.
"Enough! It was your mom's idea that I walk you to school. I'm leaving."
He walked out, embarrassed. Yuzuki, to herself, half-laughing, enjoying her victory.
"He's no fun."
She placed her hand on her chest, taking a deep breath, calming herself down.
I thought for a second he found out about my plans.