POV: Rifuta Imu
My name is Rifuta Imu, 16 years old, and I am one of the most popular girls in PK Academy. I would easily become the most popular with my charm, but that's cut short by the existence of my one and only, Teruhashi Kokomi. And as a very close friend and a very healthy admirer, I noticed something different about Kokomi-senpai. I watch Kokomi-senpai walking down the corridor and my theory becomes clearer.
She's shining even more brighter than before!
It's been a while this has happened, but I still wonder what changed for Kokomi-senpai when her normal golden aura grew twice as much. Not only her glow, her pretty girl smile has been less stiff. As a fellow popular girl, I can always recognize an artificial smile, and Kokomi-senpai pulls it off like a pro. But her smiles lately have been more sincere and natural. Her actions have been more relaxed as well, like a burden she had this whole time that no one noticed just vanished. I must know her secret!
When Kokomi-senpai wanted to leave the school building, I jumped in front of her and blocked her way.
T: Imu-chan?
I got tired following her around today and responded to her while heavily breathing.
R: Kokomi-senpai!
T: Yes?
R: Let's walk from school together!
T: Oh, okay.
Yes! Step one cleared, now it's the difficult second part, actually asking her.
R: Kokomi-senpai,
T: What is it, Imu-chan?
R: I notice that you've been happier,
T: Have I?
Even her responses to me have been more relaxed.
R: Please tell me your secrets, Kokomi-senpai!
Kokomi-senpai seems to be deep in thought. It must be something important for her struggling to tell me.
T: Well, I think it's a good time to tell you.
It's something she's planning on telling me anyway?
We walked further into a neighborhood to find Saiki-senpai, waiting for us?
T: I'm here, Kusuo.
Kusuo? Are they that close friends that they call each other by their given name?
Kokomi walked to Saiki-senpai and casually hugged him. I watch Saiki-senpai casually smile in response to the gesture. Now that I think about it, that's the first time I've seen him smile. Wait, don't tell me...
T: Imu-chan, he's why I've been happier,
T: I'm finally with the person I love.
POV: Saiki Kusuo
Her reaction would not be pretty.
R: THIS PERVERT?!
T: Pervert?
R: Isn't he with that big-boobied gyaru?!
T: Big boo-you meant Aiura-san?
That's how you figured it out?
R: Why are you with this sleazy two timer?!
Kokomi turned to me.
T: Are you two timing me?
S: What do you think?
T:...Good point.
R: What do you mean good point?! Don't go easy on him just because you like him!
T: Imu-chan, Kusuo's not the type to take interest in girls in the first place.
S: Or people in general.
R: I don't trust him! I still remember him getting all intimate with that gyaru!
T: You were?
S: I'll tell you later.
T: I trust you, but you have to tell me.
R: DON'T TRUST HIM THAT EASILY! I heard from the gyaru that they both did XXXXXXXXX and XXXXX!!!!!
Even if it's censored, don't shout those things out loud.
T: All that?!
Her words, not mine.
R: How do you not know if he's cheating on you right now?!
T:...About that.
R: Eh?
T: I may have tried to find out if he was cheating.
R: You have?
T: Despite how gloomy Kusuo is, a fair share of girls have been around him. So I get worried.
R: Then is he?
T: Well....
One week ago...
POV: Teruhashi Kokomi
I was in Kusuo's room with him and I remembered something Chiyo said.
"Y: Men can be the worst, sometimes you can never tell when they already cheated on you"
It was a random statement Chiyo brought up, but I don't know why it stuck with me. I looked to Kusuo casually reading a book. What if Kusuo is cheating on me? There's almost a 0 percent chance, but it's not guaranteed. I looked to my phone and looked up signs that someone is cheating, let's try it out.
1. Drastic Changes in Communication.
Let's remember the first time I talked to Kusuo when we started dating.
T: Saiki.
Kusuo turned to me.
S: What is it, Teruhashi?
T: Am I beautiful?
Kusuo went back to reading immediately after hearing the question.
S: Of course, that's who you are.
He was rather cold in that response. Makes sense, he always saw it as a pointless question. What about now?
T: Kusuo.
Kusuo turned to me, but he looks more curious.
S: What is it?
T: Am I beautiful?
He gave me a warm smile and still kept eye contact with me.
S: Of course you are.
...Our communication has gotten way much better. Best start I can imagine.
2. Shows a Lack of Interest.
I look to Kusuo and realized, Kusuo is already very smart, and being unfriendly, he doesn't really take interest in many things. So this doesn't count.
3. Routines have Changed.
I never asked him what his routine was.
T: Kusuo,
S: Hm?
T: What's your daily routine?
Kusuo starts recollecting his daily routine.
S: Usually, I wake up, eat breakfast, go to school, deal with anything annoying, going home, I read some books, and I go to sleep.
T:...That's it?
S: Yeah.
T: Sounds uneventful.
S: Dealing with anything annoying is enough to make my life eventful
T: What a disastrous life.
T: Has that routine changed?
S: It has actually.
T: Really?
S: Because of you. And I very much prefer it over my older routine.
Kusuo's really giving perfect scores right now.
4. Practices More Self Care
He only practices self care when I tell him to. He's always prioritized comfort over apperance.
5. Becomes More Critical
He's critical towards everyone. And he always rarely criticized me, you know being the perfect girl and all. Him being critical towards me has always come from a good place. And since I learn from them, he almost never criticizes me nowadays.
6. Feels Distant
When I'm with him, he's always open for contact and conversation. He's not good at expressing casual contact so he always lets me do it so I don't feel distant. I think I already found the answer.
7. Doesn't Invite You Out As Often
He never does.
8. Has Become Secretive
The only secrets he has is before we even dated. He always had kept secrets for a reason and for my safety, so I trust him.
9. Has Become Unreachable
Seeing that he prefers being in his house, he's actually too reachable.
10. Doesn't Like Questions
He knows that I know that he's very smart. So he always answers the questions I ask. He doesn't have that much of a personal life that I don't already know.
11. Different Phone Habits.
T: Kusuo,
S: What is it?
T: Can I see your phone?
S: Kokomi, I don't have a phone.
T:...Oh yeah.
12. Change in Libi-let's skip that one.
13. Out with friends more
Depends on how often his friends actually drag him outside
14. Intimacy Issues
The opposite, Kusuo has anti-intimacy issues.
Well, as assuring as Kusuo is towards these signs, I don't think this is the best way to find out.
T: Kusuo,
S: What is it, Kokomi?
Kusuo closed his book and took a bite of his coffee jelly.
T: Would you cheat on me?
My sudden question almost made Kusuo choke on his food.
T: Are you okay?
S: I'm fine. Why is this brought up?
T: I just heard about it from Chiyo.
S: Of course she's putting ideas in your head.
T: So?
Kusuo sighed from the sudden heavy question.
S: Kokomi,
T: Yes?
S: Would I cheat on you?
T:...Not really.
A simple and clear response. Even when I'm worried, I just can't imagine Kusuo betraying me. I'm the one he loves after all, and I'm sure that I'm the only one he says these things to. Kusuo noticed that I wasn't the biggest fan of his answer, so he went closer to me and hugged me.
T: Kusuo?
S: What kind of person would I be to betray the person that showed me what love was? I could never think of cheating on you.
T:...Thank you, Kusuo.
S: I love you.
T: I love you too
Return To Present Day
T: The results were underwhelming, but it made me realize how Kusuo would never hurt me.
POV: Rifuta Imu
Damn it, her lovestruck happiness is too beautiful. This guy is responsible for her to be this happy? Even if Kokomi's happiness is top priority, I just can't trust that guy. I'm not jealous, I just know that he's not good for her. Yeah, that's it, He's tricking her somehow!
POV: Saiki Kusuo
She does not realize that she's jealous.
R: I-I-I CAN'T ACCEPT THIS!
In revolt, she ran away from us.
T: Imu-chan?!
Kokomi turned to me in concern.
T: Why did she run away?
S: She's probably upset that she got rejected.
T: She liked you?
S: It's not me this time.
T: Really?
S: It's not the first time someone outright rejected our relationships.
T: It is big news after all. Should I talk to her?
S: Even if you did, it's not going to help her liking me, she's pretty stubborn.
T: So what should we do?
S: I can talk to her instead.
T: You?
S: Are you suprised?
T: Very, you never go out of your way to tell people about us.
S: Well,
I held Kokomi's hand.
S: Since I took my time focusing on you, maybe it's about time I focus on people you care about.
Kokomi blushed and was moved by my response. She hugged my arm tightly.
T: I love you so much.
S: I love you too.