I Was Possessed By An Unknown Manga-Chapter 248: I LIKE YOU

I decided to part ways with the President in front of the schoolyard.

It seemed like she had another schedule after this.

“Are you working too hard these days?”

Then, the President, who was walking beside me, spoke while putting her hands behind her back.

“It’s for the future of both me and Yu-seong, so it’s fine. It’s better to work when I can. There might come a time when I want to work but can’t.”

After saying that, the President glanced at me and then lightly tapped my shoulder, saying,

“You’re not disappointed that I’m going ahead first, are you?”

I felt like my thoughts had been read, so I turned my gaze away and scratched my cheek.

“If I said no, that would be a lie.”

Despite being in a relationship, it felt like we hardly had any time spent together since the President left the house.

Meeting secretly in the Student Council room also had its limits.

Once the handover to the next Student Council would be complete, there would be no reason to meet anymore.

Hearing my concerns, the President paused and thoughtfully chose her words.

Then, she glanced at me and asked,

“How about we just go public with our relationship?”

“Huh? Is that okay? Really?”

When I asked back with a surprised expression, the President gave a playful smile and shook her head.

“Of course not.”

“Then why…?”

“I just want to spend a little more time with you, Yu-seong.”

“……”

I was momentarily speechless by the President’s bold statement.

Whether I said anything or not, the President looked at me slyly and asked,

“So, what do you think, Yu-seong?”

This time, the choice was mine.

Not able to respond immediately, I nervously bit my lip and closed my eyes tightly before answering.

“I will endure it.”

I could have been selfish here, but I couldn’t let the busy President get involved in any rumors.

Considering the winter and spring breaks, the President only had about two months left before she would stop coming to school.

In that case, as her boyfriend, it was only right for me to take a step back.

Hearing that answer, the President paused for a moment and then looked away, saying,

“I thought you would say something like that, Yu-seong.”

She then chuckled softly and nudged my stomach with her hand.

“I’ll go on alone from here. You should go back now.”

“Are you sure you can go alone?”

“It’s just a short walk to the schoolyard. You don’t need to worry.”

Saying that, the President waved her hand and quickly walked toward the limousine parked in front of the schoolyard.

I saw the President off until she disappeared from view and then suddenly realized I had a message on my phone.

The message was from Rika.

-I’ll wait for you in the classroom.

I was about to reply immediately but, seeing the limousine driving off in the distance, I decided not to reply and just put my smartphone in my pants pocket.

“…Should I go?”

It was the last event of the cultural festival.

In Japanese high schools, an announcement would be broadcasted throughout the entire school at dismissal time.

Last year, during the cultural festival, students stayed on campus until late at night because there was a campfire on the last day in the schoolyard. However, this year’s campfire was canceled due to safety concerns, so most students left for home under the pretext of an after-party.

As a result, the hallway in the second-year classroom building was quiet, unlike usual.

Perhaps because it was autumn and the days were shorter, the hallway was bathed in the glow of the setting sun.

As I looked around the school, still bearing the remnants of the festival, I found myself in a strange mood.

“This year has been especially busy.”

During last year’s cultural festival, I was almost like a mere bystander.

It would be correct to say I felt out of place in the class.

After I started working out, my body improved dramatically, and with my intimidating appearance, I gradually became avoided by my classmates. As a result, by the end of the second semester, the only people who spoke with me privately were the Class President Ayase and Satoru.

But now, things had improved a lot.

At least now, none of my classmates showed that they were afraid of me.

Thinking that all these interactions started once I entered the second year, I couldn’t help but feel sentimental.

As I walked down the corridor, dyed in orange light, I stopped in front of the 2-B classroom.

Normally, this place would be empty as everyone would be at the after-party, but I could sense a familiar presence inside.

Creak.

“Did you come?”

When I opened the door and entered, I saw Rika sitting on the desk by the window.

“Yeah.”

A strange tension flowed between us.

I carefully closed the back door and stepped inside the classroom, taking a deep breath in my mind.

Honestly, if I weren’t nervous in this kind of atmosphere and situation, that would be strange.

“Why did you call me?”

When I asked that, Rika didn’t answer right away. Instead, she crossed her legs on the desk and asked.

“Ryu-chan, can I ask you something?”

“What… is it?”

“What was your first impression when you first saw me?”

When I first saw Rika.

I remembered the first day of school when I had just entered the second year, sitting in class with a nervous heart.

“My name is Kishimoto Rika! I’m from Shizuoka! I love cats, sweets, and natto-jiru! I look forward to spending the next year with you!”

“I thought you were a lively person.”

Of course, I immediately wanted to transfer because of the rather cliché love comedy-like scene that followed, but I decided to keep that thought to myself, as it would definitely hurt her if I said it.

Hearing my answer, Rika let out a small laugh and said, “As expected, that’s such a Ryu-chan answer,” while slowly getting up from her seat.

“Actually, when I first came into the classroom and saw you sitting at the back, I thought you were definitely a delinquent. I could see the other kids were avoiding you.”

“…I’ve heard that a lot.”

It was a bit shocking to hear that Rika thought the same, but it now felt almost like a rite of passage, so it didn’t affect me much.

“But after talking to you on the subway, you were completely different from my first impression. That’s why I ended up thinking you were like a manga protagonist.”

You know, characters like that were common in ’80s manga, right?

Saying that, Rika took a step closer to me.

“But now I know. You’re just an ordinary guy.”

Even though you may seem indifferent most of the time, you always try to get along with the people around you, right?

“It’s because of those little details that I fell for you.”

“But Rika, I–”

“Wait.”

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

Rika suddenly said this and put her finger to my lips to stop me.

“I’m not finished yet.”

Her eyes were serious.

Because of that, I decided to listen a bit more to what she had to say.

In a way, the reason this situation came about was because of my indecisiveness in not completely severing my ties with her due to my attachment to our friendship.

“Ryu-chan, I told you when I confessed last time. If the President hadn’t been here, you would have accepted my confession.”

“…Yeah.”

But that was a meaningless assumption.

Unless the President suddenly changed her mind and left me, I would never be the one to break up with her.

“So, how about this? You make both me and the President your girlfriends.”

“…What?”

The moment I heard those words, I felt like I had been struck hard in the back of the head.

I never expected such words to come from Rika, who I thought was pure and innocent.

“Did I hear that wrong…?”

“You didn’t hear wrong. I’m sure of it.”

“……”

Is she telling me to date both of them at the same time?

I wiped my face with the palm of my hand, feeling an overwhelming sense of fatigue.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do that, Rika.”

“Why not?”

“A guy dating two girls is morally wrong. If I were to date both you and the President, it would be disrespectful to both of you.”

But Rika seemed to have already made up her mind.

Ignoring my persuasion, she spoke.

“I don’t care. I just want to be with the person I like. What do other people’s opinions or morals matter? If you look at me, that’s all I need.”

Even if it means sharing your love with another girl.

“Rika…”

What made her this desperate?

I didn’t know if I was worth that much, but the look on Rika’s face in front of me was desperate.

“Yu-seong, I like you. What do you think of me?”

Another confession.

For a moment, her confession at the amusement park overlapped with this one in my mind.

I definitely thought well of her, and I was really grateful that she liked me as more than just a friend, but I couldn’t accept her confession.

If I did, I would be betraying the trust of the President, who had faith in me.

So, I steeled my heart once again, decided to play the villain, and after some hesitation, I opened my mouth.

“I’m sorry, but Rika, I–”

That was when it happened.

“I don’t mind if you accept that confession.”

Suddenly, the back door of the classroom, which had been firmly closed, opened, and the President’s voice was heard.

…Huh?

As I turned around, unable to adjust to the sudden change in the situation, I saw the President, who had just left in a limousine, standing confidently with her arms crossed.

“I’m the kind of generous woman who can overlook something like a three-way relationship.”