After being forcibly pulled apart and pinned down by Hikari, and hearing Hikari's words, the previously sobbing uncontrollably, emotionally unstable Yui finally began to calm down.
Her prominent chest rose and fell with her breathing, and only now did Yui's breathing gradually steady.
She had indeed lost control of her emotions just now.
Because in just under an hour, her emotions had fluctuated drastically several times.
First, the nervousness of being called to this scarcely populated teaching building, then the panic of confronting Kuwahara.
The fear of being chased, the terror of being blocked inside a classroom.
Then the despair from having her call to her childhood friend Takanashi Kou hung up, and finally the surprise and joy of Hikari appearing like a divine soldier descending from the heavens.
In this short span of several dozen minutes, it felt like a rollercoaster ride. Yui felt as if she had returned from hell to heaven, and Hikari was the angel who led her out of the abyss.
Strong feelings of gratitude and unusual emotions surged endlessly in her heart, boiling like hot water, so she lost control momentarily and made those actions just now.
Now that her emotions were calm and reason gradually returned,
Yui also realized her previous behavior was inappropriate.
After all, she and Hikari didn't actually have any relationship.
The only connection was that Hikari was her best friend Akane's boyfriend.
And just now, in a moment of emotional breakdown, she had tightly hugged her best friend's boyfriend, and even kissed him several times.
Looking at the several bright lipstick marks on Hikari's face, Yui's delicate face flushed red.
She quickly bowed her head and apologized, saying, "S-Sorry, Hikari-kun!"
"I'm really sorry!"
"I lost control of my emotions just now because I was too scared earlier, and then being rescued by Hikari-kun felt like a dream."
"In a moment of excitement, I… I made some excessive moves and caused you trouble. I sincerely apologize!!!"
Yui bent at the waist, not caring that the weight of her chest nearly popped open her sailor uniform's collar, sincerely apologizing to Hikari.
Seeing Yui flustered and panicked like this, Hikari wiped his face with tissues while waving his hand, "I understand, it's fine."
After all, she was Akane's best friend, and there was a clear reason for the situation. Hikari had no intention of blaming Yui too much.
"Thank you for what you did just now, Hikari-kun."
"Hikari-kun already saved me once before in the student guidance room, and now again… again saved me in a critical moment. I really appreciate it!"
"I… I'll definitely repay your kindness!"
After raising her head, a serious expression appeared on Yui's beautiful face as she said to Hikari.
"No worries. You're Akane's friend," Hikari waved his hand, not taking Yui's words to heart.
Yui could tell Hikari was being perfunctory and wanted to say more.
However, her body suddenly froze, and she reached into her pocket to take out the vibrating phone.
It turned out someone was calling her.
After pulling out her phone, Yui glanced at it, apologized to Hikari, and then with a complicated expression pressed the answer button.
As soon as the call connected, a voice Yui was all too familiar with came through.
Takanashi Kou, ["Yui-chan, I finished the practice match! We won! Hehe!"]
["Oh right, why didn't you come cheer for me today? A bunch of girls brought me water and flowers, but I didn't see you. Seriously, it was such an important practice match and you didn't come."]
Takanashi Kou complained for a bit, then noticed Yui hadn't spoken on the other end and seemed to sense something.
He continued, ["By the way, you called me just now. Was there something? I have time now. You can say it."]
Hearing the bland, emotionless tone from her childhood friend on the other end of the call, even blaming her for not cheering him on, Yui's delicate body trembled slightly.
Recalling everything just before Hikari appeared, all the dangers she had just gone through, nearly being assaulted by Teacher Kuwahara while Takanashi Kou hung up on her at the critical moment, and now even blaming her for not watching the match, Yui's heart filled with bitterness and anger, her nose tingled, and she couldn't help but cry again.
Although at that moment she had thousands of harsh words she wanted to say, Yui's personality was gentle, even a bit submissive. Otherwise, she wouldn't have nearly given in at the start when Kuwahara threatened her.
She didn't scold Takanashi Kou for anything, only choked out, "It's nothing."
Even though Yui tried to act calm and speak as if nothing happened, her choked-up voice sounded clearly different from usual.
Takanashi Kou on the other end also vaguely sensed something wrong with Yui's emotions. He quickly asked, ["Yui-chan, where are you now? I'll come find you right away."]
"No need," Yui's tone was flat.
["Just tell me, I'll come now!"], Takanashi Kou urged again.
"No need."
["Tell me!"]
After Takanashi Kou repeatedly asked, Yui seemed to reconsider and ultimately told him where she was.
After hanging up the call with Takanashi Kou, Yui's beautiful, tear-reddened eyes held an exceptionally complex look.
She turned her head to look at Hikari.
She found that Hikari was also looking at her.
As their eyes suddenly met, Yui's heartbeat skipped a beat, and she quickly turned her head away.
Hikari didn't mind her reaction and simply said, "Since your childhood friend is coming over, I'll leave first."
Hearing Hikari's words, Yui opened her mouth, as if wanting to say something, but didn't speak in the end.
She eventually nodded and said, "Mm, okay. Hikari-kun, it's better if you leave first, or else that guy might misunderstand again…"
Yui already knew how petty Takanashi Kou was and also knew he had some hostility toward Hikari. Last time, when she was rescued by Hikari and merely supported by him, Takanashi Kou held a grudge for a long time and brought it up many times afterward, which made Yui very fed up with this childhood friend.
"Hikari-kun, I'm really thankful for your help. If not for you, I might've already been violated by that pervert Kuwahara…"
"I'll definitely repay you, Hikari-kun!"
Before Hikari left, Yui couldn't help but thank him once again.
Hikari smiled, waved his hand, and left without saying more.
Yui stood there, tightly gripping her phone while her beautiful eyes, filled with complex emotion, were fixed on Hikari's departing figure.
Her right hand gently pressed against her pounding chest, the intense heartbeat clearly audible.
At this moment, Yui's thoughts were complicated, toward Hikari, both her benefactor and her best friend's boyfriend, and toward Takanashi Kou, the childhood friend she now found deeply annoying.
Just now, in that emergency moment when Kuwahara kicked down the door, the first person she thought to call for help was her childhood friend Takanashi Kou. Yet he didn't come and even hung up before hearing her out.
Not only did he let her nearly get violated, he even blamed her afterward for not watching his game.
This completely changed Yui's view of her childhood friend.
Yui had made up her mind.
She was going to draw a clear line with Takanashi Kou.
The reason she agreed to let Takanashi Kou come over in front of Hikari was to clarify things with him.
She didn't want to develop further with Takanashi Kou anymore, not even maintain their previously close childhood friend relationship.
Aside from being disappointed in him, there was another reason.
And this was the main reason Yui's feelings were so complex.
Compared to this, Takanashi Kou's matter was nothing to her.
The reason was: Yui suddenly realized, she might have fallen a little for Hikari.
Just now, when Hikari beat up Kuwahara and saved her once more in a time of crisis, Yui found her heart racing incredibly fast. Apart from the joy of surviving, there was also an indescribable emotion surging up toward Hikari.
That feeling made her cheeks flush and her heartbeat quicken. At first, Yui thought it was just nerves from the incident with Kuwahara.
But even now, just from talking to Hikari, just from watching his back, she couldn't calm down, as if her body was being roasted by fire.
Her eyes didn't want to leave Hikari. As long as he was in her view, she was naturally drawn to him.
It was exactly like what she had read in romance novels and manga.
Back when Hikari first saved her, Yui already found herself thinking about him a lot, even dreaming about him, and sometimes she couldn't resist asking her best friend Akane about Hikari.
It was just that back then, considering his identity as her best friend's boyfriend and the prior promise with her childhood friend Takanashi Kou, Yui had suppressed her feelings.
But after this incident, Yui found she couldn't suppress them anymore. Hikari was like a magnet, irresistibly attractive, making her think of him constantly and even grow increasingly disgusted with her former close childhood friend, Takanashi Kou.
And it was understandable.
In terms of looks, the handsome Hikari was far more attractive than the bald Takanashi Kou.
Even though Takanashi Kou wasn't ugly, compared to Hikari, he was like a firefly to the bright moon.
Even his strongest field, baseball, was dominated by Hikari. Takanashi Kou couldn't compare at all.
Adding on how she had asked Takanashi Kou for help this time, and he let her down so badly, while Hikari saved her not once, but twice, the gap between the two became even more pronounced.
In short, goods are thrown when compared; people despair when compared.
With Hikari as a contrast, Yui realized just how lacking her childhood friend Takanashi Kou was.
She even began to understand, why Hikari had so many beautiful girls around him, something she once thought unworthy of her best friend Akane.
It wasn't without reason. It was simply because Hikari was excellent enough.
Even she couldn't help but be moved.
Though ashamed, Yui now clearly recognized her inner thoughts.
In short, no matter what, she no longer wanted to maintain any relationship with Takanashi Kou.
Forget the previous promise of being together and getting married in the future, even the title of "childhood friend," she didn't want it anymore.
While Yui was lost in thought, footsteps sounded from the staircase.
Still wearing his baseball uniform, Takanashi Kou finally hurried into the classroom.
Seeing the rather messy classroom, Yui standing there dazed, especially the red-rimmed eyes of his childhood friend, Takanashi Kou immediately became angry.
"Yui-chan, why are you crying? I just saw Hikari leave. Did that guy bully you or even do something to you?"
Interrupted by Takanashi Kou's sudden words, Yui came back to her senses.
Seeing Takanashi Kou still in his baseball uniform, even holding a bat, clearly just back from his satisfying training match, Yui shook her head and explained, "No, Hikari-kun didn't try to do anything to me."
"On the contrary, Hikari-kun just saved me. That guidance teacher I told you about before used the video of you confessing to me to threaten me again."
"After I rejected him, he even tried to force himself on me. It was Hikari-kun who appeared and saved me. Otherwise…"
Hearing Yui's words, Takanashi Kou was briefly stunned.
Then he said in disbelief, "Impossible! A guy like Hikari would never save you!"
"How is it impossible? Hikari-kun is a good person!", Seeing Takanashi Kou act as if he knew Hikari well and deny him completely, Yui furrowed her brows tightly.
But Takanashi Kou didn't intend to listen to Yui and instead wracked his brain, muttering, "Let me think, let me think… I got it!"
After a few minutes, Takanashi Kou suddenly widened his eyes in realization.
He hurriedly said to Yui, "I got it! Yui-chan, this was all Hikari's scheme!"
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