選ばれなかった想い - Erabarenakatta Omoi – The Feelings Left Behind
Yui stood outside Ren's door for nearly a full minute.
She hadn't meant to eavesdrop. She was just walking down the hallway with two mugs of tea. She'd even added extra milk, just the way he liked it — though she'd never told him she noticed.
But when she heard Emi's voice, and then silence…
And then that kiss…
She couldn't move.
The warmth from the tea cups had faded. And her fingers trembled just enough for one mug to clink softly against the other.
She backed away slowly. Quietly. Her slippers barely made a sound on the floor.
Once she was back in her room, she set the cups down on her desk, stared at them for a second…
And then laughed under her breath.
"I guess I was never the heroine in this story, huh?"
The laugh didn't last long.
She lay back in bed, hugging a pillow to her chest.
"I didn't even get a kiss. Not even a fake one…"
Morning came, but it didn't feel like any ordinary day. The tension hadn't disappeared — it had just reshaped itself. Ren could feel it in the way Yui didn't joke with him over breakfast. In how Haruka never looked up from her bowl. In how Mei gave him a lingering glance — as if reading something he hadn't even written yet.
Only Rika stayed somewhat the same. She still tapped her spoon against her cup of coffee. Still muttered complaints under her breath. But her eyes flicked toward him more often than usual, almost like she was… waiting.
Ren couldn't shake the feeling that the balance had been broken. He had kissed Emi. That wasn't something small. That wasn't a harem-style accident.
He had chosen her.
Even if he hadn't said it out loud.
Even if he wasn't ready to admit it to the others.
That night, Haruka stopped him as he was coming out of the bathroom.
"Hey," she said, leaning against the hallway wall, arms folded.
Ren froze. "Y-Yeah?"
She stared at him, her expression unreadable.
"You kissed her, didn't you?"
He didn't answer.
He didn't have to.
She exhaled sharply, not angry — just tired.
"Figures. I let my guard down for one week, and look what happens."
She turned to walk away, but paused.
"…You better not look at me the same way tomorrow and pretend nothing's changed."
Then she was gone.
And Ren stood there alone in the hallway, water still dripping from his damp hair.
Later that night, Mei sat across from him at the garden table.
It was quiet. Stars scattered the sky.
"Did you tell the others?" she asked, staring at the sky.
"No."
"But they know."
"...Yeah."
She took a slow sip of tea.
"I'm not mad, Ren. I knew this would happen eventually. But I thought I had more time."
He turned to her.
"You still do."
Mei smiled sadly. "You can't promise that."
Then, gently, she leaned forward — just enough for her forehead to rest against his shoulder.
Not a kiss. Not even a hug.
Just contact. Just warmth.
"I just want to be remembered," she whispered.
Ren said nothing. But he didn't move either.
Rika found him later.
He was standing in the hallway again, staring at the ceiling.
"You look like you just lost a boss fight with zero save points."
Ren chuckled quietly. "Something like that."
She stepped beside him. Close. Closer than usual.
"You don't have to explain," she said. "I knew from the start I wasn't the type to win the first kiss."
She looked up at him.
"But I'm still here. I haven't given up yet."
Ren looked back at her, surprised.
Rika shrugged.
"I mean, it wouldn't be a harem if the game ended after one flag, right?"
And yet, as he lay in bed that night, Ren didn't feel victorious.
He didn't feel romantic.
He felt… heavy.
Like his heart had taken a step forward — and left four others behind.
He closed his eyes.
But he didn't sleep.
Not for a long time.