Utaha had a clear sense of what should and shouldn't be said.
Statements like this, which were based on facts, were harmless to reveal. Even if she didn't say it now, Chisato would tell Kazusa sooner or later.
However, what Utaha didn't expect was that as soon as she said this, Kazusa's pupils dilated.
And with a sudden slap on the table, she stood up abruptly, shattering the previously calm atmosphere between them.
"Hey, what do you mean by… 'we'?"
A terrifying possibility flashed through Kazusa's mind, filling her with fear. Her voice trembled slightly as she asked the question.
Chisato hadn't even clarified something as important as this?
Utaha was a little surprised, but even so, the situation was still within her ability to handle.
It was just that the way she had originally planned to phrase things might need some adjustment now.
"Sorry, I didn't realize Chisato hadn't made this clear to you yet…"
Utaha's composed demeanor only made Kazusa even more furious. Even so, she forced herself to stay calm and listen to the rest of what she had to say.
"The truth is, besides you and me, there's another… no, actually, there are two other girls who share the same relationship with him."
She paused briefly, then decided to count Hitori in as well.
Kazusa's lips trembled as she sought confirmation.
"When you say 'relationship'… you mean…"
Utaha gave her a sharp, precise smile, as if wielding a diamond-edged blade, and delivered the cold, hard truth.
"Of course, I mean he's dating them."
Kazusa's vision blurred for a moment. She sat back down, her expression blank, her eyes dull and lifeless.
She had never imagined that when her boyfriend had confessed to her about his "other relationship," the so-called "other person" was actually not just one person.
Aside from herself—there were three others…
"..."
Utaha had originally planned to press the attack and reveal that she and Eriri were already living with Chisato, along with how far their relationship had progressed.
But looking at Kazusa's expression, she ultimately couldn't bring herself to go that far.
At the same time, an unexpected sense of déjà vu arose within her.
At this moment, she felt just like those throwaway villainous female characters in romance novels—the ones who obstruct the main couple's happiness, only to meet a miserable end in the end.
"I'm sorry. I really didn't know you were unaware of all this. Maybe it would have been better if Chisato had been the one to tell you instead."
Utaha slowed down her offensive.
Part of it was because she couldn't bear to see Kazusa's current expression, and the other part was that she wanted to come across as relatively reasonable in this conversation—so that Chisato wouldn't resent her later.
"Hah, don't say such meaningless things! What difference does it make if he's the one telling me this?"
Kazusa clenched her fists tightly, struggling to suppress her emotions.
"You came here today just for this? To flaunt your superiority from above and mock me for being a clueless fool?"
Utaha shook her head.
"You've misunderstood. I simply wanted to meet you."
"Until now, I've only known of your existence through what Chisato has told me, but I never had the chance to truly understand you."
Kazusa's face was filled with undisguised sarcasm.
"Understand me? Do you really think that's necessary?"
Utaha nodded seriously.
"The reason I came to see you was to figure out what you really think. If you truly can't accept Chisato, then don't drag this out—just break up with him cleanly."
"That would be best for everyone."
Kazusa let out a cold laugh.
"…You want me to do that, so everything goes exactly how you want, is that it?"
Utaha shook her head again.
"You can think whatever you want. But whatever decision you make has nothing to do with me."
"No matter what you choose to do, my decision won't change—I will stay by his side. That is an absolute certainty."
"You… are you kidding me?!"
Kazusa's voice was filled with rage, but her expression was visibly fragile.
Ah, her eyes are welling up.
Looking like that won't scare anyone. In the end, she's still just a girl.
As their conversation progressed, Utaha started to feel increasingly like she was being unfair.
The two of them weren't even on the same emotional level—this wasn't a confrontation between equals. If anything, this felt more like an adult bullying a child.
Seriously, she hadn't intended to make her cry.
"I'm not joking. I would like to see you and Chisato end things, yes. But ultimately, you'll follow your own heart when making that decision."
"My purpose in coming here today was to tell you this—there's another girl whose stance I'm unsure of, but as for me and Eriri, the other girl by Chisato's side, neither of us will ever leave him."
"And I have confidence—Chisato will never abandon us."
Utaha emphasized this again, her tone resolute.
"So if you're thinking that you can make him give us up and stay only by your side, I advise you to abandon that idea."
"If you really can't accept this situation, then as I said from the beginning, it would be better for you to let go sooner rather than later. That would be best for both you and Chisato."
Having said everything she needed to say, Utaha no longer had any interest in continuing the conversation.
She wasn't the type to gloat after gaining the upper hand.
Without waiting for Kazusa's response, she pulled a sticky note from her bag, wrote down a contact number in her elegant handwriting, and pushed it forward.
Then, she stood up and gave a slight bow.
"Well then, I'll be taking my leave."
Utaha left the café.
After walking some distance, she turned back and saw that Kazusa was still sitting there, in the exact same position as when she had left, showing no intention of moving.
Putting herself in Kazusa's shoes, Utaha could somewhat understand how awful she must be feeling right now.
But no matter what Eriri said later, she was never playing the villain in a situation like this again.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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