Chapter 182 People who want to get used to loneliness
As June came, the weather gradually became hotter.

In the ever-changing cycle of the four seasons, this is just a very ordinary day.

Kondo Yuichi left the school carrying his schoolbag.

It's been a while since I walked outside alone like this. Ever since I stopped talking to Shimizu Mi and Amamiya Iori, I've been alone.

Kondo Yuichi couldn't help but think so in his heart.

Perhaps it's because my past self took my daily life with Shimizu Mi and Amamiya Iori too naturally, which is why I feel this way.

"See, you are my dream, good at study, good at sports, handsome, but never showy or arrogant...but at the same time, I am jealous of those things about you."

For Kondo Yuichi, his childhood sweetheart Amamiya Iori is more important than anyone else.

Ever since he was old enough to understand, he has always had Amamiya Iori in his memory, and the relationship between the two families is very good.

Kondo Yuichi has always liked Amamiya Iori, and for him, her company is the greatest happiness.

However, Kondo Yuichi's feelings could not be conveyed.

In his heart, Kondo Yuichi blamed Shimizu Mi for taking Amamiya Iori away from him, but at the same time... he felt how pathetic he was.

"..."

After Amemiya Iori and Shimizu Mi left, Kondo Yuichi's whole world became quiet.

But Kondo Yuichi also felt that perhaps being able to stay alone quietly like this was also a kind of happiness.

Because when I stay alone like this, I won't think of strange things and I have the opportunity to reflect on my past behavior.

"Iori looks really...very happy with Jian."

Although Kondo Yuichi knew that Amemiya Iori was always smiling when she was with him, he realized that the smile Amemiya Iori showed when she was with Shimizu Min was her real smile.

In the end, I was the only one who was excited.

Iori likes me - now that I think about it, this is impossible.

Kondo Yuichi gradually began to understand this.

"Mizuki and Iori, what are they doing now..."

Kondo Yuichi murmured while looking up at the dark sky.

Walking on the way home, although it was quiet, I also felt lonely.

Just as Kondo Yuichi was about to reach home, he saw a face that made him miss him.

"...Oh, Yuichi."

"what……"

It was Amamiya Midori - the one who appeared in front of Kondo Yuichi was Amamiya Iori's mother, whom he hadn't seen for a while.

Although he no longer speaks to Shimizu Mi and Amamiya Iori, he still greets Amamiya Mito politely, but now they no longer visit each other's homes like they used to.

So, Kondo Yuichi felt that it had been a long time since he last met Amemiya Mito.

Because he had become distant from Amamiya Iori, he couldn't find any topic to talk about. Kondo Yuichi thought about just lowering his head and pretending not to hear and walked over, but was stopped by Amamiya Mito.

"Yuichi, would you like to have a cup of tea?"

"Eh?"

At that time, Kondo Yuichi didn't know why he nodded.

Although it was just a feeling, Kondo Yuichi thought that this invitation might be necessary for his progress.

Seeing Kondo Yu nodded, Amemiya Midori invited him into her home.

Kondo Yuichi felt a little nostalgic, so he went into the living room, drank tea, and started a small tea party without Amamiya Iori.

Although it was called a tea party, there was almost nothing to talk about, and Kondo Yuichi could only look around helplessly.

Just then, Kondo Yuichi accidentally caught a glimpse of a photo on the tea table.

"Iori Kazumi, and..."

Shimizu Mi and Amamiya Iori were holding hands, and behind them were Amamiya Midori and... a woman Kondo Yuichi didn't recognize.

I don’t know if that was Shimizu’s mother, but the four of them looked very happy in the photo.

Although he was a little jealous and envious of Shimizu in the photo, Kondo Yuichi couldn't help but feel warmed up when he saw them smiling so happily.

"Iori, her smile looks very happy, right?"

Amemiya Mido gently stroked the photo, with the same smile on her face as in the photo.

"Ah... um."

Amemiya Mido suddenly asked this, and Kondo Yuichi was caught off guard. He hesitated for a moment, and finally stammered "hmm".

"I never thought that there would be a day like this, taking a photo with the mother of that child. I have done such terrible things before."

"Eh?"

What is a bad thing?
Amemiya Mido's words made Kondo Yuichi confused, and Amemiya Mido then told him those things.

It turns out that Amemiya Mido once liked Shimizu Mi's father, but in the end she was with Shimizu Mi's father, and it was Shimizu Mi's mother who got together with her.

Therefore, Amemiya Mido once blinded her eyes and regarded Shimizu Ken's mother as a bad woman. She also said many bad things about Shimizu Ken and his mother to Amemiya Iori.

And Amemiya Mido has never been able to get rid of this feeling of guilt.

"So Iori once told me that she couldn't imagine that she had the same blood as me."

"..."

After hearing what Amemiya Mido said, Kondo Yuichi was speechless for a moment.

To him, Amemiya Mito is his childhood sweetheart and a kind mother in daily life.

Even though I was a third party and heard it from an outsider's perspective, I didn't think that what Amemiya Mido did was excessive.

But if you think about it carefully, what would Shimizu Mitsu, who was the same age as him and was still in elementary school at the time, be thinking when he heard Amemiya Midoriya say such words?

Kondo Yuichi thought so.

After being treated to tea by Amemiya Midori, Kondo Yuichi left.

However, after leaving Amemiya Iori's house, he actually felt a faint sense of loss in his heart.

Because Kondo Yuichi still had a glimmer of hope in his heart, fantasizing that maybe he would be lucky today and could meet Amamiya Iori at Amamiya Iori's home.

After all, since then, they rarely had the chance to meet each other except at school.

Every time after school or during breaks, Amemiya Iori would immediately follow closely behind Shimizu Mi, and the two would talk and laugh.

Whenever Kondo Yuichi looked at the backs of the two people from afar, his heart seemed to be gently wetted by the drizzle, and the feeling in his heart was indescribable.

There is a slight sense of envy, but also a hint of inexplicable loss.

Unfortunately, Kondo Yuichi did not get his wish and did not meet her at Amemiya Iori's house.

Moreover, he also learned from Amemiya Mido that Amemiya Iori would stay at the Shimizu family tonight.

“What are they doing now…”

Kondo Yuichi immediately shook his head to drive away the images that popped up without permission.

It seems that this is not the first time that Amemiya Iori has lived in the Shimizu family. Kondo Yuichi also heard from Amemiya Mido that even she had visited the Shimizu family.

Moreover, Amemiya Midori seems to have a very good impression of Shimizu Mi.

Whenever Shimizumi was mentioned, Amemiya Mido's face and eyes would be filled with smiles, and she would keep praising him.

Kondo Yuichi knew that it would sound strange for him to say these words now, but he had indeed fantasized that one day in the future, he would marry Amamiya Iori.

After all, fantasies like these don’t cost money and no one will complain.

But whenever such thoughts come to his mind, Kondo Yuichi always finds them ridiculous and childish.

After saying goodbye to Amamiya Midori, Kondo Yuichi returned to his home and walked through the entrance. "I'm back..."

Normally, Kondo Yuichi's mother would respond to him by saying "You're back", but today he didn't see his mother.

Recently, my mother seems to come home very late...

Without thinking too much, Kondo Yuichi changed his shoes at the entrance. When he got home, he didn't want to do anything. He just went back to his room and curled up on the bed.

All that came to my mind were things about Shimizu Mi, Amamiya Iori and myself.

"..."

"Jian... He is always handsome, has everything I don't have, and can easily do things that I can't do. Even so, he is not proud and has been working hard... Iori must have been watching all this, so she is so... "

Kondo Yuichi whispered softly.

He stretched out his hand towards the ceiling and clenched his fist as if to save a relationship that was already irreparable.

No matter how much he regretted it, no matter how many times he looked back on the past, the relationship between him, Shimizu Mi, and Amamiya Iori had been severed.

Even if I say anything now, it won't have any effect...

"Maybe this is the end of a hopeless person like me."

……

After lying in bed for a while, Kondo Yuichi's stomach started to growl.

I left the room and went downstairs to the living room, but I didn't see my mother busy preparing dinner.

In Kondo Yuichi's life, in addition to his childhood sweetheart Amemiya Iori, he also has a happy and complete family.

A gentle mother, a lovely sister, and a father who trusts him and is now working far away.

Yuichi Kondo often calls his father who works away from home, and every time his father asks him to help take care of his mother and sister.

Kondo Yuichi had no intention of replacing the role of their father, but he was the only male in the family now, so he had to make sure to protect both of them.

His mother would always cook delicious meals and bento for him, and would praise him even for small things, which was the ultimate comfort for Kondo Yuichi.

There are all kinds of families in this world, and there is no doubt that Kondo Yuichi feels that he has the best family.

To be honest, he even thought at one point that he was just like the hero in the game.

Just then, the door to the entrance was opened.

Someone is back.

However, he seemed to be deliberately lowering his steps.

"Mother?"

Kondo Yuichi walked over and found that it was Kondo Aika who tiptoed into his house.

"Ah...it's Yuichi."

Kondo Aika looked as if she was startled.

"Mom, are you okay?"

I don’t know if it’s my illusion, but Kondo Yuichi always feels that his mother’s waist seems to be shaking.

"No, it's okay...ah, Youyi must be hungry, mom will go cook for you right away."

Kondo Aika looked strange, so Kondo Yuichi followed her to the kitchen because he was concerned.

"By the way, Youyi, I may need to go out for some things this weekend, and I won't be back tonight. I'll leave some money for you, and you should be able to take care of your own food."

Kondo Aika said as she took out the ingredients from the refrigerator.

"Of course you can, but...Mom, did something happen to you?"

"No, of course not. Why would you think that? Mom just made an appointment with some old classmates to meet up and have dinner together this weekend."

"That's right..."

Although still doubtful, Kondo Yuichi nodded.

……

……

It's Friday, time for lunch.

In front of Shimizumi was a double-layer lunch box commonly used by ordinary students.

After opening it, the first thing that greeted him was fried chicken nuggets, fried eggs, and a few frozen gratins and vegetables.

“…It looks delicious.”

Shinichi Ishikawa, who was looking at the bento on the side, was drooling.

Of course, this may be a bit of an exaggeration, but this bento box did greatly arouse the appetite of Shimizu, who was currently starving.

The school provides lunch in elementary and middle school, but not after high school.

But fortunately, there are still some handmade bento boxes made with love from someone.

"See, Amamiya-san made you another bento today... I'm so envious."

Rather than trying to snatch food from the tiger's mouth, Shinichi Ishikawa seemed more envious of the fact that there was a girl making lunch boxes for Shimizu.

"Why don't you just find a girlfriend as soon as possible?"

"Uh...my business...it doesn't matter, right?"

Shinichi Ishikawa became shy. Although Shimizu Mi had known for a long time that he liked a junior named Onodera Rin, there seemed to be no progress between them.

Shinichi Ishikawa deliberately changed the subject, and after chatting casually for a few words, he left the classroom and went to the student cafeteria.

At this time, Qingshuijian's stomach growled.

Since it is a two-layer bento, it means there is another layer. After opening that layer, about three rice balls are revealed.

Although he didn't know what fillings were inside or whether they were the same flavor, Qingshuijian put his hands together and decided to eat them immediately.

"I'm gonna start now."

Shimizu picked up his chopsticks and decided to start with the fried chicken.

Compared to freshly fried ones, they feel soft and cool to the touch, but they are also very delicious.

As soon as he took a bite, the delicious taste would spread in his mouth, making Shimizu feel satisfied.

When school was over in the afternoon, as Shimizu was walking home, Amamiya Iori naturally appeared next to him.

"The bento was really delicious, thank you, Iori."

"Really? That's good. I did it just because I wanted to, but I'm happy to hear you say that, dear."

As he said this, Amemiya Iori hugged Shimizu's arm.

It seemed to have become a habit for her to do this when they were alone, and whenever something happened, she wanted to hug Shimizumi's arms.

Shimizumi didn't hate it because he could also feel a very comfortable soft touch.

"By the way, honey, what are your plans for this weekend?"

"I don't have any plans for the weekend..."

"Do you want to go out for a walk?"

Amamiya Iori smiled and suggested.

Although it was a hasty decision, Shimizu Mi did not reject the proposal because he had been staying at home recently and felt a little bored.

So, the weekend plan was set.

(End of this chapter)