Didn’t you say you were just using me as a substitute?

When Eriri heard Aki Tomoya say bad things about Watanabe Takashi, she showed displeasure on her face: "I don't know who my boyfriend is? Do I need you to tell me?"

"Even if I can't see through it, can't my parents see through it?"

"My parents like him too, even more than you."

"Besides, if I don't like Zun, do I like you?"

Aki Tomoya also got angry and said bluntly: "Why not?"

"You liked me before anyway, why not now?"

"Isn't that why you haven't replied to me? You've been hesitating between me, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and Kato Megumi."

Eriri's eyes flashed with anger, and her emotions were like a flood that broke through the dam, and her voice became sharp and piercing again.

"Aki Tomoya, I liked you."

"Ten whole years."

"You just didn't choose me!"

It would have been fine if this hadn't been mentioned. As soon as it was mentioned, Aki Tomoya became even angrier and responded even louder: "That's because you abandoned me before."

In elementary school, he and Eriri were assigned to the same class for three consecutive years.

Both of them like comics, animation, and video games. Their similar interests brought them together quickly and formed a small circle of only the two of them, with no outsiders allowed to join.

The cute mixed-race girl is very popular with boys, which causes serious friction between Aki Tomoya and the boys.

Since the second semester, Tomoya Aki and Eriri have become the best targets of bullying.

Eriri couldn't stand the bullying and chose to leave him.

This matter has always been a thorn in Aki Tomoya's heart, and he has always been brooding over it.

"I was just an elementary school student at the time? What could I do in the face of bullying? Tell me?"

Eriri shouted back without lowering her voice at all.

Bullying has become common and normal in the island nation.

From school bullying to workplace bullying, bullies are bullied everywhere.

The key point is that the bullying of the island countries is different from the bullying of the flower-growing countries.

The bullying in the flower-growing countries is at most just a few people bullying you, while the bullying in the island countries is collective bullying.

You are often not up against a few people, but almost an entire class.

This is the most unsolvable.

Because when most people bully you, most people will choose to accept it or watch it happen. The kinder ones will hold the mentality of "as long as it doesn't get me involved."

Some people will join in bullying for the sake of a sense of community. (See A Silent Voice for details)

It was the behavior of one person that led to the emergence of collective consciousness, and it cannot be resolved by a fight.

Eriri never thought she had done anything wrong.

She was just an elementary school student, a little kid.

Anyone who has been a child knows that children are actually very sensitive.

It is too much to ask a primary school student to face bullying that even an adult cannot bear.

To avoid bullying, Eriri joined a small group of girls.

"Can't you fight with me? Besides, wasn't I working hard back then? I built a place for us to stay. Why don't you come over?"

Aki Tomoya shouted excitedly.

“How can I possibly go back…”

"why not?"

"If I go back to you, what if I make the same mistake again? So at that time I had to give up being an otaku and not talk to you, so that those boys wouldn't target you."

Eriri isn't stupid.

She knew that the group of boys who targeted her and Tomoya Aki when they were young were just because they couldn't stand her and Tomoya Aki being too close, and they bullied them without letting them join.

Sometimes the subconscious malice of children is more terrifying than that of adults.

"I've been hiding so hard! I've been trying so hard not to be discovered! Do you understand?"

As Eriri spoke, her voice became choked.

"Obviously, as long as we stop interacting on the surface, they won't target you and me."

Ying Lili doesn't understand.

I was clearly also considering Aki Tomoya.

As long as we don't interact at school, can't we still interact in private?

"If I talk to you, what if something like this happens again? If it gets out among the girls, I'll be alone in the class again."

"Don't you have me if you need friends? Is hanging out with those fake-faced guys who you don't even trust more important than chatting with me about anime?"

Even if Eriri told him the reason why she betrayed him, Akito Tomoya still couldn't understand.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have him as a friend?

Other friends don't matter at all.

“Is this an important question?”

"How is it not important? Do you know how much you hurt me by betraying me? Apologize to me!"

"Why should I apologize? I did nothing wrong!"

Tomoyuki Aki has his own ideas, and Eriri also has her own persistence.

"Besides, do you think you're the only one who's having a hard time? I've been forced to break up with you, I can't even talk to you at school, and I have to ignore you when we meet. Do you think you'll feel good about it?"

"Aki Tomoya, you have no idea how many tears I shed behind your back."

As Eriri spoke, her face wrinkled and her eyes turned red.

The tears welling up in my eyes were about to fall.

"I am also very sad, very heartbroken, and in pain."

When Tomoya Aki heard that Eriri was also in pain, he softened his heart a little.

But when he saw Watanabe Takashi, who appeared not far behind Eriri and gave him a malicious smile, his mind went blank.

The loss, sadness, and pain that had accumulated over the past seven years all turned into raging volcanic fire at this moment.

"Are you suffering? You betrayed me a long time ago and threw yourself into the arms of Watanabe Takashi."

"You're a big liar and a liar."

He pointed at Eriri, or more precisely, at Watanabe Takashi who was behind Eriri.

"I do not have."

Eriri retorted.

She admitted that she had indeed fallen in love with someone else.

But before Watanabe Takashi appeared, she always liked Aki Tomoya.

No one can deny this.

"You are, stop pretending to be affectionate."

"Admit it, Sawamura Spencer Eriri! Your heart is no longer with me."

"no."

Eriri shouted back even louder than Aki Tomoya.

"I've always liked you, Zaizhi." "Really?"

Before Eriri could finish her words, Kitahara Takashi spoke up and interrupted her.

His voice was quiet and calm, yet it made everyone feel the pressure coming. The surrounding sounds disappeared without a trace, leaving only the word "Really?" echoing in the air.

When Eriri heard Watanabe Takashi's voice, her slender shoulders trembled.

She quickly turned around and saw Watanabe Takashi's desperate and distorted face.

Those sunny eyes were dim at this moment, and it seemed that there were complex emotions in them that could not be expressed.

"So, you've always liked him."

At this moment, Kitahara Tsutomu's expression looked as if his whole body was about to break apart.

"what about me?"

"Zun, no, please listen to my explanation."

Eriri was so anxious that she was about to cry. She ran to Watanabe Tsuyoshi and reached out to touch him, but Kitahara Tsuyoshi waved her hand away.

"explain?"

Beiyuan Zun smiled sadly.

"Explain what?"

"Explain how much you like Aki Tomoya?"

"Explain that I'm just his replacement?"

"Explain that you've never liked me from the beginning. Did you agree to it just because I'm gullible or to make him jealous?"

"Come on, understand me?"

Ying Lili's tears were dripping, and she was crying like a pear blossom in the rain.

"No, it's not what you think."

"I, I just liked him before. I don't like him now. I like you now."

She stretched out her hand again, but was once again ruthlessly waved away by Beiyuan Zun.

Ying Lili didn't care. She kept her tiredness and continued to reach out to Kitahara Zun.

There was a pleading look in her eyes.

Kitahara Takashi's smile was filled with self-mockery. He once again waved away Eriri's hand and said word by word, "I don't believe it."

The already dark sky was now even gloomier.

The air is filled with a moist scent, making people feel the heavy weight of the rain.

Boom!

In the distance, thunder, like the roar of God, occasionally cuts through the sky.

"I really don't like him. I like you. Can you please trust me once? Just once."

Eriri threw herself into Kitahara Tsuyoshi's arms and begged with tears.

"not good."

It foreshadows the coming of heavy rain, and the wind is blowing with a hint of coolness.

Kitahara Takashi grabbed Eriri's arm, his angry eyes as sharp as needles.

"You said before that you didn't like Aki Tomoya, and I believed you."

"The results of it?"

"What did I hear? I heard you say it yourself: He's the one you've always liked!"

Kitahara Takashi pointed at Aki Tomoya who was not far away, and veins bulged on his fingers.

"Come on, Sawamura!"

"Who am I, who has always been looking forward to a future with you? Tell me, who am I?"

Kitahara Takashi pushed Eriri away, grabbed her shoulders with both hands and shook her wildly, like a wild beast on the verge of madness, his eyes bloodshot, roaring, snarling, and questioning.

"Please speak!!!"

The raindrops fell slowly, and soon turned into heavy rain, soaking the clothes of the young boys and girls.