The wedding ceremony proceeded smoothly. Once the service was over and the reception had begun, I successfully finished my speech as the representative friend.
Just as I had discussed with Yamamoto, I decided to pour every bit of my feelings for I-chan into that speech, ensuring it was delivered without a hitch.
The reception from the room was surprisingly warm. I-chan even wiped at the corners of her eyes more than once, which nearly sent me into a fit of tears right along with her.
I desperately pushed through the speech, fighting back a trembling voice. I don't think I'll be able to forget today for a very long time.
"Whew."
"Good work. That wasn't half bad."
When I returned to my seat, Yamamoto was smiling with satisfaction.
There was no doubt that my ability to finish that speech without incident was thanks to him. However, seeing that smug look on his face made me feel strangely reluctant to give him the satisfaction of seeing my relief.
Even as I maintained my prickly attitude, Yamamoto simply kept smiling. With Akari sitting beside us and offering a gentle smile of her own, I felt a wave of awkwardness wash over me as I turned my attention to the food.
The reception grew louder and more boisterous as the minutes passed.
Suddenly, a group of girls approached Yamamoto.
"Yamamoto-senpai, it's been a long time."
The girl speaking was a grade below us. If I remembered correctly, she had been in the same club as I-chan. Since the wedding was being held in our hometown, it made sense that she had invited her juniors from high school.
...Still, I wondered what on earth her connection to this man was.
Back in high school, Yamamoto had barely any friends to speak of. He wasn't the type to stand out, so opportunities to become acquainted with a cute girl like her should have been non-existent.
Yamamoto, who had been mid-bite, finally responded to my silent question.
"...Who are you again?"
He was hopeless.
His reaction to a girl who had gone out of her way to greet him was beyond help. It was total nonsense.
"Honestly! You're as dismissive as ever, Senpai."
Wait... she has a positive impression of him?
"It's me. Matsuo."
"...Ah! Right, thanks for the help at last year's school festival!"
"Oh, it was nothing. I had a lot of fun too."
Last year's school festival. That was the event where Yamamoto had truly stepped up as the executive committee chairman, causing his reputation to skyrocket among those involved.
I see. If she had been part of the committee at the time, it wasn't so strange for her to be so casual with him.
...Even so, wasn't this man leading far too many girls on? I felt a little—no, a lot—irritated.
"Senpai, which university are you attending?"
Yamamoto told her the name of his school.
"Wow! The university I’m aiming for is right near yours!"
Yamamoto let out a polite sound of surprise.
"Hey, Senpai! I was thinking of doing some Tokyo sightseeing before I start university... If you're free, would you mind showing me around?"
...Excuse me?
Whether she didn't notice the pressure I was projecting or simply chose to ignore it, she had just made an outrageous request.
"Uh, no thanks."
Nice.
As expected of Yamamoto. I really did love that about him.
...Wait, did I? That was just a figure of speech. Probably.
"Ehh, why not? I was thinking that if we had time, it would be nice if you could let me stay at your place or something like that."
"Matsuo-chan. I'll show you around instead."
The person who made that offer was Akari.
"Ah, Akari-senpai! Long time no see."
"Yeah. It's been a while. How have you been?"
"Awful! It was so lonely after you graduated, Senpai."
For someone who claimed to be so lonely, she hadn't said a single word to Akari until now, preferring to pester Yamamoto. She certainly had some nerve.
"Well then, Yamamoto-senpai. Akari-senpai. See you later."
"See ya."
She waved to the two of them and finally left.
"You're the worst, leading on an innocent girl like that," I muttered.
"Did that really look like I was leading her on?"
I puffed out my cheeks and looked away. No matter how you looked at it, it didn't look like he was leading her on—not that I was going to admit that.
"I'm going to go get some fresh air."
I stood up sulkily.
"Oh, I'll go with you."
"Yeah, be careful out there," Yamamoto called out behind us.
I walked out of the hall at a brisk pace. Unlike the noisy reception, the air outside was still and quiet. It was the perfect environment to settle my turbulent thoughts.
"If you keep acting like that, people are going to hate you, you know?"
As I sat there curled into a ball, I heard Akari's voice from behind me.
"...Shut up."
"So cute."
It was strange. Hearing Akari say something so silly made me feel at ease. I suppose it made me realize how ridiculous it was to be angry over such a thing.
"Thanks, Akari."
"Don't mention it. We're best friends, aren't we?"
"...Best friends, huh."
Akari's words snagged in my mind.
The representative friend's speech. Before performing that duty to make my best friend's special day perfect, I had tried my best to keep my composure... but in truth, I had been incredibly nervous. I was a ball of anxiety.
Now that it was over and had gone well, one of my many worries had finally been lifted. But then I remembered the conversation I’d had with I-chan in her car. On the way back from her wedding dress fitting, I-chan had bared her soul to me. She told me how happy she was that I was okay.
...However, ever since that talk with I-chan, there had been a lingering lump in my chest.
"It couldn't be helped. You can't steal your best friend's boyfriend."
It was because of those words. I had thought about it a lot afterward.
...During high school, I had absolutely no idea that Akari and Yamamoto were dating. And yet, I-chan had clearly known by the second semester of our third year.
Why?
Various reasons had crossed my mind. Maybe she had happened to see them together.
"...Hey, Akari?"
Or...
"Did you tell I-chan that you were dating Yamamoto?"
Or had Akari told I-chan herself? I desperately hoped it wasn't the latter. Because if Akari had kept it from me, her best friend, while telling I-chan...
"I did."
After a short beat, Akari answered.
They were the words I wanted to hear least.
"...Why?"
Even as I asked, I already had an idea.
"Yeah. Because back in high school, the two of you were on such bad terms. Akari and I were both pretty worried about it."
...So that was it.
"Was it because of me?"
Because I, Akari's best friend, hated Yamamoto so much. Is that why Akari never told me, and why she eventually chose to end things with him?
...I had always thought it was strange. Seeing the two of them now, still so close. Seeing a relationship that made me feel jealous in spite of myself. I couldn't understand why two people like that would break up after only three months. I could never find an answer that made sense.
I had even felt a spark of anger toward Akari for being the one to dump him.
...But if that was all because of me. Then I...
"That's not it," Akari said.
I knew immediately. I-chan wasn't the type to lie. She was the type who would tell you her true feelings while masking them as a joke.
If so, then Akari was the one...
"Don't lie to me."
"I'm not lying."
"Yes, you are."
"...Megu. Saying that is the same as not listening to a word I say. No matter what I tell you, you're determined to make our breakup your fault."
"...Then why did you break up?"
"...It was nothing special. My feelings just cooled down."
"Do you have any lingering feelings for him?"
I heard Akari catch her breath.
"I don't. No lingering feelings, no regrets. Nothing."
"...I see."
If that were true, then I just felt that Yamamoto was incredibly pitiful. I felt crushed by a wave of guilt.
"What is the right thing for me to do?"
Before I knew it, I was venting my weaknesses again.
"It's simple," Akari said, her voice turning playful. "Megu, you should just do whatever you want."
...Humans are selfish creatures.
Yamamoto had once told me that with a look of absolute conviction. At the time, I had inwardly rejected the idea, thinking I wasn't like that. I had tried so hard to live a life that wasn't self-centered. I tried to pay back those who helped me and show gratitude for kindness. I wanted to do the right thing.
...But I realized just now that in the end, I've just been doing whatever I wanted all along.
In the end, I really am a selfish creature.
I ended my best friend's romance, and now I'm trying to take the person she loved for myself.
I'm the worst...
Akari headed back to the venue, leaving me alone with my thoughts.