2
That day, I was at home.
It was the day of the broadcast of the quiz show that Misaki had apparently been on.
“Phew…”
With five minutes to go until the broadcast, I took a deep breath.
I could tell that I was nervous right now.
However, there was no point in being this nervous. The recording of the show was already over, and what was going to be aired today was just an edited video.
On that day, I, her boyfriend, wasn’t even allowed to cheer her on in person. All I was allowed to do was watch the results that had already happened.
I didn’t know how far Misaki had advanced or what kind of questions had been asked. Misaki hadn’t told me anything about it, as she had apparently been asked by the staff not to talk about it until the broadcast.
For better or for worse, Misaki is a very honest person.
I didn’t dislike that about her, and I honestly wanted to respect her wishes.
“Oh, it’s time.”
From Noble mtl dot com
That’s why I didn’t ask her anything more.
About that day. About what had happened.
—About what she would look like on TV.
It was 7 pm, and the show started.
“Huh…?”
As soon as it started, I noticed something strange.
The camera showed young men and women of the same age.
They must have been the contestants on this quiz show. That was fine. I had understood beforehand that the show was mainly aimed at high school students.
“Misaki’s not there…”
The problem was that I couldn’t see my girlfriend among them.
I searched everywhere the camera looked, but I couldn’t find Misaki.
Was she feeling unwell? Or had she suddenly got scared on the day and run away?
Such thoughts crossed my mind because I thought it was possible.
Misaki is not good at being in front of people, and it’s possible that she could have gotten sick from being surrounded by so many people.
If that was the case, it would make sense that she hadn’t told me.
Before I knew it, there was another me who was trying to convince me of that.
(That’s good…)
But it’s not good at all.
It’s the worst possible thought for a person to have, to be relieved that their girlfriend might have collapsed.
But I was afraid of Misaki being seen by others.
I thought I was the only one who understood her.
I wanted her to be mine alone.
That’s why I thought it would be better if the show ended just like this.
(But still…)
Perhaps because I was feeling homeless, I noticed something as I looked at the other participants.
“She’s so beautiful…”
One of the participants, a girl, was incredibly beautiful.
Her shiny black hair, which was so glossy it was noticeable even on the screen, cascaded all the way down her back, and her bangs were cut in a straight line, giving her the so-called “hime cut” hairstyle of a princess.
Her facial features were also delicate, and she wouldn’t look out of place even among celebrities.
She had good posture and an air of composure, and the boys around her were glaring at her from time to time with such obviousness that she would probably be teased about it at school tomorrow.
There was something about her that set her apart from the other participants, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
“…No, that’s not right.”
I shook my head vigorously to dispel the impure thoughts.
I have Mio, so what am I doing?
I wasn’t cheating just because I was admiring her, but I was still a little shocked that I was interested in someone else.
I’m not the type to cheat, and I’m not even that popular… but I felt like I had betrayed Mio and was filled with a sense of guilt.
(I’ll be nice to Mio tomorrow…)
I reflected on my behavior and turned my attention back to the TV, where the interviews had begun.
It seemed they were going around asking the participants their names.
I wasn’t particularly interested in the others, but I couldn’t help but wonder what that girl’s name was. Is that just the sad nature of men?
One by one, the short self-introductions came to an end.
I waited, ignoring them, until finally it was her turn.
It seemed like everyone else was also waiting in anticipation, holding their breath as they watched her speak. I’m sure it wasn’t just my imagination.
She was already becoming the star of the show.
The microphone was directed towards her, and her beautiful pink lips slowly parted.
(If things had been different, Mio would have been here too…)
At that moment, her image suddenly came to mind.
I was caught in a wave of emotion that was neither sadness nor joy.
—Misaka Mio from Misaka Junior High. Nice to meet you.
Those unbelievable words reached my ears.
“Huh…?”
I lunged at the TV without thinking.
It was a reflex that was unlike me, but I didn’t have the luxury to care about that anymore.
I stared at the girl who had spoken that name, trying to confirm it.
And then it finally hit me.
“Mio…?”
I realized that the beautiful girl on the screen was my girlfriend.