I Accidentally Sent a Love Letter to the School's Most Prestigious Young Lady Instead of My Childhood Friend, and Now She's Bowing to Me, Asking, "Please Date Me—On the Premise of Marriage!" - 10

“I’m so sorry!!”

The next morning, before classes started, I had asked Shion-san to come early via message. Now, behind the school building in front of a bench, I was prostrating myself before Shion-san in apology.

“It was all a mistake.”

While Haru stood behind me bowing her head as well, I explained everything without holding back.

That the love letter’s true recipient was Haru.

That I’d mistakenly put it in Shion-san’s shoe locker next door.

That because of Shion-san’s “husband declaration,” I couldn’t back out in front of everyone.

That I’d consulted with Haru and decided to make Shion-san dislike me so she’d break up with me.

“…………”

Shion-san simply listened to my explanation in silence.

Neither angry nor laughing.

After I finished explaining everything, she asked in a quiet tone:

“You don’t like me? Is that what you’re saying?”

“I have affection for you, Shion-san. But the person I want to date right now… is Haru.”

“I see…”

“I’m sorry.”

As I rubbed my forehead against the ground, Shion-san comforted me with a gentle voice.

“Please raise your head, Kisaragi-san. Don’t… apologize so much. I’m at fault too.”

“Eh…?”

Surprised by Shion-san’s words, I lifted my head and stared at her.

Shion-san tightened her lips slightly and lowered her eyes.

“I’m at fault too. Because actually… I knew about the love letter.”

“You knew…?”

Not understanding her words, I asked back.

“Yes. From your usual attitude toward Haru-san and how you’ve treated me until now, I suspected the love letter addressed to me was probably a mistake.”

“Seriously…?”

I was stunned into silence. Shion-san continued.

“Saying I ‘knew’ might be an overstatement. I had my suspicions that it might be the case. While suspecting it, I was captivated by your face and desperately crushed those doubts. Even while understanding you were trying to make me dislike you on purpose, I gambled on the slim hope that you might develop feelings for me while we dated, prioritizing my own feelings.”

“…………”

The corners of Shion-san’s eyes had drooped without me noticing, and her usually bright expression had clouded over.

“Even before we started dating, I always saw how close you and Haru-san were in the classroom. I was always incredibly envious of Haru-san.”

“Envious… of us?”

Haru and I exchanged glances. Ignoring our murmurs, Shion-san continued speaking.

“If only I had a gentleman as close to me as you are to her… If I had a gentleman who could share my feelings… If only I had someone like you… no, if I had you. Before I knew it, I found myself watching you with those thoughts.”

“…………”

Haru and I had no words for Shion-san’s monologue.

“While financially privileged, I came from a strictly controlled household. In the future, I’d probably be made to marry someone I don’t even know. But when your misdirected letter reached me, my heart leaped. I thought this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“Such a thing…”

“Yes. I persuaded my parents that a good gentleman who truly cared for me had appeared. I even declared I was prepared to cut ties if they didn’t approve. Then I schemed to deepen my relationship with you and quickly become physically intimate. I was afraid our relationship would break, so I escaped from reality.”

Shion-san closed her eyes and shut her mouth, as if chewing over her own sins. Then she opened her eyes again and, while shaking her hair, let her words flow out.

“Truly, I’m very sorry.”

Shion-san bowed deeply toward me in front of the ground.

Though stunned into silence, I eventually came to my senses and began speaking haltingly.

“…Then everything until now… was it all an act?”

“It was genuine. But I can’t say… there was no acting at all.”

“You knew about my mistake too…”

“Yes, I was aware of it.”

Hearing that, I hesitantly began to say to Shion-san.

“Then the marriage-focused relationship is… called off…”

“I’m sorry, but that’s not possible.”

Contrary to my expectations, Shion-san voiced denial.

“I’ve already reported to my parents, and notifications have been circulated to relatives and relevant parties.”

“Relevant parties… But I…”

“Yes. I understand your position and feelings. But I believe you bear some responsibility too, Kisaragi-san, for leaving the misdirected love letter as is and not refusing to date me… I apologize for saying something so rude.”

“That’s… certainly true as you say, Shion-san… But then what should we do…”

“Therefore, how about a compromise?”

Shion-san’s shadowed face broke into a slight smile.

“Until we graduate from high school, would you act as my provisional fiancé?”

“Eh!!”

My groan harmonized with Haru’s from behind me.

“I have to consider my position with my parents and the trouble it would cause others. Most importantly, I think this is the best way to prevent you from earning hatred within the school.”

“Provisional fiancé… meaning we continue our current relationship?”

“That would be the case. We’ll continue while gradually fading out. Not immediately, but when the time is right, I’ll explain to my parents and others that it didn’t work out and naturally ended.”

“Hmm…”

Groaning again, I looked back at Haru.

Though silent, she wore an expression saying “I guess we have no choice…”

Then turning back to Shion-san, she smiled at me with a faintly pleading expression.

“If you have even a little affection for me… Would you cooperate?”

“…………”

Frankly speaking, most of the blame was mine. Shion-san was in a position where she could rightfully rage, “Were you deceiving me!?”

This lifeline extended by Shion-san herself. Along with my gratitude toward Shion-san, I found myself accepting.

“Understood,” I answered clearly.

“Let’s continue the relationship. Until graduation, to the extent that others won’t suspect.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Sunlight returned to Shion-san’s face.

“I guess we have no choice.”

Haru and I also exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

Perhaps both Shion-san and I had been naive about romantic feelings between men and women. Though not exactly a happy ending, in that moment behind the school building before classes, we “mistakenly” believed we had been freed from our problems.