She Became Distressed After I Stopped Being Restrained and Started Interacting with Others - Chapter 40

“…Okay.”

Though I hesitated slightly, I nodded without refusing Shiori’s invitation.

Shiori kept her gentle smile as she lightly pulled my wrist.

“Let’s talk somewhere without people.”

At those words, I felt something, but couldn’t find any reason to refuse.

And so the two of us walked side by side down the hallway.

As we walked through the corridor, I suddenly felt someone’s gaze on my back.

A vaguely unpleasant premonition made me turn around—and in that moment.

“…Yuna…!!”

With a sharp voice, my arm was pulled hard.

“—Huh?”

Without any time to understand what was happening, Honoka roughly pulled me toward her.

“Wai—”

Without any chance to resist, Honoka tightly gripped my hand and pulled me away from Shiori.

“…!”

Honoka’s eyes were wavering with anger, anxiety, and impatience.

Without even glancing at Shiori, treating her as if she didn’t exist, Honoka pulled my arm and started walking forcefully.

“Honoka…?”

“…Just be quiet and come with me.”

It was a low, suppressed voice, different from her usual calm and gentle tone.

Without any chance to argue, I was made to walk again.

Behind us, I thought I heard Shiori say something, but it didn’t reach my ears.

———And we arrived at an empty spot behind the school building.

“…Honoka, what’s wro—”

“Why?”

Honoka muttered low, cutting me off.

“…Huh?”

“Why are you doing that…?”

Honoka’s hand gripping my arm was trembling.

“I told you… didn’t I? That Yuna is mine… I told you, right?”

Honoka’s eyes, while wavering, carried a strong color of obsession.

“You said you’d only look at me…”

“…Honoka, that’s—”

“Why do you break your promise so quickly…?”

The grip on my arm tightened forcefully.

“Why can you betray me so easily…?”

“Betray you? That’s not—”

“…If that’s not true, then why are you talking to other people?”

Honoka’s hand, still tightly gripping my uniform sleeve, moved slowly.

“Hey, Yuna…”

With those words, a hand gently touched the collar of my uniform.

“Wai, Honoka… this is behind the school building…!”

I hurriedly tried to push Honoka’s hand away.

But—.

“It doesn’t matter. As long as you properly understand that Yuna is mine…”

Honoka’s face drew closer.

—If someone sees us, it’ll be bad.

In contrast to my panic, Honoka’s eyes were heated, stained with obsession.

Just as I was panicking about what to do—

“…Yuna-chan”

—A quiet, yet clearly audible voice cut through the air.

Instantly, Honoka’s movements stopped completely.

When I slowly turned around, Shiori was standing there.