Hozuki Nozomi felt like he had been tricked by Chihiro-sensei.
Because just now, Aoyama Nanami had called him, saying that she had personally sent Shiina Mashiro back to Sakurasou.
Little Nanami was always reliable.
Chihiro Sengoku, however, was a deceptive drunkard. How could she be so irresponsible with her own cousin?
As Nozomi walked down the road, a faint fragrance drifted past him.
"Good afternoon, Nozomi-kun."
A sweet voice reached his ears, pulling him out of his thoughts.
He turned his head instinctively, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the girl standing behind him.
"Sumireko? What are you doing here?"
Standing before him, with her signature twin tails swaying in the breeze, was Mishikiin Sumireko.
At his question, the girl playfully waved a book in her hand, flashing him a mischievous smile.
"I went to the convenience store to pick up a book and ended up sitting across from the dessert shop for a while. Then I saw you passing by, so I came over."
Nozomi narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Are you sure you weren't following me?"
Sumireko stuck out her tongue in a playful manner. "That's so mean, Nozomi-kun! This is what we call a fateful encounter!"
"Oh? A fateful encounter? Fine, let's go with that."
Nozomi chuckled and, without hesitation, reached out to take her soft, snow-white hand in his.
"Since we've met, I won't let you escape."
"To be precise, you've already caught me."
Sumireko's amber eyes twinkled as she gazed at him, making no effort to pull away.
Seeing her like this, Nozomi's mood brightened.
"It's still early today. How about we go try that famous yakiniku place? I've been craving some good grilled meat."
Sumireko tilted her head, her twin tails bouncing slightly as she rolled her eyes playfully.
"Since you've caught me, I don't really have a choice, do I?"
Then, she pouted. "But seriously, you catch a girl just to take her out for meat?"
Nozomi smirked. "Alright then, I've changed my mind. Sumireko, forget about the yakiniku—let's just go straight to a hotel."
Sumireko's face turned red instantly, and she lightly smacked his chest.
"Baka! Don't even think about it! I'm not that easy! And don't forget—you're just a potential boyfriend, not an official one yet!"
Though her words were firm, she still let him hold her hand as they made their way to the tram station.
"Heh, sooner or later, I'll be official," Nozomi whispered teasingly.
The two of them rode the tram together and arrived at a bustling, high-end snack street. The familiar scent of sizzling yakiniku filled the air, drawing them towards their usual spot.
Of course, as expected, there was a line.
Just as they were about to queue up, Sumireko suddenly stiffened. Her body trembled, and before Nozomi could react, she turned around and threw herself into his arms, burying her face against his chest.
Nozomi immediately felt the tension in her small frame.
"Sumireko, what's wrong?" he asked softly, holding her close.
"Shh," she whispered. "Keep your voice down. I don't want that person to see me."
Nozomi followed her gaze and spotted a familiar figure.
"That guy is… Hazuki Yasuo?"
Hearing the name, Sumireko's eyes widened in shock, and she quickly looked up at him.
"Nozomi-kun, you know him?"
Nozomi smiled faintly. Instead of answering right away, he leaned down and planted a small kiss on her forehead.
"I didn't know him before, but because of you, Sumireko, I made sure to find out."
Sumireko felt her breath hitch.
He had investigated her?
And he actually found out?
A mix of emotions swirled within her—unease, surprise, and… something warmer.
"What exactly do you know?" she asked hesitantly.
"Would you tell me if I asked?"
She felt her heart tighten. She wasn't afraid of Hazuki Yasuo seeing her—no, she could handle that. But what scared her was the thought of Nozomi looking at her differently once he knew the whole story.
Nozomi, however, had already made up his mind. Without hesitation, he pulled her away from the street, ignoring the line and the smell of delicious food. Instead, he led her to a quiet bench under a sakura tree.
Sitting down, he kept her wrapped in his arms.
"Sumireko, what are you afraid of?"
"If it's Hazuki Yasuo, you don't need to worry. I won't let some other guy harass my girlfriend."
"Baka, I'm not your girlfriend yet."
"Not yet, but you will be. You're already caught by me today, and you're mine."
Sumireko let out a small, exasperated sigh and playfully glared at him.
"You're such a smooth talker."
"Now, tell me what's on your mind. But first, do you want to hear what I already know?"
She hesitated, then nodded.
Nozomi gently ran his fingers through her hair before speaking.
"From what I found out, you were quite popular in junior high because of your looks. A lot of guys confessed to you, right?"
Sumireko pursed her lips but didn't deny it.
"Then, you met a senior in a social group centered around Hazuki Yasuo, and you were pulled into their circle."
She clenched her fists slightly.
"Because you got tired of endless confessions and didn't want to be constantly targeted, you asked Hazuki Yasuo for help. You pretended to date him, using him as a shield."
Sumireko's shoulders tensed.
"But then he fell for you. And when he confessed for real, wanting to turn your fake relationship into a real one, you panicked… and ran away."
Silence stretched between them.
Sumireko finally looked up at him, her amber eyes filled with complicated emotions.
"When did you start paying attention to me? You know so much…"
Nozomi smirked. "Who knows? All that matters is, we met. And today, I caught you and held you."
She let out a soft laugh, though her eyes glistened. "You really are a bad guy. I thought I had successfully hidden my past, but it turns out you saw through me a long time ago."
Then, her voice turned bitter. "Now that you know, do you still want to have lunch with me? I'm a selfish girl who used a guy as a shield, led people on, and ran away when things got inconvenient."
Nozomi gently took her face in his hands, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Sumireko, don't talk about yourself like that. You did nothing wrong. The real mistake was Hazuki Yasuo's. He overstepped his bounds. You're not a bad woman—you were just trying to protect yourself."
And to him, that made her all the more precious.
Sumireko had indeed been protected by Hazuki Yasuo and received favors from him. But that did not mean she was obligated to return those favors with her heart, nor did it mean she had to let those favors dictate her relationships. That kind of expectation was nothing more than emotional blackmail.
Moreover—
From Nozomi's understanding, the two girls who liked Hazuki Yasuo had been competing against each other for his attention from the very beginning. But when they learned that Hazuki Yasuo had feelings for Sumireko, instead of confronting him or fighting back, they chose to suppress their own emotions and push Sumireko toward him, constantly creating opportunities for them to be together.
Hazuki Yasuo's fatal flaw was that he was too well-liked. In a way, he was an enhanced version of Hayama Hayato—but unlike Hayato's calculated politeness, Hazuki's kindness was genuine. It was precisely because his warmth was sincere and extended to everyone that the girls who loved him often had no choice but to step aside, accepting that they would never be the only one in his heart.
In the end, just like in Oregairu, "You are the only one who likes me" was a sentiment that cut deep, revealing the hidden flaws in every character.
In contrast, Sanshokuin Sumireko was the most normal and self-aware of them all. She refused to let kindness force her into a relationship, refused to let favors turn into shackles. From elementary school to junior high, and now to high school, the only thing she had ever wanted was to enjoy her books in peace.
Sumireko was pure in her desires.
Yes, she had used Hazuki Yasuo to avoid unnecessary confessions. Yes, she had sought his help. But Hazuki had offered that help willingly, and there was no denying that he himself had been drawn to Sumireko.
After all, she was charming—so much so that even Nozomi found himself captivated by her. How could he blame Hazuki for falling into the same trap?
But unlike Hazuki's other admirers, Sumireko was not interested in romantic entanglements.
Unfortunately, that didn't stop Hazuki's childhood friend and his upperclassman admirer from meddling in her life.
Once they realized that Hazuki liked Sumireko, they stopped their petty feuding, buried their own feelings, and started orchestrating ways to get her and Hazuki together. To Sumireko, this was suffocating. The pressure, the emotional manipulation, the endless expectations—it was overwhelming.
So she ran.
She threw away her phone card the moment she graduated junior high. With the help of her new best friend, Nijiji Sumire, she changed her entire appearance—glasses, pigtails, long skirts, anything to make herself look like an ordinary country girl.
And as for why she was drawn to Nozomi?
It was simple.
The atmosphere around Hozuki Nozomi was nothing like Hazuki Yasuo's.
Hazuki's kindness only led to heartbreak for the girls around him. But Nozomi—he gave people hope. He warmed the hearts of those he cared about.
Just look at Sayu.
Her eyes, once filled with confusion and uncertainty, now sparkled with anticipation for the future. And Shiina Mahiru—she, too, had slowly begun to open up around Nozomi, shedding her carefully maintained angelic persona to rediscover her true self.
Listening to Nozomi speak, Sumireko felt a warmth spread through her chest. She bit her lip, her hands trembling slightly, before she suddenly stood up.
Then, without hesitation, she straddled his lap, her knees sinking into the bench on either side of him.
"Hold me, Nozomi."
Nozomi's heart skipped a beat. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands resting gently against her back.
Sumireko leaned her forehead against his chest, her cheeks flushed.
"You got most of it right," she murmured. "But let me fill in the rest."
She took a deep breath before continuing.
"The real reason I ran away… the reason I don't want to see him… is because Hazuki's kindness destroys people. It makes the girls around him lose themselves."
She tightened her grip on Nozomi's shirt.
"I could never be with a guy who, without even realizing it, hurts his childhood friend and his upperclassman just by existing."
"I had to sit there and watch as Senior Cherry and Tsukimi tore each other apart over him. And in the end, when he confessed to me, they swallowed their heartbreak and sacrificed their own happiness just to push me toward him."
"It was unbearable."
"But he never saw it. He never realized how much pain he caused just by being himself."
She exhaled shakily, then lifted her head, looking directly into Nozomi's eyes.
"But you, Nozomi—you're different. Girls don't get hurt when they stay by your side."
Her voice was soft, vulnerable.
"Even when you promised Shiina you'd pursue Miura, you were honest about it. You made sure she understood your intentions, your care for her."
"That's why I like you."
She pressed a hand to her chest, over her racing heart.
"I like you, Nozomi. I like the warmth you bring, the hope you give. I like this harmony."
A wry smile tugged at her lips. "I'm selfish, Nozomi. I'm small-minded and petty. I used people to escape my problems. Can you really accept me like this?"
Nozomi met her gaze and smiled.
"I like you so much that I don't even want to wait. Why would I ever hate you?"
He cupped her cheek, brushing away the stray tears trailing down her skin.
"Sumireko, words aren't enough. I'll prove my love to you with actions."
His voice lowered, turning serious.
"I should be the one making requests here—so please, don't leave me just because I'm greedy. Stay by my side. I don't want to be your backup plan—I want to be your real boyfriend."
Her eyes widened, shimmering with emotion. And before she could say anything, he leaned in.
He closed the distance.
Their lips met.
A single tear slid down her cheek.
Sumireko tightened her arms around his neck, pressing herself closer, her heart hammering wildly against his.
She didn't want to leave.
She wouldn't leave.
******************************
Very Important:
Yasuo Hazuki (葉月保雄) is a supporting character in Oresuki and is Joro's rival and the target of affection of Cherry and, his childhood friend, Tsukimi. He is a second-year student at Toshobu High School and likes Pansy. He is also known by his nickname, Hose (保雄).
Runa Kusami (草見 月), also known by her nickname Tsukimi (月見), is a character in Oresuki. She is a student in Toshobu High School and a childhood friend of Yasuo Hazuki.
Momo Sakurabara (桜原 桃 Sakurabara Momo?), also known by her nickname Cherry (桜桃?), is a character in Oresuki. She is the Student Council President of Toshobu High School who is in love with Hose, but she suppresses her feelings for him because Tsukimi (Momo's best friend) also likes him where she realizes that love and friendship cannot co-exist so Tsukimi and Cherry choose to preserve their friendship rather than pursue Hose.
Alright Gang, attached is Cherry and Tsumiki, check them out on the Oresuki fandom.