Chapter 53: Winners and Unyielding Losers
After panicking for a while, Hitori managed to calm down and truthfully replied to Yuno.
Then Yuno stopped responding to her messages.
What did this mean?
Hitori felt shaken and anxious. She didn't have many friends to begin with, and all of them were people she'd met after entering high school. If she lost even one friend because of her relationship with Ren, it would break her heart.
But Yuno had stopped replying to her messages. Had she given up? Or was she angry?
Hitori didn't know. She just felt inexplicably anxious, wondering what she should do.
This made her much more withdrawn during dinner—no, it made her return to how she used to be. While the Gotou family didn't notice much difference, Ren keenly sensed that Hitori seemed unsettled.
So after the cheerful dinner when they were seeing her off to the car, Ren didn't hurry to get in. Instead, he asked about Hitori's unusual behavior:
"Bocchi-chan, did something happen during dinner?"
"...Nothing, I'm just not used to this change yet, so I'm feeling a bit unsettled."
Hitori lied. Having grown through her experiences, she had learned how to deceive people, offering an excuse that Ren would find acceptable.
"Hmm... The pace has indeed been quite fast. I'm not completely used to it either, but it's okay. We have plenty of time—we'll adapt eventually."
Hearing this, Ren thought Hitori felt unreal because things were moving too quickly. He actually felt somewhat the same, but since things had already progressed this far, he would continue to accept and adapt, seeking happiness and joy.
"Well, good night."
Hitori stepped forward, stood on her toes, and kissed Ren. He then embraced her and kissed her back on the lips. After kissing for a while, he finally let go of his overly adorable girlfriend, waving as he watched her return home before getting in the car to leave.
He didn't go back to the large apartment but returned to his original small home instead. The large apartment was too big—somehow, it felt lonely when he was alone. His original "doghouse" was still the most comforting place.
When he arrived home, Ren found Anon squatting in front of his house.
"What's wrong with you?"
As he approached, Ren noticed that Anon looked haggard and lost. Anyone who didn't know better might think she had suffered some inhuman treatment.
"I thought you weren't coming back tonight either."
Hearing Ren's voice, Anon looked up at him, her expression complex and her mood low.
"Where else would I go? Let's talk inside."
Seeing her like this, Ren could more or less guess why Anon was in this state.
But somehow, it was both unexpected and not unexpected. After all, they were childhood friends, as close as family. If Anon had gotten a lover, he would probably feel upset for a while too.
"Ren, what kind of relationship do you think we have? Now that you have Bocchi-chan, you don't need me anymore, right?"
After entering the house with Ren and looking at the familiar room and layout, Anon no longer felt the same ease as before. Instead, she felt waves of emptiness and loss.
"The fact that I still let you into my room should speak for itself, shouldn't it?"
This was indeed something worth discussing with Anon. Ren sat down in his gaming chair and looked at her with some amusement.
"I suppose you're right. So our bond won't grow distant because of Bocchi-chan?"
Anon was momentarily taken aback before smiling. The fact that Ren had actively brought her into his room despite having a girlfriend showed that his feelings toward her hadn't changed much, and he wasn't intentionally distancing himself.
"Of course not. There's nothing ambiguous between us, and Bocchi-chan isn't the jealous type. Even with a lover, we'll always remain childhood friends."
"Does heartbreak feel terrible?"
The essence of being childhood friends isn't just about growing up together—it's also about the bond they've cultivated and maintained over time. Even when one finds love, this relationship doesn't fade into obscurity.
At the very least, Ren wouldn't deliberately distance himself from Anon because there was no need. At this stage, he had no interest in affairs or harems whatsoever.
Moreover, the feminine charm his childhood friend possessed simply didn't appeal to him—it felt completely overshadowed by Bocchi-chan.
"It's not heartbreak..."
"Alright, fine. I do like you a little, Ren—just a tiny bit. But it does hurt; it feels like my heart is being pricked. Still, seeing that you're the same as always puts me at ease."
Anon stubbornly tried to deny it at first, but eventually admitted dejectedly to some lingering feelings. How could childhood friends not have some affection for each other? It's just that theirs had become too faint, evolving into something more familial. Only when faced with loss did she realize she actually liked him, but by then, it was too late.
"I'm glad you can see it that way."
Ren also felt a pang of emotion. Despite being as close as family, they had become too familiar to end up together. No wonder the success rate for childhood friends was so low. If you didn't nurture and maintain a hint of ambiguity from the start, some newcomer could easily sweep them away.
"Just don't ignore me, okay? And don't bully Bocchi-chan either. She's so delicate—she'd probably go along with whatever you say."
After seeing Ren and talking for a bit, the bitterness in Anon's heart began to fade. Though Ren had found love, they were still close childhood friends. Before leaving, Anon made sure to put in a good word for Hitori.
Even though her childhood friend had been "taken," she genuinely couldn't bring herself to dislike Hitori.
With that, Anon left the Watanabe residence. Returning home, she lay on her bed and, after much thought, sent Hitori a message wishing her and Ren happiness.
Once the initial pain subsided, she found herself able to bless her childhood friend's romance.
Of course, her feelings for Ren weren't shattered—just buried deeper. After all, a girlfriend was just a girlfriend; even marriages could end in divorce. It wasn't as if she had no chance at all.
However, when Hitori saw Anon's blessing, it only deepened her guilt and unease.
Was romance really something that hurt so many people?
Was there no way to have the best of both worlds?
Hitori didn't know. She had no good solution for balancing friends and lovers. Tonight, sleep would not come easily to her.
Meanwhile, on Yuno's side, she continued to leave Hitori's messages unanswered. Her goal was to disrupt Hitori's mental state while contemplating her next move.
She had successfully befriended Ren, but Ren already had a partner. Would expressing interest at this point make Ren think she was a bitch?
No, probably not. After all, Ren was outstanding now—it was perfectly normal for him to attract girls' attention. Besides her and Satou, there would definitely be others.
If she managed to win Ren over, keeping him would present a formidable challenge for whoever became his girlfriend.
Though she had lost this round, every cloud has a silver lining. Having become the loser in this situation, Yuno discovered something she had previously overlooked.
Hitori couldn't hold onto Ren—whether due to personality or capability.
But she could. Once she became Ren's girlfriend, she would cut down anyone who dared to seduce him.
Before that, she had no choice but to sabotage their relationship. Sorry, Hitori—love wars are just this cruel.
Thinking this, Yuno walked over to the damaged wooden stump in her room. Picking up an axe, she completely chopped it apart. Staring at the scattered fragments on the floor, the displeasure in her heart finally eased somewhat. What came next would be an even more brutal competition.
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