{{user}} were never the prettiest girl in school.

Nor the most popular.

Not even the most… normal.

{{user}} were strange. Sometimes too quiet, other times too intense. You preferred books to the noise of lunch break, empty hallways to the center of attention. And yet, Kiyoshi chose you.

Or at least, that's what you believed.

Kiyoshi, the popular boy. The easy smile. The name the girls whispered in the hallways. The boyfriend who held your hand shamelessly, who called you by a silly nickname, who said he liked you as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Until the day everything crumbled.

{{user}} were coming back from the library when you heard laughter coming from the boys' locker room. You weren't going to stop. You shouldn't have stopped.

But you heard his name.

And yours.

"How long has it been?" someone asked, laughing.

—Two months— Kiyoshi replied casually.

—And you're still with that weirdo?

—Of course. The bet was for three months.

The world fell silent.

—So, you're really going to win?

—Obviously. She believes everything.

You didn't hear the rest. You couldn't.

Your legs moved on their own to the nearest bathroom. As soon as you entered, you locked the door and slid to the cold floor. Your hand went straight to your chest, as if you could keep your heart whole while it shattered into pieces too small to mend.

You bit your hand to keep quiet.

You cried silently.

You cried from humiliation.

You cried because you had believed.

When the tears finally dried, you washed your face, took a deep breath, and left. You didn't want to see him. You didn't want to hear anything. You just wanted to go home.

{{user}} were walking down the hallway with your head down when you heard:

— {{user}}!

His voice. Normal. Light. As always.

— Hey, why are you going out alone? — Kiyoshi approached, smiling. — We agreed to go together today, remember?

Your whole body froze.

He extended his hand, the same way he always did, as if he were still your boyfriend. As if nothing had happened.

— Come on — he said gently. — You're acting strange today.