"I'm home," she said, stepping into our apartment. It was past 10 pm and Mizuho Kaho, my girlfriend, had just returned.

"You're home. No answer when I called out. I'm home!"

"..."

"What's with that serious face?"

".........Where were you yesterday and today?"

"Huh? Didn't I tell you? Yesterday I went shopping with my club friends, and today I stayed late for practice."

"......You're lying."

"What? No, I'm not!"

She spread out a few photos on the desk.

"Wh-what's this?"

The photos showed Kaho and a man on what looked like a happy date.

"Did you follow me and take these photos? Seriously? It's creepy."

"......I admit I followed you. But, it's not cheating, right?"

It wasn't just yesterday and today. For months, Kaho's attitude towards me had been cold. Every time I asked her out, she refused, and when we were at home, she was glued to her phone.

That's why I was worried and followed her. And then, there it was, in these photos, proof of her cheating with another man.

"But Souma-senpai is so handsome. It's okay to have fun with him once, right?"

"I-it's not just once! You cheated with another guy before too!"

This wasn't the first time she cheated. This was the third time.

"Pl-please don't cheat anymore. ...I'd prefer if you didn't go out with other guys alone."

"Ugh. You're being controlling, aren't you?"

"Huh?"

"You're too clingy lately. You nag me even when I'm tired. ...Honestly, you're annoying."

Her cold eyes made me flinch.

"Maybe I should have dated someone else."

"Wh-what? W-why?..."

"It's obvious, isn't it? I'm popular. Souma-senpai is a good example, but tons of guys who are better looking and more popular than you hit on me all the time."

I didn't know that. I knew she was beautiful and often got hit on, but I never knew anyone had actually pursued her.

"You better not piss me off. You don't want to lose me, right? Me, your beloved."

"......"

"Don't bother me too much. It's annoying. And stop taking these stalker photos. It's a crime, you know? ...Got it?"

"......Yes. I'm sorry."

"Good. Now, goodnight."

"......"

Every time she cheated, I thought about breaking up. But I loved her, and I didn't want to lose her. I also knew I had my flaws, and I blamed myself for her cheating.

But... Maybe it's over now.

---

The next morning, I was packing at the entrance when Kaho woke up, rubbing her eyes.

"Morning... What's with all the luggage? Leaving somewhere so early in the morning?"

"......I'm going back to my parents' house."

"Huh? Going back home? Why?"

"Just..."

"Just? What about university?"

"I'll commute from home."

"Hmm. Fine by me. I could use some alone time anyway. So, when are you coming back?"

"......I'm not coming back."

"What? Not coming back? Wait, what do you mean - "

Bang. I walked out of the house, ignoring Kaho's voice calling after me.

"H-he's gone. Well, I guess he'll be back in a couple of days."

---

A week after leaving home.

"Ah... Good morning."

"............"

I was trying to avoid Kaho as much as possible after running away, but I ran into her in the lecture hall.

"Don't ignore me. Listen, when are you coming back?"

She sat down in the seat next to me.

"Look, it's a long commute from your place, right? It's a waste of time and money. Why don't you come back soon?"

It was true that it took more than an hour each way to get to the university from her parents' house. But I had no intention of going back.

"Come on, stop sulking. You're still angry about that cheating thing, aren't you? I was wrong. Look, I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

"........."

"Still ignoring me? Ugh... You should work on that. I'm apologizing, aren't I?"

"........."

I could skip this lecture and still get credit. I stood up and left the lecture hall.

"Wait, hold on..."

---

Two weeks after leaving home.

"I-is this seat taken?"

"........."

I was sitting in the cafeteria when Kaho called out to me. Without waiting for my answer, she sat down opposite me.

"L-listen, please stop ignoring my calls and emails. I'm worried... You know, I'm your girlfriend."

"........."

Recently, I've been getting calls and emails from Kaho, constantly, at all hours of the day.

"S-so. Here, this is a lunchbox. You said you wanted to try homemade lunch, right? So I made one. Look, I even put in your favorite fried chicken!"

Kaho pulled a lunchbox out of her bag. When she opened it, there were fried chicken, egg rolls, asparagus, and more. It was a beautiful, elaborate lunchbox.

"Let's eat this together and make up."

"......I already ate."

"What? Y-you already ate? Wow, you eat fast. W-well, I'll make you one tomorrow then. Let's eat together tomorrow?"

"......I don't want it."

"Ah........."

I'm going to stop using this cafeteria at this time.

---

Two weeks after leaving home.

"I-is this seat taken?"

"........."

I was sitting in the cafeteria when Kaho called out to me. Without waiting for my answer, she sat down opposite me.

"L-listen, please stop ignoring my calls and emails. I'm worried... You know, I'm your girlfriend."

"........."

Recently, I've been getting calls and emails from Kaho, constantly, at all hours of the day.

"S-so. Here, this is a lunchbox. You said you wanted to try homemade lunch, right? So I made one. Look, I even put in your favorite fried chicken!"

Kaho pulled a lunchbox out of her bag. When she opened it, there were fried chicken, egg rolls, asparagus, and more. It was a beautiful, elaborate lunchbox.

"Let's eat this together and make up."

"......I already ate."

"What? Y-you already ate? Wow, you eat fast. W-well, I'll make you one tomorrow then. Let's eat together tomorrow?"

"......I don't want it."

"Ah........."

I'm going to stop using this cafeteria at this time.

---

One month after leaving home.

"......!?"

"Ah... You're taking Professor ○○'s class after all."

As I left the lecture hall, Kaho was waiting outside. I never told her I was taking this class...

"Come on, let's go home now. I found a really delicious café nearby. Let's go. I'll pay."

"......Go with Souma-senpai."

"Souma-senpai has nothing to do with this. ...I, I want to go with you, my boyfriend!"

"........."

"W-wait."

Why is she suddenly acting like this towards me now?

---

Months after leaving home.

"Hee hee... Sorry for calling you out like this."

One day, I received a letter addressed to me that said, "I need to talk to you. Please come to the *** lecture hall on [day] at [time]." It seemed suspicious, but I went anyway. Kaho was waiting in the lecture hall.

"Ah, wait, please! I need to talk to you!!"

She desperately stopped me as I tried to leave the room.

"......What is it?"

"Y-yes, thank you... I, I'm so sorry. Please, don't ignore me anymore."

Kaho bowed deeply. Apparently, she wanted to apologize.

"I'm so lonely when you ignore me. ...My heart feels like it's being squeezed."

She looked up, and tears were streaming down her face.

"......You don't want me to interfere in your life, do you?"

"W-well... I said that in the heat of the moment. I don't actually feel that way at all. Can I take it back?"

"........."

"Listen, I thought about it a lot since you left home. I thought about what if you were dating other girls, kissing them... If that happened, I couldn't take it. I couldn't sleep, I hated it, hated it, hated it, I couldn't stand it."

Kaho was scratching her arm hard, and it was bleeding.

"I made you feel like this... I won't cheat anymore. I'll only look at you."

"......There are so many good people out there, better than me. You should forget about me."

"T-that's not true! There's no one better than you."

"........."

"Please, come back home. I'll make your favorite food every day and wait for you."

"........."

"Oh, right. Look! I deleted all the contact information for guys other than you. See? Because I'm your girlfriend. I'd be worried if you had other guys' numbers."

She showed me her phone's contact list.

"Come back home and we can cuddle up. Hold hands, hug, kiss..."

"You hated doing those things with me, didn't you?"

"......No, I don't hate it. Actually, I want to. So..."

Kaho approached me and tried to hug me, but I stepped back and avoided her.

"W-why...? Please, let me hug you. Let me touch you."

"I can't be with you anymore. ...I want to break up."

"Wh-what...? N-no... What? Break up? W-what does that mean? We'll be strangers?"

"I loved you so much, but it seems like you didn't feel the same way."

"N-no, I love you too! No, I love you!! I can't imagine being with anyone else... Wait, you said you *loved* me? What do you mean..."

"I don't love you anymore. I'm tired. Sorry."

"N-no... I don't want this... It's not fair! I love you so much! I'll die if I lose you! You're letting your beloved die?! Is that okay?!"

"......I'm sorry."

"Y-you're really going...? I-I don't want this!! We're not breaking up, no matter what!!"

"......I won't let you escape. You're my boyfriend, after all."

The End.