Sweet Poison

–Hojo Yuzuki was satisfied with the current situation.

 

“Ryoma-san, I made a delicious meal for you… Would you like something to eat?”

 

After school, she stood in the kitchen of the Ryuzaki household and cooked dinner.

The portions are only for two people.
Before, there used to be at least three or more girls in the house at any given time, but only Yuzuki Hojo visited the house now.

 

The reason for this is that Ryoma Ryuzaki has become a mob character.

 

“I don’t need… you, I mean, Yuzuki doesn’t need to come either.
I can prepare dinner myself, if it’s needed.”

 

He was in the living room and his voice was emotionless as he watched the TV screen with the news.
It is already well past dusk, and not even the lights are on.

 

In the dark room, Ryoma Ryuzaki is spending his time apathetically.

It was a familiar sight these days.

 

Yuzuki Hojo, however, continued to speak kindly to him.

 

“No, if you don’t have an appetite, there is no problem.
But if you are hungry, please go ahead and eat … and if there is any left by tomorrow, I will throw it out and remake it, okay?”

 

She doesn’t ask for anything in return for her actions either.

No matter how cold or uninterested he was, no matter how unrewarded her devotion was…, Yuzuki Hojo was content with that.

 

(Someday, I hope Ryoma-san will go back to being like before, but…)

 

Not a little, but the thought was there.
She had hoped that if she was devoted and devoted all the time, her thoughts might one day be heard and Ryoma Ryuzaki might wake up, she had such hopes.

 

But worst … she thought, it didn’t have to be that way.

Because.

 

(For now, he is my own personal Ryoma-san.)

 

The only one who could love him now was her and Yuzuki Hojo was filled with that feeling.
Having been unable to be anything special for so long, she had finally become the only one… and that really, really felt good.

 

She felt rewarded.　

She felt like her devotion and dedication had paid off until now.

 

If things continue to go on like this until the end, the winner will be Yuzuki Hojo.
She is the only one who can love Ryoma Ryuzaki now.

 

(I can be … Ryoma-san’s number one!)

 

Yuzuki Hojo’s heart was excited at the ray of light that she had finally seen.

Honestly speaking, she had almost given up…, but the irresistible Ryoma Ryuzaki gathered a lot of attractive girls around him.
They were all girls that she couldn’t even come close to, and she didn’t think there was any way she could win.

 

So all she could do was devote herself to him.
She managed to hang on and tried desperately to win Ryoma Ryuzaki’s affection as much as she could.

 

It was impossible for Yuzuki Hojo not to jump at the glimpse of winning at such a time.

 

If she could be special, she would love any Ryoma Ryuzaki, a girl who was determined to do so, and she was unwavering.

 

“Thank you …, for everything.”

 

Yuzuki Hojo’s thoughts showed some signs of being rewarded.

Ryoma Ryuzaki, who had been so indifferent for a long time, said something pleasant for the first time in a long while.

 

Hojo Yuzuki loosened her cheeks, thinking that she was being thanked for accepting a useless person.

 

“No, don’t worry about it… Whatever happens, I’ll always be with you, okay?”

 

It’s okay if he remains useless.

 

But she doesn’t care as long as she can make herself feel special.

 

That “pampering” became poison and prevented Ryoma Ryuzaki from recovering.

He remained the same mob character as ever, no matter how much time passed.
He had been spoiled by Yuzuki Hojo, and he had become so spoiled by the status quo that he was fine with himself as he was…

 

If this continued, Ryoma Ryuzaki would decay.

There was no one there to encourage him.

 

 

The only one who was there for him was Yuzuki Hojo, who … made the boy believe that he could ‘remain a mob character’.

 

Ryuzaki Ryoma was already done…