the girl in the corner.

episode 20: it's not the same.

one day i overheard momoko talking to suzuki in class.

it was club time, and all of my friends had left early and now it was only suzuki and i, and we'd usually spend the last few minutes of the school day roaming around the campus and chatting together. i was heading to class to fetch suzuki if she was there, but i didn't expect momoko and her gang to be there as well.

i stopped by the door once i saw suzuki and momoko standing face-to-face, and i quickly stepped aside so they didn't see me. i stood still for a minute before peeking in, and i saw suzuki standing with her hands clasped behind her back while momoko had her arms crossed. momoko's friends were sitting on random tables watching them talk.

suzuki was avoiding momoko's eyes and looking anywhere but her—the ceiling, the floor, the tables, anything so that she doesn't catch sight of momoko. i saw momoko's lips curve up into a lopsided smile and she took hold of suzuki's wrist.

"miyamoto, how many times do i have to tell you?" i heard momoko speak. "when will you learn? i told you to step down into the background, didn't i? you can't have everything, and certainly not what i want."

i joined my eyebrows in confusion with momoko's words. what's happening here?

"i've said it many times before, and i'll say it again and again until it gets into your thick head," she began. "riki. doesn't. like you. who would, honestly? you're boring, you have nothing to talk about, i bet he didn't even know of your existence before, so what made him befriend you over me? i'm so much better, don't you agree?"

she chuckled towards the end of her sentence and turned to face her friends briefly before focusing back on suzuki. my blood boiled while hearing her words—she was talking like this to suzuki all this time? and suzuki didn't even tell me.. it made sense that she was crying that day.. why she asked me if she was boring...

but why didn't she tell me? i could've done something about it..

"suzuki," momoko started again. "i think you understand it a bit by now that he's friends with you because he's nice. i doubt he actually sees something in you, because all i see is that you're a nobody—"

at this point, i couldn't stand to hear suzuki being talked to like this so i had to take action. i stormed into the room with a rather flat expression on my face, but one could tell that i was angry. momoko had a look of surprise and fear fleet over her eyes before she acted all sweet and innocent. i rolled my eyes and pulled suzuki next to me. she looked up at me while i had my eyes on momoko.

"nishimura, i'm—"

"no, hatanaka. i heard everything," i silenced her. "i would like to address a few things."

momoko fell miserably quiet.

"first, how can you speak in such a way to suzuki? has she done anything to you?"

momoko looked away and i felt suzuki tug at my sleeve telling me to stop. i don't want to and i don't think i will anytime soon.

"i feel.. i feel stupid that i didn't know you were talking to her like this," i continued. "and i feel even more stupid that i didn't think you were saying anything to her at all."

suzuki tried to go, but i grabbed her wrist and pulled her back next to me.

"and second, i'm not friends with suzuki just because i'm nice. yes, i did think of befriending her so she doesn't be lonely, but as time passed i found she was a very fun person and she indeed has things to talk about."

i paused as i saw momoko lower her eyes as she shifted her weight on her legs. i sighed soundlessly and continued.

"i'm not friends with suzuki out of pity, but i just didn't want her lonely," i said. "i can't stand it when she's talked of like this, especially not by you. i'm telling you right here to stop bothering her. i don't know how long this has been going on, but it ends here, today and now."

i heard momoko sniff and nod with her head low. i gently pushed suzuki behind me and took two steps to stand right in front of momoko. i held her chin and lifted her head so she could face me, and i saw her wide eyes were glassy.

"and thirdly, you're not better than her. she's not the same as you. it's not the same with you."

and with that, i took suzuki's hand and pulled her out of the classroom.