Loving the characters and dynamic. I'm curious to know what Fumihito and MC's relationship was like before cheating. Like was Fumihito getting bored of MC because they were basic in the relationship or was MC neglectful in a certain aspect of their relationship or is just a power move on Fumihito's part?
Hope you don't mind if I answer this with a short story to give you more info about MC's and Fumihito's past!
Trigger warnings: Verbal abuse, obsessive tendencies, Manipulation
Before you and Fumihito were even a couple, you were the best of friends. Meeting in kindergarten and growing up together, it would be expected that you knew everything about each other. Fumi wasn't always a raging sociopath, though. When you first met him, he was a shy boy who refused to leave your side because many of the kids in your class found him too gloomy to hang around. His perky persona was not the one he'd originally subscribed to.
It was only during your high school debut that he changed his tune.
You wanted to improve your image and become more social so that your last years of general education wouldn't feel like a total bust. Everything from your hair, clothing, and personality seemed to change over the span of a summer. And the results were astounding. Many people took notice of you, and in what seemed like a blink of an eye, your social life blossomed. New friends, extracurricular activities, and even potential love interests all seemed to come out of the woodwork.
That was something Fumihito couldn't handle. With your newfound lifestyle, it seemed as though it was a matter of time before you'd forget about your friendship. Fumi doesn't remember when he came to "love" you, but he recognized he was in love when you made this change.
I use the word love loosely here because Fumi mainly sees you as a thing to own. He's more like a bratty child whose favorite toy is being played with by others. He can't stand the fact that your time is being divided amongst people who aren't him. So, to keep up with your new lifestyle, he changed his own as well. His dark brown hair soon became bleached blonde. His clothing went from raggedy yet comfortable to chic and well-fitting. Even his once reserved tone of voice took on a cheeky yet comforting tone.
Thanks to his own change, he was able to work up the courage to go from best friends to lovers.
Before he became a scumbag boyfriend, he was one of the kindest men you'd had in your life. He'd wait for you after school let out and walk you to your next destination. He'd even have dates planned for every day that he could. In fact, the only reason he'd actually leave you alone was if you told him you had something private planned with your parents (and even then he'd find a way to join you).
Toward the end of high school, you were beginning to be fed up with the constant hounding. The only reason you hadn't broken up was because your friends were so intertwined with Fumi's. A breakup would just lead to unnecessary high school drama.
The first time Fumi purposefully and knowingly manipulated you was when you received a letter from your first-choice college giving you a rejection. When you read the letter, Fumi was in your room with you, watching intently as your face dropped and your eyes began to water.
As you cried into his arms, he couldn't help but feel some semblance of victory. For the first time in a while, he felt as though the two of you were in your own little world. With you relying heavily on him to make you feel better, he got to have your undivided attention through your own actions. For weeks you stayed by his side and talked less to the friends you'd made so far. Too overwhelmed and sad for extensive social interaction.
At this point, he'd gotten it into his head that the best way to keep you by his side was to destroy your self-worth. Even after you got out of your funk, Fumihito was there to break you back down again. Your college life was less than fun with him there to make you miserable at every turn.
"Your grades aren't looking too good. Are you sure you can handle those scholarship requirements?"
"Wow, she's pretty. Don't you wish you had that kind of face?"
"Have you seen your parents' social media posts? They look like they're having the time of their lives now that the nest is empty!"
"You're going to the party wearing that? Babe, I say this because I love you, but do you think that outfit is right for you?"
Your mental health took a turn as well as your social life. Only one of your friends really stuck around (she wasn't frightened off by Fumi), but that didn't do much to motivate you to leave Fumihito's side. You noticed early on that staying by his side resulted in less negging from his end.
At a certain point, it would be obvious that leaving the relationship would be your best bet. But the thought of leaving Fumi left your stomach in knots. Especially since you'd known him for so long. The kind shy boy you once knew was gone, but the hope that he'd revert to how he once was is too great. So you took his abuse. You dealt with walking on eggshells around him. You dealt with his incessant digs at you as a person. You dealt with the stranger who you once thought was the best person in the world.
Though you could keep sane with this lifestyle for only so long. When a friend of yours asked if you'd be down to meet up for a simple night in at their place, you all but jumped at the idea of interacting with someone other than your boyfriend. Your friend even placated some of your worries by explaining that this was just quality time. Fumihito shouldn't be annoyed with you doing this. After all, you'd been putting up with his demands and he should at least show you some leniency with this.
You expected the dozens of calls and messages that flooded your phone. Even going as far as to reassure him in the beginning that you'd be home right after.
"No, you need to be home when I get there. I swear to God, you do not want to test me. You have no clue what your friend could be doing. She's trying to separate us. She's been painting me like the bad guy since the beginning. Do you really want to be around someone who talks trash about your boyfriend?"
There's a chance one more push would have gotten you to get off the bus you were on. And there was one more push. Just in the opposite direction.
"You can't follow simple directions, can you? I'm trying to prevent you from doing stupid shit, and here you are doing the opposite of what's best for you. If you're not home by the time I get back, there will be consequences."
Who was he to tell you who you could and could not hang out with? After all that he's done to you, you deserve a respite from him. After turning off your phone to block out his possessiveness, you made your way to your friend's apartment.
It was a nice night, too. Filled with venting your emotions, great snacks, and just getting to relax for the first time in a while. It was a great brain reset, allowing you to put up with Fumihito's behavior for just a little longer.
Well, you would have, had it not been for what you walked in on at your own apartment.
The days that passed after D-day were filled with nothing but rage and blocks of texts... both coming from Fumi's end.
"I warned you there'd be consequences."
"I needed you here and you weren't."
"You can't blame me for this."
"When are you coming home?"
"Let's forgive each other and move on."
"She means nothing to me."
"Please stop acting like a bitch so we can talk."
"I swear things will be better."
"Get your ass back here."
