Iโve Been Reincarnated as the Childhood Friend of a Doomed Heroine. Since I Donโt Want to Get Caught up in Her Bad Ending, Iโll Make Sure She Ends up Happy
โHey, Hanesaki, are you serious about Toyono?โ
As Shinori sent Kyota a heated stare from inside her cup, Ujiya chimed in with a wry smile.
They were currently split into three pairs of six people riding on coffee cups, and Shinori was supposed to be riding with Ujiya.
Even though they’d been divided by rock-paper-scissors, Shinori was unhappy.
But Ujiya’s words made her snap to attention.
โTh-that’s not it at all!โ
โNah, you’re glaring at Hiiragi like you’re jealous.โ
โI told you, it’s not like that! I wasn’t looking at Hiiragi-san or anything!โ
โOh, so it really is Toyono then?โ
โโฆI just don’t really understand what that person is thinking.โ
Shinori firmly denied any feelings for Kyota and answered thus.
Ujiya laughed at her response.
โSomehow, that lament sounds like something I’ve heard from his mouth too.โ
โHuh!? What do you mean, details?!โ
“You’re really biting. But well, I’ll keep it to myself. All I can tell you is that he’s thinking about Hanesaki-san too.”
โโฆWhat does that even mean?โ
While everyone else spun around happily, only Shinori and Ujiya’s cup remained stationary, their conversation becoming a gathering spot.
It was an odd sight.
โBut isn’t he just always trying to get Hanesaki-san and Akito together?โ
โThat’s what I don’t get.โ
Shinori noticed it too.
Or rather, she’d been told it countless times by the person himself.
That she’d be happier dating Akito, and so on.
It had been stuck in her chest, causing this lingering unease.
Hearing this, Ujiya scratched the back of his head with a wry smile.
โHe genuinely believes Hanesaki-san and Akito are a good match. Probably without overthinking itโit’s pure goodwill. You know, just wishing them happiness.โ
โโฆWishing happiness, huh?โ
Just last week, he’d said those exact words to her while walking home together.
But Shinori herself hadn’t quite grasped the meaning back then.
Because in her heart, Kyota already meant more to her than Akitoโฆ
The thought made Shinori blush fiercely, and she shook her head.
She let her gaze wander, trying to look at the scenery outside, but it immediately drifted back to the cup she’d been staring at moments before.
There, grinning like a fool, was the face of that annoying womanizer nicknamed โToyo-chinโ.
โโฆHe’s drooling over another girl again.โ
โWell, he is a guy, after all.โ
โHe’s got no principles. He seems close with Hiiragi-san, of course, and with Shichikajo senpai too. Just now, he even called Kijima-san, who he met for the first time today, โAoiko-sanโ or something, using a nickname.โ
โAnd on top of that, he’s got his hands on Hanesaki-san too. Ugh, I can’t forgive him!โ
โYeah, yeahโฆ But I’m not like that, you know.โ
Shinori almost nodded, but immediately denied it.
She didn’t like the idea of being lumped in with Kyota’s many female friends.
Ujiya laughed heartily at Shinori, who was pouting.
โAh, this is explosive. Toyono really got himself into something big.โ
โWhat?โ
โThis is my business. Seriously, are you over Akito already? You two were pretty close before.โ
โโฆWe’re still on good terms now.โ
For Shinori, Akito was her only ray of light.
Days of being bullied, ignored by her peers.
Sure, Kisa had made small talk when Shinori approached her before, but she was one of only a handful who did.
The boys kept their distance too. She was lonely.
Amidst all that, only Akito faced her, acknowledged her existence.
That’s why she always found herself thinking about him.
But things changed.
When Kyota started getting involved, another light shone into Shinori’s world.
And it was a light she’d known since childhood.
What’s more, that light finally completely dispelled even her own darkness.
The major presence within Shinori had completely shifted.
Still, Shinori wondered.
โWhat am I to him?
Childhood friend? Female friend? Orโฆ
She pondered various possibilities, but none felt quite right.
Lately, they’d become close enough to interact at home, and they’d even gone out together on holidays.
Honestly, Shinori had put considerable effort into preparing for that date.
Kyota complimented her outfit, and she thought he’d said the words she’d wanted to hear.
But it didn’t resonate.
It felt hollow somehow.
Even though he was right beside her, for some reason, it didn’t feel like his heart was there.
It was the same when she jokingly called it a date.
Every time, he casually put up a wall and slipped away.
She could tell he was rooting for her and Akito, but it still didn’t quite sit right with her.
โโฆSomething’s been off for a while.โ
It wasn’t just since high school.
It had been strange since kindergarten.
He was quite precocious, so it was natural his view of the world differed from mine.
But was that really all there was to it?
โโSomeday, I want to see that person’s surprised face.
I want to see his true self.
Shinori had somehow come to feel that way.
โIf I really started dating Suga-kun, how would that person react?
Truthfully, Shinori knows that Akito was a good guy.
If asked whether she liked him or not, she liked him.
But if asked if she wanted to date him, she couldn’t help but tilt her head.
He was kind and helped her when she was in trouble, but when it came to a guy who could be there for her in a pinch, another face inevitably came to mind.
Shinori gazed at Kyota’s profile as he chatted happily with Kisa.
He looks so happy.
Watching them made her chest ache.
Maybe it was her daily routine, but her lower abdomen started throbbing uncontrollably.
She almost reached out to touch it, then remembered she was outside.
She lowered her head, trying not to let Ujiya see her flushed face.
โโI really am weird.
She’d always been aware of her strong sexual desire, but even so, it felt abnormal lately.
Shinori thought it must be because Kyota had stopped the bullying the other day.
And she also thought it was having a slightly strange effect on her mental state.
Honestly, maybe it would be better to distance herself from Kyota for a while and enjoy time with Akito like before.
โโฆIs it okay if I get close to other boys? I don’t care anymore.โ
Muttering under her breath, Shinori puffed out her cheeks.
Even if their distance had changed, he was still that unpredictable childhood friend.
Just then, a voice interrupted her thoughts.
โWell, I think you’d be better suited with Toyono, you know?โ
โTh-that’s not what I asked!โ
โYeah, yeah.โ
Just as Shinori was settling on a conclusion, it was brought up again, causing her tone to sharpen involuntarily.
But perhaps having learned how to handle Shinori, Ujitani laughed it off.
ใ
โโฆSeriously, guys are so non-deli.โ
Shinori’s face flushed bright red as she snapped.
Maiban