I’ve Been Reincarnated as the Childhood Friend of a Doomed Heroine. Since I Don’t Want to Get Caught up in Her Bad Ending, I’ll Make Sure She Ends up Happy
Cleaning time that day.
I immediately brought up the matter with Yukimi, who was working inside the art room.
And then.
“Huh. You refuse my request, but expect me to obey you?”
“Ah—”
Right off the bat, I sensed this was hopeless.
Because Yukimi had an incredibly bewitching and alluring expression.
Or to put it another way, her eyes were filled with a murderous intent.
Either way, Yukimi with this expression was hopeless.
She even had her fist clenched, giving off a violent vibe.
“Uh, that is… I take it back. I’m sorry.”
“No, I’ll go along with it.”
“Huh?”
“Why the surprised look? You’re the one who brought it up, aren’t you?”
“Well, yes, but…”
I wanted to ask what that left fist was for, but I was too scared of getting punched to say it.
Yukimi is the type of young lady with serious combat skills, so this is no joke.
“Are you really okay with this?”
“Yes. I said I’d gladly agree.”
“Um, that might not mean the same thing as the ‘gladly agree’ I know.”
“It’s an agreement made while suppressing my displeasure.”
“Ah, yeah, that’s definitely not what I meant.”
Seeing me shake my head, Yukimi finally smiled.
Seemed like she was just teasing.
Until a few days ago, we were glaring at each other daily, so I’m still not used to this kind of reaction.
It felt like she’d opened up a little, though whether that was a good thing or not…
Just then, Kisa, who’d been watching our exchange, started trembling.
“Seriously… you’re such a womanizer…”
Whatever she saw in that moment earned me a pretty harsh judgment.
But I couldn’t say I didn’t understand why she’d think that.
The sight of an impregnable, iron-walled young lady chatting and laughing with a mob character must have been quite bizarre.
Though, to be fair, it wasn’t so much impregnable as no one ever tried to make a move.
If anything, our current exchange wasn’t conversation but a standoff of forced smiles.
It was practically a cold war.
While sweeping with the broom, I said to Yukimi.
“Seriously, senpai, you’re in the way.”
“Huh?”
“I’m cleaning, so could you please stay in the back room? I can’t gather the trash.”
She’s boldly occupying my work desk, which is incredibly annoying.
The broom can’t even get through, and it’s just plain bothersome.
“…You, your attitude towards your senior is still lacking, isn’t it?”
“Whatever. Just move.”
“…I’ll remember this later.”
I don’t know when “later” means, but it seems I’ve upset her again.
But it’s in the way, so what can you do.
Besides, I’m starting to like him a bit too much.
Time to act like an annoying junior and get him to dislike me properly.
Given Yukimi’s meticulousness and pride, an annoying junior is a landmine.
I’ll break that friendship flag appropriately.
“Come on, come on. If you don’t hurry, I’ll tidy up everything about you too, you know?”
“Go ahead and try if you can.”
“……”
But for some reason, Yukimi stood up and motioned me forward with her chin.
Huh? What is this?
What kind of situation is this?
The development was so baffling I tapped my senior gently with the broom while feeling flustered.
I cleaned her up just as she wished.
Then, the very next moment—
“Who told you to poke me with a broom?!”
“――Ugh!”
The left fist that had been clenched moments ago landed perfectly on my solar plexus.
I doubled over in agony.
Yukimi looked down at me, snorted, and disappeared into the back.
…Seriously, what the hell? Really.
She told me to do it, so why did she hit me?
I desperately suppressed the rising stomach acid.
Just then, Kisa’s mutterings reached my ears again.
“They’re not even hiding it anymore, just openly flirting. Oh no. Gotta report this to Shinorin.”
“…Haa, haa. Just that, please stop…”
Listening to Kisa’s off-the-mark words, delivered with apparent admiration, I shed tears.
◇
After cleaning was done, I went out to buy supplies.
No, that’s not right.
I was sent out.
The one who ordered me was, of course, Yukimi.
“We’re out of supplies, so please go buy some.”
That was the message.
I’m not supposed to be her errand boy or anything, but refusing would make things awkward later, so I had no choice but to comply.
Plus, with what happened earlier at the study session, I felt guilty, which is why I’m here now.
What I was made to buy wasn’t art supplies or anything like that, but for some reason, sweets.
According to Yukimi, sugar is absolutely essential for creativity.
Holding a plastic bag stuffed with tons of sweets, I made my way back to school.
When I returned to the art room, Yukimi was back at work.
Right now, she was lightly sketching lines in pencil on what looked like small drawing paper.
“I’m back.”
“That was quick.”
“Well, the supermarket’s right there. More importantly, what are you drawing?”
“A rough sketch. If I don’t capture an image when it comes to me, I forget it right away.”
“I see.”
Come to think of it, this person was actually incredibly talented at art.
I’d been completely distracted by her eroge impressions and fiery temper, but I remembered she was a well-known senior in that field.
Even just the rough lines conveyed such energy, and it was somehow moving.
I have no interest in art pieces, and the only pictures I like are 2D cute girls, but seeing this up close, it was genuinely good stuff.
As I stood there blankly admiring them, Yukimi sighed.
“Anyway, what was this about? You wanted me to help you study for the midterms?”
“Ah, right. Everyone knows you’re smart, so I was hoping you could lend a hand.”
“Why don’t you teach them yourself? I thought your grades were pretty good.”
“Even if that’s true, I can’t handle four people.”
Shinori is fine, but Kisa, Akito, and Ujiya are just plain bad students.
I can’t handle them all by myself.
It was an excuse to call Yukimi over, but honestly, I didn’t want to deal with those guys alone either.
“If you don’t mind me doing it, I’m fine with it. …But don’t say I didn’t warn you if you regret it later.”
“No, no, not at all! I wouldn’t regret getting taught by a senior like you!”
“…It’s that insincere part that really gets on my nerves.”
I tried buttering her up with a smile, but she brushed me off, clearly annoyed.
Since she’s not a pushover, the flattery tactic failed.
It worked in terms of adjusting her impression of me, but somehow I felt defeated.
Just as we were talking, Yukimi stood up and beckoned us over.
“Let’s talk over here for a bit.”
“…Is it okay to come inside?”
“Please do.”
The back of the art room.
For the first time, I was led into the private room behind the door, and my heart skipped a beat.
I hadn’t even been allowed in during cleaning time before, so I felt a little thrill.
My excitement building at this unknown world, I followed Yukimi’s back.
Inside, it was a completely different world with an entirely different atmosphere.
“Wow…”
The first thing that caught my eye was a large canvas.
Vibrant paints were applied to it, creating a captivating painting that instantly drew you in.
Surrounding it were workbenches, along with a slightly unexpected PC and monitor.
Lining the outer perimeter of the room were bookshelves, stocked with a wide range of books, from textbooks to art collections.
I had imagined a storage-like space, but this was the complete opposite.
It was the kind of space that immediately made me think of the word “atelier.”
But then, my keen eye quickly noticed something unnatural about the room.
Hangers laden with piles of loungewear.
A desk cluttered with cosmetics and supplements.
Magazines scattered on the floor, along with exam prep materials completely unrelated to painting.
Looking closer, it was clearly been taken over as personal space.
“Senpai… are you bad at tidying up?”
“Y-You don’t need to look at unnecessary things, right?”
“Well, since we’re technically in school, personalizing it like this…”
Well, it is a private school, and she’s a young lady from the Shichikajo family, so maybe the school tolerates it.
Still, I couldn’t help but give her a disapproving look.
Then, for some reason, Yukimi locked the door.
“Huh? Why’d you lock it?”
I asked, sensing danger.
As if answering me, Yukimi slowly approached me inside the room.
“Because I want to prevent information leaking out.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Just continuing what we discussed the other day.”
She didn’t elaborate, but I understood whether I wanted to or not.
It was about revenge against the guys who attacked Yukimi.
I’d refused last time, but since she’d unilaterally made me accept her demands regarding the study group, I couldn’t back out now.
Resigned, I had no choice but to stay put.
Maiban