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
Somewhere deep down, I’d been mistaken.
Even as the fear of death closed in, I’d believed it was something that only assailed me when I was caught up with Shinori, that doomed heroine.
Even when I got involved with Yukimi’s situation, it still felt like someone else’s problem.
Because I thought Shinori alone held the power over my life and death.
In other words, I was convinced that as long as she lived, my own life was assured.
It had been a while since I ran out of the convenience store parking lot.
Even holding my arm, I managed to shake them off quickly.
My athletic ability had been decent since my rebirth, and my speed finally proved useful here.
Confirming no pursuers remained, I finally slowed my pace.
I was already out of breath.
โHaaah, haaahโฆ Seriously, I’m caught up in a crime that’s no laughing matterโฆ?โ
I muttered to no one in particular, but the situation was far from funny, so I couldn’t even manage a laugh.
Maybe it’s because it’s a game world, but things have gotten completely out of hand.
Who could possibly predict this kind of thing happening to someone living a normal life?
Walking, I took off my blazer to check the wound.
My arm had been cleanly sliced, blood flowing freely.
Fortunately, the cut didn’t seem deep, but it still hurt like hell.
I roughly staunched the bleeding with the handkerchief from my breast pocket, though washing and disinfecting it should have come first.
My legs felt like lead as I kept walking.
First, I needed to get my thoughts in order.
Today, Hayase took me to the convenience store, but that was almost certainly a trap.
There’s no doubt her goal from the start was to restrain me.
She lowered my guard with that apology to Shinori, then led me to the crime scene.
After that, she and Ami attacked me just enough to take me out of commission.
It all felt like a calculated scheme.
And then there’s Hayase’s troubling statement.
She said she didn’t intend to kill me.
I think I heard something about taking me hostage to recover the study abroad funds lost because of her brother, or something like that.
That connects to Yukimi’s words.
‘Right now, the second man we’ve been letting swim is showing suspicious movements. If we’re going to move, it has to be now. Plus, it seems his younger sibling attends this school, so we already have a foothold.’
It had been bothering me the whole time.
Who exactly was this sibling of the culprit?
Personally, I’d been leaning towards someone else, but judging from today’s conversation, the culprit’s sister is probably Hayase.
If the equation holds that the university student currently active = Hayase’s brother, then the truth becomes clear.
Hayase had mentioned wanting to study abroad, which of course requires money.
However, when her brother was forced to transfer schools due to the Shichikajo family’s sanctions, various expenses arose.
It’s possible they’re also demanding compensation for emotional distress, though I haven’t heard about that.
If so, the money being cut to make up for it would be Hayase’s study abroad funds.
I’d heard rumors before about her working part-time or something like that.
Considering all this was to recover the lost study abroad money, it all makes sense.
It was around this time that Hayase learned I’d been sneaking around lately.
Unlike Yukimi, I had plenty of vulnerabilities, and above all, I was personally resented by Ami and the others.
Their interests aligned, and Ami’s group and Hayase decided to conspire.
Their goal was to capture me, probably intending to demand ransom from Yukimi afterward.
I doubt that woman would spend money on someone like me, and besides, provoking Yukimi any further when she’s already on the edge of revenge modeโฆ but Hayase and the others wouldn’t know that.
They probably misunderstood our relationship based on rumors about how close Yukimi and I supposedly were.
Whatever the details, that’s how today’s incident happened.
โโThat’s about the gist of it.
โPhewwโฆโ
Weary from walking, I slumped down on the roadside.
Moving for long stretches while injured really takes it out of you.
Going home is probably out of the question.
Given Hayase approached me at that exact moment, it’s safe to assume my address is compromised.
Returning to a place where they’ve already set up an ambush would be like jumping into a fire.
Reporting it to the police is also out.
Two reasons.
First, it might bring up that video incident again.
Regardless of how despicable my actions were, the fact remains I used evil means to exact private retribution.
You might think, โAt this point, who has time for such leisurely concerns?โ But if I could avoid making a big deal out of it, I would.
If it caused trouble for Shinori, everything would be for nothing.
Second, going to the police could bring harm to Yukimi and the Shichikajo family.
If they get targeted because of me, it wouldn’t be surprising if I were silenced by being eliminated.
And this is already a case where someone died.
What would happen if someone like me brought to light a case that family is handling in absolute secrecyโฆ?
Oh, just thinking about it sends a chill down my spine.
And most likely, my thought process is being read by the other side right now.
They must know I won’t go to the police.
They were sharp enough to notice my video mistake, so they should also anticipate me avoiding going to the police.
But anyway.
Letting me escape like this must be an unexpected turn for them too.
They probably didn’t plan for what I’d do if I consulted Yukimi about this.
They intended to restrain me with a group assault, yet they only committed assault and let me get away? Utterly foolish.
But then again, they’re the type to bully people, so sloppy execution is to be expected.
They probably underestimated me, thinking I was just some mob character, an otaku nerd.
This time, it’s a victory for my human performance.
Sorry, guys, I can play sports because I retained my athletic knowledge from my past life.
Sorry for using a cheat, heh heh heh.
Hehโฆ
โHaaโฆโ
I returned to reality and let out a sigh.
I’ve always thought it, but this world is way too hard mode.
This is what happens when I advance events instead of Akito.
This kind of development definitely wasn’t in the original โSakuchiruโ story.
I doubt they ever imagined I’d get caught just by asking people around me, โHey, have you heard the rumors about Shichikajo-senpai?โ
And for those guys to be involved behind the scenes tooโฆ
You can’t counter what you don’t know.
No, waitโmaybe it’s the opposite.
Because I know too much, I can’t see what lies beyond my field of vision.
Maybe I took the โSakuchiruโ scenario at face value and got too complacent.
I jumped to the conclusion that the scenario I knew was the whole picture.
Even as I’m constantly diverging from the script in real time, I’m living in a fantasy worldโwhat a naive brain I have.
After all this analysis, Ami and Hayase’s involvement is still largely unclear, mostly just my guesses.
Maybe letting me slip away and running free is part of their plan.
The only thing I can confidently state is that Hayase’s brother was involved in Yukimi’s assault case.
I rise again.
Staggering, my feet heavy, I trudge down the road.
Walking aimlessly too far, I’m now in an unfamiliar place.
This area isn’t my neighborhood, and with no shops, it’s an unknown residential district.
Then, something suddenly catches my attention.
I look around, tilting my head.
โThat’s weird. I swear I’ve seen this road somewhere before?โ
I knew it was a strange feeling to have about a road I’d never walked before.
But I was certain I knew this road.
It felt like I’d seen it countless times before.
And then, the answer came immediately.
โHey, Kyota? What are you doing here?โ
โAhโso that’s it.โ
Hearing the voice from behind, I understood.
Right.
Of course I should know it.
Of course I’d seen it countless times.
Because this place wasโ.
โโฆJust like the original story, huh?โ
It had to be the house of Suga Akito, the protagonist of ใIn the Season When Cherry Blossoms Fallใ.
The scenery matched the background images I’d seen countless times in my past life, and it finally clicked.
As I muttered while turning around, Akito looked surprised but quickly smiled.
“What a surprise to run into you here. Did you need something?”
โNot reallyโฆ No, that’s not it. This is actually perfect timing. Akito, I have a favor to ask.โ
โWhat is it?โ
โCould you let me stay over tonight?โ
At the abrupt request, Akito blinked even wider.
Looking closer, I saw Aoiko beside him, staring at me with equal surprise.
Then.
โTomorrow’s Saturday, so it’ll be a long night. Are you sure?โ
โYeah, I’ve got tons of stuff I want to talk to you about too.โ
โWell then, it works out perfectly.โ
I felt a deep sense of relief that Akito had agreed so readily.
Finally, here at last, this guy had saved me.
โHuh? Hey, Toyono-kun!? What happened to your arm!?โ
โAh, I’ll tell you about that later.โ
โNo, no, no, no! That’s impossible, right!?โ
Amidst Aoiko’s noisy barrage of questions, I followed Akito’s retreating back.
And so, this mob character, me, was saved from certain doom by the protagonist.
Maiban