Episode 21 – pounding heart


I, Who Was Reincarnated as an Evil Character With Cheat-Level Stats in an Eroge, Will Live Freely in This Life


โ—Nanashima Kana (side)

โ€œDid I come too early?โ€

I had plans to hang out with Seito Senpai today, so I came to the meeting place.

I was so excited that I couldn’t sit still, and I ended up arriving more than 30 minutes before the meeting time.

Besides, today is the first time I’m going out with Senpai, so I might be a little nervous? I’m not sure myself, but I’m definitely excited.

โ€•โ€•After waiting for a few minutes, Senpai called out to me.

โ€œGood morning, Kana. You’re early.โ€

I quickly put away my smartphone and turned around.

It was the first time I had seen Senpai not wearing his uniform, but he looked really nice and it suited him well.

โ€œAh! Senpai!! You’re here. Good morning!!โ€

โ€œHow long have you been here? Did you wait long?โ€

โ€œNot at all. I just arrived about five minutes ago.โ€

โ€œOh, that’s good. Anyway, that outfit really suits you.โ€

Hearing that made me feel really happy.

I bought this outfit recently with Miku-nee and Saki-nee for when I hang out with Senpai, so I’m glad I chose it carefully.

โ€œReally?โ€

โ€œOf course. I’m not the type to flatter people.โ€

โ€œHeheโ€ฆ Thank you. I’m so happy. Actually, I just bought this outfit recently.โ€

โ€œIs that so? You have great taste.โ€

โ€œIt makes me feel so good to hear you say that! But Seito-senpai has great taste in clothes too. You look even more stylish than usual!โ€

โ€œThat makes me happy. Thank you.โ€

โ€œNo, I’m just telling the truth! Shall we go?โ€

โ€œYeah, let’s go.โ€

โ€”And so, Seito-senpai and I started walking.

โ€œBy the way, what do you usually do on your days off, Seito-senpai?โ€

I asked him something I had been wondering about.

โ€œBasically, I don’t really do anything.โ€

โ€œReally? That’s surprising.โ€

โ€œWell, I don’t have anyone to hang out with.โ€

“Then, if you don’t have anything to do on your days off, it’s okay for me to invite you out, right? “

I had already planned to do so, but if that’s the case, I can invite him without hesitation.

โ€œOf course, that’s fine. I wouldn’t be unhappy to be invited.โ€

โ€œI understand. Then I’ll invite you often from now on.โ€

โ€œAh, thank you.โ€

โ€œBy the way, Senpai?โ€

โ€œWhat is it?โ€

โ€œDid something happen with Miku-nee?โ€

When I asked him that, Senpai tilted his head slightly and said,

โ€œWhat do you mean?โ€

โ€œNo, it’s just that when I’m with Miku-nee, I sometimes talk about Senpai, and when I praised Senpai, she agreed, which surprised meโ€ฆ Saki-nee was there too, and I think she was surprised too.โ€

โ€œShe also praises people sometimes, so it’s not that strange, is it?โ€

Seito-senpai said that, but I’ve never actually seen such a scene.

She hardly ever praise my brother-in-law either.

Well, in my brother-in-law’s case, he’s often reprimanded, but anyway, it’s really rare for Miku-nee to acknowledge a man.

โ€œOf course, but she never compliments boysโ€ฆ I don’t know why, but Miku-nee doesn’t like boys, or rather, she doesn’t try to get along with them. Since Miku-nee seemed to acknowledge senpai so much, I was a little curious.โ€

โ€œI wonder. If you’re curious, why don’t you ask her?โ€

โ€œHmm, that’s true. Besides, if Miku-nee acknowledges senpai, that’s good news for me too, so there’s no need to worry about it. Oh! Right, there’s one more thing I wanted to ask. senpai has been at the top of his class since middle school, right?โ€

โ€œTo be precise, it’s not overall grades, but final exam scores that are at the top.โ€

Miku-nee also said that, but senpai is really amazingโ€ฆ Maybe that’s one of the reasons Miku-nee recognizes him?

โ€œExactly! Miku-nee has been saying that all along. She couldn’t get used to it.โ€

โ€œThat’s news to me.โ€

โ€œMiku-nee is surprisingly competitive, so she was pretty concerned about that.โ€

โ€œI see.โ€

โ€œYes. So, why is senpai so smart?โ€

โ€œSmartโ€ฆ Well, I study hard even though I don’t look like it.โ€

โ€œSo senpai does study!โ€

“Of course. But as I said before, I had to live on my own, so I studied hard by myself from a young age, and I just know more than people my age. So I don’t think I’m doing anything special.”

โ€œOh, I seeโ€ฆ I’m sorry for bringing up such a strange topicโ€ฆโ€

Personally, I just wanted to know more about Senpai, but as a result, I ended up reminding him of his past, and I felt sorry about that.

Then Senpai said to me,

โ€œIt’s okay. I’ve already moved on from the past, so even if I remember it now, it doesn’t bother me. Besides, I want to focus on the future rather than the past. Of course, I also want to cherish the time I spend with Kana.โ€

โ€œWith meโ€ฆ?โ€

โ€œOf course! As I said before, Kana is the only person I can truly call my friend, and I enjoy talking with her because it makes me feel comfortable.โ€

ใ€€Hearing that, I felt my heart warm up.

I’ve never been told that someone wants to cherish the time they spend with me before, so I’m really happy.

โ€œYou like being with meโ€ฆ Is that true? Are you serious? You’re not lying, right?โ€

โ€œIt’s true.โ€

โ€œHeheheโ€ฆ I see. Seito-senpai likes being with meโ€ฆ That makes me so happy!โ€

โ€œIs that so?โ€

โ€œYes! And when I’m with you, I feel so happy, and I love the time we spend together and talking!โ€

โ€œI seeโ€ฆ Well, hearing you say that does make me feel happy.โ€

โ€œRight! Then let’s have a great time today!โ€

โ€œYeah.โ€

I don’t know why being with Senpai makes my heart feel warm, but I’m just so happy to know that Senpai and I feel the same way.

โ—‡

Senpai and I played a lot of games and then took a break.

โ€œโ€ฆI’m sorry.โ€

โ€œDon’t apologize. It’s embarrassingโ€ฆโ€

I feel complicated.

I came here today with the intention of teaching him various things, but Senpai was much better at games than I was.

I felt really embarrassed about saying things like, โ€œI’ll teach you!โ€ and โ€œDon’t be discouraged even if you lose!โ€ with such confidence.

I thought today was going to be my day to show offโ€ฆ

As I was thinking about this, Senpai said,

โ€œBy the way, thank you for today, Kana.โ€

โ€œSeito-senpai, what’s wrong all of a sudden?โ€

I was surprised when he suddenly thanked me, so I asked him that.

โ€œNo, I’m just glad you invited me. It was a lot of fun, and I’ve never played with friends like this before, so I’m really glad I came.โ€

I was very happy to hear that, but I also had other feelings.

It’s really nice that he said he had fun, but today was just too embarrassingโ€ฆ

โ€œBut I was pretty lame today, wasn’t Iโ€ฆ I was so cocky at firstโ€ฆ I didn’t even know Hoshito-senpai was so good at gamesโ€ฆโ€

“You weren’t lame at all. Wellโ€ฆ I can’t really put it into words, but I thought that was cute too. I can honestly say that I’m really glad I came here with Kana.”

At that moment, I felt my body temperature rise suddenly and looked down.

I never expected to be told that today’s me was cute instead of embarrassing, so I felt embarrassed in a different way than before. It felt like I had been caught off guard.

But whyโ€ฆ I’ve been told I’m cute before, but when Seito-senpai says it, it makes my heart race.

โ€œC-cuteโ€ฆโ€

โ€œAh. It was nice to see a different side of you.โ€

โ€œOh, I seeโ€ฆ Maybe that’s a good thingโ€ฆโ€

โ€œThat’s right, Kana. Here, take this.โ€

As I said that, blushing, Seito-senpai spoke, so I slowly looked up.

And there it wasโ€”the prize from the crane game I had tried to win earlier but failed.

โ€œI thought you had something in your hand, but is thisโ€ฆโ€

โ€œYou looked like you wanted it, and I thought you should take it home. It’s also a thank you for today.โ€

โ€œIs that okay?โ€

โ€œI got it for that reason, so of course it’s okay.โ€

I gently took the stuffed animal and held it tightly.

I was really happy that Seito-senpai had gotten it for me.

Since earlier, my feelings had been unstable, and I felt happy, embarrassed, and nervous. I had all kinds of emotions, but one thing was clear. I really liked being with Seito-senpai.

Realizing this, I looked up and said with a smile,

โ€œThank you so much, senpai! I’m so happy! I’ll treasure it forever!!โ€

โ€œI’m glad you like it. Oh, by the way, are you thirsty? Kana was shouting the whole time.โ€

โ€œYeah, I might be a little thirsty!โ€

โ€œThen I’ll go buy something from the vending machine we saw earlier. What would you like?โ€

โ€œThank you! Then I’ll have orange juice, please.โ€

โ€œGot it. I’ll go get it then.โ€

โ€œOkay!โ€

senpai said that and headed toward the vending machine.

senpai is really kind. I can tell he’s always looking out for me, and what’s more, he does it so naturally and effortlessly.

I guess I’m justโ€ฆ

As I was thinking about that, someone spoke to me.

โ€œHey, what are you doing here alone?โ€

I understood intuitively.

This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.

โ€œNo, I’m not alone, so don’t worry. The person I came with will be here soon.โ€

โ€œOh, really? Then why don’t we talk until he come? It must be lonely being alone, right?โ€

โ€œIt’s not necessary. Could you please leave me alone? It’s bothering me.โ€

I had been feeling nervous thinking about Senpai earlier, but being interrupted made me feel a little annoyed.

โ€œYou’re alone after all. Let’s play together then.โ€

I only said I wanted to be alone, not that I came aloneโ€ฆ

At that moment, I was hoping he would come back soonโ€ฆ When I looked in the direction where senpai had left, I saw him coming back at just the right time.

โ€œAh! Seito-senpai, welcome back!โ€

I hugged Seito-senpai’s arm and said that.

I felt a little embarrassed because of what had happened earlier, but I thought that if I did this, he would go away.

Seito-senpai looked at my face, then at the man, and then back at me again. He smiled and hugged me, saying,

โ€œI’m back, Kana.โ€

โ€ฆAt that moment, I had completely forgotten about the man from earlier.

That’s because Seito-senpai’s voice was coming from right next to my ear as he hugged me.

Not only was I being hugged, but hearing him say โ€œI’m backโ€ so close to my ear made my heart race like never before.

No matter how hard I tried to calm down, Senpai’s smile from earlier wouldn’t leave my mind.

The more I thought about it, the more my heart raced.

What should I doโ€ฆ Does senpai know?

โ€œKana?โ€

At that moment, Senpai’s voice reached my ears, and I hurriedly stepped back and said,

โ€œI’m fine! I’m sorry. I’ll just go to the restroom for a moment!โ€

โ€œAh, yeahโ€ฆโ€

I just wanted to be alone for a moment to calm downโ€ฆ or rather, I didn’t feel like I could talk properly. Thinking that, I hurriedly fled to the restroom.


Maiban


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