Mob Character Reincarnation Loner: As a Result of Supporting the Heroine Who Had Been Rejected, I Ended up Being the Recipient of Her Heavy Emotions…
My first task as class president wasn’t just carrying papers.
After going to the staff room with Nanase, I watered the flower beds, took care of the chickens we keep, and so on.
…I kinda feel like what I was doing went beyond the scope of a class president’s duties.
Looking out the window, it was dusk, and club activities would be ending soon.
“Mii-chan and Hoshino. Sending them home first was the right call, huh?”
“Yeah… took way longer than I thought.”
So, that meant Nanase and I would be going home together today…
…If that’s the case, maybe we should go to the shopping mall we promised to visit earlier today?
“Um, Bun-kun—”
“Nanase-san.”
“Huh? Oh, wh-what is it?”
“Do you have any plans after this—”
Huh? Wait, doesn’t this kinda sound like an invitation to a date?
“Huh? Um… I don’t really have anything planned?”
Nothing planned. Then it should be fine to ask her to the mall. So why this sudden nervousness…?
“……………………………”
“B-Bun-kun?”
G-Gather your courage. This dithering is the worst part!!
“Um… if you’re free, would you like to go to the mall together after this?”
“…Huh?”
“Ah, no, I mean… we made plans before, right? To go together. Since it’s just the two of us today, I thought maybe… Nanase-san?”
“……………….”
There was no one beside me, so I turned around and saw Nanase standing there, looking completely dumbfounded.
W-Wait, does Nanase not remember!?
Huh? What? Did we make that promise? This is awkward… Is she thinking something like, “But I’m not that kind of friend with Irie-kun…”?
“…You remembered.”
“Huh? O-Of course.”
“Hehe, I see! I see! Actually, I was going to ask you too!!”
“W-Well then, that’s good.”
“Now that’s settled, let’s get going!”
A wave of relief washed over me, and my tension melted away.
At least it didn’t turn into the worst-case scenario. No, seriously, I’m so glad she didn’t turn me down.
Nanase-san walked with a light step, humming to herself. She was in a better mood than I’d ever seen her. Did she really want to go to the shopping mall that badly?
“Ah, Bungaku! Hiyori!”
“Huh? It’s Tenma.”
Tenma, who noticed us, waved and came over.
His usual sparkling protagonist aura was dazzling as ever.
“It’s rare for you two to stay this late. Did something happen?”
“Working on class president stuff with Bun-kun… What about you, Tenma?”
“Student council work.”
“Oh, right. Tenma’s the student council president. I forgot.”
“Hey, don’t forget. I’m working pretty hard at this, you know.”
Sorry, I forgot that detail too.
“Are you guys heading home too?”
“Yeah. Since you’ve got your bag… are you heading home too, Tenma-kun?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m meeting up with Hana-chan right now—”
“Tenma-kun… Huh? Hiyori-chan! Bun-kun!”
The moment she spotted us, Hana flashed an angelically bright smile. She came trotting over toward us.
“Hana-chan~”
“Hiyori-chan!”
Nanase and Ichika happily high-fived each other, shouting “Yee!”
Yeah. Yeah. They seem to get along so well, it makes me happy too…
“Bungaku-kun!”
“Huh? Me too?”
“Of course!”
“…Um, y-yeah!”
When I clapped hands with her just like Nanase, Ichika smiled contentedly.
“Are you two heading home now?”
“…………Yeah. We were just about to leave school together.”
During that pause, I was thinking about telling Tenma and the others we were going to the mall.
Well, if I told these two I was going to the mall with me—it’d probably lead to some weird misunderstanding.
“Hey, how about it? Want to go hang out at the mall with us? We’ve never all gone out together like this before, right?”
“Sounds great! I’d love to go out with all four of us!”
I never expected an invitation from the main character and heroine couple.
Just a moment ago, I’d agreed to go with Nanase.
…Wait, maybe going out with all four of us isn’t so bad?
It’ll be four people, but we can still accomplish the goal of shopping at the mall. Plus, if it’s just the two of us, other students might see us and get the wrong idea…
[Want to come with us? Shopping… just the two of us.]
…………………………
“Sorry, you two. It’s a nice invitation, but actually, we’re going on… a date.”
“Wha-!?”
Nanase flips out at my statement.
Yeah, right. Saying “date” out of nowhere would get that reaction.
But saying this should make Ichika and Tenma back off smoothly… I think. Probably, maybe, definitely.
“!! Really!? Hiyori-chan!?”
“Eh, ah, u, uh… y-yeah, actually~”
“Ah, s-sorry… I said something I shouldn’t have, didn’t I?”
“No, no, not at all. Honestly, I was really happy you invited me, and I’d be happy if you invited me again.”
“Bungaku…”
Tenma and I bumped fists, deepening our friendship.
“Bungaku-kun!!”
“Y-yes!?”
“I!! I believed in you!”
What?
Ichika-san closed the distance excitedly. Why were her eyes shining so brightly?
“Ah… thank you…?”
“Come on, Tenma-kun, let’s go. We can’t keep bothering you two any longer!”
“Right! See ya! Hiyori! Bungaku!!”
“Yeah… bye bye.”
“B-bye bye~”
Well, the storm had passed, and once again, Nanase and I were alone.
“………………”
“………………”
And then came the silence.
Sorry. It’s my fault for saying something weird, right? Honestly, I knew this would happen.
Someone, please help me.
Anyway, I need to properly explain this to Nanase…
“So… it was a date, huh… Ahaha, I was kinda surprised.”
“Huh? No, that earlier was just a tactic to smoothly get the two to back off. This isn’t a date or anything, I mean, well…”
“…It’s not a date?”
“Ah, it is a date.”
Shit. Seeing Nanase’s lonely expression, I reflexively went with calling it a date.
Suddenly, Nanase flushed and held out her right hand.
Even I understood what that meant.
“…If it is a date, then I should at least do this much…”
“…Ah, yes.”
Steeling myself, I took Nanase’s hand.
My first real date… and with my favorite heroine, no less.
I might die tomorrow.