I, Who Was Reincarnated as an Evil Character With Cheat-Level Stats in an Eroge, Will Live Freely in This Life
“Alright! We passed them!!”
“We’re just getting started from here!!”
It was PE class now.
Since the regular PE teacher was absent today, a substitute teacher was supervising. The gym court was being used by both boys and girls, split evenly, and they were given free time together.
Participation was optional, but the boys, mainly sports club members, were hyped up playing basketball. The boys who weren’t into sports gathered in a corner of the gym, chatting with friends. Nanashima and Setomiya were laughing and talking on the stage. I’d overheard them talking recently about some game they were hooked on, so they were probably talking about that again.
Well, even as I say that, I’m just leaning against the wall near the net stretched across the center of the gym, watching from the sidelines, separated from the chatting group.
It’s optional anyway, so I don’t really need to join in. Even though I’m not scared of them anymore these days, I don’t exactly have friends there, and I figured everyone else would enjoy it more that way.
The girls are split the same way—some moving around, others sitting and chatting. The ones moving seem to be playing badminton together.
By the way, Miku and Saki are in the latter group.
Thinking that, I sat down where I was.
“Fuwaaa…”
Haa… Maybe I’m a little sleep-deprived?
It’s currently fifth period, but I’m feeling a bit sleepy.
True, I didn’t go to bed until after midnight last night, so my sleep time was considerably shorter than usual.
What I was doing? Well, while helping Kana study a bit, I thought making some materials might make things easier for her later, so I put some together. I say “materials,” but it wasn’t anything super thorough—just simple stuff I could whip up quickly.
Even so, I still wanted to do my early morning run every day unless something major came up, so I got up early.
Thinking back since my rebirth, I haven’t skipped it except for the day Kana stayed over at my place.
“Kisaragi-kun? Are you sleepy?”
Just as I was thinking that, I suddenly heard her voice through the net.
“Just a little. But why are you here, Hiiragi? Weren’t you playing badminton just now?”
When I asked that, Saki glanced at the court and replied, looking a bit awkward.
“Someone came to take my place. I just couldn’t keep up with Miku-chan.”
I caught a glimpse earlier, and honestly… well, to be blunt, Saki couldn’t even properly hit the shuttlecock with her racket. It probably wouldn’t have mattered who she was playing against.
Well, I knew she was clumsy at sports, so it wasn’t a surprise.
Then, looking over at Miku, she was playing badminton with someone from the sports club.
“I see.”
“Yeah. More importantly, it’s rare for you to be sleep-deprived, Kisaragi-kun. Is something wrong?”
“I was preparing some stuff that might help Kana study, so I ended up staying up a bit late. I even dozed off a few times during morning class and got scolded by Miku sitting next to me.”
“I-I see. You were working hard for Kana-chan’s sake… Um, so, is it okay if I ask about this?”
“What is it?”
When I asked that, Saki tentatively opened her mouth.
“W-well, Miku-chan too, but… did you two start calling each other by your first names?”
“About that… it was just recently… actually, yesterday when we were talking, that’s when it happened.”
“I-I see…”
“About that… if it’s okay with you, Hiiragi, I was thinking I’d like to call you by your first name too…”
I’d planned to talk about this when Saki and I were alone, but timing-wise, now seemed good, so I said it.
But I feel a little embarrassed… Even though I’m the only one listening to the conversation, all our classmates are here right now.
I was thinking things like that, but even Nanashima and the others were so engrossed in their own conversation they hadn’t noticed us talking, so no one was paying attention anyway.
Miku was playing badminton too.
“Eh, um… so, does that mean… y-you want me to too…?”
Saki replied like that, sitting cross-legged with her face buried in her hands.
“It means both of us, so yeah. I’ve gotten pretty close with Hiiragi too, but I want to get even closer.”
“G-get closer…”
Saki murmured so softly it was barely audible unless you strained to hear.
“What do you think?”
“Y-yeah… I-if that’s what you mean… I want that too.”
Saki kept her eyes downcast as she said this, for some reason using polite language.
“Thanks. Alright, from now on I’ll call Hiiragi ‘Saki’. But seriously, why the sudden switch to polite speech?”
“N-no, it’s… nothing really…”
Just then, the teacher blew his whistle and announced loudly.
“Alright, class is ending in five minutes. Boys and girls, start cleaning up!”
The boys’ side only had a few basketballs scattered about, so there wasn’t much to clean up. Still, we couldn’t just keep talking forever.
I’d said what I needed to say to Saki, and she had cleaning to do, so I figured this was probably the end for now.
Thinking that, I stood up and said,
“Well, I guess we should get moving too.”
“…Uh, yeah.”
Saki slowly stood up after me.
I thought she’d turn her back without looking at me, but as she was leaving, she gave a shy little laugh, glanced back at me briefly, and said.
“W-well then. S-see ya, Seito-kun.”
“See ya, Saki.”
Maiban