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
That day, too, Yukimi Shichikajo was spending her after-school hours in the art room.
She looked out the classroom window and took a deep breath.
No club members had come.
That was because this was a private studio room located at the very back of the art room.
To be honest, the club members were so afraid of Yukimi that they rarely even showed up in the first place, but letโs set that aside for now.
โLooks like heโs been hitting on other girls again lately,โ
Yukimi muttered, her gaze fixed on Kyota and Ouka, who had come into view.
The two were currently walking out of the school gate, deep in conversation.
They seemed to get along quite well, but what exactly was their relationship?
For Yukimiโwho normally took no interest in others and avoided any involvement with themโthere was no way she would know about an unassuming, introverted girl from a lower grade.
Intrigued, Yukimi watched them intently until they disappeared from view.
Just thenโ
A door that was normally kept locked swung open, and someone entered from outside.
โโฆYouโre so presumptuous. I donโt even remember calling you in the first place, you know?โ
It goes without saying why no one ever enters this room.
After all, Yukimiโsomeone no one wants to get involved with to begin withโis bound to snap and bare her murderous intent.
No one would intrude here knowing that.
However, the person who just walked in showed no sign of caring and smiled defiantly.
โYou treat Kyota-kun quite differently, donโt you?โ
โWell, thatโs because I hate him.โ
โDoes that mean you like Kyota-kun?โ
โHehe, interpret it however you like.โ
After saying that, Yukimi finally turned around.
Standing right in front of her was her sassy underclassman.
The only girl at this school who openly defies her.
Hanesaki Shinori
Ever since Yukimi started paying attention to Kyota, Shinoriโs attitude toward her had turned defiant.
And it was all Yukimiโs fault for provoking her in the first place.
โAnyway, what do you want?โ
That said, she had no idea why sheโd barged in like this, so she tilted her head in confusion.
โWhen I finished my duty as class representative and returned to the classroom, Kyota-kun wasnโt there, so I came to pick a fight with you to take it out on you.โ
โIโm going to lock you out.โ
โAhaha, just kidding.โ
Shinoriโs way of speaking sounded uncannily like Kyotaโs.
Yukimi felt a little annoyed, wondering if sheโd picked up his mannerisms from spending so much time with him.
Just then, she finally got to the point.
โI know you have feelings for Kyota, Shichikajo-senpai. Thatโs exactly why thereโs something I want to share with you.โ
โWhat is it?โ
โIt seems heโs about to go on a date with a girl other than us.โ
โโฆโฆโ
At that moment, Yukimi felt a sense of dread for the first time since entering this school.
Should she say she was struck by a sudden wave of cowardice?
In short, she was so overwhelmed by the girl standing before her that she instinctively braced herself for a split second.
Shinori was usually just an ordinary girlโfor better or worseโbut today she seemed different.
She had the feeling that beneath the thin, forced smile she was wearing, a bottomless darkness lurked.
โIs that the girl he was walking with just now?โ
โOh, so you know her. Ouka Shiraki. Sheโs in the class next door and doesnโt really stand out, but lately sheโs been clinging to Kyota-kun a lot. When I took a closer look, sheโs actually pretty cute, but she seemed suspicious, so Iโve been keeping an eye on her.โ
โKeeping an eye on her? โโOh, no, go on.โ
โThen today, she mentioned something about plans to go to a cafรฉ, so itโs confirmed.โ
As Yukimi listened, she felt a sense of unease.
โWhy does this girl seem to know Kyota Toyonoโs movements as if it were a given?
As far as Yukimi knew, the two werenโt actually dating.
When sheโd asked him about it, heโd denied it.
But the way she was talking now made it seem as if sheโd already become his girlfriend.
โJust to be clear, youโre not his girlfriend, are you?โ
โThatโs right.โ
โโฆโฆโ
โBut Iโm his childhood friend. Plus, heโs the type to always run wild on his own and do reckless things behind the scenes, so if I donโt keep an eye on him, heโll probably get hurt againโฆ Donโt you worry about him?โ
โI suppose so.โ
Yukimi nodded at Shinori, who spoke in a deadpan tone.
That said, since sheโd essentially gotten dragged into it herself last time, she did have some reservations.
Thinking there was some truth to that, Yukimi found herself convinced.
โ
Yukimi and Shinori had since made their way to Hiraoka Station, which was bustling with young people.
They sat at a window seat in a fast-food restaurant, staring intently at the steakhouse across the street.
Seeing Yukimi with her binoculars at the ready, Shinori muttered, looking slightly put off.
โโฆThatโs pretty serious, isnโt it?โ
โYou were the one who suggested we tail them, werenโt you?โ
โW-wait a minute. I didnโt say Iโd go that far! I just said I was curious. I only suggested, โWhy donโt we just take a quick look?โ โฆI never imagined it would go this far.โ
After that, Shinori suggested to Yukimi that they keep an eye on the two.
Though slightly put off by Shinoriโs over-the-top enthusiasm, Yukimi went along with it because it seemed interesting.
Using her natural stealth skills, she effortlessly got behind them and was immediately able to track their movements.
โStill, youโre really good at this. Do you follow people around all the time?โ
โCould you please not say such rude things?โ
Yukimi felt a momentary flash of irritation at Shinoriโs blunt remark.
For a split second, she seriously considered having someone tail Shinori from morning till night.
But she quickly shook her head.
If any reports of strange, lewd behavior were to surface, it would just make things awkward.
Setting aside the fact that this concern wasnโt entirely unfounded for a self-destructive heroine addicted to m*sturbation, Shinori pouted.
โAnyway, I never wouldโve guessed that Shiraki-san was that popular model, โOuka.โโ
โI was definitely surprised, too.โ
โPlus, Kyota-kun is acting unusually love-struck. Heโs never shown me that kind of expression beforeโฆโ
โHehe, youโre not even dating himโwhy are you acting like a victim?โ
โโฆโฆโ
When they saw the photo shoot that afternoon, they were both completely speechless.
They never would have guessed that gloomy girl was an influencer.
At the same time, Yukimi felt a sense of understanding.
There was no way that Kyota would get close to just any ordinary female student.
It was the kind of assessment heโd probably protest with all his might if he found out, but it couldnโt be helped.
And of course, the same went for Shinori.
โShe really is a total lookist, isnโt she?โ
โOh my, that sounds like youโre indirectly bragging about your own face, since heโs paying attention to you.โ
โโฆYou really do have a terrible personality. If youโre going to say that, then youโre no different, senpai.โ
โOf course I am.โ
โBesides, Iโm not even cute. After all, Iโm just a high school newcomer.โ
โโฆFufu.โ
Seeing Shinori suddenly become so demure, Yukimi couldnโt help but wonder.
Since sheโd learned during her background check on Kyota that Shinori had been bullied, she could somehow surmise that her current remark was likely due to the snide comments sheโd received from those around her back then.
And thatโs just Yukimiโshe felt a surge of sadistic pleasure at the thought.
That said, she actually enjoyed being involved with her in this way, so Yukimi shrugged her shoulders and smiled.
Just as they were talking like that, the two of them emerged from the restaurant.
It seemed their dinner was over.
โIโll take care of it.โ
โOh, okayโฆ But we have to pay first.โ
โIโll settle it with my card, so please go ahead and wait outside so you donโt lose sight of them.โ
โThank you.โ
Shinori let out a sigh of admiration at Yukimi, who didnโt seem to worry about money at all.
A short while later, Yukimi and the others followed the two out.
It seemed like the party was winding down, and Ouka was desperately trying to keep the conversation going to hold them back.
Kyota responded to her, dodging the topic nonchalantly as usual.
โHeโs still the same person who never reciprocates othersโ kindness.
Iโve seen Kyota act like this countless times, but today, something felt a little off.
ใ
And gradually, the conversation drifted toward Kyotaโs current romantic relationships.
โB-but what about Hanesaki-san?โ
โAhโฆ well, no, weโre not dating at all.โ
โW-well, sheโs out of your league, after all. Oh, and then thereโs, um, Shichikajo Senpai. You mentioned before that you used to study togetherโyou two are close, right?โ
โCloseโฆ well, I guessโฆ yeah.โ
As Shinori, whose hopes had been so easily dashed, seethed with rage beside her, Yukimi felt a sense of superiority.
She almost wanted to snort in derision, thinking that this was exactly why he was avoiding herโbecause she was following him around like this.
However, in the very next instant, Yukimi felt as if every hair on her body had stood on end.
He saidโ
โThereโs kind of a bit of a distance between me and Senpai.โ
Faced with a response even more matter-of-fact than Shinoriโs, Yukimiโs frustration meter shot through the roof in an instant.
โAll right, Iโm going to kill that guy right now.
Even though Iโve let him into my studioโmy private spaceโtime and time again, listened to his concerns, and gone out of my way to help him in ways Iโd normally never bother withโฆ
I see. To this guy, Iโm still just a โsenpai.โ
The moment she realized this, her murderous intent swelled.
Perhaps sensing her presence, Kyota immediately turned around.
At the very last moment, Shinori skillfully pulled Yukimi behind a cover, averting disaster.
โH-heโs going to notice!โ
โHaa, haaโฆ Iโm sorry. I canโt believe I let myself get a little carried away like that.โ
โA little?โ
โDid you say something?โ
โOh, no. โฆAhaha, but thatโs surprising. I didnโt know you could make a face like that, Shichikajo-senpai.โ
โโฆโฆโ
Her face was reflected in the glass of a store on the side of the street.
There, she saw the image of a seemingly dim-witted teenage girlโa far cry from the usually calm and composed heiress of the Shichikajo conglomerate.
โโฆPhew. Still, heโs a strangely sensitive guy.โ
โKyohta-kun isโฆ well, heโs a little weird. Even when nothingโs going on, he sometimes looks around nervously. He also freezes up with his eyes rolled back sometimes.โ
โIs he okay?โ
โProbably?โ
Shuddering at the bizarre behavior Shinori described, Yukimi resumed her tailing.
This mission was finally reaching its climax.
All thatโs left is to head home.
Once she sees him off, the mission will be officially complete.
Butโฆ
Noticing that the atmosphere between the two had grown strange without her realizing it, Yukimi pricked up her ears.
โSo, what about ex-girlfriends?โ
โโโโ
There was a noticeable pause in Kyotaโs responseโunlike his usual quick, casual answers up until that point.
Although he denied it afterward, something just didnโt sit right with her.
ใ
Yukimi asked his childhood friend sitting next to him.
โDoes he have an ex-girlfriend?โ
โHuh? No, I donโt think so at all. Back in kindergarten or elementary school, maybe, but since middle school, Iโve never even seen him talking to a girl.โ
โโฆโฆReally?โ
โHe often jokes self-deprecatingly that he wasnโt popular with girls, so probably not.โ
True, if he did have an ex-girlfriend, thereโs no way Shinori wouldnโt have noticed.
Since even a clingy girl like me couldnโt pick up on it, he probably really doesnโt have one.
In fact, when I had my family look into Kyota before, there was no information about any romantic partners.
In fact, there was no information about his social circle at all.
I remember feeling awkward out of sympathy for him.
The two walked away, but Yukimi didnโt feel like chasing after them.
She just felt something was off and was racking her brain to figure out what it was.
โโฆโฆโ
Just the other day, I met Kyota regarding the matter with Kisa Hiiragi.
As I was leaving that day, he said something strangely suggestive.
Maybeโฆ
โWhat about the possibility that he has an ex-boyfriend?โ
โโฆNo way. No matter how you look at it, Kyota-kun is into women. Heโs a pervert, too.โ
โYouโre right.โ
I voiced the thought just to be sure, but Shinori immediately dismissed it with a half-smile.
โฆBut Yukimi still wasnโt convinced.
Maiban