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…
“N-Nanase? Are you okay…?”
I called out to Nanase, who was crouched down.
She was hugging her knees in a sitting position, trembling slightly.
Why was she even here in the first place…?
I glanced around the classroom.
Tenma and Ichika didn’t seem to notice; they waved at me with smiles.
I awkwardly waved back and sat down beside Nanase.
“…Did you… hear what we were talking about earlier?”
When I cautiously asked, Nanase nodded her head.
“…Let’s get away from here for now. Can you stand?”
When I asked, she nodded again. Avoiding looking at Nanase’s face as much as possible, I grabbed her hand and led her away.
We ended up aimlessly at the back of the gym.
At this hour, no clubs use it, so it’s usually empty.
“…Mind if I sit next to you?”
“…Yeah.”
Nanase sniffed back tears as she agreed, so I sat down beside her for now.
…Is it okay to ask why she’s crying? No, maybe I should ask?
“Thanks… for being on my side.”
“…Huh?”
“…I know it myself. I know the best thing would be for me to try hard and get back to how things were with the two of them… But even so, you still put me first… That made me so happy, I just started crying.”
Nanase smiled awkwardly.
That was why she’d been crying.
“…What do you want to do, Nanase?”
“I…”
She was still unsure. Nanase kept her head down, saying nothing.
The choice was asked again.
She must know painfully well that Ichika truly cherishes her.
For Nanase, Ichika was also a best friend, someone precious.
But at the same time, someone she’d have to be careful around from now on.
“I want to properly celebrate the two of you, and I’ll miss not being involved with Tenma and Hana-chan anymore… But I’m scared.”
The situation between the two who started dating would change going forward. The ABCs of relationships… all sorts of things.
If she wanted things to stay the same as before… she’d have to accept all of that.
That’s incredibly tough for anyone. I know because I went through something similar.
When I found out the girl I liked started dating my friend and they had s*x, my brain felt shattered. I seriously ended up bedridden.
“…If I say I want to go back to being friends with the two… you’ll support me, right?”
“Yeah, I’ll support you. More than ever before.”
“R-right…”
When I stated that firmly, Nanase flushed and looked away. Then she drop her head like a wilted flower.
“I’m really happy you said that… But honestly… I’m not confident I can do it. Frankly, I think it might be impossible for me. Asking you to support me like that… It’s so selfish. I can’t say it…”
She must care about me.
She’s thinking about that ‘what if’ – what if, after trying so hard, it still doesn’t work out…
“It’s okay.”
“…Huh?”
Nanase looked up, startled by my words.
“You can be selfish with me.”
I smiled at Nanase.
“If you try your best and it still doesn’t work out… I’ll hang out with you anytime—at the cafe, on the phone, at the movies, whatever.”
“…!”
Nanase stared at me, her face looking like she was about to cry.
“Besides, I’m not the only one on your side. Tsukimi-san and Serizawa-san are here too… It’ll be okay. No matter which path you choose, no matter the outcome… We won’t let you regret it.”
I don’t think I alone can support Nanase. Nanase is there, Serizawa-san is there, Tsukimi-san is there… and I’m a little bit apart.
That’s Nanase’s place right now.
“That’s how it is.”
Huh!?
I hurriedly turned toward the sound.
There stood Tsukimi-san and Serizawa-san.
“Honestly, I think it might be better for you not to get involved with those two anymore. But that’s for you to decide, Hiyori. No matter which one you choose, no matter what happens, we’ll support you… Because we’re on your side.”
“Same here… After all, we’re on your side, boo.”
“…Hoshino, Mi-chan.”
Tsukimi-san crossed her arms and Serizawa-san gave a peace sign. Then, they glanced over at me with expressions that seemed to find it amusing.
…Um, could you please stop messing with my lines anymore? It’s killing me with embarrassment.
“Hiyori, just go for it. Go all out. Crush them until there’s not a speck left.”
“Eh, uh, yeah.”
“Then, let’s properly face the two of them. It’d be nice if we could make up by Hiyori’s birthday party.”
“…Yeah.”
“If we do make up… should we invite Shindo and Ayabe-san to the birthday party too?”
“Yeah…”
Watching Nanase and Serizawa-san’s conversation end on a positive note, I quietly slipped over next to Tsukimi-san and whispered in her ear.
“Um, why are you two here?”
I asked casually, whispering in her ear.
“Hiyori messaged me saying it was okay for me to leave first. I was worried and headed back to the classroom, but I spotted you two moving around and followed you. You were dragging around a crying Hiyori.”
Tsukimi glared at me.
No good. That look was the gaze of someone whose important friend had been hurt.
“Wait, hold on. Tsukimi-san, you’ve got the wrong idea. It’s true I was dragging her around, but the one who made Nanase-san cry was me…”
…was me. Yeah. I was the one who made her cry.
I turned away, trying to escape Tsukimi-san’s gaze.
Ah, stop it, don’t grab my tie, don’t pull it.
“…You two over there, stop flirting and let’s go.”
“We’re not flirting!!”
We both blurted out in unison at Serizawa-san’s words.
Why do Tsukimi-san and I always end up echoing each other?
Serizawa-san raised an eyebrow sharply at us.
Ah, she’s probably a little annoyed right now.
While I was wondering what to do, Nanase timidly spoke up to us.
“Um, well… if it’s okay with you, I was wondering… would you all like to go somewhere? I’d like to talk things over with you guys about what happens next.”
“Ah, well then… I want to go eat fruit tarts. There’s this place I’ve been wanting to try.”
Serizawa-san raised her hand while fiddling with her phone.
“Hmm… Well, I guess that’s fine?”
“Then let’s go there. Is that okay with you too, Bun-kun?”
“…Huh? Me too?”
“No, you’re the one who absolutely has to be there, right?”
Tsukimi-san, with her narrowed eyes, nudged me from the side as if to tease me.
Huh, oh, r-right… Yeah, you’re right. Okay.
…Fruit tarts with girls (beautiful girls).
It feels pretty out of place, but I can’t really say that now.
“…Bun-kun?”
“Ah, sorry. I’m coming now.”
I steeled myself and followed the three girls.