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…
โUmโฆ sports drinks and jelly, throat lozenges, udon noodles, rice porridge too, maybe?โ
That morning, I was waiting for someone in the park while typing Hiyori’s get-well gift list into my phone’s memo app.
Suddenly, I saw Misuzu running toward me.
โMorning. Sorry I kept you waiting, Bungaku.โ
โIt’s fine. I just got here myself.โ
โOhโฆ Somehow, this feels like we’re lovers.โ
Misuzu looked deeply moved.
โWell, we are lovers. Sort ofโฆ Let’s go.โ
โYeah.โ
We started walking side by side toward school.
โโฆI never thought Bungaku would be the one to suggest walking to school together.โ
โAhโฆ well, I figured it’d be better to do something couple-like.โ
Though it was Kirifuji-san who came up with the ideaโฆ
โHehe, I see.โ
Misuzu bumped her shoulder against mmine, looking rather pleased.
Just as Kirifuji-san said, Misuzu’s mood had improved. Kirifuji-san really is somethingโฆ
โSpeaking of which, we had a family meeting at the Serizawa house yesterday.โ
โโฆW-what happened? Did they get suspicious?โ
โNope. Dad and Momโฆ they believed me, just like normal.โ
Misuzu puffed out her chest proudly and gave a peace sign. Seems it went well.
โWell, they were suspicious at firstโฆ but when I talked about Bungaku, they believed me.โ
โHuhโฆ By the way, what did you tell them?โ
โUmโฆ Dad asked me about Bungakuโฆ I told him I like how Bungaku is a loner, stands out in class, is timid, insensitive, unprincipled, good-for-nothing, and a charmer.โ
โWait, that’s just insults!โ
โIt’s fine. I made sure to follow up by saying he does look cool sometimes.โ
โYou think that half-hearted follow-up was enough?โ
โYeah. They both got that I really like Bungaku.โ
Mizuki’s Dad, Mizuki’s Mom. Are you really okay with that?
โฆAlright, time to get to the main point.
โOh, by the way, Nanase-san asked me to tell you she’s skipping school today with a cold.โ
โHuh? Really?โ
Now, here comes the real deal.
โYeah. Apparently she has a fever of 39 degrees. She’s going to the hospital with her mom this morning, though.โ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆCome to think of it, it was raining that day.โ
โMisuzu?โ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆI should go visit her. Maybe I should talk properly with Hiyori too.โ
โAbout thatโฆ I told Nanase-san it’d be fine if I came to visit, since catching cold would be bad. Butโโ
โDid she maybe say it was okay if it was just for Bungaku?โ
Though surprised by Misuzu’s words, I nodded.
โSo, umโฆ is it okay if I go visit?โ
โSure.โ
โHuh? Oh, really?โ
Seeing me double-check, she nodded as if amused.
โEven if I said no, you’d go anyway, wouldn’t you, Bungaku?โ
โYeah! You’re the best fake girlfriend ever. You get me.โ
As I said this while doing a thumbs-up, Misuzu, with her eyes narrowed, jabbed my side with her elbow.
Sorryโฆ I just gave upโฆ
โโฆYou can tell Hiyori about our situation.โ
โEh, it’sโฆ okay?โ
I never expected Misuzu to suggest it herselfโฆ The second hurdle was cleared just as easily.
โYeahโฆ I guess I didn’t really understand how Hiyori feltโฆโ
What did that mean?
Just as I tried to figure out the true meaning behind her words, Misuzu cut me off.
โSo, Bungaku, please take care of Hiyori.โ
โ
โAh, Class President~ Do you know what happened to Hiyori-chan today?โ
โI heard she got a fever from a cold.โ
Today, I was having this exchange with a female classmate, Takanashi-sanโI’d lost count of how many times it happened.
Incidentally, I’d never spoken to Takanashi-san before.
“Oh, really? That’s worrisome. Thanks for telling meโฆ Huh? What’s wrong? Why that look?”
โAh, noโฆ I was just wondering why you’d ask me about Nanase-san.โ
โEh, wellโฆ When you think of Hiyori-chan, you think of the class president, right? We’re always together. Anyway, tell her I hope she gets better soon!โ
Saying that, she waved her hand fluttery-fluttery~ and returned to her seat.
I’m sure she called me the class president not because she didn’t remember my name, but because that title had become so ingrained.
Probably. Definitely. Most likely.
โโฆPhew.โ
I was exhausted, no wonder. After all, Tsukimi-san, Tenma, Ichika, even the boys in class and the teachers had been asking about Hiyori.
โฆCould this exchange possibly go on all day?
โWhat’s up? You look unusually tired.โ
Tsukimi-san spoke to me as I slumped over my desk.
โYeah. Everyone keeps asking me about Nanase-sanโฆโ
โI see. I thought it was weird how Bungaku kept getting approached by so many people today.โ
Misuzu was as merciless as ever when it came to my relationships.
Or rather, why were both of them at my deskโฆ Oh, right. It’s already lunch break.
I realized it when I saw the lunch boxes they were holding.
โโฆI’m going to the school store.โ
Perfect timingโฆ I’ll go buy lunch while I change my mood.
โIf Bungaku’s going, maybe I’ll come too.โ
โYou can’t leave Tsukimi-san all alone.โ
โHuh?โ
โYeah indeed, Hoshino would get lonely all by herself.โ
โHuh?โ
Mizuki patted her head and hugged Tsukimi-san.
Hmm, looks like I’m the third wheel here. Best to get out of here quickly.
Feeling Tsukimi-san’s gaze fixed on me, I left the classroom.
Walking down the hallway, I recalled what she had said earlier.
[When you think of Hiyori-chan, you think of the class president, right? You’re always together.]
โฆIs that really how people see me and Hiyori?
Lost in thought, I reached the school store to find Ichika standing there, looking as if she were waiting for someone.
โAh, Bungaku-kun.โ
โHuh? Hana-san. Why are you here?โ
I thought I told her and Tenma that Hiyori was out sick with a cold, so we’d eat lunch in the classroomโฆ
โI was buying something for Hiyori-chan at the store. Here, Bungaku-kun. Please take care of it.โ
What Ichika handed me was fruit throat lozenges.ใ
โHuh? Oh, yeah. Got itโฆ Wait, why me?โ
โWhy? Wellโฆ Bungaku-kun, you’re going to visit Hiyori-chan, right?โ
Huh? True, I stopped them from going to visit via message, but I hadn’t told anyone I was going to visit Hiyori myself.
Ichika tilted her head in puzzlement at my silence.
โHuh? Was I wrong?โ
โNo, you’re rightโฆ but I don’t think I told you I was going to visit Hiyoriโฆ how did you know?โ
Ichika chuckled softly at my question.
โJust a feeling.โ
Oh, just a feelingโฆ Women’s intuition is terrifying.
โBesides, I did say it, right? That Hiyori-chan relies on Bungaku-kun more than anyone else.โ
โโฆCome to think of it, you were right.โ
โโฆWhen I first came to this school, I caught a cold and had to miss a few days. Back then, Tenma-kun came to visit meโฆโ
Whoops, is this lovey-dovey time? Just as I thought that, Ichika’s expression turned serious.
โWhen you have a fever, your mind gets unstable and you end up saying what you’re really thinking. Things you wouldn’t tell anyoneโฆ So, Bungaku-kun. If Hiyori-chan ever spills her feelings, I want you to listen to everything. And please, take it all in properly.โ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆ.โ
โAt least I was saved because Tenma-kun did that for me.โ
Then, at the end, she smiled awkwardly.
Could such a big responsibility really fall to someone like me?
Thinking that, I stared out the window at the clear blue sky.