My New Life as a Mob Chapter 5

"Kaede, man, this is bad!"

"What’s wrong?"

"Hah?! Have you not checked the message board? It’s a total mess on there."

"Sorry, I don't usually check it..."

"Here, use my phone. Look at this. Right here!"

The next day. As soon as I arrived at school, a flustered Narita rushed over to me.

Looking back, I never had a habit of checking online message boards in my previous life either. In this world, however, the school’s "underground" message board seems to be used quite actively.

Even in the main story, there were several scenes where Saita gathered information from these boards.

"Let’s see... Year 1, Class 7: Sasaki Kanna, is engaged in compensated dating...!?"

I read the text aloud, but my mind was so muddled that nothing else registered. Wait a minute. What does this actually mean?

"Look. There's a photo right here. Someone from our school probably took it."

Narita lowered his voice. Around us, other students were huddled together, whispering in the same manner. Most of them were undoubtedly gossiping about Kanna.

After confirming the mood, I peered into the phone he was holding.

Just as Narita said, the photo showed Kanna walking with a man in what looked like a love hotel district.

And the person in question, crucially, hadn't arrived at school yet. Kanna is well-informed; she might have seen the post already. If so, she might not show up at all today.

There was no story like this in the original work... which means this is definitely because I reincarnated and the narrative has been rewritten.

It’s because I acted on my own, thinking only of protecting myself.

As I was wallowing in regret, the classroom door slid open with a bang!.

"Gooood morning, everyone! ♪"

At the sound of her voice, every single classmate turned around.

"Huh? Wait, what’s up? Is it 'All Eyes on Kanna' day or something?"

However, the person in question just looked puzzled. Her tone was as bright as ever. Judging by this atmosphere, could it be that she really didn't know yet?

"It’s not really 'all eyes,' uh, Kanna, I have to ask you something... This isn't you, right?"

"Hmm? Let me see, let me see?"

When Kanna looked at the smartphone screen, she froze stiffly in a way that was easy to understand.

"No matter how you look at it, that's you right, Kanna?"

"Ehhh, I wonder if that's me~"

"You're the only one with this bag and that panda charm, right?"

"But, I don't remember any of this..."

"Ah~, well, yeah. Got it."

Her female friends drifted away from her. How should I put it... they weren't ignoring her outright, but they naturally stopped talking to her. It felt like a wall had clearly been built between them—a distinct line drawn in the sand.

Looking at Kanna, I saw her frozen in place, a forced smile plastered on her face.

◇

I quickly mentally reviewed the original game plot.

...There was a similar incident.

If I recall correctly, right before winter break, it was discovered she was working at a maid café, and her parents were called to the school. Of course, she wasn't doing compensated dating.

Since her parents had forbidden part-time jobs, she got scolded severely. Finding it hard to stay at home, she ended up temporarily freeloading at the protagonist's house. That was supposed to be the only episode.

...No, wait. If that's the case, what is Saita doing right now?

I scanned the classroom, searching for Saita.

Suppose the plot is changing and Kanna's photo was leaked.

But as long as this is the world of Seka-Ai, events involving Kanna and Saita should be unavoidable.

After all, whether it was the field trip or the Library Committee, Saita was clearly trying to keep me away from the heroines. The story's natural course correction is still taking place.

After looking around a few times, I spotted Saita just as he was about to leave the classroom. Squinting, I saw him muttering to himself under his breath. His behavior was clearly strange.

"Sorry, Shunichi! I'll be right back!"

"Huh?"

Leaving behind Narita, who looked like he wanted to ask "Where?", I chased after Saita.

Trailing him to avoid being noticed, I strained my ears to catch Saita's monologue. He walked intently until he entered a restroom in the school building where almost no one came. Perfect. Now I can listen without being detected.

"...No, it’s weird. It’s too weird."

Saita raised his voice, and I could finally hear him clearly.

"Looking at him, Nishikikoji isn't involved in this. Probably. He seemed more cowardly... I don't think that guy has the guts to do something like this."

I held my breath at the mention of my name. Is it just my imagination, or did he just diss me?

"And I haven't done anything either... which means there's a separate culprit, but who the hell is it...? There's no scene like this in the main scenario."

At Saita's mutter, my body flinched involuntarily.

Main scenario...? What does that mean...?

"Kanna-chan isn't the type of character to do compensated dating anyway. In Seka-Ai, this scene was just about her getting caught working at a maid café."

Saita continued muttering, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

—More importantly.

I held my head in my hands. I'm a complete idiot. My vision had become too narrow.

The moment I reincarnated into this world, it was something I should have anticipated.

—There's no guarantee that I'm the only one who reincarnated.

"Main scenario." "Seka-Ai." The fact that these two words came out means Saita also played that game. He's the same as me.

If that's true, his attempts to keep me away from the heroines make sense. To him, I'm still the villain. However, judging by Saita's tone, he likely suspects I'm a reincarnator as well.

My heart hammered against my ribs, and cold sweat broke out.

What am I supposed to do from now on?

While I was in confusion, I heard a long sigh followed by the sound of Saita moving. I scrambled away from the area.

...This has become incredibly complicated.

Until now, I thought Saita didn't know the scenario, so I could manage somehow. But from now on, I don't know what actions Saita will take.

—In other words, the trajectory of this world is now an unknown variable.

"What the hell is happening to my death flags..."

I muttered as I headed back to the classroom.

◇

I checked on Kanna frequently since the morning incident, but the girls were still keeping their distance. On top of that, even during the lunch break, the uproar hadn't subsided. The rumors continued, and the teachers seemed to have sensed something too.

"Ah, looks like Sasaki-san got called in," 

Narita muttered suddenly as we walked to the stairs where we always ate lunch.

Indeed, a broadcast summoning her was playing.

"Wonder if it's about that matter."

"Probably."

Kanna is flashy, but usually a model student, so I can't think of anything else.

"This turned into a huge mess. Why did Sasaki-san get involved in something like that?"

"Well, she probably had some reason, otherwise she wouldn't do it... actually, I don't think Sasaki-san would do it without a reason."

"True. But who would take a photo like that?"

"Hmm. One possibility is that a couple from our school went to a love hotel, happened to see Sasaki-san, and took a picture."

"That sounds the most likely. Still, if such a couple exists, they have terrible taste."

"Right...? Ignoring the fact that they're doing something shady themselves."

Haa~, I let out a heavy sigh.

After the lunch break ended, Kanna returned to the classroom acting as if nothing had happened.

◇

On the way home, caught in a sudden downpour, I was rushing back. It was pouring hard. It reminded me of the day of the field trip.

Even after lunch, Kanna was treated like a sore thumb, and an awkward atmosphere lingered in the classroom the whole time. Usually, Kanna would go out to play with her friends after school, but I didn't know what she did today.

While walking briskly, Kanna was stuck in my mind. In the midst of that, I found her. I ended up finding her.

—Today, I happened to have brought an umbrella.

In short, because I have an umbrella, I'm not wet despite this sudden rain. Even though summer is approaching, getting soaked in the rain would surely be cold. In fact, I got drenched before, and honestly, it was freezing.

"Sasaki-san."

I tilted my umbrella. Kanna slowly lifted her face.

Although she wasn't crying, she looked like she was about to cry at any moment.

Kanna was sitting on a bench in a park reasonably close to my house—a park I often cut through on my way to school. She probably chose this spot because it's close to school, but not many people come here. Was there a reason, or did she just want to be alone...?

"It's cold, right? You'll catch a cold like that."

"Ah, uh, yeah."

She looked down again just like that.

Naturally, she wasn't her usual cheerful self. Honestly, I didn't know what to say to her.

In the game, there were quite a few scenes where she was mentally unstable, but there were dialogue options back then...

Being just me, facing Kanna for the first time like this, I was nervous.

As I chanted be careful, be careful in my head, Kanna suddenly giggled.

"It's been a while since we were in a situation like this, huh? Just like the field trip."

"O-Oh. That's true."

Taken aback by the sudden shift, I was dumbfounded. After giggling amusingly for a moment, Kanna returned to a serious face and looked down again.

"Aren't you... going home?"

"If you're asking that while knowing the situation, then you're pretty mean, Nishikikoji-kun."

"I... see."

A stifling silence followed.

What should I do after this? Just calling out to her and leaving would be rotten as a human being.

Truthfully, I probably shouldn't get too involved with Kanna. Because interacting with a heroine only increases my death flags. Not only that, but something like today might happen again.

But.

"Sasaki-san, do you want to come to my place? I live alone, so there's no one else there. You can't just spend the night here like this."

"Eh, but... that would be bad for you, Nishikikoji-kun."

"Don't worry about whether it's bad or whatever right now. Anyway, if you stay here, you'll get sick, and it's definitely dangerous. If you can't go home, come to mine. I won't do anything."

Kanna remained silent.

I worried what I'd do if she refused. Kanna has no one she can rely on other than me right now. And I couldn't let her stay in the rain forever. If staying alone with me is no good, then Narita would be even worse.

"Please... let me intrude. At your house, Nishikikoji-kun."

Hearing that reply after a while, I stroked my chest in relief.

"Let's get you in the bath first. Ah, the dressing room and bath are over there. The toilet is opposite."

In the end, we shared the umbrella and returned to my house.

While giving a simple tour of the room to her, whose body must be completely chilled, I went to look for clothes she could wear. Hmm, she could probably wear this sweatshirt... at least. For the bottom, I have these jersey shorts for some reason, so those should do.

"Where should I put my wet clothes?"

"Hmm. It's probably better to hang them up. Give them to me when you get out of the bath, and I'll hang them inside. Ah, but what about underwear? It's a bit late, but should I run to the convenience store? You wouldn't want to put the same pair back on."

"...Yeah. Let's do that."

At those words, after Kanna changed, we went outside once more. Since this area is relatively urban, there's a convenience store within a five-minute walk.

"Come to think of it, aren't you going to ask? About the circumstances."

Kanna suddenly murmured. I glanced sideways at her, but her hair was covering her face, so I couldn't see her expression.

"Well, I figured there's more you don't want to talk about."

"I see... Then, why are you letting me stay?"

"Normally... if a girl was alone in a park, in the rain, with a face like that, I don't think anyone would leave her alone... for better or for worse."

"...That's true."

Kanna fell silent.

And then, she didn't utter another word.

◇

"Ah, right."

Remembering something, I muttered, and Kanna slowly looked my way.

"What's wrong?"

"I was wondering what to do for dinner today. See, I only have ingredients for one person at home~. If you're not too cold, mind if we stop by the supermarket? Going back to the convenience store again is a hassle."

"Yeah. Don't worry about me."

"Got it. Let's go then. It's right there."

My house has a great location, if nothing else. Thanks to that, even in a situation like this, we're not struggling for food.

Maybe it would be better to just buy some prepared food to take home, but seeing Kanna's face, I thought I wanted her to eat a proper, freshly made meal cooked by someone.

"Sasaki-san. What do you want for dinner tonight?"

"Anything is fine."

"Even if you say that~. Come on, don't you have a favorite food? I don't know if I can make it though."

"Favorite food..."

"Yeah."

"I don't know if it's my 'favorite,' but the fried rice my mom used to make a long time ago was delicious."

"Fried rice, huh? Were the ingredients normal?"

"Probably. I think it was made with whatever was around... but it was delicious."

"I see. If it's fried rice, I can make that."

"Okay."

Kanna just nodded.

I don't know what happened, but anyway, she seems depressed.

Hoping she recovers even a little of that brightness—while my mind briefly wandered to the game version of Kanna who turned yandere—I entered the supermarket with her.

Back home, I took the ingredients we bought today out of the eco-bag. I put some in the fridge and placed what I'd use now on the counter.

"Well then, I'm going to take a bath."

"Got it. I absolutely won't come near while you're in there."

"Fufu. I know you're not that kind of person, Nishikikoji-kun."

Saying just that, Kanna disappeared into the changing room. Still, what makes her laugh is honestly kind of a mystery...

Despite being expressionless, she would suddenly laugh at weird things.

"Well, setting that aside, time to make fried rice."

I put on the apron I just bought.

What I'm making this time is presumably "standard" fried rice. I don't know exactly what "standard" implies, but basically the kind of thing everyone imagines when they hear "fried rice."

In my previous life, I'd made it a few times when I didn't feel like cooking.

"Wonder how long Kanna will be in the bath..."

Her body must be cold, and since she's a girl, it'll take time. Maybe an hour? Is that too long?

"I'll chop the ingredients first. Stir-frying doesn't take that much time."

If I stir-fry it after she gets out, she can eat it freshly made.

Checking the time, I started cutting the ingredients. It was around the time I finished that prep.

I heard the sound of the door sliding open. Clack. About ten minutes since Kanna went in. She must have already come out.

While I was stir-frying the rice in the kitchen, Kanna came into the living room a short while later. She was wearing the clothes I gave her. Maybe because she's short, my sweatshirt had barely become a one-piece dress on her, and... wait, I realized something and gasp.

"T-The bottoms are...?!"

"They were super loose, so I left them."

"B-But you can see a lot, you know?!"

"My panties aren't visible, so it's fine."

"That might be true, but still...!"

Her underwear was indeed not visible. Not visible, but the hem of the sweatshirt was in a very precarious position. Even without that, most of her white, lustrous thighs were exposed.

...N-No, this is a bit...

She smells nice from the bath, and somehow, her overall dampness adds an extra polish to her sexiness.

In short, to put it simply, it's super freaking erotic.

"Do you need a belt? Then you could tighten the waist and wear the shorts."

"Don't need it."

"Eh, ah, oh, okay. Understood. But be careful, seriously, it looks like it's gonna show."

Nod, she bobbed her head. Then, Kanna casually peered into the frying pan.

"Fried rice?"

"Yup. Since it was a request, I tried making it."

"Smells good."

"Glad to hear it. It's been a while since I made fried rice. Recently it's been nothing but hot pot."

"Even though it's almost summer?"

"Well, when cooking is a hassle, hot pot somehow becomes more frequent."

Saying that, recently I've been a bit tired because of Saita, so I've mostly been buying prepared food.

"Thank you, Nishikikoji-kun."

"No need to thank me. It's just my meddling because I couldn't leave you alone."

"...Yeah."

After a moment, Kanna nodded.

The fried rice was completed without issue, and I carried it to the table along with a side salad. Since Kanna didn't know where things were, I had her sit at the table first.

"It is officially complete. Dig in!"

I deliberately placed the plate in front of her with a cheerful tone.

"It smells nice."

"You said that earlier too. Is it that good?"

"Yeah. Somehow... it smells nostalgic."

Kanna narrowed her eyes. Was she recalling a memory from the past? The "whatever was around" fried rice her mother used to make.

I brought my portion over and sat opposite Kanna. I never thought having two chairs despite living alone would come in handy like this.

"Well then, let's eat."

"Let's Eat."

We put our hands together and started eating.

Kanna put a mouthful in, and then—froze.

"Uh, wait, is it bad by any chance?"

Seeing her move her mouth only slightly with a blank expression, I asked anxiously.

But Kanna just silently shook her head. Then, she started shoveling the rest into her mouth vigorously.

Then, suddenly, her face grimaced.

"I haven't made it in a while, so if it tastes bad, you can just leave it!"

I panicked and said that, but Kanna shook her head again and continued eating the fried rice.

"It's very... delicious."

As I ate nervously and anxious, Kanna murmured that. I involuntarily placed my spoon on the plate.

"Eh, really? You aren't forcing yourself?"

"I haven't been forcing myself from the start. I thought it was delicious. Because..."

"Because?"

"Because, it's been so long since I ate a meal like this."

That was when I understood.

She wasn't grimacing because it tasted bad, but probably—

"In that case, I'm glad."

She was probably on the verge of crying.

According to the game info, she had been treated coldly by her parents since she was little. The fact that makeshift fried rice became a memory dish is likely related to that background.

"Nishikikoji-kun, really, thank you. What can I do to repay you?"

"No, I haven't really thought about anything in return. I don't know the circumstances, but something painful happened, right? Hmm, so... I guess I'd be happy if you could cheer up Sasaki-san ."

"Is that all you need? Really?"

"Yeah. Besides, I don't think this is the kind of thing you do while expecting a reward."

"I... see."

Kanna looked down, her eyes shadowed with loneliness. Eh, why? Did I mess something up?

"Then, would you do this for anyone, Nishikikoji-kun?"

"Well, I wouldn't let anyone into my house unless I trusted them. If there was a really extreme reason, it might be different though."

"I... see."

For some reason, Kanna smiled awkwardly.

"Good night."

"Good night."

In the end, we killed time watching TV and looking at our phones until bed. There was a variety show that was just decent enough.

After confirming Kanna had entered the guest room, I returned to my own room. Feeling relieved, the tension left my body. All things considered, I had been nervous the whole time.

"Even so, what happened..."

If Kanna had actually done what that photo suggested, she shouldn't be this depressed. It's harsh to say, but she would reap what she sowed—no, that's a bad way to put it without considering the circumstances.

"She's not the type to do that kind of thing herself..."

Muttering that, I remembered something. Information from the game.

If I recall, Kanna's secrets weren't just the maid café, but she also had a secret account (ura-aka). There was supposed to be an event regarding that where she clashed with the protagonist and then reconciled.

"That wasn't forced by anyone, she made it herself..."

Then, is the photo real too? But...

"Argh, no use thinking about it. Guess I'll sleep."

This is something I have to hear from Kanna's own lips...

I turned off the room light and wrapped myself in the futon. Today had some pretty high-impact events, and I'm tired. I'll probably fall asleep right away... thinking that, I closed my eyes.

◇

Click. At the sound of the door opening modestly, I opened my eyes.

Kanna...?

Maybe because I was half-asleep, my brain wasn't fully awake.

"...Nishikikoji-kun, are you up?"

That voice, spun quietly, seemed to be probing whether I was asleep. It felt like about fifteen minutes had passed since I entered the bedroom.

I had no idea what her objective was, but I replied for the time being.

"I'm up."

"R-Really...?"

"Yeah. Really."

Kanna approached timidly, then softly climbed onto my bed.

Eh, really, what does she intend to do...?

"Hey, Nishikikoji-kun."

"Hm?"

"Um, you know."

At the words she whispered into my ear next, my mind snapped fully awake.

—Wanna do it?

I didn't need to ask "what."

In this dim room, at night, a teenage boy and girl alone... I didn't have confirmation that I was right, but I knew.

But, why?

Why did Kanna suddenly say something like that?

I was so taken aback that I couldn't say anything, which Kanna apparently took as an affirmation.

She slid closer and gently lifted the futon covering me. And climbed on top of me.

Maybe she intended this from the start; she was wearing nothing but underwear.

The soft sensation of her thighs transmitted directly, and my whole body flushed hot in an instant.

"Sasaki-san...?"

Kanna touched my cheek. Her hand was cool and soft. My heart raced at the distance closing between us.

Don't tell me, at this rate...

"Nishikikoji-kun. I think I have a pretty good body. I know the boys in class are gossiping about it, and besides, that photo isn't true. I've never done it before, so it's my first time. That's why..."

"Sasaki-san."

"I want to be with you, Nishikikoji-kun. I want to be with you, so, hey... as long as you're okay with it, Nishikikoji-kun."

—Let's do it?

For a moment, I closed my eyes. The sheer sex appeal, the fragility, and the sensation made me dizzy.

However, the image of the bright Kanna at school floated into my mind.

"Sasaki-san...!"

I grabbed her shoulders. Surprised, Kanna twitched with a start.

Her figure in underwear was, as expected, beautiful.

Her chest was large but well-proportioned, and while she was generally slender, she wasn't too thin. She had fat and muscle in just the right places—making me wonder if she was actually a gravure idol? No, she was even better than that.

Well, in short, she's super freaking erotic.

While feeling a vague sense of regret at letting that go, I still sat myself up.

I ended up facing Kanna.

Then, I gently wrapped the futon that had fallen to the foot of the bed around her shoulders.

"...Are you okay? Don't force yourself."

I muttered, remembering the conversation up to now. Kanna's eyes widened slightly.

"Um... first, what's wrong?"

When I asked, Kanna looked away with an awkward expression. Maybe she came back to her senses.

"It's not really 'what's wrong'... um..."

"Take your time."

"Um, I... well, you see, I haven't done compensated dating at all."

"Oh, I see..."

Relieved, I let out a breath.

"Me walking in a place like that was just by chance... or rather, it was inevitable, but a coincidence."

"H-Huh."

Inevitable but a coincidence...?

Her response was so confusing I couldn't help but let out a question.

"Um, the original purpose of meeting wasn't for that kind of thing, and in the first place, the person I planned to meet was supposed to be a high school boy, not an old man."

"Yeah."

"Um, well... my family has been really strict since a long time ago. Strict, or rather, how should I say it."

"Yeah."

"To me..."

Kanna cut off her words there.

She opened and closed her mouth like a fish gasping for air. After repeating that motion two or three times, she muttered as if she had made up her mind.

"My parents probably... didn't have much interest in me."

A thin voice, like the buzzing of a mosquito.

In the tremor of that voice, surely everything about her was packed in.

"Maybe that's why. But they were really strict about my grades, so I worked hard at first. But it's not like I got praised for working hard, so, how should I say it, I got tired."

"Is that so."

I listened, occasionally nodding along to her words.

At the same time, I felt somewhere deep in my heart—a part I probably couldn't touch myself—throbbing with a dull ache.

"I wanted someone to listen to me. Not a classmate. I wanted a place where I could reveal myself, a side that no one else knew. So I started using social media, and yesterday I finally arranged to meet someone who'd been a friend of mine since the early days and who knew my situation well."

"And that was the old man?"

"Rather than an old man, it was supposed to be a high school boy. At least, that's how he acted on social media."

"Ah~, I see."

"So I assumed he was like that in real life, and when I went to meet him, he was an old man. But he'd been listening to me the whole time, so I thought he might be trustworthy. He said he'd listen to me, so let's go somewhere nearby to rest, and when I followed him, it turned into that situation."

"So that was the reason..."

I finally understood.

The reason she was walking in the love hotel district with an old man. And the words she let slip on the bed just now.

That old man pretending to be a high school boy was likely the lifeline keeping her heart together, which is why she couldn't refuse.

"B-But, I realized halfway through and refused. So we didn't do anything, and I explained the situation to the teacher, so they waived any punishment."

"I see..."

"From now on, naturally, I can't talk to that person on social media. Or rather, I wondered what the point of him talking to me all this time was. To meet up and do that sort of thing? When I thought that was the only reason we had those conversations, somehow..."

For some reason, her story resonated with me painfully.

...Why? I don't have a past where my parents treated me coldly, and to me, it's something unfathomable, a part that should be hard to empathize with.

So, why really?

"I wondered... What was it that I had believed in? Everything I had truly believed in since I was a child suddenly became unclear. I’m sure rumors are circulating all over the school, and I have nowhere left to belong... so, that’s why I ended up in the park."

"Yeah."

There was nothing I could say.

I've never been in her situation, and I can't fully understand other people's pain.

As I clenched my back teeth in frustration, Kanna continued speaking.

"The one who found me was you, Nishikikoji-kun. That was the me you found. So, yeah. Only you were kind to me, and I was saved by that. I thought I had to repay you in some way, and if I said that I just wanted an excuse to be with you... would you hate me?"

"I won't hate you."

I answered her words immediately.

It was something I absolutely had to deny. Although I was surprised, I actually had some memories of that sudden act of hers myself, and I didn't feel anything like disgust at all.

Wait, what do I mean by "memories"...?

"I absolutely won't hate you."

"Ye...ah... Thank you."

But Kanna nodded with a face like she wasn't convinced.

Maybe she's not used to people holding goodwill toward her in a non-romantic sense yet. Her friendships seem superficial too.

"Ah, but what should I do about school and home starting tomorrow? Because my parents were contacted, so I couldn't go home today."

"I see..."

"I guess I'll try my best to go home tomorrow~. School, well, it'll probably work out eventually."

School is a small community, but everyone gets bored easily. Someday they'll forget, and Kanna will be able to return to normal too.

"Yeah. Wait, that's right, in that case, why don't you come to my house occasionally?"

Ah-ah, I did it.

I was surprised myself at the words that left my mouth on their own. If I say something like this, I'm just moving further away from being a mob.

But, even I didn't feel like I could leave her alone right now.

"Eh?"

"No, if it's hard to be at home, I thought maybe you could stay here... but yeah, that's right. Being in the same room with your male classmate is unpleasant..."

"No! It's not unpleasant! It's not unpleasant, but..."

"But?"

"Why do you go that far for me, Nishikikoji-kun?"

"Why... well, I don't know, I just thought so, I guess."

"I... see... You're kind, aren't you, Nishikikoji-kun."

"I don't think I'm particularly kind though."

"No. You're kind."

"I... wonder...? Ah, come to think of it, one more thing."

I remembered something I had been meaning to say the whole time.

"Wha~t?"

"Well, maybe you can't cry, but... I don't think you need to hold it in."

When I said that, Kanna opened her eyes wide.

I'd been wondering about this ever since the fried rice. It was the same when we were at the park. Kanna always looked like she was about to cry, but she never did.

So, I thought maybe she was telling herself not to cry.

"Why..."

"Eh?"

"How did you notice...?"

"Because you look like you're about to cry, but you don't. I thought if things are that painful, wouldn't you want to cry?"

"I've been hiding it all this time... Because it makes me look like someone with no humanity, right?"

"I don't think that's the case at all though."

"My parents always got angry at me if I cried, so I became unable to cry. Maybe there's a part of me that thinks crying is bad. So because I can't cry, even now when I really want to cry, I can't, and it hurts. It was painful."

Sniffle, she sniffed her nose.

"But somehow, being told it's okay to cry, the tears just started coming."

Trickle, a single tear traced down her cheek.

It's inappropriate at a time like this, but the sight of the moonlight peeking in through the window illuminating her cheek, is incredibly beautiful.

However, Kanna immediately wiped the tear away roughly and flashed a smile.

"But I guess I'm still bad at crying."

"I see."

"Yeah. It's not something I can do immediately, and it would probably be easier if I could. It's impossible right now, so expecting for the future, or rather, if you don't mind..."

Kanna looked up, peering into my face with upturned eyes.

"From now on, just a little bit, when it's a time where it's okay to cry, I want you to tell me it's okay to cry."

She must be returning to her usual pace little by little. She said it in a cutesy, calculating tone.

"U-Understood."

"Yay! To be honest, it's still painful... but I've calmed down, so I'll go back to my room. Sorry for causing trouble. Well then, see you tomorrow. Ah, and also..."

Kanna brought her mouth close to my ear.

"About me trying to do it... I wasn't forcing myself."

Fufu, she laughed like a little devil and left the room.

At those sudden words, my heart started pounding loudly.

However, in contrast to that—

"Why am I crying?"

I felt a lukewarm liquid tracing down my face.

Seriously, why? Sure, Kanna's story was truly painful, but still...

"Ah, come to think of it."

I remembered the original owner of this body.

I see, this is surely—

"Nishikikoji's tears, huh."

Asking her to come over, those words probably were too. Because Nishikikoji followed a similar situation as Kanna, they just slipped out of my mouth on their own. The empathy surely is too.

"Nishikikoji was carrying a lot of things too, huh."

...Well, he was a piece of trash that outweighed all that, though.

Here is the finalized, combined translation for Part 2 of Chapter 3. I have merged the most natural phrasing from the new input with the polished flow of the previous version, ensuring Kaede’s voice remains consistent and the dramatic beats with Narita land effectively.

◇

"Good morning~, Nishikikoji-kun."

A whisper right in my ear pulled my consciousness halfway to the surface. What is this... a dream? It must be a dream, right?

After all, a world where Kanna is here... that has to be a dream.

"Hmm~, you’re not waking up at all, Nishikikoji-kun. If you don't wake up soon, I’m going to crawl in and sleep right next to you, okay?"

Sleep next to me? If it’s Kanna, she’s more than welcome... actually, I’d be the one begging for it. With that thought in mind, I kept my eyelids shut. After all, a world like this has to be a dre—

"He really isn't waking up. What should I do? Uh, b-but I was just joking earlier... he didn't hear that, right? Or rather, he wouldn't wake up that easily, right? He looks like he’s out cold."

I could hear her convincing herself with a soft "yep, yep." What’s going on? Is she actually going to sleep next to me? What a convenient dream this is.

"A-Alright! Here I go! *Hup*."

A slightly warm, soft object slipped under the covers.

"Whoa, I actually got in. I really got inside."

Her voice sounded flustered. Wait, this texture feels awfully realistic. Don't tell me... it's real?

"Hehehe, having someone next to me first thing in the morning is just too blissful. So this is what Nishikikoji-kun feels like~. Hehe."

The breath hitting my back was ticklish, causing me to roll over.

Just like that, I groggily opened my eyes.

"Ah!?"

Kanna let out a small shriek, instantly snapping me fully awake.

"Kanna...?"

"Hah, you used my first name... wait, no, g-good morning."

"Good morning. Ah, n-no, Sasaki-san."

Realizing my mistake, I corrected myself. I’ve been calling her Kanna in my head for so long that it just slipped out.

Now then, what do I do from here...?

In contrast to my panic, Kanna showed a dissatisfied expression.

"Why did you go back to using my last name!"

"S-Sorry? I just thought suddenly using your first name might be creepy."

"It’s not creepy at all! I mean, we’re classmates, so i-it’s only natural, or rather..."

"Natural!?"

The world of normies is terrifying.

"Well, maybe not *natural*, but... um... we’ve become close enough to be together like this, so shouldn't we call each other by our first names in private?"

"I see. You’re right. Let’s do that."

I agreed for the time being, though my head was spinning. Normies are way too bold.

"O-Oh, and about me being here right now, it doesn't mean anything, okay? It’s your fault for not waking up, Nishikikoji-kun!"

"R-Right..."

"G-Geez. It really doesn't mean anything! I’ll be waiting in the living room, so come eat breakfast soon."

Leaving only those words behind, Kanna turned bright red and fled the room. Even though she crawled in herself, I guess she got embarrassed. Her panic earlier was probably just to mask that shyness.

"...It was like a storm."

Seriously, what was that about?

◇

When I went to the living room, a delicious smell wafted through the air.

"Ah, you’re fully awake now. Good morning, Nishikikoji-kun."

Kanna peered into my face, smiling.

"Good morning."

"I borrowed your apron without asking~! Oh, and breakfast is rice, tamagoyaki, and miso soup~. I’ll bring it out once you wash your face and brush your teeth."

"O-Okay."

She pushed me toward the washroom by my back.

...How do I put this? Seeing Kanna wearing an apron like that makes her look just like a newlywed wife... Wait, what the hell am I thinking?!

I washed my face, trying to scrub away my wicked thoughts.

Incidentally, I had another set of wicked thoughts, specifically about the Kanna in the game world. Over there, although Kanna was a yandere character who tended to devote herself to the MC, I don't think she ever went this far. Or rather, well... whenever we were at home in the game, we were basically just doing it the whole time. In other words, that was the nature of my wicked thoughts. Freed from yesterday's shocking events, my mind had drifted back to the lovey-dovey scenes from the game.

'Forget it, forget it, me...'

The Kanna here is different from the Kanna over there.

After hearing her story yesterday, I realized she’s a much more delicate, hardworking girl than I had imagined.

"Haa..."

I sighed at my face in the mirror, still stained with dark circles, took a deep breath, and headed to the living room.

"Welcome back! Now, let’s have breakfast."

Maybe she had calmed down a bit after yesterday; although her eyes were still puffy, Kanna welcomed me with a full, beaming smile.

"Let's Eat."

We put our hands together, and I reached for the tamagoyaki with my chopsticks. It was the salty type, and when I put it in my mouth, the dashi stock oozed out, juicy and delicious.

"So good."

"Really? I’m actually pretty good at cooking, so I'm happy to hear that."

Kanna smiled brightly.

The rice was cooked perfectly fluffy, and the miso soup had a strong dashi flavor that was delicious.

"I didn't know your cooking was this good..."

"I haven't made much lately, though. See, my parents often came home late. So, since I was little, I often cooked for myself."

"I see."

"Ah~, this isn't meant to be a serious, depressing story or anything! I’m actually grateful. Thanks to that, I got good at housework."

"Yeah. It's really good. Seriously, this might be the best meal I’ve ever had."

"Really...? Then I’m glad. I didn't realize making food for someone and having them eat it could be this fun. Especially since you eat it looking so happy, Nishikikoji-kun."

"I guess... you’re right. It makes you happy when someone tells you the food you made is delicious."

I remembered yesterday's fried rice.

Compared to Kanna’s cooking, it probably wasn't anything special, but she had still called it delicious over and over again while eating.

"By the way, I’m not sure if I should ask this, but..."

"As long as it’s not my weight or three sizes, ask away."

"I-I wouldn't ask that. ...I was wondering what you're going to do about school today."

It had been on my mind since last night. The "fire" hasn't been put out yet, so school is going to be rough for a while. Girls tend to be especially sensitive to this kind of stuff.

"Ehh, you’re not interested in my three sizes? ...Well, whatever. Hmm. I guess I just have to endure it for a while."

"You won't tell them the truth yourself?"

"There’s no point in doing that. I don't mind if it gets out on social media or whatever, but... I don't know if they’d believe me. Since I couldn't deny it immediately yesterday, bringing it up suddenly today would look suspicious, right? So, I’ll just do my best."

"I see..."

It’s true that if it comes from Kanna’s mouth, they might not believe her. Personally, I think there's a higher chance they would believe her. But looking at how things went yesterday, there's definitely a chance they won't.

So, what should I do?

Do I just watch in silence without being able to do anything? Leave someone who's hurting alone?

"Got it. I think it’ll probably be fine after a while."

"? Yeah. You’re right, it’ll be fine after a while."

Kanna nodded. After watching her reaction, I sipped the remaining miso soup from the bottom of my bowl.

◇

After seeing Kanna leave the house, I headed to school myself. To be blunt, the atmosphere in the classroom was absolute garbage.

Unlike yesterday, no one returned Kanna's greeting. Even for me, an unrelated party, the air was thick enough to be uncomfortable.

"Seriously, Kanna is unbelievable, right?"

"Walking around with an old guy like that is just gross."

I could hear subtle whispers of backbiting. Kanna sat in her seat with her head down, gently stroking her favorite panda charm. Perhaps because this class attracted relatively flashy people, the malice of the top-caste students—people I’d never even spoken to—dominated the room.

What’s more, it seemed the rumor had spread beyond just my class. During break time, students I didn't know from other classes came to rubberneck, and a massive crowd began to gather.

At this point, the rumors had probably grown legs and wings; retracting them would be difficult. Kanna seemed to understand this, staying completely alone without saying a word.

"Hey Kaede, what do you think Sasaki-san is gonna do?"

"Eh?"

"I mean, she came to school today, right? So it’s not like she’s suspended or anything. Which means, logically, the talk becomes 'there's no way she's actually doing compensated dating'."

I’ve been thinking this for a while since we started hanging out, but Narita is surprisingly sharp.

"But look, things have turned out like this. I wonder what she’ll do."

"Ah... yeah."

Kanna said she would endure it for a while.

But, really, in this atmosphere...?

That is just way too...

"It’s too painful."

Narita nodded at my muttered words.

◇

During the lunch break that day, the volume of rubberneckers reached its peak, and a male student from two classes over—rumored to be a delinquent—barged into the classroom.

"Are you Sasaki Kanna?"

He stood in front of Kanna and asked bluntly. When Kanna simply raised her gaze without nodding, the guy narrowed his eyes.

"How much for one go?"

At that question, the air in the entire classroom froze.

Even though the girls whispered in the shadows, none of them had said anything directly to her face, and certainly, no one had asked something that vulgar.

Kanna stared at the male student for a moment, then tried to ignore him and stand up. Obviously.

The guy grabbed Kanna’s arm and laughed, saying, "Oh, so you won't answer me?"

The atmosphere turned explosive. Kanna’s eyes began to well up with tears. Kanna, who had complained yesterday that she couldn't cry.

My body moved before I could even think about death flags, and grabbed his hand. Narita, sitting in front of me, let out a confused "Hah?"

Apparently, Nishikikoji Kaede ran wild during middle school. He had never lost a fight and was supposedly stronger than anyone. Incidentally, he was also the most feared person in this high school.

"A-Ah, sorry, sorry. Just got a little curious."

I put strength into my hand and forced him to let go of Kanna. As I squeezed tighter, grinding my grip, even he showed a flicker of fear.

"In the first place,"

I spoke to Kanna in a disgruntled tone. Trying as hard as I could to sound like the old Nishikikoji Kaede. Even if I have to play the villain, if it settles the situation, I don't care.

"Did you really do it? It's been noisy around here since morning, and it's irritating me."

"Eh, um..."

Kanna looked confused for a moment before continuing.

"I really didn't do it!"

The classroom fell silent, the consensus being that if threatened by Nishikikoji, the truth would surely come out.

On top of that, Kanna began to explain the circumstances.

Even the students who initially dismissed it as a lie grew paler as they listened to Kanna's story.

It seems my gamble paid off.

"Thanks, Nishikikoji-kun."

In the classroom that was finally returning to normal, Kanna whispered softly so only I could hear.

And thus, Kanna’s tumultuous compensated dating incident quietly came to a close.

◇

"Shunichi...?"

When I called out, Narita emerged from the shadow of the shoe lockers.

"I have something to talk about, or rather... well, it’s not a big deal. I waited here specifically for when cleaning duty ended. Sorry... Ah, we should probably throw away this trash first."

"Right. Yeah, I’ll go dump this real quick."

"No, let’s talk while we walk."

I have absolutely no idea what Narita wants to talk about.

I naturally don't know anything about the Nishikikoji side of things, but did this flow of events even exist in that disastrous story? Nervously, I walked beside Narita.

"What was your favorite food again Kaede?"

"Favorite food...?"

Wondering about the sudden, nonsensical question, I answered.

"Ah—Yakisoba, maybe?"

"...I knew it."

Narita let out a light sigh and nodded.

"Just so you know, Nishikikoji’s favorite food is Omurice."

"Huh...?"

I involuntarily stopped in my tracks. I looked straight at Narita’s face, but his expression was serious. He didn't look like he was joking.

"You aren't Nishikikoji Kaede, are you?"

◇

I sat on a bench and handed Narita a juice I bought from a nearby vending machine.

After that, we dumped the trash and came to a quiet park nearby where there weren't many people.

"Here. This is the juice you like right, Shunichi?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

He popped the tab and downed the juice in one go.

It was a bit cold for spring, but thanks to that, I felt like I could calm down a little.

"But seriously, how did you figure out I was different?"

"The first time I thought it was weird was when I called out to you in homeroom, I guess."

"Ah, yeah, I thought that was incredibly suspicious myself."

"There were better ways to handle that, you know."

Narita laughed as he said that.

"I guess. I thought it was suspicious then, but... it was mostly what came after. The way you talked, your actions, everything changed. Back then, seeing Nishikikoji, who had done so much bad shit, suddenly changed on his own... honestly, I was super pissed off inside."

"That makes sense."

"Right? Like, what the hell? I thought about cutting ties with you and acting like the old Nishikikoji myself."

"So that was it."

For a moment, I imagined it.

Narita falling to the dark side. A reversal of positions between me and Narita.

In my attempt to save Narita, who might have been heading toward a death flag alongside Nishikikoji, I might have actually been destroying our relationship.

No one can understand the movements of another person's heart. Only Narita can make Narita's choices, and only I can make mine.

This isn't a game.

Now that I’ve reincarnated and the story has diverged from the original work—it’s no longer the game I knew...

—The choices have changed into something each of us can freely select.

"But, you know, while I kept thinking 'just one more day, just one more day,' my relationship with you gradually deepened. ...Also, I’m only telling this to you Kaede, but actually... back in elementary school, I was bullied by my classmates."

The tone of Narita’s voice suddenly changed.

I straightened my posture.

"It was terrible every single day. I kept thinking about how I’d get revenge someday. I wanted to strike a blow against them somehow. That was all I thought about. But I was a coward, so I couldn't do anything. Eventually, I ran away by taking the entrance exams and entering this school. I planned to climb to the top of the caste in middle school, to become a 'strong person.' But well, you can't just change your personality the moment you enter middle school. I couldn't make any friends, and I was depressed. And that’s when Nishikikoji appeared."

"Ah."

Narita’s past, never told within the game.

It was much heavier than I expected, and I listened with serious intent.

"From the moment you entered the school, you were seriously fearless. You picked fights with upperclassmen without hesitation. The very first incident you caused... was 'that' one. An upperclassman’s girlfriend fell for Nishikikoji on her own, and the senior got pissed and stormed into the classroom. I wondered what Nishikikoji would do, and surprisingly, he punched him back—the senior. He beat him to a pulp, then with a cool face, spat at the girlfriend, 'I’m not interested in an ugly girl like you.' Honestly, it was the ultimate scumbag move, but... I thought to myself: 'Ah, he is an overwhelmingly strong person.'"

You did that kind of stuff, Nishikikoji?

Once again, I was amazed by Nishikikoji’s absurdity and trashiness.

Narita narrowed his eyes as if nostalgic, looked into the distance, and continued his story.

"I wanted to get close to Nishikikoji somehow. I know now that it was a childish way of thinking, but back then, I was desperate to become strong. I just wanted to prove my bullies wrong; that’s all I could think about. So, when I stumbled upon a scene where Nishikikoji was fighting... without saying a word, I punched his opponent. Honestly, I was insanely scared, and my legs were shaking uncontrollably. But more than that—there was this sense of exhilaration. 'Ah, I’ve gone from a person who gets hit to a person above that.' That’s what I thought."

Narita cut the story off there for a second.

He took a big gulp of the juice I gave him.

"So, what did Nishikikoji do?"

Knowing that piece of trash, he probably just beat everyone up together. Actually, it's harder to imagine him doing nothing.

"Ah, he just said one word: 'You’re a super interesting guy.' From then on, the relationship between me and Nishikikoji began. Though, really, it was just me following Nishikikoji around. Honestly, I don't know what Nishikikoji thought. He never said he disliked it, and I figured if I was really annoying, he’d just say something, so I stayed with him. Back then, it felt like I was in a dream. It was fun. The two of us did tons of bad things, were feared by guys in the whole grade, and we never reflected on any of it. Inside that school, we were the overwhelmingly strong ones... Well, Nishikikoji was overwhelmingly stronger, so he was scary, though."

I didn't think the relationship between Nishikikoji and Narita was like that.

I had expected something like Narita becoming Nishikikoji’s apprentice. In the game, it just said he admired him; it wasn't explained in detail.

I assumed on my own that it was a boss-henchman relationship, but in reality, it might not have been that bad.

"That day in the homeroom when you talked to me... I did think you were strangely quiet. You ended up in the same class as Sasaki Kanna but showed zero interest, and you were listening seriously to the self-introductions. Besides, you hadn't caused any problems between the entrance ceremony and the start of classes anyway."

Based on Narita's story, I began to be convinced that everyone's reactions weren't exaggerated. Nishikikoji probably got into fights or something every other day.

Nishikikoji Kaede is, in the end, just like in 'Soshite Sekai wa Aiiro ni'—a hopeless piece of trash. Unsalvageable, with no room for excuses.

However, the plating covering that image inside me began to peel off, bit by bit.

"So as a test, I asked about the mixer before that. You didn't remember anything, right? Nishikikoji had a good memory; he never forgot anyone he spoke to once. ...Well, at that time, I didn't think you had become a different person, just that your personality had changed. But as we kept talking, it was clearly different. You knew strange things, and you forgot strange things. So, I tried mixing lies into our conversations about the past a few times. Just as I thought, you believed every lie. That’s when I became convinced. 'Ah, this guy isn't Nishikikoji.' So then, I wondered if I should just accept it, or try to turn you back, or if you didn't turn back, honestly... oops, no need to say that part."

"Don't worry about it. So honestly?"

"Yeah... honestly, I thought about reversing positions with Nishikikoji. That way, my wish to become a 'strong person' in this school would be fulfilled. And more than anything, I was pissed that you suddenly became like 'that'. What do you mean 'get serious in high school'? Then what happens to the three years I spent with you? If you suddenly change on your own, there's nothing I can do. I kept wondering what to do, thinking only about how to get revenge. But, saying such things was scary after all, so I couldn't actually do anything. While I was dragging the relationship along, thinking way too much about it, I realized something. That, well..."

"That Kaede is the first real friend I've made."

"Eh..."

I didn't expect him to say something like that. In the first place, I only hung out with Narita because he was the only person I could rely on. Although, it is true that during that time, a desire to be friends with him did form.

"Then, you know, I just felt really happy. It had been so long since anyone treated me like that. Even if the history behind it was problematic, I wanted to stay friends with you Kaede. Besides, while we were hanging out, I thought... Maybe nothing has really changed."

"Nothing has changed...?"

"Watching you Kaede, sometimes I think, 'That’s definitely something Nishikikoji would do.' So, it feels like Nishikikoji hasn't disappeared or anything. Even if you don't know anything about the old Nishikikoji and don't remember a thing."

"I... see. That’s kind of a difficult concept..."

"It’s more of a gut feeling. But I really feel that way. So, to sum it up... what Nishikikoji and I did was incredibly unhealthy, right? I don't know what Nishikikoji was thinking when he did those things, but I was just weak. I couldn't overcome the trauma of being bullied in elementary school, so I just blindly believed that power was everything, trying to solve everything with violence. In the end, what I was doing was no different from the guys who bullied me... Well, realizing that was thanks to you being here, Kaede. So, I look forward to working with you from now on."

Narita laughed, saying it was kind of embarrassing.

I see. So that’s why Narita stayed with me.

My chest felt warm. Narita had noticed. Yet he chose to stay with me—I think he’s a strong person, no matter how you look at it. I surely couldn't do something like that.

"...Thanks."

"Ou."

When I muttered that, Narita nodded.

"Anyway. Sorry for talking your ear off with my life story."

"No, I’m glad I heard it. After all, I did feel a little uncomfortable being in this world."

"Well, it’s normal to feel that way if you suddenly change. Did you suddenly become Nishikikoji?"

"Yeah. I woke up one morning and I was a different person... I gathered information from my student ID and insurance card. Well, I guess you could say there were so many incidents that I didn't have time for anything else."

I obviously can't say that this world is the setting of a game called 'Soshite Sekai wa Aiiro ni'.

Narita gave a bitter smile and stood up. Following his lead, I stood up from the bench as well.

"Haha. True. Seriously, since the entrance ceremony, it’s been nothing but incidents, non-stop. Alright, shall we head back?"

Together, we left the park. The cherry blossoms had started to turn into leafy green trees.

In another month, summer will begin.

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