CH 32

Does the protagonist really love his childhood friend?



Early June. I think we need air conditioning by now, but our school seems to be reluctant to pay the electricity bill, so we haven’t turned it on yet.



Instead, the windows are fully open to let the air flow in. However, it didn’t make much of a difference to me as all that came in was a lukewarm breeze.



“Shiho had been popular since elementary school. A lot of guys confessed to her, but she turned them all down. …… They didn’t even take her seriously. She’s that kind of girl. …… She’s serious, she’s strong, and she’s determined to only let her heart go out to the person she’s going to marry when she grows up.”



I walked up to the open window, listening to the protagonist’s appreciative speech.



Frowning at the lukewarm breeze, I wiped the sweat from my forehead.



I heard that in the past, schools tried to keep the air conditioner off as much as possible, but recently, more and more schools are turning it on to prevent heat stroke. I wish my school would follow their example.



…… No, maybe this is set up so that the protagonist can cause an event.



That’s it. It is a kind of promise that the uniforms of sweaty female students are transparent. The main character has a good time with it, and the girls seen aren’t too happy about it, so it creates a good situation …….



I remember that my best friend Kirari used to read light novels to get along with me because she liked them.



I neither liked nor disliked them, so I’m not passionate enough to call it a hobby, but Kirari seemed to enjoy it when we talked about them….., and that made me happy.



I wonder who Kirari is talking to about it now?



…… No, she’s not talking to anyone anymore, is she?



Ryuzaki told me that he likes girls with flashy colors, so so I dyed my own hair and pretended to be a flashy girl to fit the bill.



That’s why I’m sure she hasn’t even told Ryuzaki that she likes light novels.



“Hey, are you listening to me?”



“…… Oh, yeah. I’m listening.”



Oops, I shouldn’t have done that. I’ve been in a daze, so I haven’t really thought about it. But it didn’t seem to be worth it, so what was the problem?



In any case, he was just showing off the information about how much he knew about Shimotsuki.



And it’s a wrong understanding, so I’m just confused when it’s told to me.



“In short, I should give up on Shimotsuki, right?”



“Yeah, that’s right. Even I, a childhood friend, took a long time to get along with her. …… It’s impossible for a guy who just suddenly became a classmate.”



Yeah, I think so too. It’s unheard of for the main heroine to find specialness in a mere mob character, isn’t it?



Shimotsuki really is a strange girl. I agree with that, but I think …… Ryuzaki probably doesn’t get along with her, you know?



“I’ve just been lucky. It’s like we’re childhood friends and we’re specially close to each other. …… Looking at you, it kind of hurts my heart. You should not have a painful love.”



The fact that they are childhood friends makes the equation that they are close. …… The relationship of childhood friends seems to be the absolute solution for the protagonist.



“I’ll take it or leave it. That’s my motto, hit and miss!”



Acting like an optimistic person was tiring, but I had to go along with Ryuzaki until he was satisfied. It is not possible for a mob character to not go along with the protagonist’s wishes.



“I’m worried about you because you might really break, but are you really that stupid ……? Do you know that?”



“I don’t care. What’s the matter? You’ve been saying that since before ……, does Ryuzaki like Shimotsuki-san? Oh, by the way, you haven’t made that clear yet!　As your rival, I’m curious about that, so tell me.”



Oh, I think I did a good job of acting that one.



It’s the kind of line you’d expect to hear from a mob character who’s merely a dog.



And yet, I can ask him what I’m really interested in.



In the past, I’ve been somewhat aware that Ryuzaki has a liking for Shimotsuki, but he has never mentioned it to me …… clearly.



No matter what happens, it won’t change the outcome, and I wouldn’t mind hearing it.



I already know that he likes Shimotsuki. From what he has said and done so far, he seems to be absolutely aware of it. So, the only difference is whether or not he is expressing those feelings.



That’s why I want to know what kind of response he will give.



It’s not like he’s the kind of person who would just say, “I love her” …….



Because he is the protagonist with a harem attitude.



Indecisiveness is his patent.



“It’s not that I like her, but she’s my …… childhood friend, so it’s only natural that we be together. She’s like my sister, my family……, and I have to make her happy. So I’d say I like her, but not exactly like you like her…….”



What?



When I saw Ryuzaki’s sluggishness, I had a concern.



I thought for sure that Ryuzaki liked Shimotsuki.



(Does this guy …… really like Shimotsuki?)



I felt that it was not a normal feeling of love.



If I were to compare it to that, it would be like having a pet.



It’s natural to take care of her, it’s natural to protect her, and therefore she has the right to have her tail between her legs. I felt a chill down my spine, thinking that this is the kind of twisted love.



(So this is what the …… harem route is like.)



I had thought that Ryuzaki was the protagonist of a story in which he had a harem mentality but loved one girl.



But he’s not. Isn’t this guy trying to go the harem route after loving Shimotsuki with all his heart?



I almost got goosebumps at such a horrifying prospect.



A sentence I had seen before flashed through my mind.



The protagonist in the story had said.



“I like all of you! But each one of you has a different form of ‘love,’ so you’re equal!”



One heroine loved as the opposite sex.



Another heroine loved as a friend.



Another heroine loved as a benefactor.



Other heroines loved as family.



So he can love them all equally.



He will make everyone happy.



He wanted everyone to be loved only by him – I remembered such an arrogant story.



Originally, I wondered if Shimotsuki would have been a part of it.



I think she was framed as a childhood friend, and was added to the harem.



But to call it “love”, I think the form is too distorted.



That’s not love.



It’s just selfishness.