CH 45

Heroine Disqualified



Unfortunately, it was my turn for a while from here.



There’s no way for the protagonist to stop this negative trend.



For the sake of the story, he’s getting pushed further and further into a corner.



“Hey, Shiho? Is the curry good? I’m pretty confident about it.”



Ryuzaki, who was rejected by Shimotsuki earlier, is trying his best to get her attention.



Although they are a little apart, he is trying his best to talk to her.



But she just keeps responding in a casual manner.



“………… Yes, it is.”



She nodded and took a small mouthful of curry.



It was delicious, but I remembered that her mother was a very good cook.



Whenever we ate …… lunch together, Shimotsuki would share her side dishes with me, and the taste of the food was incredible.



Even an amateur can tell that Shimotsuki’s mother is a very good cook.



Compared to that, Ryuzaki’s and Yuzuki’s cooking is not so good. Of course, this curry is delicious to me, but the reason why Shimotsuki doesn’t move her expression much is because she knows the taste of a better curry.



Her interest is clearly not in cooking.



Shimotsuki’s interest was, how can I put it, …… quite a bit of it was focused on me.



I’m embarrassed to say it myself, but I have to say it.



Because she’s been messing with me frequently since a while ago.



“…!?”



I shook my body with a jolt.



I was suddenly poked in the side of my head, and my body almost jumped reflexively.



“Ufufu ♪”



Even though she is a high school student, she can do things like an elementary school student and look so happy about it……. She must really want to be noticed.



Fortunately, my voice didn’t come out, so I thought no one would notice,…… but Ryuzaki was looking right at me.



“……Ah?”



Oh, no.



He looked as if his soul had been drained by the shock.



In a state of abandonment, Ryuzaki had dropped the spoon he was holding.



Ryuzaki must be despairing in his heart.



His cute childhood friend, whom he thought was his only, is opening up to another man, and laughing at him.



Ryoma Ryuzaki’s romantic comedy has become quite a hard act to follow.



It’s a development that is sure to stir up controversy among readers.



(TLN: Damn right.)



The purity of the heroine is an important factor in gaining popularity. In this respect, Shimotsuki, who cheats on her lover with another man, is disqualified as a heroine.



However, not all heroines of romantic comedies love only the protagonist. In some cases, the protagonist and the main heroine both like different people.



It’s not strange that Ryuzaki would make a comeback from here.



That’s why I was worried.



It would be nice if he would simply give up here……. No, how could he?



There is no way that a person who can be broken down like this can be a protagonist.



I’m sure Ryuzaki will struggle from here.



If he takes the high road, he will get Shimotsuki back from me, get another heroine, and later on, Shimotsuki will say, “I don’t deserve to be loved by you, but thank you for loving me.” to tickle the protagonist’s desire for approval.



I’m sure that readers who enjoy Ryuzaki’s romantic comedy also have a lot of hate for Shimotsuki, who once loved another man. As a punishment to get rid of it, she has to accept Ryuzaki’s dating other girls – and if that happens, the harem may become more convincing.



Such a scenario popped into my mind.



My turn is not over yet. …… The longer it goes on, the more I’m afraid that the protagonist will awaken in reaction.



At that time, Ryuzaki will surely become a monster beyond my imagination.



There is no more terrifying existence than a completed harem protagonist.



Everything will be taken care of with expediency, problems will be solved in a way that suits the protagonist, everything will be a favorable wind for the protagonist, and the ending will be one of happiness.



And the one that the protagonist sees as a danger is me, a mob character.　 There’s no way I can stand up to him……. What will become of this character, me?



I was really afraid of that.