02 Entangled with the Gal Heroine
“Wait a minute. This is a bit much, don’t you think?”
I took Hinase Riri’s hand and hurried away from the downtown area.
Driven by the fear that the man might chase after us, I ran without stopping.
As a result, we’d covered quite a distance before I realized it.
“S-Sorry…. You must be tired.”
“No, I’m totally fine. Actually, I’m grateful.”
Hinase-san certainly didn’t look tired.
Rather, I was the one out of breath.
Even after being reborn, my introverted clumsiness remains…
“You’re Amatsuki-san, right…?”
Hinase-san looked at me, half-doubtful as she spoke my name.
It was the spring of our second year, and we’d only just become classmates.
It couldn’t be helped if she wasn’t sure.
“Yes, Amatsuki Suzuna…”
I introduced myself for now.
Hinase Riri is the flashy girl at the top of the class hierarchy. You could even label her as a “gyaru” and a social butterfly.
In contrast, Amatsuki Suzuna is the introverted girl at the very bottom.
Normally, we’d never interact.
Even though there were opportunities to talk in the game, centered around the protagonist, Shindo Minato…
“Thanks, Amatsuki-san. That guy was being really persistent, it was getting annoying.”
Hinase-san smiled brightly, without a care in the world.
…I never thought I would be the one approaching her like this.
“Ah… yeah, seeing your expression, Hinase-san, I kind of got the feeling you were in trouble.”
“Oh, you know my name?”
“Of course. We’re classmates, and you’re famous, Hinase-san.”
Large, round eyes, loosely curled brown hair.
Her blazer was open, and the buttons of her blouse were undone, revealing a hint of her cleavage.
Her skirt was short, and her legs were quite exposed.
Slender, but not too thin, a healthy physique.
She was the most popular girl at Seiran Academy, someone who caught everyone’s eye.
…That was the setting, anyway.
Well, even without that prior knowledge, anyone could see at a glance that she was popular.
“A-Ahaha… I do stand out, don’t I? There are probably some unsavory rumors about me.”
“It’s not like that…”
And Hinase Riri is also a girl oblivious to her own popularity.
With her outstanding looks and feminine attire, she wasn’t haughty.
Rather, she had a very casual personality.
Of course she’d be popular. Even I, her complete opposite, could understand that.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. I tend to be underestimated. That guy probably approached me because he saw me that way.”
Is it just my bad personality that makes that sound like a roundabout way of bragging…?
Well, even I, as a girl, think Hinase-san is beautiful. So it’s probably unavoidable that men would hit on her.
I looked at my reflection in a nearby window.
An unremarkable, dull face, thick black-rimmed glasses.
My black hair was in pigtails, my uniform buttoned all the way up, and my skirt length strictly adhered to the school rules.
The picture-perfect image of an introverted girl.
Well, it is literally a picture-perfect world, so I guess it’s natural…
Anyway, Amatsuki Suzuna is plain.
That’s to be expected. While this character exists as a heroine, when you get down to it, her role was mostly to mediate and move the story along.
Her ending was also a bit ambiguous, with the relationship with the protagonist not progressing beyond that of childhood friends…
Well, whatever.
My previous self was also plain and inconspicuous like Amatsuki Suzuna, so it doesn’t feel that strange.
Rather, it’s so true to life that I almost feel a slight sense of self-loathing.
But if you were to ask me if I wanted to be the polar opposite, like Hinase-san in front of me…
No way.
I couldn’t maintain that level of femininity for even a day.
“Amatsuki-san, you’re pretty gutsy.”
“Eh, ehh…?”
Isn’t “gutsy” a bit of an overstatement…?
I mean, I’m aware that I lack femininity, but…
“Everyone on the street just pretended not to see me when I was in trouble. It’s fine since I wasn’t asking for help, but it was surprising that you, Amatsuki-san, were the first to speak up.”
Ah, so that’s what she meant.
Originally, this was the scene where the protagonist would save her.
I guess it could be considered gutsy. It was originally an action a boy would have taken.
“I’m glad I could help. Well then, I’ll be…”
There was nothing more to talk about between us, with our different personalities.
I should retreat before an awkward silence falls.
“Eh, wait!”
However, Hinase-san grabbed my arm.
My movement was restricted.
“Um… is something the matter?”
“Let me thank you.”
…A bad feeling.
“I didn’t do anything that warrants thanks.”
“No way, I can’t just let a classmate help me and go home without saying anything.”
Hmm…
I’ve seen this exact same scenario play out before.
These are the lines she’d use to invite Shindo Minato, who should be here…
What am I supposed to do, receiving them instead?
“Amatsuki-san, do you like sweets?”
“…I hate them.”
I actually like them.
But if I accept, we’ll end up going to get sweets… so I have to refuse.
“Ah, is that so. …It’s after school, aren’t you a little hungry?”
“I’m not hungry.”
Hinase-san is desperately trying to treat me to something…
I don’t need it, I don’t need it.
You don’t have to raise any flags with me. Please do that with Shindo-kun.
“…Not even a little?”
“I’m actually pretty full.”
“…Wow.”
“Yeah, I get full easily.”
“Too easily.”
Hinase-san seems slightly taken aback…
Well, a girl saying she’s full in the evening after school is certainly strange.
Of course, it’s a lie, and I’m actually getting hungry.
“Ah, then you must be thirsty, right? We ran quite a bit, and you were out of breath, Amatsuki-san.”
Hinase-san’s eyes lit up as if she’d had a brilliant idea.
She’s probably thinking of taking me to a cafe.
But that’s no good either.
“I’m not thirsty.”
“…Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Even after running that much?”
“I’m the type who doesn’t get thirsty even after exercising.”
“…Do such people exist?”
“Right here.”
“Amatsuki-san, you’re not in any sports clubs, are you?”
“…I’m in the going-home club.”
Hinase-san’s gaze pierced me.
“Amatsuki-san, are you rejecting me?”
“…”
The way she asks such a delicate question without sugarcoating it… it’s so… “social butterfly” of her.
I couldn’t ask something so scary.
Even a polite reply would make me feel awkward, and if she told me the truth, I’d just get hurt.
Anyway, I don’t know how to react when asked something like that.
“No, it’s not like that…”
My reply lacked conviction, even to my own ears.
It was obvious I was hiding something.
In times like these, I, with my lacking communication skills, don’t know how to handle things properly.
“Right? There’s no way you’d help someone so boldly if you disliked them.”
Hinase-san smiled.
Judging by her expression, she believed me.
Amazing… She accepted it so easily.
“I see. But I’m in a bind, now I can’t thank you.”
“It’s fine, really, it’s okay.”
I couldn’t let this drag on any longer.
Seizing the opportunity, I shook off her grip on my arm.
“Ah, Amatsuki-san! Where are you going!?”
“Home.”
“Eh, but then my feelings…”
“Please direct those feelings towards a boy in our class.”
“…Why?”
Leaving Hinase-san tilting her head in confusion, I started running again as if escaping.
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