Chapter 1: Confession Scene

Cruel.

A character who drops out of a story, isn't it that's the same as being dead? If they don't appear, they don't exist. If they don't exist, then they might as well be dead.

The fate of losing heroines is a topic that's been discussed since ancient times, a worn-out theme.

But I never thought I'd get involved in it myself.

When that happened, it was a different story altogether.

「──Once I shelve these, I'll be done.」

I gazed at the books piled up in the library.

I ended up being assigned as a library committee member when I advanced to the next grade. I like manga and novels, and I don't dislike that unique scent that books give off. It was just annoying that I sometimes have to stay after school.

Before I knew it, the slanting sunlight was streaming through the window.

The humid breeze of the rainy season brushes against my cheek.

The voices of students working hard at their club activities echoed in the distance.

「──Am I really no good for you?」

It was indeed a voice tinged with tension. I can't help but stop what I was doing.

I looked around to see where it was coming from, but there was no sign of anyone. Just as I judged it to be drama club practice and tried to continue my work, another line flowed into my eardrums like a follow-up attack.

「I've been watching Keiichi all this time! All this time!」

Keiichi, that name sounded familiar. He's a classmate of mine.

Well, with just the name Keiichi, it could be someone else with the same name.

Apparently the owner of the voice is outside. Probably that Keiichi guy too. As I moved my hands while listening, it seemed to be a confession scene. I see, it's a story that has nothing to do with me.

(...I mean, they're doing this even though they don't know who might be listening.)

It was just curiosity. Peeping probably isn't a very good thing to do.

I have no intention of making fun of them or teasing them. I just wanted to see the face of this bold girl making a confession and this Keiichi guy receiving it. ...I quietly position myself near the window, following the sound of their voices.

「Uoih, seriously? Keiichi... you mean Sera Keiichi?」

The voice that was about to get loud in surprise, I quickly covered my mouth.

The name of the girl making the confession is Orimoto Suzuka. She's a beautiful girl with impressive chestnut-colored hair. Not only is she good-looking, but combined with her proper personality, she's popular with both boys and girls.

On the other hand, the boy is Sera Keiichi. Also known as──the galge protagonist.

He's undeniably handsome and popular. It was common knowledge that Sera and Orimoto were childhood friends.Fumu, looks like Orimoto finally ran out of patience.

「When you said you wanted to talk, I thought... maybe, but are you serious, Suzuka?」

There's a reason Sera is called the galge protagonist.

His good looks play a part, but more than anything, he has a harem.

Not just Orimoto, but senpais and classmates, I hear the roster keeps growing.

And yet he's not dating anyone, so the resentment from the male students is tremendous. I don't understand what pretty boys are thinking. Since he's someone I'll never have anything to do with, it doesn't matter to me though.

「I want to move beyond being just childhood friends. I like Keiichi.」

「...I'm happy about Suzuka's feelings. That you'd like someone like me. ...But.」

「I'll become even cuter! I'll work hard at cooking too.」

Orimoto's voice was trembling but wrapped in cheerfulness.

What right do I have to say this from my peeping position, it's honestly painful to watch. Too painful.

I've never confessed to anyone or been confessed to, but it's clear the chances are slim.

「...D-Don't tell me, there's someone else you like?」

「...Sorry, Suzuka. I knew you had feelings for me.」

「Who do you like? Someone I know?」

If I put myself in Orimoto's position, the awkwardness would make me want to vomit. ...If it were a stranger it'd be one thing, but if the person you like started dating an acquaintance or friend, it would be despair.

「I can't say it. If I told you, it would make Suzuka sad.」

「What's that supposed to mean? So it is one of my friends... I see.」

「Suzuka, I... I was happy to be your childhood friend.」

Was that supposed to be consoling? It sounded like he was twisting the knife.

Orimoto's voice, trying to act tough, began trembling even more.

「Yeah, me too. ──Thank you, Keiichi.」

「...I'm going home. You should go home too, Suzuka, before it gets dark.」

「I know that. ...Bye-bye!」

The "bye-bye" was the loudest. One set of footsteps.

Keiichi leaves. Orimoto watches his back intently. But Keiichi never looked back even once. It felt like that gap would never be bridged, and even I felt depressed.

(What a scene that was. ...I'll take this to my grave, rest in peace, rest in peace.)

I thought it would be a nauseating event of popular kids getting together... but it was the complete opposite.

To stumble upon a scene of total rejection. I pursed my lips.

Orimoto just kept staring in the direction Keiichi had walked away.

Before I knew it, the slanting sun had taken on a pale purple hue. Orimoto slowly turned her gaze away and leaned her back against a planted tree with weak movements. Not caring that her uniform would get dirty.

「You could've looked back at least once. ......Ah-ah, stupid, stupid, stupid stupid...」

This is bad. An aura of despair is overflowing from her entire body.

She was wiping away tears with her fingertips like she was sobbing.

Her expression is pale, and if someone introduced her as a dead person, I'd almost believe it. Since it was too painful to keep watching Orimoto, I quietly moved away from the window and continued my library committee work.

─────

「──She must have gone home by now.」

Watching the confession scene had caused delays in my work.

That said, it was my responsibility and I finished up quickly.

After finishing my preparations to leave, I couldn't help but feel curious and casually glanced outside the window. Orimoto's figure was nowhere to be seen. Faint stars had appeared in the distant sky. ...I should head home too.

I lock the library and return the key to the staff room. It's a routine I'm used to now.

Library committee work isn't grueling, but it takes up more time than expected.

I was taking turns with other library committee members handling book displays and lending duties. Today happened to be my turn. Whether that was bad luck or good luck, I trudged forward.

「What a crazy thing I ended up witnessing.」

As soon as I passed through the school gate, I let out my inner feelings.

A scene between the popular guy in class, Sera Keiichi, and his childhood friend Orimoto Suzuka.

...And beautiful girl Orimoto got shot down. ──If the guys in class found out, Sera might get killed. Since I'm fine keeping my distance, I plan to pretend I didn't see any of this.

「...Hm, well look at that.」

On my way home, in front of the station. I spotted a certain guy inside a fast food restaurant.

It was just a coincidence, but that was definitely Keiichi. Surprisingly, he was smiling. For someone who had just turned down a once-in-a-lifetime confession from his longtime childhood friend, Keiichi seemed surprisingly carefree.

「Haa, I guess that's just how it is.」

I was muttering unconsciously. He was with a girl.

Unfortunately, from this angle I couldn't see the girl's face, but judging by her back view. The definitive element was that both Keiichi and the girl were wearing uniforms. From the high school I attend.

「Scary, scary, I didn't see anything.」

Hanging out at a fast food restaurant with another girl right after turning someone down.

Popular guys like him seem to have fundamentally different values from gloomy guys like me.

I turned my gaze away from Keiichi and hurried home.

──If Orimoto had encountered that scene, she would've lost her mind. That's what you'd call a disaster.

I got home, finished my homework, and caught up on the manga that had piled up.

...That's how the rest of my day went. After that I took a bath and went to bed. It was a day no different from any other. Nothing worth mentioning, just the everyday life of an ordinary guy you could find anywhere.

The only slightly different thing was that I had secretly witnessed the moment when the guy at the top of the caste system turned down the girl who was also at the top of the caste system. Even that would probably fade from memory in a few days.

Study moderately, go to college moderately, become a cog in society moderately.

I don't have any clear prospects or vision for the future.

That's me, Kasugai Koutarou.

I vaguely thought such days would continue unchanged forever.

That thought is probably correct. My reality won't become like an anime.

But──apparently someone else changed.

「...Why, why won't anyone talk to me!?」

The next day, in front of the school gate, there was a single female student.

Her name is Orimoto Suzuka. The poor girl who got turned down by that handsome harem guy Sera Keiichi yesterday. ...With a tragic expression plastered on her face, she was shouting.