CH 57

Breakup

“… I’m sorry, Nakayama-kun. That … um.”

As soon as I hugged her, Shimotsuki suddenly regained her vigor, as if the time that had stopped had begun to move.

As if the thread of tension that had been taut had been cut, …… Shimotsuki became weak, leaned against me, and then began to spill large tears.

In order to reassure her, I gently rubbed her back.

“You don’t have to say anything. Here, take a deep breath. …… It’s okay. I’ll take care of everything else. Here, take a handkerchief. You’ve got tears and snot all over your face. You’re going to be okay…… Stay behind me, okay?”

Shimotsuki was desperately trying to say something, but she was in such an unstable state that she couldn’t get the words out.

In order to calm her down, I handed her a handkerchief and spoke gently to her.

Seeing this, Ryuzaki seemed to reaffirm his failure.

“Shiho is shy? Is she timid? No, no, no, no, that’s not …… possible. This is because Shiho is a quiet, solitary person who likes to be alone and has no interest in other people……, so she didn’t even look at me, and she hated talking to other people. She’s not that kind of girl, is she ……?”

He was still trying to hang on to his misconception.

He doesn’t want to believe it.

But that statement is not convincing.

Shimotsuki’s tears and attitude proved that everything Ryuzaki had said was a “misunderstanding”.

“…… You’re always interpreting things to suit yourself like that. I’m not sure what to say. Does she like to be alone?　Not interested in others? It’s not like that……. She’s talkative, she’s longed for friends, and she’s always been curious about others. It’s just that she’s too timid and shy to get the courage to take the first step.”

At this point, I’d like to correct all the misunderstandings.

I denied all the facts that had been conveniently interpreted by Ryuzaki.

“Then why were you so cold to me!? If you were interested in other people, if you wanted a friend, if you wanted to have a chat, I was there! Why didn’t Shiho accept me, her childhood friend, the one who knew her better than anyone else!”

Still defeated, I felt that he still didn’t understand Shimotsuki when she objected to him.

You don’t know what I’m talking about, do you?

“……That’s a given.”

Suddenly, a smile appeared on my face.

I can see it in myself. I’m sure I have a very distorted and ugly smile on my face right now.

But I couldn’t control my emotions.

I was enjoying the sight of Ryuzaki, whom I hated, getting all upset.

This is exactly the kind of villain I want to be.

A villain who destroys the story might be a good fit for me.

I wanted Ryuzaki to get hurt more and more.

I said clearly in a voice that everyone could hear.

“Shimotsuki didn’t like Ryuzaki. ….. Why didn’t you notice? How can you not understand when she’s so cold and unresponsive when you talk to her, and when she looks so depressed just being next to you?”

At last, I said it.

Shiho Shimotsuki is not fond of Ryoma Ryuzaki.

That the protagonist was nothing more than a stranger to the main heroine.

I blurted it out with all my emotions.

In response to that truth, Ryuzaki shook his head as if to say …… it’s impossible, then staggered back and leaned against the stage wall like he was bumping into it.

“It’s not possible……, because I’m Shiho’s childhood friend.”

“–Just because you’ve known each other since childhood doesn’t mean that’s why you’re close. For Shimotsuki, you are just a stranger that she has known since childhood…… You need to accept that fact.”

If I had to describe it, I would say that it is like a verbal knife that cuts you to shreds.

One-sidedly throwing out emotions and hurting the person named Ryoma Ryuzaki.

Even the protagonist, as expected, was still hurt by those “truths”.

“It’s a lie…… It’s a lie, it’s a lie, it’s a lie!!”

He shouted, glaring at me with bloodshot eyes.

But that stare was only for a moment. …… Every time he looked at me, he would be shocked by the reality of what he saw.

Now, behind me is Shimotsuki, who has shrunk down to hide behind my back.

When you see her like that, you’ll understand exactly how much she adores me.

“Damn …… damn! I’m the one who met her first! I was the first one to like her…… Don’t take Shiho away from me……. Damn it.”

The sore loser’s words echoed through the quiet audience.

Such a Ryuzaki was so …… uncool that it was hard to watch.

Now, the Warriors’ time is over. I’m sorry, Ryuzaki ……, but I’m going to let your story “fall apart” at this point.

I’m sorry to say that right after your awakening, you’ll have to go back to being a bum.