CH 57

“Oh yeah, Shishido, you got any plans for summer vacation…wait, you probably do, huh.”

“Of course he does. It’s not like he doesn’t have a girlfriend like us.”

“…Dammit, I’m so jealous.”

On the last day of school before summer vacation, Ryuichi was surrounded by many of his classmates. ‘Many’ in this case only meant five people, but still, even though they hadn’t interacted with each other at all until recently, they were now naturally conversing with each other. It seemed that the change in his atmosphere and him becoming a softer person had helped, and looking at him this way, he seemed sort of like a central figure in the class in some respects.

“If you’re gonna talk like that, you should at least make an effort to get a girlfriend.”

“…Guh, hearing that from someone who does have a girlfriend hits differently.”

“He’s speaking facts, though… I’m gonna do my best this summer.”

“Me too.”

They clenched their fists in the air with enthusiasm, knowing that a girlfriend wouldn’t just fall into their hands while doing nothing, and that if they wanted to get a girlfriend, they had to act.

“But y’know, you seem like the guy to go to for love advice and stuff, Shishido.”

This remark came from Sohei, one of the people in the group. Ever since that day, he’d hung out by Ryuichi’s side more often, and they had had a lot more opportunities to talk with each other like this. I seriously can’t get used to this peculiar sight, he thought as he gave a wry smile and told them not to ask someone like him for advice on love.

“Rather than asking me, you should go to Makoto or Kaname for advice.”

“You called?”

“What’s goin’ on?”

Makoto and Kaname, who were nearby, reacted when they heard their names called. They didn’t have girlfriends like Ryuichi did, but they were also used to handling women and had a lot of experience with them. Ryuichi was similar to them, but he was more focused on his time with Shizuna now, so it was unlikely that he could offer much advice.

“Oh right, Shinozaki, are you still going good with your regular gang?”

“Ah… Well, a lot of stuff happened.”

“Hmm?”

The “regular gang” he was referring to comprised Akira and his friends. Ryuichi was curious to know what had happened with them, since he hadn’t seen them together much recently, so he asked.

Even now, they… Akira was looking at him with a very displeased look in his eyes.

“Well, if anything happens, just tell me.”

“Sorry, and thanks.”

He could somewhat guess what had happened, but he certainly didn’t want to get involved with him either because it would be troublesome.

Seeing how obstinately clingy and obsessed he was made Ryuichi think… If I ever get the chance to talk to him again, I’ll tell him off strongly. It’s for his sake, too.

“…Geez, this world’s seriously a sinful one.”

In the world of erotic manga, incest was something that was made to be commonplace, but it was a bit difficult to ask people to accept it in the real world.

Well, Ryuichi, who had a girlfriend in Shizuna while also having relationships with many other women, may not be in a position to say that, but even so, he certainly had his own thoughts on the matter.

“Shall we get going, Ryuichi-kun?”

“Sure.”

While they were talking like this, Shizuna approached Ryuichi. Everyone exclaimed, “My, my, the princess is coming through,” and made way for her, and Ryuichi chuckled at the sight of Shizuna, who tilted her head in confusion while walking proudly between them.

“A princess, huh.”

“What is going on here…?”

“Heh, things really have changed for you two, haven’t they?”

At Makoto’s words, Ryuichi replied, “Yep,” in agreement as he left the classroom with Shizuna in tow.

“I still don’t get it…”

“Well, all you need to know is that a bunch of stuff happened.”

He stroked her head without using too much force. She complained that he was messing up her hair, but she seemed to be happy to be stroked like this and smiled at him. 

After leaving the school, he thought about what they should do today, and decided to head to a nearby park to relax a bit.

“Hm?”

“Oh my.”

As he walked with Shizuna, he happened upon a certain familiar sight—it was the sight of people in trouble he often came across.

“…Aww.”

“C’mon, you gotta let it go.”

There were two young kids, one boy and one girl, who were looking at a balloon stuck in a tree. They were likely siblings from the looks of it, but the girl’s gaze remained fixed at the balloon and she didn’t move at all.

“This does happen a lot…isn’t something I can say, huh.”

“Yup. This is the kind of stuff that usually comes up in mangas and animes.”

As was the case with the old lady who’d dropped her fruits some time ago, Ryuichi really did come across these kinds of scenes a fair bit. And if he thought about it, even before he regained his memories of his previous life, he had a feeling he’d helped people like this before… It was only a feeling, though.

“I’m going.”

“I’ll come with you, too. To make sure you don’t terrify those kids.”

“…Yes, please.”

Ryuichi’s intimidating face would certainly be too much for young children to bear. In that case, there was nothing more reassuring than to have Shizuna there to help calm them down in his stead.

“?”

“…!”

As they approached, the two naturally noticed their presence. The girl hid behind the boy’s back, and the boy had a blank look on his face as he stared at Ryuichi.

“You can’t get it, can you? Well, lemme try my hand at it.”

“Huh?”

“Fufu, leave it to this Onii-san.”

Ryuichi laughed and told them he’d actually been good at climbing trees as a child. Still, he took care to steadily climb up the tree to avoid breaking any branches, and eventually he managed to retrieve the balloon. After taking the balloon, he carefully climbed down the tree so that it would not pop, and handed it to the girl who had stopped hiding before he knew it.

“Here, got it.”

He smiled as reassuringly as he could, and the girl accepted the balloon in a daze.

“…Thank you, Onii-chan.”

“………”

“Come on, Ryuichi-kun, you’re getting too sentimental.”

Ryuichi looked at Shizuna and said, “Of course I would be.” It wasn’t unusual for him to be thanked like this, but it still felt good to hear those words from a young child who was particularly sensitive to others’ ill will.

“…Onii-chan, you were awesome!”

“Oh, looks like you get it, kid.”

When he patted him on the head, the boy giggled and smiled brightly. As he parted from the kids, he thought to himself again, “Seeing others smile from your own good actions really does feel good.”

“Phew.”

“Here, have some juice.”

“Oh, thanks.”

She’d likely bought the juice from a nearby vending machine as she handed it to him. He opened the lid of his favorite carbonated juice that he always drank, and a pleasant fizzing sound rang out.

“You’re such a kind person, Ryuichi-kun.”

Shizuna quietly muttered those words. Ryuichi turned to look at her, wondering where that remark had come from, but she continued to speak, staring at him intently.

“You always…well, maybe not always, but I think you really do help all sorts of people like that, Ryuichi-kun. It makes me proud to be your girlfriend, and at the same time, it makes me want to continue supporting you from now on.” 

“…I see.”

“Yup.”

It was the summer season, so naturally the air was sultry and hot, but she leaned in close to lay her head on Ryuichi’s shoulder. Nevertheless, Ryuichi wasn’t so tactless as to tell her to get away just because of the heat.

“I, for one, think that you and the girls helped to change me into the person I am today, though.”

“No. You were always this kind to begin with, Ryuichi-kun. It’s just that people are starting to notice that now.”

It was precisely because of her complete trust in him that Shizuna was able to speak like this about Ryuichi. As he’d mentioned just now, it was definitely because of the connections he’d made with Shizuna and many others that he was able to become the way he was now.

“…Shizuna.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll never let you go, that’s for sure.”

“Yup, I know. I’ll never leave your side, either.”

She kissed him as she said this while staring into his face. She no longer had any reservations about kissing, and she responded in kind whenever and wherever he asked for it.

Ryuichi felt as if his old self lurking deep inside was whispering to him to devour her even as they were outside, but of course, the current him had no interest in doing that.

“Kissing is so nice. It makes me so happy and warm… Well, it is summer now, so it might make things too hot.”

“For sure. Well, we have our summer vacation ahead of us, so it’ll get even hotter from now on, in more ways than one.”

“Nothing could make me happier to hear. I want to do more and more things with you, Ryuichi-kun…so please dye me more and more with your colors, okay?”

He was sure she neither intended it nor was aware of it. However, the way she looked at him seductively, and her alluring words to match…it was almost as if she’d reenacted the manga world that only Ryuichi knew, yet there was also a contradiction in a good way that reassured him that her unique colors were still there, unceasingly shining.

“I’m really glad I met you.”

“! …I love you. ♪”

As has been said many times before, they were originally destined to be related to each other in the worst possible way…as the villain and the heroine, but by deepening their bonds with each other like this, their relationship had progressed to a point where no one could break them apart.

Although it was a change that had been brought about by a single deviation at the start, it was also a fate that would lead to a greater happiness for Ryuichi and Shizuna. Needless to say, there was a sense of security that made one feel that the two of them….no, even the people around them would be okay no matter what happened from now on, as long as they were together.

After all, the journey ahead for the two of them led not to darkness, but a shining future.