About the Case of Me Being Reincarnated as a Side Character Who Got Kicked Out Immediately Of The Story, but the Heroine, Who’s My Yandere Fiancée, Won't Leave Me Alone - Chapter 36: Arisu’s heavy emotions

Chapter 36: Arisu’s heavy emotions

“Hey, Akito-san?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m not the kind of woman who’d be swayed by someone else when I have a fiancé.”

“…What’s with the sudden declaration?”

“Oh, just… I overheard some sleep-talking I couldn’t ignore.”

“Huh…?”

So… what does that mean?

To be honest, this exchange has been happening on and off since I woke up during lunch break. Something must’ve happened while I was asleep.

While being lap-pilled by a beauty like Arisu, I don’t recall dreaming, but it was undeniably soothing. It made me realize again that lap pillows have a mysterious charm.

“Oh, right.”

“What?”

Arisu’s sulky expression shifted to a serious one.

“I heard earlier that a student at the academy was nearly kidnapped.”

“Kidnapped?”

Whoa, that’s some heavy stuff.

“Not exactly ‘nearly’… They were apparently forced into a car and taken, but they were rescued.”

“…Huh.”

“Since you and I always have shadows protecting us, we’re fine, but the world we live in is like that. Just remember that kidnappings for ransom aren’t exactly rare.”

“…Got it.”

Honestly, it sent a chill down my spine.

This academy is filled with some of Japan’s richest heirs, so it’s not surprising that something like that could happen.

In fact, in the original story, Arisu faced something similar… though it wasn’t for ransom but a crime targeting her body.

“Like… a black car suddenly shows up, and masked men force you inside?”

“Not every case is like that, but you’re not entirely wrong.”

The world of the ultra-rich… it’s terrifying.

I knew that already—there were scenes like that in the original story, and the protagonist got tangled in a few incidents.

But hearing a real example and being reminded that our position means we have to worry about this stuff… it’s scary.

“Nothing’s guaranteed to be okay. But the shadows working for the Saijou family are always striving to make it as safe as possible. So try not to overthink it, okay?”

“…Right.”

“But in a way, being scared is normal. I’m scared too, of course, but I’ve accepted that’s just the world we live in.”

Arisu says that, and probably most people at this academy feel the same.

Not everyone, of course, but many likely think such things are just part of life.

They’re probably well-protected to prevent it, though.

“I know stuff like that happens, but more than that, this world is full of shady conspiracies and scheming.”

“True… there’s probably more of that than anything.”

“It’s a rotten world… I’m starting to realize how precious those carefree days were, just reading manga and playing games without a worry.”

“Reading manga carefree… playing games… carefree days… huh.”

“Arisu?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Arisu shook her head and stood up, and I followed.

As we walked out of the classroom, we spotted Sophia and Filia ahead, walking side by side with their backs to us.

“…Ugh, there she is.”

“Pfft!”

Of course, I meant Filia.

We haven’t talked since she pretended to be Sophia, so she must’ve concluded I wasn’t the one she was looking for.

“Those Laurent sisters… Probably Filia, but you’re the only one who’d say something like that about her.”

“I mean, come on!”

“I get it… Oh, it’s just too funny.”

By the way, I noticed during this conversation.

Maybe because she heard Arisu’s stifled laugh, Sophia and Filia realized we were behind them and approached.

“What’s so funny?”

“??”

“Oh, sorry. It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? That’s a lie. Arisu-san laughing that hard is beyond rare…”

Filia looked puzzled, watching Arisu, who still hadn’t stopped giggling.

Meanwhile, Sophia stepped right in front of me and spoke.

“Akito-kun.”

“Yeah?”

“Sorry for the trouble Filia caused.”

“…Oh, you mean when she pretended to be you?”

“Yeah.”

I glanced to make sure Filia was out of earshot and told her not to worry.

“Like I said before, I don’t know why, but I wasn’t fooled. If I hadn’t noticed, I’d have just kept talking… Haha, I’m glad I didn’t accidentally break our promise.”

“Oh… Yeah♪”

It’s our little secret, after all.

Even after that, Sophia’s been subtly asked about the person who saved her family—less intensely than before—but she’s never spilled about me, which I really appreciate.

“It’s our… promise.”

“Yup, a promise.”

“Yeah…!”

We walked to the shoe lockers together.

“Oh, right! Hey, Arisu-san, and Akito-kun too.”

“What is it?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you free on Saturday? Want to come to our place for a tea party?”

“Sounds good! What do you think, you two?”

Filia suggested it, and Sophia checked with us.

I exchanged a look with Arisu, signaling I’d leave it to her, and she nodded.

“Well… since we’ve gotten this close, maybe we’ll take you up on that.”

“It’s settled then.”

“It’ll be a fun Saturday.”

So, Arisu and I are headed to the Laurent household.

With Ichika-san’s tea party invite and now this, I’m starting to feel like tea parties are becoming a thing lately. It’s probably part of being an Izayoi, dealing with these social ties.

“…If this gets out, it’ll probably cause more trouble.”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. We’re already friends, but if our families get even closer, I bet I’ll get more jealous glares.”

Having Arisu as my fiancée and ties to the Saijou family already causes this much.

If we get chummier with the Laurent family, who’s on par with the Saijous… I’ll probably get even nastier looks.

“Well, that’s not a reason to refuse their friendship.”

“…You’re really going through it, huh?”

Yup, it’s tough, man.

Sophia, who knows my situation from past talks, seems to empathize, worrying about me like she’s in my corner.

Filia, though, brushed it off and said:

“With Arisu-san by your side, you’ll be fine, right, Akito-kun? But if something happens, let us know. Anyone who messes with a friend, in any way, needs to learn the folly of it—etched into their bones with fear.”

“Uh… okay…”

“…That’s kinda scary.”

Her words made both Sophia and me recoil.

What is it…? Seeing someone react the same way I do makes me feel an odd kinship.

I’m not saying Arisu or Filia are weird, but Sophia’s definitely on our side.

“Ara, I feel like I’ve been left out of something unpleasant.”

…Yeah, Arisu’s pretty scary too.

Her low, almost guttural tone made Sophia tremble alongside me, confirming we’re on the same side.

‘I’m sure you’re going to do something important. Do your best, okay? I’m cheering for you, Akito-san.’

With those words from Arisu as we parted, I’m now sitting across from Minato.

“Aniki… you look really serious.”

“Well, yeah.”

After school, I decided to talk to Minato.

Now that I know, keeping quiet might be the right choice… but I couldn’t bring myself to do that with family. It just didn’t sit right.

If Minato reacts badly, I’ll drop it. If she ends up hating me… that’d suck, but I’d have to accept it.

“Hey, Minato… I heard from Mom.”

“…”

Just those words, and Minato’s expression turned serious too.

“From that lead-in… is it what I think?”

“Probably exactly what you’re thinking.”

“I see… I see.”

Not upset at all—she was beaming with a radiant smile.

Huh…? This isn’t the reaction I expected. I thought it’d get all serious and heavy.

“Honestly, I was wondering when to bring it up myself… ‘Cause, you know, no matter how you slice it, I’m a girl. Even with all these years living as a boy, lately, there’s something I just can’t hold back anymore.”

“M-Minato…?”

“I told you, didn’t I? I wanted this kind of relationship with you, Aniki… to get close.”

“Yeah…”

“And when it feels like I’m actually getting there, being a ‘little brother’ doesn’t cut it. I want to be spoiled as your little sister—that desire’s been impossible to suppress.”

“…”

Can I say that again?

This is not what I was expecting!