After Reaching the Happy Ending, I Was Locked up by the Extremely Possessive Heroines I Had Conquered - Chapter 16-17.1

Chapter 16: To Avoid a Bad End

“Well then.”

I watched Mahiru head to the bathroom and waited until things quieted down before I started thinking.

If possible, I wanted to stop by my room once to change clothes, but unfortunately, I had no such leeway right now.

That was because I didn’t know where Satori was.

“…Senpai?”

Outside the window, the rain and wind had grown even fiercer. Thunder rumbled, and I heard the sound of something large falling in the distance.

The typhoon was close. It was only a matter of time before it struck the island directly.

“Senpai, where are you going?”

The moment I turned on my heel, Toa grabbed my hand right away. Her fingers were cold and slightly damp from the rain.

“I’m going to check on the shrine.”

“Eh? You just got back home, and now you’re going out again?”

“Satori might be in danger.”

“But look at this rain! It’s dangerous for you too, Senpai!”

“Even so. Even so, I have to go.”

If I chose to stay home here and Satori ended up meeting the same bad end as in the original story…

Just imagining it made the trembling impossible to stop.

In the end, I was a coward.

I was afraid of losing someone because of my own choice. So afraid, so terribly afraid. Afraid, afraid, afraid, afraid.

That was why I had to find Satori no matter what.

To ensure no one was lost, no one became unhappy, and we reached the best possible happy end.

“Then I’m going. Toa, stay here with Mahiru and keep an eye on the house.”

“…Take me with you.”

“No. The typhoon will only get worse.”

“That’s why I’m telling you to stop! I’m worried about you, Senpai!”

Toa’s voice rose sharply all at once. She stepped forward and yanked my arm forcefully.

I looked at her face on instinct, and she was biting her lip with tears welling in her eyes.

I couldn’t hide my surprise at this side of her so different from usual, but that didn’t mean I could stop.

“It’s all right… or rather, I can’t say for sure it is.”

I forced a wry smile and gently gripped her hand back. Toa’s fingers twitched for a moment.

“I will definitely come back.”

“…”

“So please. Give me some peace of mind.”

I slowly clasped both hands together and smiled.

Toa widened her eyes and froze.

“Of course I know it’s selfish. But I care about you and Mahiru just as much. I don’t want to drag you two into danger.”

I didn’t know if leaving Toa behind was truly the right choice.

It might just be that I wanted some reassurance.

So this was my ego. Twisting the game’s plot, deciding to save everyone—it was all just my whims in the end.

After a brief silence,

“If you say it like that, I can’t argue back at all.”

Toa murmured in a small, hoarse voice. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and the hand gripping me tightened even more.

“…Sorry.”

“You’re sly, Senpai. Really sly.”

Toa said it as if complaining, then slowly lifted her face.

Her eyes were still glistening, but they held a hint of exasperated emotion…

“…Fine.”

She let out a small sigh and turned a resolute gaze toward me.

“Hurry back with Satori.”

“Yeah.”

“Your time limit is one hour. If you’re not back in one hour, I’ll come after you too. Is that okay?”

Her tone carried an unyielding will just on that point.

She still didn’t trust me at all, as usual—I managed a wry smile even as I thought it—

“Thanks, Toa.”

I answered briefly.

I couldn’t worry her too much. I had to find Satori quickly and get back home.

That was absolute.

“Ah…”

I slowly shook off the hand that held mine. For an instant, her fingertips sliced through the air as if reluctant to let go.

“Then I’m off. Take care of the house!”

With those final words, I grabbed an umbrella and dashed out of the house.

Resolved that next time, I would definitely return with her.

“Senpai ends up not eloping with me after all, huh.”

“But that’s exactly why I…”

—

Chapter 17.1: This Is My Proposal

The protagonist in the game was bold.

Sometimes with words, sometimes with actions, sometimes without regard for methods, even discarding laws and ethics if necessary, he always prioritized the heroine.

He was audacious and fearless, never breaking no matter the pinch.

That was the image of the protagonist I had in mind.

Of course, I never thought I could become that way or even wanted to. In the first place, it wasn’t my style, and it was far too heavy a burden for me.

So that was fine. Even if I wasn’t the protagonist.

Whether as a side character or an outsider, as long as I could save the heroine in the end, that was enough.

As long as we could reach a happy end, that was all that mattered.

※

As I stepped onto the shrine’s approach, the trees swayed violently, and leaves and small branches scattered across the ground.

The sky was pitch black as far as the eye could see, and thunder rumbled incessantly.

In the original story, the large tree fell on Satori’s room at the typhoon’s peak—probably several hours from now.

Even though there was still time, it was no time to be optimistic.

I had to find Satori somehow before the time limit I promised Toa.

“…It’s broken.”

Because the shrine was at the island’s highest point, the wind blew even stronger there. As a result, the umbrella I held bent and became useless.

Breaking a borrowed umbrella wouldn’t end well, but right now, Satori’s safety came first.

I folded the umbrella and ran despite the rain pelting me. My clothes were soaked through in an instant, and while I thought it was right not to change after all, I pressed on.

Then the shrine grounds came into view. The large tree was tossed by the wind, creaking and groaning as it swayed. It seemed slightly tilted.

“Satori! If you’re there, answer me!”

Anxiety welled up, and I shouted without thinking. But the fierce wind drowned it out, and my voice didn’t carry. No matter how much I called, it probably wouldn’t reach Satori like this.

I hurried toward the building in the back where Satori’s room was.

The door was closed, but as usual, it wasn’t locked, so I entered smoothly.

“Satori!”

I ran down the hallway, half-shouting as I went.

I burst into the room without knocking, but as expected, she wasn’t there.

“…Where are you?”

She had definitely come back once. There were clear traces that Satori had returned to her room.

The closet was left wide open, keys were scattered on the desk, and one of the three monitors was powered on, showing the view outside the cabin.

It was impossible to make out anything in the rain and wind, but there was no doubt Satori had checked the footage.

“…The cabin?”

I couldn’t imagine her staying in a place like that in this weather, but with no other leads, I had no choice but to check each possibility one by one.

I dashed back outside and headed for the cabin. A tailwind pushed me, nearly shoving me back, but I gritted my teeth and advanced.

“…She’s not here.”

However, Satori wasn’t in the cabin either. The bed where I had been confined, the handcuffs—everything was left just as it was.

“…What should I do?”

If I had a smartphone at a time like this, I could contact her right away, but unfortunately, I didn’t have one.

“This island really lacks everything.”

The image of Satori shouting “There’s nothing we don’t have!” flashed in my mind. That awkward expression felt endearing now.

“If there were some way to contact her…”

As I muttered that, I suddenly remembered the earlier island broadcast.

That’s right. With the island broadcast, I might be able to get a message to Satori.

Fortunately, the community center wasn’t far from the shrine. I could get there by running.

“!”

I turned on my heel and headed for the community center. The wind grew even stronger, and roadside signs rattled. Rain stung my eyes, blurring my vision.

But I couldn’t stop. Relying only on the streetlights, I ran while watching my footing.

Panting hard, I somehow managed to reach the community center.

The building was empty, and the interior was pitch dark with no lights on. The glass door at the entrance swayed in the wind, rattling noisily.

“It’s locked, as expected.”

I tried pulling and pushing the doorknob, but it didn’t budge.

Unlike Satori’s house, it seemed they had at least some basic security. But I remembered from the original story that the toilet window lock was broken.

“…Pardon the intrusion.”

I circled to the back of the building and searched for the toilet window. Stretching up to grasp the frame, the window opened easily, just as expected.

I climbed through the narrow frame into the building. I took off my soaked shoes and peeled off my socks, feeling the cool floor against my bare soles.

Ignoring that, I ran barefoot.

“—”

The broadcast room was on the second floor. I raced up the stairs and stopped at the end of the hallway.

It was a dusty room covered in soundproof walls. An old microphone and speaker sat on a simple table.

Fortunately, the breaker hadn’t tripped, and when I turned on the room’s lights, the fluorescent bulbs flickered to life.

“Well then.”

I powered on the broadcasting equipment, and a low hum filled the air.

Honestly, I had no idea how to use it.

But I figured I could get the hang of it by fiddling with the buttons and knobs. Better to try than overthink it.

For now, I turned on the mic and said something.

“Ah…”

The moment I muttered, a piercing howl echoed through.

The high-pitched screech nearly burst my eardrums. Apparently, the room’s speaker had reacted.

I quickly pulled away from the mic and checked the table’s knobs. Looking closely, there was red tape next to the label “Volume” made with a label maker.