Chapter 3 – The Incident Occurred in the PE Equipment Room

Leaving the chemistry prep room with Watase-san still gripping my arm, I’m dragged off somewhere.

“Let’s talk here.”

“Why the PE equipment room?”

The place we arrived at is the gymnasium’s equipment room. Mats, vaulting boxes, and volleyball nets are all neatly organized and stored away. Well, the students are always the ones cleaning up, so it’s we putting in the hard work.

“That’s because… the PE equipment room is the very scene of the incident I’m about to tell you about.”

What great detective are you supposed to be?

“Incident?”

“That’s right. I mentioned revenge earlier, didn’t I? The truth is, my boyfriend was stolen from me right here in the PE equipment room. In other words, NTR. That’s why just being in here makes my body tremble with rage.”

“That’s…”

I completely thought it was going to be about bullying or something, so I’m shocked by how heavy the situation actually is.

“And the one who did it is…”

“The one who did it?”

“Ayane Watase. My… older sister.”

“…………Eh?”

That’s ridiculous. Ayane-san did that!? That’s an absolute lie! After all, Ayane-san is cool, she barely speaks to any of our classmates, and I’ve heard she’s been confessed to by tons of people but has never once said yes.

Plus, whenever the guys in class talk about dirty jokes, she glares at them with terrifying eyes.

There’s no way someone like that would NTR anyone…

“You’re surprised, aren’t you? But it’s the truth. That woman swooped in and snatched away the man I truly love, the man I devoted myself to and poured all my savings into. Do you think I can forgive that?”

“No, but… is it possible there’s been some kind of mistake?”

“No. Because… there was a photo left behind showing him in a highly indecent state…”

“N-No way…”

I absolutely can’t believe it. But if there’s photographic proof, maybe it really is true.

…No, wait. What if she got dragged into some kind of scheme? What if the photo was faked? If that’s the case, then Ayane-san did absolutely nothing wrong!

“That’s why, Akasaka-kun. I’m having you help me get revenge on that woman. I saved you from a crisis of chastity, after all. You can at least do this much, right?”

“I’m glad you saved me, but helping with revenge is a bit—”

“Next time, I’ll lock you alone in a room with Wano-sensei for about two hours.”

“Understood. I’ll help.”

“Thank you.”

That threat is way too effective. So cruel.

But depending on how you look at it, this might be the right answer. If I pretend to help while gathering evidence that Ayane-san didn’t do anything, maybe her affection for me will go up. The chances are low, though.

“So, what do I need to do?”

“Let’s see… We’ll figure that out from here on. I’ll get my thoughts together by tonight.”

“Got it.”

“Shall we go, then? Staying here just makes me think of him, no matter what.”

“Ah, yeah.”

To be in that much pain over it, she really must have loved him.

Proving Ayane-san’s innocence is my top priority, but I hope Watase-san feels better as a result, too — that thought followed me out of the PE equipment room.

Then Watase-san starts walking off on her own, quickly disappearing. I head back to the classroom to grab my bag, but there is an unexpected person — or rather, the very person we were just talking about, Ayane-san — sitting all alone in the classroom.

My seat is behind Ayane-san’s, so I can’t see her from the front, but she appears just to be sitting there, not doing anything in particular.

Should I call out to her or not? Chances like this, being completely alone together in the classroom, don’t come around often.

But what should I say? “I heard you NTR’d your sister’s boyfriend, but that’s a lie, right? I believe in you. Let’s prove it together!” is obviously a bad idea.

Hmm??

Clatter!

As a result of my internal brain meeting, I decide not to talk to her and am about to head home when Ayane-san stands up straight with a loud noise. Then, grabbing her bag, she turns around, glares at me, and walks right out of the classroom.

“I-I’m so glad I didn’t talk to her…”

That was close. She glares at me just for existing — who knows what she’d think if I actually tried to talk to her.

But well, I got to see her face properly from the front before going home, so whatever.

Thinking as positively as possible, I made my way home.

◇◇◇

A young girl is walking alone along the school route, a displeased look on her face.

That girl is Ayane Watase. Her beautifully chiseled lips are pouting slightly.

“His bag was still there, so I waited for him, but…”

Not knowing who she was speaking to, Ayane muttered that quietly, let out a huge sigh, bit her lip tightly, and stopped in front of a door with a nameplate reading “Watase” before opening it and heading inside.

And there, waiting inside, was her twin sister Miori, who had arrived home earlier.

“…………”

“…………”

After holding each other’s gaze for a while, they simultaneously look away.

Then, to Ayane, who was taking off her shoes and heading to her room,

“I will absolutely never forgive you…”

Miori said.

“…I’m sorry.”

Ayane replied.

For the past few days, the conversations between the two had always been exactly like this.

Eventually, once Ayane disappeared from Miori’s line of sight, Miori stared at her smartphone screen with an enraptured gaze.

“Leo-kyun… I’ll absolutely deliver judgment upon Ayane for seeing your vulnerable state before I did, okay? So just wait for me. I’m going to spend all my allowance this month on Leo-kyun’s new event scenario, so…”

Saying that, Miori gripped her smartphone a little tighter. On the screen was the figure of a 2D blonde man winking and flashing a peace sign.

His name is Leo Shidora.

He is the main target of capture in the wildly popular otome game, Love Concerto ~I’ll Show You How I Can Play You~.