I Chose the Plain Girl Instead of the Class’s Top Three Beauties, and Somehow She Became the Heroine - 28

Chapter 28: The Unexpected Person

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《Sora Mukei’s POV》

The blond man slowly turned toward me. His eyes were light-colored. The shoulders of his worn leather jacket were frayed and whitish. Even though his stance was relaxed, only his feet seemed firmly planted on the ground.

“Ah? Who are you?”

He had called out to Kiritani‑san, but the man glared at me. I wasn’t afraid. But I felt uneasy, thinking maybe I was overstepping. Kiritani‑san looked surprised by my appearance, reasonably so.

“So that’s it. You’re a classmate with a thing for Mizuki, huh? Trying to show off for her?”

The blond man lowered his chin just slightly, as if appraising me.

“…So what?”

“Hmm, you’ve got guts. But don’t you think it’s annoying to just barge into someone else’s business?”

He said something surprisingly reasonable, and I hesitated for a moment.

“Yeah, I get that. It might be a bother. But if someone’s in trouble, I help. That’s all. I called out for that reason.”

“Heeee…. So you came even though you knew that?”

The man smirked, looking at me as if mocking me.

“Oni!”

Kiritani‑san tried to speak, but the blond man stopped her.

“Shut up!”

“Ugh!”

His words were low, as if scolding her.

“Stop it. Don’t intimidate her.”

“Oh? Oh? You’re an interesting one. So, can I ask you a question?”

“What is it?”

“Can you disappear? You’re being a bother.”

Now he intimidated me with a different presence than before. But, as before, I wasn’t scared. So I stepped closer to Kiritani‑san and stood between her and the blond man.

“Kiritani‑san, can I ask you something? If I’m being a bother, I’ll step back. If you want help, I’ll help.”

I asked, looking straight into her eyes.

“Hey, hey, am I being ignored?”

The blond man spoke, but I kept my gaze on Kiritani‑san.

“I’m sorry. Um, Mukei‑kun,but that’s my big brother!”

“Big brother?”

“Hey, hey, already revealing the trick?”

“Yes. And don’t mess around either, Onii-chan!”

Kiritani‑san connected the words, her gaze moving between me and her brother.

“Mukei, right? That’s it. I borrowed money from my little sister because I didn’t have any.”

“…I’m sorry. I misunderstood.”

I said it sincerely.

“Mukei‑kun, there’s nothing for you to apologize for! The bad one is Onii-chan!”

“Well, that’s true. My bad. Sorry. I was just being cautious. You see, my sister’s cute, so a lot of guys swarm around her.”

Hearing the explanation, I couldn’t help but siding with him. But unlike serious Kiritani‑san, her brother gave a completely different impression.

“I may not look it, but I work as an actor. Still a rookie, though. Right now, I’m playing a delinquent role. Pretty intense, huh?”

“Yes, definitely. It had a lot of impact.”

“Yeah! You can tell, huh? But Mukei wasn’t scared at all.”

“Well, I do karate.”

“Ah, that explains it.”

For some reason, he draped his arm over my shoulder, and I realized he liked me. Also, hearing he was an actor and seeing his face, I could tell he was handsome, and he had some resemblance to Kiritani‑san.

“Um, last time, Okabe also gave you money…”

“Yeah, that’s right. He’s an old friend, used to show off and spend on friends, but when he borrowed from Mizuki, he didn’t pay back, so I collected it. Didn’t yell at him. I just made sure he got it. ‘Next time, don’t be late,’ that’s all.”

Kiritani‑san’s brother laughed, slightly embarrassed. 

Yeah, this guy probably gets a lot of attention from people.

I thought to myself

“You need to take responsibility for what you use… I just make sure promises are kept.”

“I see.”

The arm he had draped over my shoulder was surprisingly strong, giving a sense of pressure that pulled me in slightly. Up close, I could see the shape of his eyes matched Kiritani‑san’s. It really confirmed they were siblings.

“Mukei, huh? I don’t dislike someone like you.”

The unexpected words made my back straighten instinctively.

“…Thank you.”

He patted my back and now smiled a little softer.

“There aren’t many who would stand up to protect my little sister. Gutsy, that’s good.”

“I just acted because I thought someone was in trouble.”

“Exactly and that’s what matters.”

Kiritani‑san’s brother stepped back.

“Mukei‑kun.”

Kiritani‑san called softly.

“Earlier… Thank you for trying to help. We usually don’t talk, but you were cool.”

Her straightforward gaze made my words stick in my throat. Still, I responded desperately.

“I just…I just thought you looked like you were in trouble.”

“Even so, it made me happy.”

Her voice was a little embarrassed, but still clear. Her brother crossed his arms again, glanced between us, and chuckled.

“The misunderstanding’s cleared, so we’ll call it a day. Mizuki, don’t get caught by weird guys.”

“Geez, don’t say unnecessary things!”

Kiritani‑san puffed her cheeks slightly. That expression made her look like a little sister, and I felt a small sense of relief. When we parted, Kiritani‑san gave me a slight bow.

“Really… Thank you. See you at school, Mukei‑kun.”

I etched those words into my heart as I parted ways with the two of them. The feeling of her brother’s hand still lingered on my back.

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