I Got Dumped by My Childhood Friend Fiancée Who I Didn’t Even Like, I Thought I Could Finally Have a Peaceful School Life… But Then I Got Targeted by SS-Class Beautiful Young Ladies - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: [Public Breakup] I Got My Unwanted Fiancée Stolen, and Turns Out I’m Finally Free

Okay, straight up—I, Yoichi Kirishima, have this childhood friend fiancée I don’t even like.

And today, the very first day of the second semester, she told me to come to the classroom after school.

Our families decided this whole thing ages ago, so yeah, we’ve seen each other a ton growing up, but that’s literally it. There’s zero special feelings on my end.

If anything, ever since we ended up in the same high school and same class, her super noticeable presence has honestly been… kinda annoying. I just wanna have a calm, quiet school life, but because she’s my fiancée, people end up staring at me too.

So when she texted “I’ve got something to talk about, come to the classroom after school,” I pretty much guessed it was the breakup and I was secretly thrilled. I was practically bouncing as I headed over.

I even opened the classroom door humming happily under my breath, but the second I saw what was inside, I couldn’t help letting out this weird, amused snort.

There was my fiancée, Akari Tendo, with some guy’s arm slung around her shoulders. Oh, and a couple of his little followers—classmates—were hanging around too.

Yeah, this is super straightforward. One look and I already get the whole picture.

The guy must’ve thought my feet stopping meant I was shocked or whatever, because he smirked and opened his mouth.

“…Yo, Yoichi.”

“Why the hell are you here…? Ryuki.”

The dude grinning all sleazy while calling my name is Ryuki Kaga.

He’s the oldest son of the Kaga branch family that’s connected to the main Kirishima line—another childhood friend of mine, the rotten one. And just like Akari, he’s one of the center-of-attention people in our class.

“Why? …Hey, Akari? I’m the one who told you to call Yoichi here, remember?”

Ryuki laughs like he’s enjoying my reaction, then pulls Akari closer against him.

She doesn’t say anything to deny it, so yeah, what he’s saying is probably true.

“…Got it. Whatever. So? What do you want?”

“Haha! You already figured it out, right? It’s the breakup talk with Akari!”

“Haa… Why do I gotta hear that from you? This doesn’t involve you.”

“Oh it does! Big time! ’Cause Akari’s my girl now!”

I kinda had a feeling, but hearing it out loud is just… way too ridiculous.

A branch family guy stealing the fiancée from the main family? Never heard of that happening. It’s not just taboo—it’s straight-up grounds for getting disowned. I knew this idiot was dumb, but damn, not this level…

“…Huh?”

The sheer stupidity made this dumb sound slip out of my mouth.

Ryuki must’ve loved that reaction, because he starts cracking up, shoulders shaking.

“Hey hey, don’t make that face. We’ve already been going out, me and Akari.”

Right after he says that, his little posse starts chiming in.

“Damn, he seriously didn’t know…”

“Like, no way a dropout like him could ever match up with Tendo-san anyway.”

Nasty laughs echo all around the classroom.

That’s when Akari, who’d been quiet this whole time, takes a small breath and stops the atmosphere.

“…Don’t talk like that.”

She says just that, then turns her eyes toward me.

Her face looks kinda apologetic—

“Yoichi, sorry, okay? I really meant to talk about this properly…”

The usual excuse phrase she always pulls out. I’ve heard it so many times I’m used to it.

Akari’s the type who does stuff first and reports after. How many times have I gotten dragged into her messes and had to clean up? That’s honestly one big reason I could never like her as a person.

No point listening to excuses anymore, so I glance back and forth between the two of them and let out a short breath.

“Gotcha.”

Situation’s crystal clear. Honestly, it’s so easy to understand it’s almost helpful.

But Ryuki seems pissed that I’m not freaking out.

He lets out this fake loud laugh.

“Yo, Yoichi. You guys were fiancés, right?”

“…And?”

“For fiancés, you were acting like total kids in the romance department, huh?”

What the hell is this guy even talking about anymore?

We’ve known each other forever—does he seriously think I was actually in love with Akari? If he does, then his eyes aren’t just bad; they might as well not exist.

Ryuki gets even more pumped from his laughing buddies and keeps going.

“High school already and you haven’t even held hands, let alone done anything else…? Isn’t that kinda pathetic? Me, the day we started dating, me and Akari fu—”

“—Enough of that talk. Ryuki, shut up.”

“Okay okay.”

Akari frowns and shuts down Ryuki’s smug bragging. His habit of running his mouth nonstop hasn’t improved one bit since we were kids.

For a bit, I just quietly watch the two childhood friends chat all happily.

And I quietly check in with my own feelings.

I’m not mad. Not sad either. Maybe a tiny bit annoyed, sure, but thinking about the quiet school life I’m finally gonna get? That tiny annoyance doesn’t even matter anymore.

There’s just one thing I really need to confirm. Gotta hear it straight from her mouth, or it could cause problems later.

“…Akari. Just one last thing—can I ask?”

I say that, pointing it at her, but for some reason Ryuki jumps in first.

“Huh? What?”

I ignore him completely, lock eyes with Akari, and keep going.

“This was a marriage our parents decided, right? You’re just gonna break it off on your own… Is that really okay?”

The second I ask, the noisy classroom goes dead silent for a moment.

Ryuki starts to say something, but I shut him up with a look and wait for her answer.

After a short pause, Akari lowers her eyes, looking sorry—but clearly—and says,

“…It’s fine.”

There’s zero hesitation in her voice.

“Even if I break off the engagement with the current Yoichi, I don’t think anyone’s gonna blame me.”

The moment her words fade into the air, his posse jumps on it like they’ve been waiting.

“See?! Dropout!!”

“Even in the same Kirishima family, you’re the one getting ditched!!”

“Ryuki’s obviously way better suited for her!”

Insults toward me come pouring out like bugs sprayed with insecticide.

Ryuki just nods with this satisfied grin, not even saying anything.

I take all that public opinion in, and slowly nod.

“…Got it.”

Nothing more to say.

For a second our eyes meet—Akari looks like she’s about to say something, but she quickly closes her mouth.

I turn on my heel, put my hand on the classroom door. Mocking laughter hits my back as I open it.

Even out in the hallway, their trashy laughs still reach my ears, but whatever—it doesn’t matter anymore.

Because now, finally—

—I’ve got my peaceful, quiet school life.

Nothing could make me happier. Without the “fiancée of Akari Tendo” label, no one’s gonna bother with a dropout like me.

Still humming happily, I switch off the voice recorder I’d started before even stepping into the classroom. I’ve got more than enough evidence saved.

A warm wave of relief spreads through my chest as I walk toward the shoe lockers with light, bouncy steps, all by myself.

“Alright~ Time to head home and grind through that backlog of games~”

But right then, I had no idea.

—That this choice was gonna drag me into way more hassle down the line.