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 37: [Proof Photo] The Day the Scales of Peace Broke

The photo thrust out like evidence showed everything crystal clear. So sharp there was no room for excuses, it captured the four of us—me, Rei, Azusa, and Charlotte—together.

It was probably taken right around when we met up in front of the station in the neighboring town.

The shock from that single shot was so strong I lost any words to reply with.

“…………”

But my silence must have been taken as confirmation.

The classroom that had been dead quiet suddenly buzzed with noise, and the questioning from the classmates in front of me grew even more intense.

“This really is Kirishima, right?!”

“Eh…? What’s your relationship with those people?”

“Kirishima, you’re connected to the conglomerate families!?”

Question after question piled up, grating on my ears.

I gave a bitter smile at how annoying it was, but I still didn’t say anything. No… more accurately, my brain had no space left to even think of words.

The reason was simple. My head was completely ruled by one single thought—

—It’s over.

To be specific, it’s completely over.

What I’d wanted from the bottom of my heart was a peaceful school life that didn’t need anything special.

And yet, look at this current state. It wasn’t even close anymore. I’d been running toward the goal, but somehow I’d noticed I was sprinting full speed in the opposite direction.

Sure, things had started getting weird around the time the mega-wealthy heiresses kidnapped me and dragged me into the Polishing Research Society—but even then, I thought I was barely hanging on.

The delicate balance between peace and noise that I’d somehow kept.

This scale had been holding that perfect equilibrium, but it looked like it had finally broken today.

Once it became public knowledge that I was connected to them, it was safe to say I was totally done. Unless I could use some Obliviate spell from a certain wizard, no matter how hard I tried, there was zero hope of fixing the situation.

And what pissed me off most was that the whole thing was my own fault…

I was the one who ultimately agreed to go out, and I was the one who actually went all the way to the neighboring town. Everything was the result of my own choices and actions. I had no right to blame anyone else.

—Aaaahhh damn it!! I shouldn’t have gone yesterday!!!!!

In my head, I should have known. That choice carried the risk of exactly this happening.

And yet I’d let that strange excitement and pounding heartbeat take over. It was way too late to regret it now, but even so the regret made me want to die.

But the people around me had no clue about my inner thoughts, and the background noise only got louder.

“For real, they actually know each other…”

“Once you see a photo like this, you gotta believe it…”

“Seriously, how did you even meet them…”

Voices like buzzing flies from random people flew around freely.

There was no room left for doubt. I’d been reduced to the hot topic of the moment—

—For real… cut me some slack…

I was already mentally worn out. I just wanted a little calm time to collect myself.

Of course the class wasn’t going to notice and back off. The few people around my desk didn’t even try to hide their curious faces and leaned in even closer.

“Hey Kirishima! Tell us what kind of relationship you have!”

“I think it’s fine to at least explain how you met them.”

Explain… if I could, I would’ve done it before all this attention piled up.

But the problem was whether anyone would actually believe the explanation…

Something like “I got kidnapped for some reason and joined a mysterious club. Now I spend every day polishing with the heiresses!” would sound way too nonsensical for anyone to take seriously. Even I barely understood it myself.

While I pressed my temple with one hand thinking that, a familiar unpleasant low voice cut through the commotion—

“—Oi.”

With that single word, the classroom went quiet again like it was all a lie.

Ryuki, the owner of the voice, naturally walked through the crowd that had split left and right, and stopped right beside my desk.

He half-forcibly snatched the phone from the classmate whose screen still showed yesterday’s photo, glanced at it, then slowly looked down at me.

“You in this photo… look pretty damn happy, don’t you?”

His tone was extremely calm. Or rather, tightly controlled.

But it was clear to everyone’s ears that boiling anger was leaking out from behind that flat voice.

The once lively classroom air instantly grew tense.

Ryuki crossed his arms, gave a snort, and continued.

“Man, I really feel sorry for you. Got dumped by Akari, so now you’re acting out by becoming the pet dog of some conglomerate heiresses? Haha, how pathetic can you get, Yoichi?”

…Yeah, figured. I knew you’d butt in, man.

The development was so exactly like the annoying stuff I’d imagined since we were kids that I let out a small sigh that almost sounded like a chuckle.

I slowly raised my face and locked eyes with the branch family son who was still wearing that thin smile of his.

“Sigh… hey, I can never tell if you hate me or like me. Can you make it clear? Come on… Ryuki.”