Bully (Zamaa)

――Megumi’s POV

“Namuamidabutsu, namuamidabutsu…”

Today was Onii’s funeral. As the priest chanted the sutras, my parents silently endured their grief.

My parents stared at the coffin holding Onii’s body.

“Tomoo! Why did you leave before me?!”

“Ugh…”

I followed them and looked at Onii’s body. His face was half-covered in bandages, and a blanket was draped over him to hide his dismembered state.

It’s strange.

Even as I look at the body that once held Onii, tears don’t come. All I have are words of gratitude for him. Onii was always the best brother to me.

Onii, you did so well. I’ve loved you since we were kids. Even when I was scolded by our parents, just a pat on the head from you would save me. I worked hard to make you proud, and now my room is overflowing with awards and trophies.

Thank you, Onii.

Just wait a little longer. I’ll soon follow your soul!

The red string of fate connecting us hasn’t been severed. You’ve gone far away, but I believe we will meet again.

――A Few Weeks Later

Onii, I wonder what you’re doing now?

I opened the classroom window to let in the fleeting cool breeze before the rainy season started. It was refreshing for a moment but quickly disappeared, replaced by the stifling heat.

After the funeral, detectives came to investigate, but the suspicion was quickly cleared. It turned out that Onii’s ex-girlfriend had gotten pregnant by another man, and there was a dispute that led to her being killed. The man she was involved with also died in an accident while fleeing.

Misoko-san from Onii’s company told me that Onii was pushed into the situation by the ex-girlfriend’s lover.

Onii was just too kind.

Even though he was betrayed by his ex-girlfriend…

She never understood Onii’s true charm.

But I know all the good things about Onii.

Noise that steals away my precious time started echoing around me.

“Hey, hey, Nekomoto is reading light novels.”

“LOL! Can you imagine you becoming the protagonist? Dream on~”

“That’s right! Hahaha!”

“Give it back! Please give it back!”

As Megumi reminisces about Onii, the popular kids gather again and are bullying Neepon. It’s none of their business what anyone reads, and they should just stick to causing a ruckus among themselves.

The popular kids took away a light novel from Neepon with a cover featuring a handsome prince with blonde hair and blue eyes holding a girl in a black skirt, glasses, and a navy blazer like a princess.

“That, that’s a fantasy romance book Megumi lent to Neepon.”

“Huh? This is Megumi-chan’s?”

“Yes. If it’s damaged or anything, could you buy a new one? It’s a signed copy by Azazel Asami-sensei, so it costs about 100,000 yen.”

“S-sorry…”

“What, you’re just handing it over so easily!!!”

Yokota, with blonde hair, nails, an open blouse, and a short skirt, is yelling at Ikawa. But Yokota can’t laugh at Neepon because of this.

“Yokota, you’re always reading BL, right? Are you one of those perverts who gets off on the pairing of Ikawa and Takahashi?”

The boys, Ikawa and Takahashi, looked at Yokota with shock.

“N-No! That’s not true at all! What are you talking about? I don’t have any interest in BL!”

“Hmm, I’ve seen someone sneak into Maron Books and scavenge R-18 doujinshi before.”

Ikawa and Takahashi, who had been next to Yokota, had somehow moved away, leaving only Yokota standing in front of Megumi and the others.

“Is there anything else? I have some good BL books, though they’re only available digitally.”

“Okada! I won’t forgive you!”

“There’s no need for Yokota to forgive me. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Yokota, puffed up with anger, kicked an empty chair as she left, but the chair bounced back and hit her shin, causing her to writhe in pain.

Is she a fool?

As Megumi laughed at Yokota, who had been mocked even by a chair, Neepon tugged on Megumi’s sleeve. Nepon looked like a little child, and she was cute.

“Ah, thank you… I’ve been helped by you again, Megumi-chan.”

“Well, it was just that Yokota and the others were acting so childish. By the way, Neepon, do you want to go to another world?”

“Ah, yes… I mean, I don’t want to go so much as I admire it…”

“Hmm. So, would you like to go with Megumi?”

“Eh? Megumi-chan, what do you mean…?”

Megumi had been planning to perform the otherworldly transfer ritual if Neepon was willing. Nepon’s cooperation was essential for that.