I Reincarnated as the Villain Who Bullies the Protagonist in an Erotic Game, but I Just Want to Stay a Nobody, Yet Somehow the Heroines Keep Obsessing Over Me - Episode 25: Reunion with Ayame

Episode 25: Reunion with Ayame

Right in front of me, the girl of my first love was happily devouring a parfait. And it was just the two of us.

Isn’t this the kind of scene everyone dreams of?

“Is this really okay as a thank you?” I asked.

“It’s the least I could do. You saved my life,” Ayame replied.

After school, I ended up accepting Ayame’s offer to treat me to a coffee at a café.

It felt rude to refuse the thank you any further, and honestly, I had a feeling that if I refused, it would lead to an endless loop. Plus, I just couldn’t bring myself to repeat those cold lines again.

“Is your name Nishikouji?” she asked.

“Uh… yeah, that’s right,” I said.

“My name is Hananoi Ayame,” she introduced herself.

“I see.”

“Um, how about we drop the formalities?” Ayame suggested with a smile.

“Oh, right. I mean, yeah, sure,” I agreed.

Even though Ayame was the person I helped, she was also my first love. And to top it off, I had thought I’d never see her again. The emotions were overwhelming, and I was so nervous that I could barely speak properly. Dropping formalities felt awkward too, though. Wasn’t it a bit too bold of me?

As I mulled over these thoughts, Ayame spoke up.

“Do you like chocolate, Nishikouji?”

“Ah, yeah. I like chocolate-flavored cakes and things like that,” I answered.

“I see! So you like chocolate… I see,” she said with a thoughtful expression.

“Huh?” I asked, confused.

“Ah, no, it’s nothing,” she quickly denied.

Now that I think about it, Ayame always spoke with a polite tone, and I had always liked that about her. Her polite speech, her purity, and even her subtle tsundere traits. And she was a little jealous too. It was perfect.

“So, Nishikouji, you’re in class 5, right?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I replied.

“I’m in class 1,” Ayame said.

“Ah, I see… but wait, now that I think about it…”

I suddenly remembered something and asked her.

“How did you know it was me who helped you? We’re in different classes.”

“Ah, well, it’s a bit hard to explain… but I heard a rumor that someone got injured on the day of the entrance ceremony. And I was sure you were in the same grade, so I figured it out from there,” she explained.

“I see.”

It had been a while since the entrance ceremony, but so it was a rumor, huh? Still, the fact that the story had spread across classes was a bit scary.

I’d have to be more careful from now on, living more quietly and staying unnoticed.

“Um, I’m sorry to ask, but…” Ayame said, looking up at me with a cute, almost shy gaze. The effect was devastating.

“What is it?”

“I know I’m in the position of the one who was helped, but… um…” she stammered, clearly embarrassed.

“Yeah?” I encouraged her to continue.

Ayame seemed to hesitate, probably unsure how to ask her request.

“Um… would you consider being friends with me?” she asked.

“…Huh?”

“I know, it’s kind of awkward after all you’ve done for me, but… I don’t have many male friends, and I thought, maybe since we’re connected through this, we could become friends. I know we’ve just met, and if it feels strange or uncomfortable to you, that’s fine, but… um…” she trailed off.

Ayame fell silent, her cheeks flushed red.

What should I say? I had spent all this time avoiding getting involved with anyone. If I got too close to the characters, it would increase the likelihood of my “death.” But Ayame was looking at me earnestly, her face full of determination, and her ears were turning bright red.

I didn’t owe her anything, but if I turned her down now, I’d hurt her feelings.

But…

“Okay. Let’s be friends,” I said before I realized it.

I had played through the game, and I knew that in the setting, Ayame didn’t have any male friends. She was too much of a high-class figure. And she was self-conscious about it. Almost to the point of being insecure.

But if I could help her with that…

“Really…?” Ayame asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Well, I mean, if you’re okay with it,” I replied.

“Thank you so much! Let’s exchange contact info first!” she exclaimed excitedly.

“Okay.”

We both pulled out our phones and exchanged email addresses.

“Thank you so much! I’m so happy,” she said, bowing so deeply I thought her head might touch the floor.

“It’s no problem. I’m happy to make a new friend too,” I replied.

“You’re really kind. I can’t thank you enough. I’m looking forward to our friendship!” she said.

“Yeah, me too,” I smiled.

Ayame grinned and clutched her phone tightly, clearly overjoyed. Seeing her like that, I felt glad I had agreed to exchange contact info.

“Well, let’s get going,” I said.

“Yeah, I’m sorry for keeping you so long. Thank you again for today,” she said.

“No need to thank me,” I replied.

“Okay, then… goodbye,” she said, waving.

She paid for the bill, and we parted ways outside the café. Ayame waved until I was out of sight. She was so cute.

I had ended up getting involved today, but if I could keep a healthy distance as friends from now on, it should be fine… right?

“Wait, was that too much?” I muttered to myself, hurrying home.

After parting with Nishikouji, Ayame quietly murmured to herself.

“Alright. Now I’ve exchanged contact info with him.”

What she had said earlier was close to her plan. Half of it had been her true feelings, while the other half was an act.

She knew that Nishikouji, being the kind-hearted person he was, wouldn’t be able to refuse.

“I hope I can get even closer to Nishikouji-kun,” she thought.

Contact info wasn’t enough. She wanted to get even closer. She wanted to know him more deeply.

“First, I’ll start by staying in touch regularly,” Ayame thought with a determined expression.

Ayame might seem innocent, kind, and pure—but in the game, the creators had added a hidden setting for her.

She was a bit yandere, calculating, and once she closed the distance, she would never let him go.