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 56: Watching TV Together

Episode 56: Watching TV Together

After finishing the omelets, we lazed around together. The tests were over, so there wasn’t anything pressing to do. I sat on the sofa while Kana sprawled out on the carpet. She was wearing my roomwear again.

 As usual, she wasn’t wearing any bottoms, putting her in a rather precarious state.

“Ahh, that was so good. I’m so happy.”  “Nothing beats doing nothing, really.”
“Totally agree. I just want to spend the whole day like this.”  “Honestly, give me a TV, my phone, good food, and some streaming services, and I could live like this forever.”
“Right? Streaming services just make time disappear. Oh, and games too!”
“Sasaki, you play games?”  “Uh, yeah? And it’s Kana, not Sasaki.”

Oh, right. We made that deal to call each other by our first names only at home.

“So, K-Kana, what kind of games do you play?”

Crap, I stuttered. I’ve never called a girl by her first name sober before, so it’s way too embarrassing. We’re not even a couple.

But Kana just smirked, not making a big deal out of it. “Lately, rhythm games.”
“Oh, the ones that are really popular now? Their character designs are great.”
“Exactly. By the way, Kei… uh, Kaede, who’s your favorite character?”

Even Kana almost slipped into using my last name. Her voice trembled at the end, too.

“I like the silver-haired girl… By the way, should we stick with this name thing?”  “Of course! It’s only at home, right?”
“Yeah, but it’s kind of embarrassing, don’t you think?”  “You’ll get used to it eventually, so don’t worry.”

Kana said with a bit of a pout. I didn’t understand why she was so insistent about using first names, but it did feel a bit special—like she wanted us to be closer.

Well, I had another theory, but I decided to ignore it for now. Acknowledging it might complicate things.

“So, you like the silver-haired girl, huh? I thought you’d like the pink-haired one.”
“Why’s that?”  “Just a feeling.”

She must mean the pink-haired bob-cut character. I do like her too—probably my second favorite.

“And you? Is the pink one your favorite?”  “Well, she reminds me of myself in some ways.”

…Yeah, I figured as much. For the record, the silver-haired character reminds me of Ayame. Hits all my preferences perfectly.

“So, since I’m the closest girl to you, liking that character would be funny, right?”
“That’s what I thought.”  “Well, she’s my favorite too. When you share a favorite, it’s always exciting!”

“Totally.” It’s fun to talk about shared interests. I didn’t have anyone to talk to about anime before, since no one around me was into it.

“Let’s exchange friend codes later.” “Sure. By the way, do you like anime too, Kanna?”
“I don’t tell people at school, but I was a huge otaku back in middle school. I even read light novels.”

“Seriously? What do you read?” Most of the works in this world seem to overlap with the ones from my previous life. That’s strange, but it’s nice to share these interests with someone.

“‘The Guy Ranked First on the List of Guys You Don’t Want as a Boyfriend.’”
“That’s a good one! All the heroines are adorable.”  “Right? My favorite is Katsuki Minato-chan.”
“Ah, yeah, she’s great. The yandere one.”

“The yandere personality paired with her sharp tongue is just perfect. Who’s your favorite, Kaede?”  “I like Ayane Aina.”
“Ah, the tsundere type. The moments she lets her guard down are so cute.”
“Exactly.”  “For the record, I have acrylic stands of all the characters at home.”
“That’s hardcore.” …Man, this is fun. Talking about anime like this is ridiculously enjoyable.

I didn’t think Kana was this into niche stuff. I’m glad I found someone I can share this with.

“So, do you want to watch some anime now? We’ve got subscriptions to three streaming services.”
“Three? That’s extravagant. But yeah, that means we can watch anything!”
“Exactly. Let’s turn on the TV.”

Kana grabbed the remote and switched on the TV. …She really acts like this is her house.

The moment the TV turned on, the same thing as last time happened—only worse.

On the screen, a couple was engaged in some very intimate activities. Sheets moved suggestively as the two got tangled up. For a drama, it was a bold love scene.

“Pretty intense,” I commented as calmly as I could. Kana, on the other hand, froze with the remote in her hand.

“Y-y-y-yeah, intense! Haha, um, uh, what do we do? Skip it!”  “Want me to change it?”
“Anything, just hurry!”

Responding to her panicked tone, I changed the channel. A cheerful variety show filled the screen instead.

“You didn’t react like this last time.”  “That’s because I didn’t really process it then! Watching it while calm is a whole different thing.”

“I guess I was the one freaking out back then.”  “I thought you were just a bit naive, but this is really awkward. I might’ve been too harsh last time. Sorry.”
“Feels like I’m getting roasted here.”  “No, no. Just your imagination.”

Sure, totally. “Turns out you’re pretty shy too, huh, Kana?”
“Not shy, just… I told you, I’m still new to this stuff. I’m a high school debut kind of person.”
“You act so outgoing I didn’t expect that.”  “It’s true! So stop asking—it’s embarrassing.”

Kana hugged her knees tightly, clearly flustered. “Okay, okay, no more questions.”  “Thanks.”

Her voice was so small it was almost a whisper. While Kana shrank beside me, the lively comedians on TV kept the atmosphere lighthearted in contrast.