Vol 2 Chapter 17 – Childhood Friend Appears!

After it was decided that I would marry Shiramine, I hurried toward my classroom. 

Shiramine was kind enough to show me the way. 

I already knew from the Bride Folder, but Shiramine is seventeen, making her my senpai. 

Because of that, we have classes in different rooms. 

“This is your classroom, Darling! Homeroom has already started, so you’re late… but let’s meet up again during break! I’m sure there are a ton of cute girls in there, but don’t you dare cheat on me…” 

Shiramine gave me a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. 

I wish she’d stop making the kind of expression a yandere would make while holding a kitchen knife… 

So damn scary! 

“I-I get it. And, thanks, Shiramine.” 

“Oh, come on, Darling, you’re acting so formal for someone you’re about to marry! From now on, you have to call me Honey! And no more formal language, okay? That’s an order from your bride♡” 

She told me, wagging her index finger. 

…I feel like I’ve been hit with some kind of curse that says I can never escape her. 

“Okay… Honey.” 

“Mhm! Very good. Well, see you later, Yuuma-kun!” 

And with that, Shiramine took her leave. 

Shouldn’t you be calling me Darling, too?! It’s super embarrassing if I’m the only one calling you Honey!

I watched her leave, then turned to enter the classroom— 

Click! 

—but the door swung open before I could touch it. 

““Ah…”” 

As I was about to go in, my eyes met with the girl who had opened the door. 

Her eyes were so beautiful, I was at a loss for words… 

She had long, silver hair, and she had heterochromia, with eyes of two different colors. 

Her left eye was yellow, and her right was blue. 

Her features were gorgeous; she was a true beauty. 

She was about 160 centimeters tall, with a slender build overall. 

Her flawless, porcelain-like skin further accentuated her beauty. 

The phrase ‘a peerless beauty’ fit her perfectly. 

And this peerless beauty was also frozen solid, staring right back at me. 

I managed to string some words together to greet her. 

“Uh, um, good morning.” 

At that, her white skin gradually began to flush, until it was bright red. 

“Gya-wha-sef-drftg-yujikolp?!” 

“Huh?!” 

And just like that, she slammed the classroom door shut with a tremendous noise. 

SLAM! 

Huh?! Why’d she shut it?!

I haven’t even said anything more than hello! 

Then, I heard voices coming from inside the door. 

“Whoa, what?! What’s wrong, Mari! Weren’t you just going to the restroom?! And you’re bright red!!” 

Judging from the voice I could hear through the door, the girl from before was named Mari. 

And on the other side of the door, someone who seemed to be her friend was calling out to her. 

“Ahhhh!!! Am I dreaming right now?!” 

“Dreaming? What was that all about, slamming the door like that?” 

“Oh, what am I going to do!!! To think I’ll be able to see that face for real every day now?! There’s no way I’ll be able to focus on my studies!!” 

“C’mon, you’ve never studied seriously a day in your life… More importantly, just tell me what’s outside!” 

“I can’t!! If you see him, Ruri-chan, you’ll die!! This will turn into a murder scene!” 

“No way, you can’t die just from looking at someone… Come on, stop being dramatic and just tell me!” 

“No!! I still want to have him all to myself!! Even for you, Ruri-chan, this is the one thing I can’t give up!” 

“Argh, fine. Whatever, just move. I’ll check for myself.”

“…Eh? That’s not possible either, maybe?”

“And why not?!”

“Because if you see that face, Ruri-chan, you’ll definitely die! …I don’t want to lose my best friend yet!”

“What kind of face is it! Sheesh, just move!”

As she said that, the girl on the other side reached for the door. It looked like she was resorting to force… but—

“Nooooo?!!”

“Wh-What is it now?! Why are you screaming all of a sudden?!”

“Ruri-chan, you absolutely cannot open this door! If you do, our friendship is over!”

“Huh?! Why’d it suddenly come to that? …Fine, I get it.”

“Phew… As long as you understand!”

Her tone had completely changed, now calm and collected.

“Just kidding! Gotcha! Now then, who’s outside!”

“Ah, no! Ruri-chan!”

And the door was thrown open with force.

Standing outside, my eyes met with a beautiful girl with short, blue hair…

She looked at my face, and in an instant, she turned as red as a boiled octopus.

And then—

BAM!

She slammed the classroom door shut with a loud noise.

“Kyaaaa! Ruri-chan isn’t breathing! She’s dead on her feet!”

“No, I’m breathing… Stop killing me off! But… I did blank out for a second… That was honestly close.”

I could hear their voices from outside the door.

“See, I told you! The shock was too much for you, Ruri-chan!”

“…How frustrating! I’m going to look one more time!”

And then the girl who seemed to be Ruri peeked her head out the door again, saw my face, and immediately slammed it shut.

And then, she opened it again.

“Ngh♡”

SLAM!

The door slammed shut with great force, making a loud noise.

This was repeated over and over, and each time, the beautiful girl I assumed was Ruri-chan would see my face and slam the door again.

How am I supposed to react to this?

I know! I’ll make a funny face for her at least once!

…I waited, pulling a funny face, and sure enough, the door opened again.

And my eyes met with the person who opened it.

“Aahn♡”

The door was slammed shut in an instant again.

Huh? Why did she get an entranced, blissful look on her face when I was making a funny face?!

“Hey, Mari! He was handsome even when he was making a funny face! That’s just cheating!”

Is she even paying attention?! It’s a funny face! How can that be handsome!

Just as I resolved to show her an even more incredible funny face, a new voice came from inside the classroom.

“Hey, you two! What do you think you’re doing?! Just because it’s self-study doesn’t mean you can fool around this much! Get back here!”

“Ah, Rei-chan! …I’m sorry! But we can’t deal with that right now! My prince is outside the classroom!”

“What are you talking about, Mari?! Don’t you go deciding he’s your prince! He’s Ruri’s prince!”

“Even from you, Ruri-chan, I don’t think I can let that joke slide…”

“What’s that, Mari? You wanna go?”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake! Both of you, be quiet!! Now! Get back to your seats!”

““Absolutely not!””

“Fine, then I have an idea of my own! …Kana!! Restrain Mari and Ruri!”

“You got it, Rei-chan!! Okay, time to catch some bad girls with this!”

“Kyaa—stop it! Kana-chan!” “You coward… Rei! It’s dirty to use Kana!”

“Quiet. This is your punishment for defying me, a member of the Disciplinary Committee!”

Clank, thud!!

I heard some rather dangerous sounds coming from the classroom.

What in the world is going on in there?!

And then the voices of Mari and Ruri grew more and more distant.

“Alright, that should keep those two quiet! What in the world is outside the classroom, anyway…”

And then, the classroom door opened.

Standing there was a beautiful girl with long, black hair tied in twintails.

Even after seeing the stunning beauties that were Mari and Ruri, I still found her incredibly cute.

At first, her sharp, narrow eyes were glaring this way, but the moment she saw my face, they flew wide open.

And then she began to tremble slightly as she spoke to me.

“No way… is it Yuuma…?”

Her beautiful black hair swayed back and forth.

And just like that, she started coming toward me.

I was frozen by her sudden action and couldn’t move as she threw her arms around me.

Then, with her face buried in my chest, she spoke to me in a trembling voice.

“Jerk! You’re such a jerk, Yuuma… sniffle… It’s not fair to just come back so suddenly! I was so worried about you!”

I had no idea what to say to her…

“I’m mad at you, you know! Why didn’t you contact me, your own childhood friend, this whole time! Do you have any idea… any idea how worried I was?…”

She continued, tears streaming down her face.

I couldn’t give her any answer to those words… so—

“Sorry… I made you worry.”

That was all I could say.

Hearing my words, she hugged me even tighter and started to speak again.

She sobbed, spinning her words together in broken phrases.

And those words stabbed deep into my heart…

Because… every single one of them was an expression of love directed not at me, but at the Kisaragi Yuuma from before.

Why didn’t you talk to us sooner…?

Why didn’t you rely on me!

I’m begging you, don’t leave me again!

I can’t bear the thought of you disappearing!!

…………

……

Ah, this guy Kisaragi Yuuma was really cared for, wasn’t he…

The only thing I can do now is to help this girl in front of me feel at ease.

I felt that this was my duty, as the one who had reincarnated as Kisaragi Yuuma.

“I’m sorry… but I won’t just disappear on my own again…”

I said, patting her on the head.

“…Don’t you ever disappear from my sight again.”

“Yeah, I promise.”

“You know, Yuuma… you’ve gotten kinder. You’re usually so blunt and curt… And you’re supposed to be insulting me, calling me ‘ugly’ or telling me to ‘die’…”

Hey! Original Yuuma! Give me back my sympathy!

You were the worst kind of person!

What a waste of my feeling all sad and lonely!

“Maybe so… I’ve changed a lot, too…”

I replied with a strained expression.

Then, she lifted her face from my chest and wiped her tears with her sleeve.

“I see… Well, stay this kind forever, okay!”

Seeing her say that with a smile made me want to be even kinder to her!

And just like that, any feelings of guilt or apology I held for the Kisaragi Yuuma from before I was reincarnated completely vanished.

Brides Remaining: 『59』