I Saved the First Victim of the Horror Game (The Idol in My Class), and She Became the Ultimate Sweet Heroine Who Smiles Only at Me

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Chapter 10: Even Though I’m Not a Heroine

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We arrived at my apartment. It was a completely ordinary 3DK apartment. The three rooms were apparently divided between my room, my sister’s room, and my parents’ room. Compared to Murase-san’s house, a standalone home, it probably felt a bit cramped.

“Uh, t-thank you for having me…”

“Go ahead. Both my parents are away on business, so don’t worry about it.”

“J-just the two of us…”

Murase-san timidly stepped inside.

“I-it’s not like I wanted to come to your house or anything!”

Murase-san was in full defensive mode. Her personality seemed a little different right now.

“Uh? Okay.”

“It’s just… waiting alone… it’s, uh… boring…!”

She took a step back from me. I was being watched like my life depended on it.

No, Murase-san, you don’t need to be cautious of me!

“This is my first time in a boy’s house.”

“We’ve had way too many ‘first events’ in just these past two days…”

Murase-san looked around with curiosity.

Ugh, I hope there’s nothing here that would embarrass me if she saw it…

“First, I need to grab my charger and uniform…”

I went to my room to get a change of clothes and the bare essentials. Such an ordinary, unremarkable room. The bed was by the window, and there was a barely-used study desk in the corner.

“Um… I’d appreciate it if you didn’t look around too much.”

“I-I won’t!? It’s not like… I’m interested or anything…”

Even as I said that, Murase-san’s gaze clearly kept drifting toward my room. The textbooks left on the desk, the light novel I’d been reading, a folded-in-half worksheet, and the bed. Murase-san’s eyes seemed to deliberately avoid that spot.

“H-hey… so this is where you sleep, Ueno-kun.”

“Stop it!? That’s embarrassing!”

“Y-you looked at my room first…”

It felt like we were skipping all the usual first steps and barging straight into each other’s personal space.

We’re supposed to be just friends, yet why does my heart feel like this…?

“Anyway, I should get ready for tomorrow…”

I opened my dresser and pulled out my uniform. I had to bring my uniform, phone charger, and things I’d need for school tomorrow. I needed to get this done quickly so I could leave. Having Murase-san around made it kind of embarrassing though.

“Is that your little sister in this photo?”

Murase-san pointed at a framed photo tucked in a corner of my room.

“Ah, yeah. That’s from when she was in elementary school. Why?”

“Well… since there’s a girl’s photo in your room… I thought maybe she’s a girlfriend or a childhood friend or something…”

What kind of misunderstanding is that? Being mistaken like this when she’s a family is the worst.

“No, it’s just my sister.”

“Oh… okay. That’s… a relief, I guess.”

Her small, sincere voice caught me off guard, and I paused for a second, not sure what to say. Trying to cover the silence, Murase-san quickly looked around the room.

“B-but… your room is actually kind of cozy.”

“It doesn’t look cozy at all!”

“Uuuu…”

Murase-san was flustered as usual. I could tell that was just lip service.

“Then… I’ll wait in the living room. I don’t want to see anything weird!”

“There’s nothing weird here!”

“I-I don’t know!? You never know what could suddenly appear in a boy’s room…!”

“Nothing will!”

Murase-san scurried out of the room like she was fleeing. I sighed.

Way too many ‘events’…

I wondered what would’ve happened on the original route. Would we still be in that abandoned village by now? Given the whole “endless summer vacation” thing, it seemed entirely possible. And Murase-san might not even exist anymore…

I shivered as an uneasy feeling ran down my spine and gripped my charger tighter. If Murase-san hadn’t been there, none of that interaction would’ve happened. Her embarrassed face, her smile lit by the morning sun… everything.

I really need to finish getting ready. And in horror games, the reliable friend characters or main heroines always seem to show up, right? I wonder where they are?

“Murase-san, I’m back.”

“Eh… yeah. Welcome back.”

I packed my things into my backpack and went straight to the living room to join Murase-san. I should return to her house quickly to prepare for tonight. She was standing stiffly, waiting for me. Honestly, it was a little scary.

“Let’s go. It feels weird for me to say it, but…”

I said that and took Murase-san’s hand. I’d lost count of how many times we’d done this, but this time, she relaxed slightly and held my hand in return.

“…I feel like a heroine… Even though I’m not a heroine…”

Even though her voice was small, her hand gripped mine a little tighter. She was denying it, yet her fingers lingered as if reluctant to let go. That contradiction somehow felt like it revealed her true feelings, and it made me feel a little lonely.

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Chapter 11: “I’d Die Without Air.” “Is That a Confession..?”

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Evening, Murase-san’s room. It was the last night of summer vacation. The biggest climax of the whole break was today. I had prepared everything perfectly in Murase-san’s room.

“Murase-san, just in case something happens, we’ll sleep close to the exit today so we can leave the room quickly.”

“Something happens… What could happen?”

“I’m not entirely sure either.”

Being near the window was dangerous in case the glass shattered. The lighting could fall, so we stayed away from directly under it. I tried to keep her as far as possible from any potential danger.

“Geez…”

Murase-san moved her futon closer to the exit with a forced smile. The motion looked strangely stiff. She was pretending not to be nervous, but her hands felt tense.

“What about you, Ueno-kun?”

“I’m in the center of the room. So I can move quickly if something happens.”

“Y-you’re planning to stay awake the whole time!?”

“Yeah.”

We had this weird distance between us. Awkward, but we could still talk normally.

“Wh-what are you fighting against, Ueno-kun?”

“Fate.”

“That sounded cool…”

Was that really cool…? If a guy friend said that, he’d probably get called a cliché dramatic teen or a chuunibyou.

“Tomorrow, we’ll definitely go to school together.”

“Going to school… Is it really that serious?”

The sun gradually began to set. Night was beginning… I would make sure summer vacation ended. I’d end it, and completely escape this horror-game-like scenario. I didn’t know what would come after, but…

“I’ll protect you, Murase-san, no matter what!”

“Ehhh!?”

I was in perfect condition. Not panicking like during the abandoned village incident. Everything was ideal. I was just an ordinary high school student, but I was determined to save this unfortunate girl!

Before midnight… Nothing happened. We had a normal dinner, took a normal bath, and messed around on our phones until suddenly it was this late! My phone was full of worried messages from classmates. They probably called for help and got us home, so I’d forgive them for leaving me behind for now. If I survived today, I’d complain endlessly later.

“I’m already sleepy…”

Murase-san rubbed her eyes on the futon laid out on the floor. She was wearing pink short-sleeved pajamas. Her shoes were placed on the pillow. Of course, this was so she could escape immediately if something happened.

I wasn’t really sure what we’d be escaping from though.

“Ueno-kun, your face looks scary.”

“I’m just getting a little nervous.”

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

It felt so long. The minutes until midnight felt agonizingly slow. The sound of the clock pierced my ears like a countdown. Just one ordinary day ending, and yet my chest felt so tight.

“Hey.”

A soft little sound on the futon. Murase-san slowly looked at me. Her sleepy eyes looked far more childlike than usual.

“Let’s talk.”

“Talk about what?”

“I want to hear your story, Ueno-kun.”

“I don’t really have a story… I’m just a normal person.”

“I’m a normal person too.”

“I don’t think ordinary people can become idols.”

“Because ordinary people are idols, I get called ‘Air-chan’.”

“Back to that topic again…”

She seemed cool and expressionless on the surface, but I could tell she held a grudge about being called “Air-chan.” She was very self-critical, almost lacking confidence…

“You know, I already told you, right? Without ‘air,’ I’d die.”

I said that, a bit exasperated. My tone may have been harsher than intended. Murase-san hugged her pillow tightly against her chest.

“I-Is that a confession…?”

Beep, beep, beep—

At the same time as her words, the timer on my phone struck midnight. I felt like she had just said something amazing.

“U-um…”

As I tried to speak to Murase-san, the lights in the room suddenly went out.

It started!? I instinctively grabbed Murase-san’s shoulders. I felt her thin shoulders tremble.

“Don’t ever let go of me.”

“Mm…”

She nodded in a barely audible voice.

What’s going to happen now? Rapping sounds like last time? Or a supernatural event? I have to stay calm no matter what…!

“…”

…Nothing happened. The windows didn’t shake. There were no strange sounds. Just a quiet, ordinary night passed.

“I’m glad I joined the test of courage.”

“Ehh!? What are you saying all of a sudden!? That stupid—”

“Because I got to meet you, Ueno-kun.”

I sensed Murase-san smiling beside me. It was dark, but I could feel it.

“Thank you for noticing me, the invisible air one.”

From the shoulder I touched, I felt her loneliness and sadness she’d carried until now. I decided that when the second semester started, I would talk to her endlessly.

Even if she’s just a background character in a game I don’t know, I want to spend high school with her.

“I want to be with you more, Murase-san.”

“Eh?”

“I want to know more about you, whether you’re ‘air’ or just a background character.”

In the pitch darkness, I said that to Murase-san. I wanted to see the future of the girl who was supposed to be the first victim. I wanted to see the future of the one who should’ve gone straight to the instant-death route.

“Ueno-kun.”

Her hand softly covered mine. Our bodies pressed together, and I felt her warmth directly. I wanted…

“Sooooorry! I used the hair dryer and microwave at the same time!”

With her mother’s voice from downstairs, the room lights snapped back on.

“…”

Murase-san’s face was unbelievably close. Just a few centimeters, and our lips would touch. We froze, unable to move. Then her eyes softened.

“Thank you, Ueno-kun.”

“W-why thank me at a time like this!?”

“I felt like I had to say it.”

Murase-san smiled at me gently.

Ah. Everything felt incomprehensible. Really, completely incomprehensible. But one thing was clear: When Murase-san smiled, she was incredibly cute.

As I thought that, an overwhelming sleepiness suddenly hit me.