I Was Reincarnated As a Man who Steals The Protagonist’s Childhood Friend - 28 - Jealousy, and That Day

The Sports Festival roared on, with cheers, laughter, and bursts of excitement echoing throughout Tensai High School. I had barely finished organizing the last of my photos from the track and field event when I noticed the sky beginning to darken. The afternoon sun dipped behind clouds, and a cool breeze swept across the grounds. Despite the shift in weather, the festivities were far from over.

“Hey, Takeshi-kun,” Hoshino called from behind me, her voice light and cheerful. “Are you done here?”

“Almost,” I said, packing away my camera. I looked up to see her standing with a drink in hand, the pink tint of her cheeks making her look even more radiant.

“Did you get that from one of the booths?”

“Yup! The Tea Ceremony Club is giving out free iced matcha.” She extended the cup. “Want a taste?”

“Nah, you earned it. First-place winner and all.” I grinned, teasing her.

Hoshino laughed softly, and the sound warmed me despite the chilly air. “Okay, but you have to promise to try it next time.”

“Deal.”

We stood in silence for a moment, just watching the crowds. It felt easy, natural. I could have stayed there forever—just us, the noise fading into the background. But peace is never as simple as we want it to be.

“There you are.”

The voice came from behind me, cold and sharp. I turned, my chest tightening as I recognized Naoki. His eyes were hard, his mouth set in a thin line. He looked different from the boy I used to know—tension radiated from every muscle, and his jaw was clenched so tightly I thought he might crack a tooth.

“Naoki-kun,” Hoshino said, surprised. “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer her. Instead, his gaze was locked on me, burning with intensity. “We need to talk. Alone.”

I glanced at Hoshino, who looked between us with growing worry. “I’ll be fine,” I said, forcing a reassuring smile. “Go ahead, Hoshino.”

She hesitated, eyes darting between us, before nodding reluctantly. “Okay… I’ll be at the main stage if you need me.”

Once she was gone, Naoki started walking. Then I followed suit. We are at the 2^nd floor of the building, with no students can be seen.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Naoki wasted no time from me as he moved closer. His voice was quiet but furious. “I’ve seen how you’ve been acting around her.”

I straightened, sensing the confrontation I’d long feared. “If this is about earlier—”

“Of course it’s about earlier!” Naoki snapped, his voice low but brimming with anger. “You think I didn’t see you with Hoshino? Laughing and smiling like you belong in her life? What are you, a knight in a shining armor?”

I held up my hands in a placating gesture. “Naoki, it’s not what you think—”

before I could form a word, Naoki’s hands shot out. He grabbed me by the front of my shirt and shoved me hard against the nearby wall. Pain shot up my spine, and my camera banged against the wall with a dull thud.

“You don’t get to be close to her,” Naoki growled, his face inches from mine. “Not after what happened that day.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. “That day.” An unfamiliar scenario appeared in my mind, A stage, ladder, and Hoshino bleeding. I struggled to speak, my voice strained. “Naoki, I didn’t—”

“Shut up!” He slammed me against the wall again, and I winced. “You have no idea what she went through afterward. You have no idea how much she suffered.”

“I know she—”

“No, you don’t!” Naoki’s grip tightened, his knuckles white. “You weren’t there. You didn’t see her in the hospital, blaming herself. You didn’t see her pushing herself to recover, thinking it was all her fault. You don’t know the nightmares she had. I was the one who stayed by her side. I was the one who picked up the pieces.”

His words came out in a torrent, each one sharper than the last. I stared at him, stunned by the raw emotion in his voice. “Naoki,” I said, my voice softer now, “I didn’t want any of that to happen.”

“But it did,” he said bitterly. “And now you just act like it’s all fine? Like you can just waltz back into her life and pretend everything’s okay?”

“I’m trying to make things right,” I said, my own anger bubbling to the surface. “I’m not pretending.”

“You don’t deserve to be in her life,” Naoki spat. “Not after what you caused.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but before I could speak, a sudden, sharp pain shot through my head. I gasped, clutching my temple. Images flashed behind my eyes—disjointed and chaotic. The sound of breaking metal. A fall. Blood. Hoshino’s pale face, her eyes wide with fear and pain. My own screams.

I staggered, my vision blurring. “What…?” I whispered, barely able to comprehend what I was seeing.

Naoki released me, his expression changing from fury to confusion. “What’s wrong with you?”

I pressed my back against the wall, trying to steady myself. The images kept coming—fragments of that day, but not the way I— this body, remembered them. I saw myself on the ladder, but there was something else—someone else. A shadow. Hands. Someone loosening the screws. Panic surged through me.

I managed, my breaths coming in short gasps. “I saw… something.”

He stepped back, crossing his arms defensively. “You don’t get to play the victim.”

“I’m not—” I stopped, shaking my head. “Naoki, did you see anything that day? Before it happened?”

He went still, his eyes narrowing. “What are you talking about?”

“Someone tampered with the ladder,” I said, my voice trembling. “I remember it now.”

For a long moment, Naoki said nothing. The silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating. Then he laughed—a hollow, bitter sound. “You’re desperate, aren’t you? Trying to blame someone else.”

“I’m not—”

“Of course you are,” he sneered. “Because that’s easier than admitting the truth.”

“What truth?”

“That it’s your fault,” he said, his voice cracking. “That you’re the reason she got hurt.”

“I know that!” I shouted, my voice echoing in the empty hallway. “I’ve lived with that guilt every day. But if there’s even a chance—”

“No.” He shook his head, his eyes cold again. “There’s no chance. There’s no one to blame but you.”

The weight of his words pressed down on me, but the memories wouldn’t let go. I saw flashes—Naoki near the ladder, offering to help. His hand tightening around a screwdriver. My heart pounded. It couldn’t be. “Naoki… did you…?”

His eyes met mine, and for a split second, something flickered there—fear, guilt, regret. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by a mask of anger.

He stepped closer, his face inches from mine. “If you care about her at all, you’ll leave her alone.”

The words hung between us, heavy with implication. I stared at him, my mind racing.

“Stay away from her,” Naoki said, his voice cold and final. “For her sake.”

He then turned and left, leaving me to bear the burden of my doubts and the impact of my fractured memories by myself. The world spun around me as my knees gave way and I plummeted down the wall. I tried to put the pieces together by pressing my hands on my temples.

What really happened that day?

.

.

.

.

The rest of the festival passed in a blur. I moved mechanically, taking pictures, offering smiles, and pretending everything was fine. But inside, I was a storm. Naoki’s words, the flashes of memory, the lingering doubt—it was all too much for me to handle.

By the time the sun began to set, I found myself at the stage.

“Takeshi-kun?”

I turned to see Hoshino approaching, a look of concern on her face. “You okay? You’ve seemed… off.”

“Yeah,” I lied, forcing a smile. “Just tired.”

She stepped closer, searching my eyes. “If you ever need to talk…”

“Thanks,” I said, my voice hollow. “I’ll be fine. We should find Akira and Hibiki first.”

But as we went away, I realized I wasn’t okay. Not even close. Something needed to be done. I needed to know the truth.

Even if it destroyed everything.