I Was Reincarnated As a Man who Steals The Protagonist’s Childhood Friend - V2 Chapter 3 - Fragments of the Past

The following day began like any other, with the typical hum of chatter filling the classroom as students took their seats. I slid into mine near the window, the sunlight illuminating the floor with golden streaks. Despite the warmth of the day, a lingering worry stayed in the back of my mind, a hangover from yesterday’s unexpected encounter with Naoki in the clubroom.

His appearance at the clubroom had been strange enough. I know for one thing that he works for the Student Council President, but out of all the people in the Student Council, why Naoki?

“Takeshi-kun?”

Hoshino’s voice snapped me back to reality. I turned to see her standing beside me, her soft smile instantly grounding me.

“You’ve been staring at your notebook for ten minutes. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” I said quickly, forcing a smile. “Just thinking about the photo exhibit. Can’t wait for the field trip next week.”

Her eyes lit up as she straightened herself, “I can’t wait too. Oh, right! Do you think we’ll be able to get some good shots?”

“Definitely. But if we can’t, we can just ask Akira’s advice on how to take good shots.”

Before she could reply, our homeroom teacher walked in, silencing the room with a light tap on his desk. The classroom door slid open, and our homeroom teacher walked in, his presence immediately quieting the room. He adjusted his glasses before speaking to the class.

“Good morning, everyone,” he began, his voice steady and measured. “Before we start today’s lesson, I have an announcement regarding the upcoming field trip.”

The mere mention of the trip sent a ripple of excitement through the room. Students straightened in their seats, their attention suddenly sharp.

“As you may all be aware, the second-year field trip is set for next week. This year, we’ll be visiting various historical and scenic sites, therefore, please prepare appropriately.” the teacher added. “Now, for group assignments.”

The room buzzed with energy as students exchanged glances, silently staking their claims on potential partners.

“Each group will consist of four members,” the teacher said, raising his hand for quiet. “You’ll have the next ten minutes to form your groups. Choose wisely, as they will also be your activity partners for the rest of the trip.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the class erupted into motion. Chairs scraped against the floor, and students gathered in clusters, their voices overlapping in a chaotic symphony.

“Takeshi-kun,” she said, her smile widening. “Shall we pair up?”

“Of course.” I replied, relieved that the choice was mutual.

As soon as we confirmed our pairing, Airi and Natsu materialized beside us, their usual dynamic in full force.

“Hey, Takeshi! Guess what?”

“What?” I asked warily, already sensing his intentions.

“Airi and I are joining you two,” he said, motioning to where Airi was waving at us with her usual energetic enthusiasm. “We’re like the ultimate field trip squad now.”

Hoshino laughed softly, and I couldn’t help but smile despite myself. “Sure, why not?” I said, shaking my head.

“We’re gonna enjoy the field trip to the fullest!” Hoshino speaks, excited on the upcoming trip.

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As I slide open the clubroom’s door, I was met with the familiar aroma of photo paper and slight traces of cleaning solution. The area was filled with soft light that filtered through the dusty windows, illuminating the chaos inside.

And it truly was chaos.

Chairs were scattered in all directions, as if they had been abandoned mid-conversation. The tables were crowded with half-empty notebooks, pens, and stacks of images, all awkwardly perched on top of each other. Akira’s supposedly “masterpiece” club project—something about abstract lighting—was spread across one corner, producing an astonishing jumble of crumpled negatives and ripped shreds of paper.

“Haahhh… Looks like I’m cleaning up this one.”

I set down my lunch on the empty sofa, rolled up my sleeves, and began to work. If I didn’t, Akira would most likely leave it for Hibiki to deal with later. Hibiki has a lot on her plates, and I enjoy cleaning up messes.

I started with the chairs and neatly stacked them against the wall before moving on to the tables. As I was organizing the papers, a single white envelope slid out from beneath the pile. It landed on the floor with a gentle whump, which caught my attention.

I grumbled and crouched to pick it up. There was no name, marks, or indication of origin or intended receiver.

Curiosity prickled at the corners of my mind as I flipped the envelope over in my hands. It felt old, and the paper was somewhat weathered but still intact. I paused for a second, my thoughts whirling with possibilities.

Finally, unable to resist, I carefully slid my finger under the flap and opened it.

Inside was a single photo.

The image was blurry, the colors muted as if it had been taken years ago. At first, it seemed unremarkable—a scene of a school festival, with the vague outline of a stage in the background. But as I looked closer, my stomach twisted.

In the foreground was a ladder. A broken ladder.

My breath caught.

“No way…” I whispered, my fingers tightening around the edges of the photo.

The broken ladder lay at an odd angle, its jagged edges stark against the blurred backdrop. It looked exactly like the one from that day in middle school—the day everything had changed.

I stared at the photograph, my mind racing. The memory I can’t remember appears blurry and broken, like parts of a shattered mirror.

“Why is this here?” I murmured, my voice barely audible. “Who would…”

The thought trailed off as unease settled deep in my chest. This wasn’t a coincidence. Someone had left this photo here deliberately. But who? And why now?

Before I could analyze it further, footsteps echoed down the corridor. They were quiet but careful, becoming louder as they reached the clubroom door.

With my heart pounding, I hastily pushed the photo back into the envelope and stuffed it into my pocket. The footsteps came to a stop just outside the door, and it creaked open a moment later.

A girl I didn’t recognize stepped inside.

She was tall and elegant, her shoulder-length pink hair perfectly done, and her clothes were spotless. A little badge on her collar identified her as a member of the Student Council.

“Sorry if I’m interrupting~” she said, her voice calm but firm. “I’m Hayashi Yukari, the Student Council secretary.”

“Oh… uh, hi. Can I help you with something?”

She went deeper into the room, her sharp glance scanning the mess before reaching on me. “I heard you’re working on the photo exhibit for the field trip. Kagami-san asked me to follow up on your progress.”

I nodded slowly, attempting to collect my thoughts. “We’ve been planning things out. It’s a work in progress. As of this moment.”

“I see. The Student Council is looking forward to see what you come up with.” Her lips twisted into a tiny smile, which didn’t quite reach her eyes.

She paused, her gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than felt comfortable.

“Is something wrong?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Hm? Oh, not at all.” she said smoothly, though her expression hinted otherwise. “I’ll let you get back to it. Just make sure the exhibit goes on smoothly.”

“Uhm, yes, uhh..”

“Just call me Yukari-chan, Takeshi-kun.”

Wait, how does she know me?

And with that, she turned and left, her footsteps fading down the hallway.

As the door clicked shut, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My hand instinctively went to the envelope in my pocket, the photo inside feeling heavier than it should.

“Who’s leaving this here?” I muttered, sinking into a chair. “And why now?”

The discovery of the photo had stirred something in me—a mix of unease and curiosity that wouldn’t be easily ignored. Whoever had left it wanted me to remember that day. But why?

And what did Hayashi Yukari really want?