I Was Reincarnated as a Mob, and After I Kept Listening to the Losing Childhood-Friend Heroine’s Complaints, I Somehow Maxed Out Her Affection Rating - 51

Chapter 51: (Flashback Arc) The Beginning of Shouma and Mio

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Shouma’s POV

I had been dreaming. It was a strangely vivid, nostalgic memory. The dream was so dazzling that, for the current me, the dream was so painful to look at head-on. The me in the dream was far more awkward and clumsy than I was now. In the corner of the classroom, Mio, who had just transferred in, wore an armor of cold indifference.

“…Um, is this seat okay?”

“…Anywhere is okay.”

“O-oh, okay.”

Just like that, the conversation came to an end. Her defense was impenetrable.

My communication skills were blown to pieces. At lunchtime, I went to consult my childhood friend, Kaede.

“First of all, don’t try to talk to her out of the blue.”

“But if I don’t talk, nothing even starts, right?”

“That’s not it. She’s in full-on guard mode, so you have to start by giving her a sense of ‘safety.’”

“…How do you know that so well?”

“Because I’m a girl, obviously!”

Saying that, Kaede puffed out her chest a little proudly. Looking back now, even back then, Kaede had been watching my expressions more closely than anyone else. One day, after I had kept up the act of “pretending not to care,” just like Kaede told me to—

“…Hey, you dropped this.”

“Ah, thanks…”

I picked up a worksheet Mio had dropped and handed it to her. That “thank you” came with an awkward smile. Kaede’s advice flashed through my mind.

‘See? Little by little is fine. That’s all a trigger ever really is.’

And she was right.

After that, the chances for us to talk gradually increased. It didn’t take long for Mio to start becoming popular in the classroom. She was treated like an untouchable flower on a high peak, and the boys started acting strangely obsequious around her.

“Mio-chan, can I see your notes~?”

“Mio-chan, wanna eat lunch together?”

That kind of thing kept happening nonstop. But one day, she muttered quietly—

“…That stuff’s exhausting.”

“Huh?”

“Being fawned over. It’s kinda gross, you know?”

“…Yeah. It really is. It feels unpleasant.”

I just answered normally. That was all. Yet Mio looked a little surprised and somehow happy as she smiled.

“Shouma-kun, you’re normal in weird ways.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“Yeah. It is.”

That was the moment the distance between us suddenly shrank. Before I knew it, Mio and I were trading jokes with each other. We went to see movies on our days off, stopped by cafés together. Before long, holding hands became natural. When I stayed over at Mio’s place, just remembering that shy look on her face was enough to make my chest burn.

…Back then, I was genuinely in love with Mio. No—“was” wasn’t right. I love her. And I still do. Just…

From around that time, Kaede had started closing the distance one step faster.

“Shouma, wanna eat dinner at my place?”

“Where are you going today? I wanna come with you too.”

“Hey, Shouma. Is it true you’ve been going on dates lately?”

Kaede’s voice was sweeter than usual. Her eyes followed me more than they ever had. I should have noticed. Back then, Kaede was desperate for me to turn and look at her. But I was dense. No. Maybe even if I had noticed, my feelings for Mio were far stronger. That was why Kaede was getting impatient.

And then, that day arrived. The park in the evening was bathed in the same color of light as it had been back then. The chains of the swings swayed in the wind, creaking softly. I had a vague idea why I’d been called here.

“…Shouma.”

When I turned around, Kaede was standing there. Her face was so beautiful it made me catch my breath. But resolve dwelled in her eyes, and a bad premonition throbbed deep in my chest.

“Do you remember this place? When we were little, I got lost and cried, and you found me here.”

“Yeah, I remember. Everyone was searching but couldn’t find you, and I thought maybe you were here, so I came and the moment you saw me, you burst into tears.”

“I was so happy you found me…”

“Seriously, how did you know I’d come here?”

I laughed as I said it.

“Shouma.”

She cut me off. In that instant, I realized it. I swallowed hard.

“…I’ve always loved you, Shouma.”

Her voice trembled, but she forced a smile.

“You were always by my side, protecting me since we were little and before I knew it, I came to love everything about you. So… Uum…”

Her words trailed off. Weaker than the wind, painfully straightforward.

“Please let me stay by your side forever.”

For a moment, the words stuck in my throat. I should have said it right away. I should have answered her honestly, immediately. But Kaede’s eyes were too strong, too fragile, too beautiful and something clenched tightly in my chest.

“…Kaede.”

“Yeah…”

Her voice carried expectation. But my reply shattered that expectation.

“…I’m sorry. I… I have someone else I love.”

“—!”

Kaede’s face crumpled. The next instant, tears overflowed as if a dam had burst.

“…Hic… sniff…”

Seeing Kaede sob like that squeezed my chest tight. Honestly, my heart nearly broke.

“I’m sorry… But my feelings won’t change.”

“…It’s Mio-chan, isn’t it?”

“…Yeah.”

Kaede laughed through her tears.

“…I knew it. I always knew. The direction Shouma was facing was always Mio-chan.”

That smile was painfully gentle.

“Mio-chan is at the station.”

“…Why?”

“Because… Actually, I talked with Mio-chan today and decided. If I got rejected, I’d send her your way…”

“…!”

It felt like my heart was being gouged out. Kaede knew everything. She was prepared for everything. And even so, she confessed to me.

“Go on, hurry up and go!”

“O-okay.”

I ran. I ran like an idiot. My breathing grew ragged, my legs tangled, and still I ran. In front of the station, Mio was standing there.

“You came.”

Her tone was light, but her eyes were gentle. But… I had to say it.

“…I love you, Mio.”

My words trembled. They were so straightforward it surprised even me. Mio slowly narrowed her eyes.

“…Shouma-kun, are you sure you don’t want to be with Kaede-chan?”

“Kaede is… She’s important to me, but it’s different. If you ask me who I have the most fun with, who I think about until it hurts… It’s you, Mio.”

Mio listened silently. A long silence. And then—

“…I see.”

She smiled, her cheeks faintly tinged with red.

“Then… I should say it properly too.”

My heart leapt.

“I’ve always loved you too, Shouma-kun.”

“—! Please… Please go out with me.”

“Yeah. Nice to meet you, Shouma-kun.”

When I reached out, Mio’s hand gently overlapped with mine. Kaede’s tearful face in that park brushed across my chest. But at the same time, the warmth of Mio’s hand pointed toward the future. However, I still didn’t know then….

That this had been the worst possible choice.

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