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 - 62

Chapter 62: Shouma’s Regret, and the Two Who Come Together

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Shouma’s POV

The moment I arrived at school and passed through the front gate, my legs stopped. No, saying they “stopped” wasn’t quite right. It was more like the strength drained out of them and they stopped on their own.

Before I knew it, I had collapsed backward onto the stairs behind the school building, sitting down hard. The anger I had just moments ago? There wasn’t a trace of it left. All that remained was the dull, throbbing ache deep in my head, with Fujiwara’s shouted words still echoing there.

“So… It’s not all your fault, huh.”

When he said that, it felt like I’d been punched straight in the center of my chest. I didn’t want to admit that Fujiwara was right, but now, I couldn’t deny it anymore.

“…If I hadn’t lost control, what would I be doing right now, I wonder…”

I rested my arms on my knees and let my head hang low. Even if I didn’t want to see them, images surfaced in my mind on their own.

Me laughing with Mio. Me walking home with her. Christmas, New Year shrine visits.. There could’ve been a future like that.

“But… I didn’t really look at Mio’s feelings.”

Fujiwara’s words pierced deep. Mio liked me. Thinking about it now, that much was obvious. And yet, I…

“When it came to Kaede… Why did I react like that…?”

It wasn’t anger that welled up. Questions and regret came rushing in together. Just seeing Kaede smile at someone else irritated me for no reason. Just seeing her talking to someone made my chest feel unsettled.

“…I really did like Kaede, didn’t I?”

The moment I said it out loud, it felt like lightning struck straight through my chest. A self-mocking laugh slipped out.

Why didn’t I notice? Why did I choose Mio? No. That was wrong. It wasn’t that I “chose Mio.” I was just running away from reality. From Kaede’s feelings….And from my own.

“…So I lost them both, huh.”

There was no going back. Kaede was beside Fujiwara now, and Mio wasn’t looking at me anymore.

“Even if I realize it now… There’s nothing I can do anymore.”

The more I said it, the more my chest throbbed with pain. I already knew what that pain was. But I didn’t want to accept it, so I pressed my forehead against my knees. The air behind the school building was cold, and yet inside me, everything was painfully quiet. Quiet enough to make me wish I could just disappear like this.

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Yuuta’s POV

Lunch break.

I grabbed bread and a drink from the school store and walked side by side with Kaede.

“So, where should we eat?”

“Hmm… There are a lot of people. …Let’s go to the emergency stairwell.”

The emergency stairwell. That place… The “starting point” for us. The moment Kaede suggested it, my chest warmed just a little. We nodded to each other without a word and headed for the stairs. The cool breeze felt nice as we sat down in our usual spot. As if it were natural, Kaede leaned against me, and I accepted it just as naturally.

“Hey, Yuuta-kun.”

“Hm?”

“…Thanks for earlier. For helping me.”

Kaede cradled her cup of soup in both hands and smiled softly. It wasn’t her usual “sunshine” smile. It was a fragile smile, with a hint of shadow.

“Of course. If I think Hiiragi-san is in danger, of course I will help you.”

“…I see. Hearing you say that makes me happy.”

Every time Kaede smiled, warmth slowly spread deep in my chest.

“And also…”

“And also?”

“From now on… Always… I’ll always keep doing that.”

The moment I said it, I surprised myself with my own words. Why did I say something that sounded like a pre-confession line?

“…Eh?”

Kaede’s cheeks turned bright red all at once. Oh no—did that sound a little narcissistic?

“I-I mean, that just now was, um… How do I put it… Kind of in the heat of the moment thingy…”

“…………”

“Hiiragi-san?”

Why are you staring at me in silence?

As I was thinking that, Kaede’s expression suddenly changed. Not embarrassment. Her eyes held a quiet strength, like she had made up her mind. Keeping that gaze, Kaede straightened her posture and turned fully toward me.

“Yuuta-kun.”

Just hearing my name made my heart jump. I nearly dropped the bread I was holding.

“…Yes.”

“I like you.”

The world stopped. No. More likely, it was just my breathing that stopped.

“Please go out with me.”

Kaede was looking straight at me. She wasn’t smiling, and she didn’t look like she was about to cry. In my head, “I like you” and “Please go out with me” kept looping over and over.

“Yuuta-kun… I want to hear your answer…”

With a smile that looked like it might break into tears, Kaede looked only at me. The moment I saw that expression, something quietly clicked into place deep in my gut.

Ah, right. I said I would always protect Kaede, didn’t I? Then there wasn’t a single reason to hesitate.

“…Yeah. Nice to meet you again… If I’m good enough, I want to stay by your side, Kaede.”

The moment I said it…

“…I’m so happy, I’m so happy…!”

Kaede burst into tears and threw herself into my arms.

“I love you… Yuuta-kun, I love you… I’m really happy…”

“…That happy you have to cry?”

“I do… Because I’ve wanted to say it for so long… For so, so long…!”

Kaede buried her face against my chest, trembling, and without thinking, I pulled her head close.

“…Hiiragi-san.”

“Mm…?”

“From now on, I’ll never let anyone make you sad again. I’ve decided I’d protect you.”

The moment I said it, Kaede’s arms wrapped tightly around my back.

“…That kind of thing isn’t fair… It just makes me like you even more.”

“But you already said you like me.”

“I did, but… Hearing it again is embarrassing!”

Kaede’s face was red like a boiled octopus. But her eyes were fixed straight on me, wanting only me.

“…Hey, Yuuta-kun.”

“What is it?”

“I want you to…Kiss me.”

A sweet voice. A whisper that stole my breath. I tilted my head up toward the sky for just a moment. There was no one on the emergency stairwell, only the sound of the wind. In this world, right now, we were probably freer than anyone else.

“…Okay.”

I slowly leaned in closer. Kaede gently closed her eyes. The instant our lips touched, Kaede’s body trembled. As if, in that single second, love took shape. And so, on the empty emergency stairwell, we slowly shared our first kiss.

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