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 - 9

Chapter 9: Kaede’s Stress Relief

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Kaede’s POV

In the evening on my way home. The wind felt a little cold, and I thought it would calm me down, but it actually did the opposite. I had been irritated the entire time.

“……What was that apology?”

Even when I muttered quietly, no one answered. As I walked alone through the residential street, I tightened my grip on my bag strap.

“So if I say “I don’t mind it,” then that’s the end? Must be nice being a childhood friend.”

I couldn’t stop muttering to myself as I walked. Before, even that kind of apology would’ve made me think “that’s so like Shouma-kun,” and I would’ve just laughed it off. But now… Something felt different.

“It’s kinda making me mad…”

He was just a “childhood friend,” and yet he acted like some half-hearted apology was enough for me to forgive him. And on top of that, even Mio-chan had the nerve to go, “Well, isn’t it fine?”

“No, it’s not fine at all……”

Sighing, I sat down on a bench in the park. The orange sunlight of the setting sun stretched long shadows across the ground. When I took out my phone, Yuuta-kun’s name was on the screen.

…No, better not. If I messaged now, I’d just be some girl calling to complain. But I wanted someone to listen. I wanted to let out this swirling frustration in my head. And before I realized it, I had already pressed the “call” button.

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Yuuta’s POV

Lying on my bed, I absentmindedly scrolled through a video site. The genre was “Cats taking baths without being scared of water.” Healing stuff, really.

…In other words, I was in full escape-from-reality mode. That was when it happened. My phone vibrated. When I looked at the screen, the name displayed was—“Kaede.”

…Eh, seriously?

“Should I answer or not…That is the question”

With a face that would shock Shakespeare, I questioned myself. But the result came quickly. With a sigh of resignation, I pressed the answer call button. The moment the call connected, a stormy voice blasted through.

『You finally picked up!? What were you doing!?』

“J–Just sleeping a bit. An afternoon nap—well, more like an evening nap—”

…It was a total lie. Please forgive me, Kaede-san. Saying I panicked because someone I admired called me was way too embarrassing after all.

“So, what can I do for you today, Kaede-san?”

『Listen to me! I’m seriously pissed off!』

…It came. That tone was unmistakably the opening for “Shouma-related talk.”

『You know, Shouma apologized earlier. For this morning.』

“I see……”

『But it was such a half-assed apology! Like, “Well, we’re childhood friends, so she’ll forgive me, right?”』

“……You didn’t punch him? You’re a saint.”

『Right!? It really pissed me off! Why is he so light about everything!?』

Kaede was in full-on rage mode. She talked nonstop without even breathing, and yet there was no wasted energy in her voice. She was a professional at being angry. Well, Shouma might look like he had common sense, but his “ability to read feelings” was zero…

“But didn’t Mio-san stop him or something?”

『She just said, “Shouma-kun, you’re always like that, you know~” while smiling. SMILING!』

“So she’s the type who smiles while covering for people… That’s the worst one.”

『Exactly!! So I wasn’t even mad anymore, I was just done with everything beyond words!』

Kaede’s vocabulary was evolving. From “irritated” → “pissed” → “fed up” → “beyond words.” The evolutionary line of anger.

“Alright, calm down, Kaede-san. Deep breaths. In, out, in, out—”

『Shut up! Easy for you to say!』

Even when I responded, Kaede’s momentum didn’t slow. Before I knew it, I was giving her interjections while screaming internally. 

Shouma, seriously, what the hell are you doing?

Handling Kaede required more delicacy than bomb disposal.

『…Haa. I feel a little better now.』

After the storm passed, Kaede finally returned to human mode. Her tone was calmer, even though it was obvious the fire wasn’t completely out.

『Hey, Yuuta-kun』

“Hm?”

『Are you free tomorrow?』

“…Eh, that’s so sudden”

『Just answer』

“I–I’m free”

『Good. Then let’s go shopping tomorrow.』

“Shopping?”

『Yeah, for stress relief.』

“Shopping as stress relief……?”

『Do you have a problem with that？』

“N–None at all!!”

Her mood sounded slightly improved. Pretty sure I was being used as Kaede’s emotional support item right now.

『I’ll send you the meeting place and time later, okay?~』

“Got it”

The call suddenly ended. “Call ended” appeared on my screen. Silence.

“……Hm?”

A few seconds later, my brain finally processed the situation.

“Let’s see…Tomorrow… Shopping… The two of us… Stress relief…?”

The moment I muttered that, a shock like lightning ran through me.

“…Wait. Isn’t that a date?”

I froze on top of the futon. No, no, no, that couldn’t be…. Except “come with me to shop” was kinda date-like. No, it was for “stress relief,” so maybe not… But what was with that “it’s a secret ♡” tone earlier!?

“Ugh, am I facing a life-changing branching route tomorrow!?”

Staring at the ceiling, I thought seriously. No answer came.

“…Well, whatever. I’ll just end up being the bag carrier anyway”

I muttered, letting my phone drop onto my face with a soft thump. And yet, my mouth had softened into the slightest smile.

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Kaede’s POV

After coming home and barely taking off my shoes, I went straight to my bedroom and—thump—collapsed onto my bed. As I stared at the stain on the ceiling, I let out a long breath.

“…I messed up……”

The moment I said it out loud, my brain finally processed it. I really messed up. I got carried away. I got caught up in the mood. I acted without thinking.

“I asked Yuuta-kun on a daaaaaaaaaate!!”

Hugging my pillow, I rolled around on the bed. No, it wasn’t a date, it was “shopping for stress relief.” Not a date. Probably.

But going out with a boy alone… That’s basically a date, isn’t it!?

“Idiot idiot idiot! I’m such an idiot!”

I could feel my face heating up. At the time, I was just venting and feeling better, and then I just blurted out “come with me tomorrow.” I really wasn’t thinking that deeply then. But now that I looked back at it calmly… Actually, being calm made it worse. It made all the embarrassment hit me at once.

“W–What do I do… Yuuta-kun isn’t going to get the wrong idea, right…? Or rather, why am I the one getting nervous!?”

I ended up talking back to myself in an empty room. But I couldn’t stop. In my head, I was already rehearsing.

“Calm down, me… Calm down, Kaede……”

I sat properly on the bed and took deep breaths. After a series of breathing exercises, I finally noticed the most practical issue.

“—What do I wear tomorrow?”

I threw open my closet. Not my uniform. Not club sweatpants. But not something that looked like “I tried too hard,” either. Where was such a miracle outfit supposed to exist?

“Is this too plain? But this is… Doesn’t this look like a date outfit!?”

A full fashion show began in front of the mirror. A white knit was cute, but it made me look like I was trying too hard. A hoodie was casual, but too lazy. Why did clothes reflect your personality so intensely?

“Ugh, no matter what I choose, this is embarrassing!!”

When I checked the time, it was already past eleven at night. I had thought too much and my brain was about to short-circuit. Still, when I thought about tomorrow, my chest fluttered a little.

“…Ahh. This isn’t stress relief at all. I’m just getting more stressed…”

Muttering to myself, I slid under the blankets. But I didn’t feel like I could sleep. Because tomorrow, even though it was “just shopping”...

Why was I looking forward to it so much?

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