I Was Reincarnated as a Mob in a Completed School Rom-Com Manga, and When I Tried My Best to Cheer Up the Broken Losing Heroines, I Realized I Had Surpassed the Original Story - 11

Chapter 11: Nazuna’s Request Part 1

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The day after the Manga Club was formed, just as we finished our activities and parted ways, Akaboshi-san stopped me in front of my house.

“Um… Kurosaki-kun, there’s something I’d like to ask you about…If possible, privately…”

Even though everyone was still nearby, I couldn’t hide my surprise at being suddenly singled out.

“Eh, me…?”

“Y-yes…”

When Kirari saw Akaboshi-san’s serious-looking expression, she tapped her fingers near her ear—a hand signal. I understood it meant to connect the call, so I nodded silently.

“Got it. Then…Do you want to come to my room again?”

“Yes. Thank you…”

After letting Akaboshi-san into my room again, she sat formally in seiza as if bracing herself for something.With the call connected to Kirari and an earphone in my right ear, I asked nervously.

“So… What did you want to talk about…?”

“The truth is…Lately a coworker at my part-time job has been asking me out on dates over and over, and it’s troubling me…”

『What the hell?! A mob NPC like him pulling that? Unforgivable! Kazuto, go to that family restaurant right now and beat him into orbit!』

Kirari’s furious voice exploded in my ear.

“Shut up and stay out of this!”

I accidentally said it out loud, startling Akaboshi-san.

“Eh…!?”

“Ah, sorry! I just… got really mad…”

“So… Kurosaki-kun does worry about me after all…”

For some reason, Akaboshi-san blushed bright red.

“Allow me to ask one thing first. Do you like this guy?”

“No… But he had been listening to my relationship troubles for a while. I… I had a painful heartbreak not long ago… After that, he started messaging me persistently, and no matter how many times I refuse, he won’t give up.”

“I see…”

So she was still hung up on Shiratori, after all.

“And then I… Ended up lying and saying I had a boyfriend… And now he wants me to introduce him to my boyfriend…”

The next moment, a deafening shriek blasted into my ear.

『H-Here it comes!! Kazuto, you love romcoms, so you get this, right!? We’re witnessing the real thing!! I’m getting so worked uuuup!!』

You’re too loud, Kirari… please shut up for a second…

“I-I’ll help if it’s something I can do, but…What exactly do you need me to do…?”

I already knew the answer, but still asked just to confirm.

“I want you to… I want you to be my boyfriend…!”

“……”

I knew it. Even though I had expected it, I was so nervous I couldn’t get any words out. Seeing that, Akaboshi-san panicked and flailed her hands while trying to explain herself.

“O-of course it only has to be temporary! If he sees that I have a boyfriend, I think he’ll give up on me…”

I fell silent, lost in thought.

『Why are you quiet, Kazuto!? Princess Nazuna trusted you enough to ask this! What greater honor is there!? Why wasn’t I reborn as a guy… I’m gonna die of envy, but fine, I’ll let you have this one!』

Kirari wasn’t entirely wrong, but I still had doubts about whether I should accept something like this so casually.

“If it would… If it would be a bother to you… Then it’s fine for you to refuse…”

Her moist, reddish-brown eyes shifted away sadly. As her fan, there was no way I could ignore that, and my mouth moved on instinct.

“N-no, it’s not a bother at all! Okay. If you’re fine with me then I’ll be sure to help you!”

“Really!?”

Her expression brightened instantly, and then she suddenly grabbed both my hands tightly and exclaimed.

“Thank you!”

Seeing her refined, beautiful face up close for the first time, she was so dazzling and divine I couldn’t look at her directly. But the moment didn’t last long. She quickly let go of my hands, flustered, and turned her gaze away.

“S-sorry, Kurosaki-kun… I just… I just got carried away…”

“No, it’s fine… I mean, I was surprised, but…”

At that moment, I understood a little of the reason Kirari always lost her mind over her. Once we calmed down, we began discussing the details of her problem.

“But if he finds out I’m just a fake boyfriend, it’ll all fall apart… How do we make it look like we’re actually dating…?”

“I thought about that too, and… What if we start by calling each other by our first names?”

“That’s kinda nerve-racking, but…Are you okay with that, Akaboshi-san? With me calling you by your first name?”

“Of course!”

“Th-then… Nazuna…?”

At my attempt to say her name, her eyes widened to almost twice their usual size.

“—! Yes… what is it, Kazuto-kun…?”

Sorry, but compared to saying Kirari’s name, this tension and embarrassment were on a whole other level.

『Quit flirting with the princess, asshole. I’ll kill you.』

Her low, threatening voice hit me at the perfect timing, snapping me back to reality in an instant.

“A-and maybe… We should have things we like about each other prepared so we can say them without freezing up?”

Akaboshi-san looked up thoughtfully, then gazed straight into my eyes and said.

“What I like about you…? You’re kind, dependable, and you always make me feel like I matter to you…”

The unexpected attack sent me curling up on the floor in agony.

“Th-thanks… Even if it’s just for show, that makes me really happy…”

“It’s not for show! I truly mean it!”

And so, the operation was set for this Saturday, which was Akaboshi-san’s next shift at work.

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