I, Who Acquired the Ability to Read Memories, Am Being Swallowed by Darkness - While I Should Be Protecting Beautiful Girls, I Am Being Drawn into Darkness Each Time I Use My Power, Yet for Some Reason, My Harem of Beautiful Girls Keeps Growing - Chapter 4: The fat guy gets a free hamburger...

Chapter 4: The fat guy gets a free hamburger…

Let me tell you, explaining the “Three Princesses” of my class is an incredibly difficult task.

You see, if someone like me, a regular person (self-proclaimed), were to talk about them, the guys around me would immediately give me a look that says, “You?! You don’t deserve to speak of them!”

But I’ll take a deep breath and explain.

First, there’s Sakurai Misaki, our student council president.

Just seeing her enter the classroom gracefully before morning homeroom is enough to make half the guys fall in love. Her flowing black hair is like a movie protagonist come to life.

And she maintains top 3 grades in the year level. Please stop stacking these cheat traits, Sakurai-san!

Next is Hayami Ryoko, the absolute ace of the volleyball team.

She’s in the same class as me, yet our height difference is 175 cm! That’s cheating!

During PE, whenever Hayami gracefully jumps during girls’ volleyball, the guys’ side completely stops playing. It’s become a traditional event.

The other day, Yamada-kun was so mesmerized by her spike that he beautifully headbutted a ball that came flying from the side.

While going to the nurse’s office, he mumbled, “I’m happy…”

Then there’s Shirogane Ryoko, the angel of the wind instrument club.

She’s recognized by the entire school as having the “best black hair and long hair.”

During break time, her side profile while reading at the window seat is like a princess who just stepped out of a fantasy novel.

On top of that, she’s the daughter of an apparel company president, yet she takes the initiative to do the class cleaning duty.

This is unfair! I demand a review!

When these three gather at the front of the classroom to eat lunch, it’s like time has slowed down, as if it’s in slow motion.

Why? Because the guys are all slowing down their eating motions to secretly observe the three of them!

As a symbol of our youth!

Especially the confession scenes are hilarious.

The other day, a confession letter was overflowing from Sakurai-san’s desk, and Hayami-san casually started tidying them up, saying, “Oh, I have to sort through this week’s stock again…”

Shirogane-san was talking statistics, saying, “Confession count this month is up 22% from last month.”

And these three are all so dedicated to their clubs and the student council that they show no signs of being in a relationship with anyone!

…Me? I’m a resident of a completely different world from the Three Princesses.

“Um, Satou-kun…”

After school, Sakurai-san quietly approached me while I was cleaning up the classroom.

Oh no, my heart is pounding dangerously.

Usually, I’d run away immediately, but there was also that thing that happened yesterday…

“Thank you so much yesterday. I’d like to treat you to a meal as a token of my gratitude.”

What?

Really?

Is this an auditory hallucination?

Is my ear okay?

Because right now, the most beautiful girl in the school is…

“How about a hamburger…?”

Sakurai-san said with a slight blush.

Oh no, this is a dangerous situation.

I’m about to experience my first-ever “eating fast food with a girl” event.

“Umm… yes… that’s fine.”

I squeeze out my voice desperately.

I’m more nervous than when I’m talking to a shop assistant at a figure shop.

Because the person in front of me is Sakurai Misaki!

“Oh, but… are you okay, Satou-kun? After all, you fell from such a height yesterday…”

“What? Oh, I’m fine. I just happened to land on a car…”

That’s right, yesterday I tried to catch Sakurai-san, who was about to fall from the second floor, but I ended up falling on a car in the parking lot below.

But strangely, I didn’t even have a bruise, let alone a fracture.

I guess my body is just that cheat-level sturdy…

“Then, shall we go?”

Sakurai-san smiled.

This is completely, utterly dangerous.

…Something unexpected is happening in my high school life.

And I think I can hear a voice saying, “Good luck~” from behind, don’t tell me Hayami and Shirogane spying on us?

Please, just spare me…

“Umm, a Big Burger, a Cheese Burger, a Fish Burger, and a Chicken Burger. Also, large fries, onion rings. And for the drink, a large cola…”

“Wow, that’s a lot of food…”

Sakurai-san looked at my order with wide eyes.

Oh no, my usual food intake has come out.

“Oh, no, it’s just…”

“That’s so cool! I think people who eat a lot are charming. It’s healthy, you know.”

I was surprised by her unexpected reaction and looked up.

There was Sakurai-san’s smile, with no trace of disgust, but rather, enjoyment.

“Actually, I eat quite a lot too. When I followed Hayami-san to the volleyball club practice, I ate six onigiris in one go.”

“What?! That’s not the image I have of you…”

“What is this image you speak of?”

Sakurai-san laughed happily.

I couldn’t believe I was having a normal conversation with a girl like this.

“You know, Satou-kun, you’re quite interesting to talk to. Since you’re always alone, are you maybe shy?”

“Well…”

“I’m actually quite shy too. But I stand out because I’m the student council president.”

“What?! Is that so?”

Without realizing it, we were having a great time talking about random things.

When the conversation turned to anime, I was surprised to learn that Sakurai-san was watching “Magical Girl Pretty☆Heart.”

…Oh no, this might actually be fun.

For a moment, I forgot about the strange ability I gained from the accident and the reason I avoided contact with people.

I could feel the stares of other customers gathering around us.

Of course, they would stare.

The most beautiful girl in the school and the fat otaku me are together.

“Thank you for the food!”

Sakurai-san cutely put her hands together.

That gesture was so natural that I was taken aback.

“Satou-kun, shall we eat too?”

“Oh, yes… let’s eat.”

I took a hamburger, looking down.

It’s my favorite, but today it’s not going down my throat.

Because the smartphone in my pocket feels like lead.

“It’s delicious! Satou-kun, you should eat too. It’s my treat after all…”

Sakurai-san’s kind voice tightened my chest.

The sight of Sakurai-san I saw in the nurse’s office yesterday.

The memory I saw then, it won’t leave my head.

The image of Sakurai-san masturbating alone.

There are also many other videos saved on my smartphone.

Her sleeping in the library.

Her talking and laughing with friends.

I used this ability to collect her traces from the classroom desk, the library bookshelf, and more.

There’s also that video that no one should see.

But…

The image of her talking happily with Vice President Hayashi-kun in the student council room.

My chest tightened painfully.

“Satou-kun? Are you okay?”

“What? Oh, no…”

“You don’t look so good. Are you still hurting from yesterday’s fall?”

Sakurai-san looked at me with concern.

Her kindness only strengthened my guilt.

What am I doing to someone who worries about me like this?

What am I thinking?

Peeping into her memories without her consent, saving them on my smartphone…

But I saw it.

Sakurai-san’s lewd appearance.

Dark emotions rose up inside me.

“Sakurai-san…”

“Yes?”

I gripped my smartphone with trembling hands.

Should I tell her? About this ability, about the videos I collected, and about… knowing her secret.

In the hamburger-scented store, I was being pushed to make a decision.

The risk of losing her trust and credibility by telling the truth.

If I threaten her, she’ll probably look down on me.

Or should I keep this secret…

“Umm… I have a secret that I can’t tell anyone…”

“What?”

“When I touch something, I can see its past memories. And I can save those memories as videos on my smartphone.”

I said it.

Sakurai-san’s expression hardened.

She’ll probably be repulsed by me.

She’ll never talk to me again…

“Is that… true?”

Unexpectedly, she reacted calmly, and I looked up.

There was Sakurai-san, with an expression of pure interest, showing no disgust.

“Do you believe me…?”

“Yes. Because I know that Satou-kun is not the kind of person to lie. And I know that you can use this ability for everyone’s benefit.”

“Actually… I saw something.”

“What is that…?”

I took out my smartphone with trembling hands.

On the screen was a video saved three days ago after school.

In the student council room.

A scene where Sakurai-san and Vice President Hayashi-kun were talking alone.

That memory was imprinted in my mind with startling clarity.

“Hayashi-kun is so kind, isn’t he?”

Sakurai-san whispered in the video.

She was looking at Vice President Hayashi’s profile with a soft expression as he worked on his desk.

“You know, I wish we could keep doing the student council together… forever.”

Her voice had a special warmth that I had never heard directed at me.

“And… this too.”

I opened the next video with trembling fingers.

From the gap in the library bookshelf.

Vice President Hayashi was accepting a Valentine’s chocolate from Sakurai-san, looking shy.

“Hayashi-kun… this is my true feelings.”

Sakurai-san’s cheeks in the video were dyed a light pink.

“Ah…”

I heard Sakurai-san’s small voice.

Her expression, as she looked at the screen, changed drastically.

“I… I like Hayashi-kun…”

Yes.

The memory I saw was Sakurai-san’s secret feelings.

Her pure love for Vice President Hayashi.

Their sweet atmosphere.

I had peeped into all of it.

“But… how did Satou-kun… got this video…”

“Because… I…”

My voice shook.

Various emotions swirled in my head.

Jealousy.

Regret.

Self-loathing.

Guilt.

And the pain of knowing this secret.

The video of Sakurai-san masturbating.

Dominance.

I’ll threaten her.

I want to possess her.

In the end, I peeped into Sakurai-san’s precious memories, saved them without her consent, and now, I’m exposing them.

What a terrible person I am.

I know.

But I don’t want Hayashi-kun to have her.

“Sakurai-san, I…”

“Umm, Satou-kun?”

Her voice was fading away.

My head went blank.

That’s right.

Sakurai-san loves Hayashi-kun.

Of course.

Hayashi-kun, who is kind, smart, and good-looking, compared to me, an otaku and a fat guy, there’s no comparison.

Yesterday, helping her was also a coincidence.

And today’s hamburger was just a coincidence too.

Reason broke down with a sound.

Even the confession I was about to make, and the explanation of this ability, all of it seemed meaningless.

Oh, what am I doing?

Those words broke the last dam of my reason.

“Actually… I saw something else.”

I operated my smartphone with trembling hands.

“This… is me?”

The person on the smartphone screen was indeed Sakurai-san.

But it was a video that no one should know about.

“Eh… eh?! This is… me using a shoulder massager in my room…”

Sakurai-san’s face turned red.

“Satou-kun… how did you…?”

“Actually… when I touched your notebook the other day…”

After listening to my explanation, Sakurai-san was silent for a while, then,

“Please don’t tell anyone about this video. I beg you.”

She looked at me seriously.

“Yes, of course. I also want to keep this ability a secret…”

“Okay, I promise.”

My heart continued to race.

“Sakurai-san… would you… go out with me?”

While neatly folding the hamburger wrapper, I gathered up all my courage and said it.

“But please keep it a secret from everyone. Including this ability…”

Sakurai-san showed a surprised expression for a moment.

“But… I have someone I like…”

Sakurai-san covered her mouth with a startled expression.

“Is it Vice President Hayashi?”

The words that slipped out of my mouth made Sakurai-san raise her surprised face.

“How did you know that… is it also from your ability?”

“No, when I touched Sakurai-san’s desk… I saw a memory of you talking happily with Hayashi-kun…”

Sakurai-san gently opened her hands that were clenched on the table.

“With Konata-kun, I haven’t done anything… it’s just my one-sided feelings… but you saved me, and we shared a secret… what should I do…”

The ability to know others’ secrets.

But it doesn’t show the true feelings of the other person.

“You should go out with Hayashi-kun.”

I said quietly.

Sakurai-san raised her face in surprise.

“Think of going out with me as a practice… before going out with Hayashi-kun.”

“Eh… but that means…”

“Don’t worry about me. Just… use me as a practice partner before you go out with Hayashi-kun.”

I pretend to hide my embarrassment by biting into the remaining fries.

I know my heart is hurting, but maybe this is a skill I developed by keeping my distance from people.

“Satou-kun… are you sure?”

“Yes. But this conversation must remain a secret from everyone.”

Sakurai-san nodded with a complex expression.

“Umm… can I go to your room?”

While putting the last bite of hamburger in my mouth, I decided to take a leap of faith.

“Eh… my room…”

“Because we’re going out now, right?”

“Th-That’s… but…”

Sakurai-san showed a hesitant expression.

She’s probably thinking about Hayashi-kun.

“This is just a practice… Right?”

Sakurai-san whispered in a small voice.

“Yes. This is just practice.”

“… Okay. But just for a cup of tea, okay?”

Sakurai-san agreed, her cheeks dyed red.

I felt a strange sense of excitement, as if I was about to see a familiar sight.