Returned from Another World, Earth Turned Out to Be Quite the Fantasy Too. Also, Losing Heroines, Stop Looking This Way. - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: “Doesn’t the Younger Brother Have Higher Latent Potential?” ②

“By the way… why are you at the shoe lockers when class has already started?”

“I came looking for Natsuki-kun. Anzu hasn’t returned to class, and I had a bad feeling about it.”

“Thanks for going out of your way.”

“…It’s all because of my lousy brother causing trouble.”

“I’ve said this a few times, but Kazuto, you don’t have to feel guilty about anything related to Yuto. In fact, you’ve had it harder than me because of being his brother, so it’s more than okay to be angry.”

“Haha, lately, I’m getting along well with girls and boys who dislike my brother and other guys. And I have Natsuki-kun with me, so it’s all good.”

Yuto’s charm doesn’t work on every girl.

Some girls feel discomfort towards Yuto’s indiscriminate womanizing, so his power isn’t absolute.

Also, some girls who initially fall for Yuto quickly lose interest. It’s likely that the charm only worked temporarily.

To the younger students, Yuto’s popularity is just about being a handsome, popular senior. Some are indifferent, some are displeased, and some even want to join Yuto’s harem.

Ultimately, it all boils down to one’s own feelings.

“Do Uncle and Aunt say anything about that idiot?”

“Honestly, they seem almost resigned. As parents, they can’t just neglect him, but he doesn’t listen to anything they say. So far, the only issue is the envy from other boys, so it’s not considered a problem. Therefore, our parents are like, ‘as long as he doesn’t cause any trouble…’ But they’re really worried he might get someone pregnant.”

“They should just castrate him.”

“If only it were that simple.”

The Miyahara family’s only problem is Yuto.

The mother is a homemaker, the father a company executive, with two sons: Kazuto and Yuto.

Both parents are kind and sensible, so they have reprimanded Yuto for his behavior towards the girls. Since middle school, when they found out he was playing around with different girls every day, his mother had scolded him. But Yuto didn’t change; instead, he made unnecessary comments like, ‘I wish you’d tell the girls instead. I only have one body,’ which only infuriated them more, but he didn’t seem to care at all.

Honestly, he can understand why his parents might feel like giving up.

“Oh right! Asuka-chan was looking for you, Natsuki-kun.”

“…Asuka? Who’s that?”

“Are you serious!? She’s another girl obsessed with my brother, just like Anzu! She’s like a childhood friend to us.”

“Childhood friend… Besides Yuto, was there anyone else? Asuka…? Asuka?”

It’s unlikely that Natsuki would remember a childhood friend girl, considering he barely remembers his own step-sister.

Besides, to Natsuki, any girl obsessed with Yuto, like a childhood friend, is just another ordinary person.

“The girl from the basketball team, the so-called ace!”

“So-called ace? What’s that?”

“She doesn’t practice and just flirts with my brother, so she’s disliked by the team members and called that behind her back. Wait, weren’t you the one who told me that, Natsuki-kun? You’re too young to be going senile!”

“Oh! I remember now! Ah, yes, that girl. Yes, she was there. I remember now, such a girl!”

She was another girl Natsuki had met during his childhood, like Yuto.

Her name was Asuka Matsushima.

During their childhood, she was so boyish that she could be mistaken for a boy. Natsuki and Kazuto often played soccer and basketball with her.

They met Yuto later, and Asuka obviously fell for him. Since then, she stopped playing with Natsuki and Kazuto and stuck to Yuto.

Trying to catch Yuto’s attention, she changed from wearing boyish hand-me-downs to more feminine clothes, and that’s when Natsuki and Kazuto realized for the first time that Asuka was a girl.

Even though they were childhood friends, they only played together for a short time and had no interaction afterward.

No, just like Anzu, she constantly compared Natsuki to Yuto, criticizing him for this and that. She seemed to think she was offering kind advice, but to Natsuki, it felt more like, “Why do I have to be criticized by her?”

They were really only close for a short while, and Natsuki didn’t even consider her a friend. They played together briefly, and then she just stopped hanging out without notice. To Natsuki, she was just a strange girl who suddenly started pointing out his faults as they grew up.

Natsuki recalls she also used to tell Kazuto unnecessary things like, “You should be more like your brother!”

Naturally, Asuka’s reputation wasn’t great, as she freely criticized Natsuki and Kazuto in front of everyone. However, since she didn’t verbally abuse them like Anzu, Natsuki didn’t pay much attention. In fact, he hardly cared.

“Hearing that Asuka is looking for me after Anzu gives me a bad feeling.”

“I don’t know why either, but she seemed really panicked. She had a message for you, Natsuki-kun… Oh, right, you haven’t shared your contact info with her.”

“Well, of course not. I don’t give my contact details to people I’m not close with.”

If Natsuki’s memory serves right, Yuto and Asuka aren’t lovers but do have a physical relationship.

Natsuki remembers Yuto boasting about it, albeit with a pretense of it being nothing to brag about.

“Well, whatever. I have a feeling that staying at school is only going to lead to more trouble, so I’m going home today.”

“That might be for the best. Ever since my brother got a girlfriend, my classmates keep asking me about it, and I’m like, ‘How would I know?'”

“That makes sense.”

While having this conversation with Kazuto, the chime signaling the end of the fifth period rang.

Natsuki raised his hand for a high five with Kazuto.

“Alright, I’m heading home then.”

“Sure! See you tomorrow. Oh, but if something comes up, I’ll give you a call, so please answer!”

“Got it!”

After exchanging farewells, Natsuki quickly left the school, careful not to be seen by any teachers.

“Kazuto’s still such a good guy… But seriously, him having greater latent potential than Yuto, what’s up with that?”

He had been trying hard not to show it on his face, but now that he was alone, he finally let it out.

Knowing that both Yuto and Kazuto had untapped powers, though dormant, was quite unsettling for Natsuki.