The Case When Strange Things Started To Happen When I Reincarnated As A Guy Whose Life Ends After Attacking The Heroine - 70 - Flags Are Meant to Be Broken

Chapter 70: Flags Are Meant to Be Broken

“…Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

It happened while I was running after school.

After becoming friendly following the sports festival, two male friends of mine were jogging in their athletic wear.

Normally, I wouldn’t have cared, but now that we’ve become acquainted, I can’t help but take notice.

“Look, we’ve gotten close recently.”

“I know. I was considering whether they’d do something bad to you, Touma-kun, but it seems they genuinely want to be friends with you, so that’s good.”

If even Shirayuki says that, then I can feel at ease about them.

As it happens, the two were jogging towards us and noticed Shirayuki and me, raising their hands in greeting.

“Hey, Gundo! And…”

“Hello, Hououin-san!”

“Hello.”

It seems the two of them are still a bit nervous around Shirayuki.

Since I hadn’t introduced them before, I should formally do so now.

Both are considerably nerdy and have somewhat robust body shapes, not unlike my former self.

The one wearing glasses is Adachi, and the one who greeted Shirayuki is called Serizawa.

“It’s strange for me to say this since we just met, but you guys exercise too, huh?”

“W-Well, yeah…”

“We thought if Gundo can do it, maybe there’s a chance for us too…”

“Oh, I see.”

It seems they want to explore their own possibilities after seeing my transformation.

In my case, the circumstances are way too unique, but still, knowing they’re inspired to work harder like this makes me feel somewhat gratified.

“Fufu, Arashi-kun, your transformation really influences a lot of people, doesn’t it?”

“Do you think so? I feel like it’s just Shirayuki and me who are the exceptions.”

We often see people on TV who have dieted and become attractive, but I don’t fit into any of those categories.

However, both Shirayuki and Hisui already liked me before, and seeing my efforts here only made them like me more… So I really do feel that hard work never betrays people.

“Arashi-kun has shown incredible transformation from that physique, which obviously required an immense amount of effort—so don’t think you can achieve this with half-baked determination.”

“Shirayuki?”

“Yes…”

“That’s really encouraging…!”

Adachi? Serizawa?

As I was pondering the trio’s atmosphere, which was akin to that of a drill instructor and their trainees, Adachi asked Shirayuki a question.

“Hououin-san, if we work hard, will we become popular with girls?”

“I can’t say for sure if you’ll be popular, but I doubt anyone dislikes a person who is putting in genuine effort.”

Next, Serizawa quickly raised his hand.

“Can we end up dating a beauty like Hououin-san?”

“That really depends on you. Although, girls like me are probably head over heels for Arashi-kun, so you should give up on that idea.”

Wait, I don’t think she means that in the way it sounds…

Shirayuki likely understands this and perhaps thinks that girls like her equate to her current self.

Assuming that she likes me in her current state, she is asking them to give up on that idea.

“Anyway, the fact that we’re having a conversation with Hououin-san is a miracle in itself.”

“Yeah, she’s like someone from the heavens.”

“I am just a regular person.”

I did consider it a miracle when I was first able to talk to Shirayuki.

So I fully understand how Adachi and the others feel, and I sometimes still think it’s a miracle that I could have a special relationship with her.

“What do you like about Gundo, Hououin-san?”

That was their sincere question.

Without showing any sign of pondering, Shirayuki hugged my sweaty arm.

“Everything♪”

With that, Shirayuki looked up at me and smiled brightly.

Though I was accustomed to her smile, the two guys, probably seeing it up close for the first time, blushed uncontrollably.

After that, they suddenly became motivated and ran off at breakneck speed.

“They’ll run out of energy pretty quickly,” Shirayuki and I laughed, resuming our jog at our own pace.

“…Phew.”

To be honest, in a sense, a typical student relationship might involve more dating than exercising together like this, but this has become our new normal.

If Shirayuki were unhappy with this, I’d have to reconsider, but she genuinely enjoys spending time with me in activities like this—that’s why I can invite her with confidence.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Huh? Ah, well…”

I merely glanced at her profile, yet she noticed.

So, with that in mind, I told her everything I was thinking.

“You’re exactly right. I would tell you if I didn’t like something, and I’m the type to speak my mind if I’m not up for it. The reason I’m with you like this is simply because I want to be.”

“I know. I know, and that’s why I’m confident.”

“Yes, please be confident♪”

She’s always so affirming, no matter how small the matter.

It’s comforting because I know she’s not doing it out of obligation or because she has to, but because she genuinely feels that way.

She may not be trying to “praise to raise,” but she always knows just what to say to make me happy.

“Mom will finally be getting a break from work next month. She might join us then.”

“That could… attract quite a bit of attention.”

“Perhaps. Well, we won’t know until it happens.”

By the way, whenever I run with Shirayuki, she always draws a lot of attention.

A beautiful young woman running would naturally attract glances, and Shirayuki has one particular feature that captures a lot of attention—her ample bust.

The way it bounces when she runs is noticeable even to adults.

(If Hisui joins us, it’s going to be a spectacle.)

But if that’s the case, then it only pumps me up more; I’d have to show what kind of man I am.

After running for about thirty minutes with Shirayuki, we reached our predetermined finish line, marking the end of today’s run.

We bought some drinks from a vending machine to quench our thirst and began walking home at a leisurely pace.

“…Ah.”

“Oh… what a coincidence.”

Ahead of where Shirayuki and I were looking, stood my older brother.

The woman who’s usually with him is nowhere to be seen, and the sight of him walking as if he’s lost in thought is strangely striking—almost as if he’s soulless.

“Shall we keep going?”

“Yes.”

And so… I continued walking, without avoiding my older brother.

Holding Shirayuki by the shoulder as we walked, she slightly lowered her face, her eyes hidden by her bangs, making her expression somewhat unreadable.

My brother saw Shirayuki and me walking together but didn’t react, probably indicative of his current feelings towards us.

(He might not recognize me as Arashi anymore, never mind Shirayuki.)

Indeed, my brother didn’t seem to realize I was Arashi.

It serves as yet another reminder of the growing distance between me and my brother—and by extension, our family.

“All this distance already exists—it means I don’t have to worry about it.”

“That’s right. That’s for the best.”

So, goodbye it is.

We will no longer cross paths… Even though things seem fine now, cracks will inevitably form in the Gundo family, but that’s none of my concern anymore.

It’s as if gears that were never supposed to mesh have come apart… and that’s all there is to it.

“Touma-kun.”

“Hm?”

“Flags like this can be twisted and broken right at the root.”

“Haha, I see.”

She’s really someone I can rely on.