The Villain Who Got Pinned Down Until He Ran Out Of Stamina ~ This Time I Raised The Protagonist's Affection Too Much And Everyone Fell For Me~

“Yuito-sama. Did you need something from me?”

“You surely didn’t think this was just simple accompaniment… If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize.”

“No. It’s fine.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Well then, Hibari-san.”

“Yes?”

“I… wanted to talk with you.”

It had begun on the day of the study session… when Yuito and Hibari had left the apartment to buy lunch.

The two of them had had a discussion. And today, they gathered once again…

“What is Yuji-kun’s favorite food?”

“I’m not entirely certain, but… Yuji-sama seemed to like ginger pork. His reaction was very good. Also, he appeared to like classic hamburger steak and fried chicken as well.”

“I see…! I like those three things too~”

They had been discussing Kasajima Yuji. Yes, both the previous time and this time, they had been talking about Yuji.

“What is Yuji-kun like at home?”

“Yuji-sama at home is almost the same as outside. He is cheerful, always says ‘thank you’ each time, and naturally helps out when I am doing housework or other tasks.”

“I see, I see… So Yuji-kun is still Yuji-kun even at home! As expected of Yuji-kun~”

They continued discussing what he had been into recently, what he did on his days off… The conversation about Yuji became so lively that Hibari eventually suggested taking a break.

“Thank you again for today.”

“I’m also honored to be able to talk with Yuito-sama, who gets along so well with Yuji-sama.”

“I really think it’s better to ask the person directly about these things, but… somehow I felt embarrassed to ask Yuji-kun directly…”

“Is that so?”

“Besides, I think there are things that even Yuji-kun himself might not be aware of, so I thought it would be better to ask Hibari-san, who is the closest to him.”

“I am… the closest to him? In terms of time spent together, I suppose that’s true.”

Hibari reached for her teacup. Yuito also added milk and sugar syrup to his iced coffee and drank it through a straw.

For several seconds while they drank, silence flowed between them… but the conversation soon resumed. Of course, it was initiated by Yuito.

“But this was the first time I wanted to know so much about someone else, and that someone is Yuji-kun.”

“…”

Hibari immediately noticed the strangely calm tone mixed in, different from their earlier excitement.

“Last time, I told you about how Yuji-kun and I became friends, right?”

“Actually, in middle school, I didn’t get along well with the boys. By ‘not getting along well’, I mean they would talk to me, but I didn’t have anyone close enough to call a friend… So I was never called by my first name, ‘Yuito’, by any boys.”

Hibari had been told about the day when Yuji and Yuito happened to meet in front of a convenience store and became friends.

“I was happy about everything. That he casually talked to me, that he called me by my first name, and all the events of that time. I thought I had made my first real male friend.”

“So that’s why you wanted to know more?”

“That’s part of it.”

A way of saying there was another reason…

Hibari listened attentively to what came next.

“On the day of the entrance ceremony, bad rumors about Yuji-kun were circulating in our class. Everyone wanted to keep their distance from him.”

Yuito was also one of the people in that class…

“Hey, what about that guy? Should we invite him?”

“…Ignore him. Even if he comes, he’ll just ruin the mood.”

“But he might not actually be such a bad guy…”

He immediately noticed that Yuji was the only one who didn’t fit in among the classmates.

“…I see. He is indeed someone who tends to be misunderstood.”

“Misunderstood… yes. At that time, I didn’t know anything about Yuji-kun, and I didn’t understand. So…”

Yuito took a breath… and lowered the corners of his eyes apologetically.

“I ended up thinking he was even more pitiful than myself.”

“…”

“But now I don’t think he’s pitiful at all.”

“I’m sorry for approaching you so suddenly. Oh, I’m ‘Saeki Yuito’ from your class.”

“Regardless of what feelings I had when I spoke to him that day when we happened to meet at the convenience store… I’m glad I talked to him.”

“…”

“And I’m glad I got to know his good qualities.”

“…”

“Now it’s my turn. At school, I know Yuji-kun’s good qualities the best.”

“…So, Yuito-sama, you want to convey Yuji-sama’s charm to everyone… Is that it?”

“Yes.”

“To Mahiro-sama and Riina-sama as well?”

“Of course. So, Hibari-san, please teach me more about Yuji-kun’s good qualities so I can understand them better.”

Fixed with a straightforward gaze, Hibari… could only return it with her usual expressionless face.

“Did our conversation get a bit dark? Ahaha… Oh! If you’d like, I have photos of Yuji-kun at school and from the forest school trip. Would you like to see them?”

“I would like to see them, if you don’t mind.”

Hibari looked away from Yuito, who was scrolling through his photo folder searching, and lowered her face.

Even without lowering it, her face was always expressionless… or at least it should have been.