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~

“When Yuito is with Kasajima-kun, he sparkles as though he’s gotten a new toy.”

“Really?”

Yuito… indeed, whenever I saw him, he was always smiling and seemed to be having fun.

“Hehe. No self-awareness?”

“No, self-awareness or… well, isn’t it just that being with friends is fun?”

Even I – with this intimidating face of mine… since becoming this existence called Kasajima Yuji – had come to deeply understand this. While it was inevitable to be misunderstood based on appearance, it was sad to continue being misunderstood and become lonely. If Yuito hadn’t been there, both my school life and private life might have been filled with loneliness. More than anything, I myself might have become a dark and malicious person. That’s how important the existence of friends was.

“…I wonder if Yuito’s feelings are just as a friend?”

“Huh?”

Mahiro muttered something… but since she quickly averted her gaze, she was probably just talking to herself. I decided not to ask further.

“So how about it? Will you consider what I asked?”

Even if she said that…

“You want me to teach you about making hearts race… right? I think… it’s impossible for me.”

I was the one who wanted to know instead. Making someone’s heart race? Only chosen people could actually do such things. I believed it was the privilege of beautiful people like Mahiro.

I had an intimidating face, and first of all, I was a villain. I wasn’t in a position to teach others about making hearts race.

“Are you saying my judgment is wrong?”

“…Huh?”

For some reason, Mahiro took a step closer to me.

“I wasn’t just spending my days in a daze either.”

Mahiro’s smile disappeared, and she became serious.

“School life, forest school trip, study sessions, the shopping mall incident. And even now. Not just Yuito… Kasajima-kun, I was watching you too.”

To be told that by Mahiro of all people was unexpected. I had thought I wasn’t even on her radar.

“Kasajima-kun, you’re an irregular existence for us.”

“…!”

At the word “irregular”, which seemed to strangely hit the truth, my face involuntarily stiffened. Originally, as a villain, I shouldn’t have had a relationship close enough to go out and have fun with Yuito, Mahiro, and Riina like this.

“We’ve each had painful experiences. It doesn’t matter how painful it was or how much we suffered. If we felt it was painful, it still crosses our minds even now.”

“I’m the same,” Mahiro’s eyebrows lowered.

“Despite not knowing about our painful pasts… you appeared as if to ease those painful pasts that no one has ever tried to touch.”

Mahiro continued.

“Yuito. And Riina too. After getting involved with Kasajima-kun, they’re looking forward to the future now, enough to forget about the past. In fact, they seem happier than before. Regarding Riina’s incident at the school trip, let me thank you once again. Thank you, Kasajima-kun.”

“O-oh…”

Just when I’d thought Mahiro had smiled for a moment, she became serious again.

“Kasajima-kun must have something that captivates people. I vaguely sense it too… but I don’t understand it clearly. So I want you to teach me.”

“…”

The conversation paused.

When she had vaguely mentioned “making hearts race”, I’d been surprised… but it seemed closer to asking for advice on how to captivate people.

But still, even if you asked me… I felt the same way. More than anything, while Mahiro was speaking seriously about this, I couldn’t give an answer based on speculation when I didn’t understand it myself.

In any case, I was troubled.

“I understand. It must be troubling to suddenly be told something like this.”

“Ah… yeah, well…”

Since there was no point in being evasive, I nodded slightly.

“Sorry for troubling you.”

“Ah, no… Well, just listening is fine.”

For Mahiro to talk to me about something like this, she must have been worrying about it quite seriously. But separately from that, I could also see some urgency within her…

“But let me say this much to Kasajima-kun. For the person I love, I’d do anything. For the person I love, I might even become someone’s villain.”

Those eyes of hers were serious. And the person she loved was undoubtedly Yuito.

‘I think Kasajima-kun will have someone he likes someday too, and then you’ll understand my feelings.’

‘Someone I like, huh…’

The conversation I had exchanged with Mahiro at the shopping mall café before crossed my mind.

I knew beforehand from the game that Mahiro liked Yuito. But now that the game had become reality like this, different from through a screen, I could tell as a third party that Mahiro indeed truly liked him.

But the feeling of going that far for someone you loved… I didn’t understand with my current self.

“…”

My and Mahiro’s gazes locked once more. What should we talk about next, or rather, who should speak first… Just when there was such a silent standoff—

“Hey Kasajima~! Mahiro-san! There you are!!”

“?!”

Breaking the tense atmosphere, Tajima’s voice called our names… Huh? Tajima…?

“Huh!? Tajima!?”

“Yeah, it’s me! Why are you two here—”

“Of course we were looking for you!”

“Eh—ow.”

I lightly… no, somewhat strongly hit the shoulder of Tajima who had come running toward us.

“Where have you been all this time!”

“Ah, ahh… well… anyway, I’m really sorry! I made you worry!!”

Tajima put his hands together and bowed apologetically. The reason he was late for the meeting time… he seemed reluctant to say, so I wouldn’t press further.

“Come on, everyone’s waiting, so let’s go.”

Mahiro showed her usual refreshing smile.

“Tajima-kun, go to the meeting place first. Yuito and Riina are probably worried too. You’ll run, of course… is that right?”

“Y-yes!!”

When Mahiro smiled sweetly, Tajima immediately went off at a pace slightly faster than a brisk walk, so as not to get scolded. Somehow, Tajima… was like a large dog obedient to its master.

“Phew. I’ve lost my focus and can’t continue talking. Could we put this matter on hold for now?”

“Ah, well…”

“Thank you, Kasajima-kun.”

Saying she’d go ahead, Mahiro started walking.

“…Phew.”

I suddenly looked up at the sky. It was completely clear, without a single cloud about. While looking up at such a sky, I thought absently…

About half a year had passed since I was reincarnated as the villain Kasajima Yuji. Although there had been small incidents and surprising developments, nothing flashy or dramatic had happened so far. Time had passed with events within the range of a daily life routine.

“…”

Suddenly, my chest felt strangely unsettled. Something… I felt like something big was about to happen. I had such a premonition.

Would it be… this summer?