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~

“…”

I was nervous about entering the classroom. Why, you ask?

“Let’s interact more after summer break!”

“Let’s talk again!”

It was a school day during summer vacation. Quite some time had passed since then… but there was no doubt that my classmates’ impression of me had begun to change that day.

However, since time had passed, there was also the undeniable possibility that things had reverted back to how they were…

“To find that out, I need to hurry up and enter the classroom…”

After swallowing once, I entered the classroom with heavy steps. Several students had already arrived at school, and I could see them chatting or spending their individual time at their desks.

In that atmosphere, I took a shallow breath and then…

“G-good morning…”

I thought it would be scary to approach someone specific, so I tried greeting everyone as my opening words.

If I wanted to change, I had to take action myself.

While thinking such encouraging thoughts, it seemed I couldn’t completely hide my inner anxiety… I could tell that what I intended as a clear greeting was becoming fainter and fainter.

“…”

Suddenly, the classroom fell silent. Everyone was looking at me wordlessly.

Was the intimidating appearance and bad rumors effect still continuing?! Had things reverted back after time had passed?!

Just as I looked away, afraid to see everyone’s reactions…

“Hey, Kasajima, good morning!”

“G-good morning, Kasajima-kun!”

What reached my ears were… voices returning my greeting. Looking over, two students were smiling at me.

“Good morning, Kasajima! You surprised us by suddenly greeting everyone!”

“I-it’s okay! We don’t misunderstand you anymore, Kasajima-kun!”

Thanks to the two who’d responded first, my classmates began calling out to me one after another.

“Everyone…”

Even though this was the result I had been hoping for… I was surprised. My eyes grew hot.

In my previous life, I had thought it was natural for people to return greetings and talk to me.

However, after being reincarnated as the villain Kasajima Yuji, who tended to be avoided due to his intimidating appearance and bad rumors… I realized that many things weren’t natural, and I had struggled with various things.

That was precisely why this moment made me happier than anything else.

Even after I sat down, there were classmates who made the effort to talk to me.

That liveliness would completely change once they arrived—

“Good morning, everyone. It’s quite lively today, isn’t it?”

“Good morning, everyone~♪”

Mahiro entered with her refreshing smile with Riina waving cheerfully next to her. The classroom’s excitement visibly rose with the appearance of the beautiful sisters.

While everyone’s eyes were drawn to them and people rushed to talk to them first… I felt something was off.

“Huh, Yuito isn’t here…?”

That’s right. Yuito was nowhere to be seen. Usually, the three of them would enter the classroom together, flirting harmoniously, but Yuito, who was always at the center, never appeared no matter how long I waited.

“Where is… Yuito?”

Perhaps hearing my murmur, Mahiro and Riina came over.

“Oh, Kasajima-kun. Good morning. You seem to have noticed, but actually Yuito… has a fever and is absent today.”

“Yuito has a fever?!”

I was surprised by Mahiro’s words. Sure, anyone could fall ill sometimes, but…

I thought that with Yuito’s honest personality, he would have contacted us at least once.

“We only found out this morning too. When the meeting time came and Yuito didn’t show up, we became suspicious. So we called him… Yuito said he was fine, but we could hear him coughing intermittently, and his breathing was rough… When we pressed him and asked again, it turned out he had a 38-degree fever.”

Mahiro explained fluently. Normally, one’s eyes tended to go to her prince-like brilliant appearance and composed tone… but Mahiro’s observation skills were incredible as well!

“Fortunately, he seems to have medicine on hand, so today he’s taking it and resting quietly.”

“I see. That’s reassuring.”

Hearing Mahiro’s explanation, I felt relieved.

I was worried about the fever, but in that case, his condition would probably start improving by tomorrow. It would be lonely without Yuito at school in the meantime, but…

“So, Kasajima-kun.”

Just when I thought the explanation about Yuito was over and they would return to their seats… Mahiro continued as if there was more.

“If you’d like, would you come with us to visit Yuito after school?”

“Eh…”

I was stunned by Mahiro’s sudden invitation. These were words I absolutely never thought I’d hear.

“You’re Yuito’s important friend, aren’t you? So it wouldn’t be unnatural to invite you, would it?”

Perhaps my thoughts showed on my face, as Mahiro let out a small laugh.

The fact that Mahiro thought this way and invited me meant that her impression of me had probably improved too. But I didn’t have time to be happy about that right now…

“However… I’d be happy if you came home early today.”

In an instant, what flashed through my mind were Hibari’s words from this morning and her natural smile. And those words.

Come home early… But if I went to Yuito’s place, I couldn’t keep that promise.

So today, I could only go to one place. Hibari or Yuito…

Maybe Hibari’s thing didn’t have to be today—it could be tomorrow.

“That’s right. Yuito is an important friend. I absolutely have to visit such an important friend.”

“Right. So—”

“But, sorry.”

I interrupted Mahiro’s words with a firm tone. Mahiro and Riina quietly looked at me.

I took a breath and then continued.

“I think I’ll visit Yuito tomorrow.”

“… Is there some reason?”

After a brief pause, Mahiro asked.

Before, I would have declined with reasons like “I’m a villain, so I don’t want to carelessly get involved in such protagonist events! I need to avoid bad endings!” All such reasoning from the villain’s standpoint.

But I myself…

“However… I’d be happy if you came home early today.”

I thought Hibari had said that precisely because it was today, so I wanted to prioritize her.

“Today, I have an unmissable appointment… I made plans with someone important after school.”

I looked Mahiro and Riina in the eyes and said clearly. However, from their perspective, this statement of mine would probably give a bad impression.

Leaving an important friend aside and prioritizing something else.

It wouldn’t be strange if it looked that way—

“—If you have a prior engagement, it can’t be helped.”

The one who said that was Riina, who had been quiet until now.

“Besides, if three people showed up at his house when Yui-kun is suffering from a fever, we might make him worry about us instead. Yui-kun is kind like that~ So I think I’ll pass for today too.”

“Eh, Riina isn’t going to visit Yuito either?”

Mahiro looked surprised, her eyes widening.

“Not today, anyway. Tomorrow Yui-kun’s condition will be better, and I’ll definitely go then. Definitely.”

After hearing both my and Riina’s words, Mahiro remained silent for a while as if thinking about something.

“I understand. Then today I’ll go to Yuito’s house by myself as the representative. I’m sorry for inviting you without knowing the circumstances, Kasajima-kun.”

“N-no… I’m sorry too for some reason.”

“You don’t need to apologize. Well then, I’m counting on you tomorrow.”

Mahiro smiled gently and headed to her seat.

“That worked out well.”

“A-ah… thank you.”

Riina also returned to her seat.

But just now, did Riina help me out…? In any case, I was saved.

“Haah…”

Suddenly, a heavy sigh escaped me.

I seemed to have been a bit nervous about stating my opinion. And one more thing. Apart from the nervousness, I also felt my heart beating fast for a different reason.