The Villainous Uncle in the Adult Game Gets Unusually High Praise from the Heroines - Chapter 37

Living in the same neighborhood and maintaining neighborly relationships meant encounters like this had happened several times before.  

However, something was different today.  

The person I ran into was Sho-kun. In other words, it was the protagonist—though in some ways, he might not really qualify as a protagonist—Sho Rindo-kun.

Running into him at the supermarket wasn’t unusual. Like me, he carried a reusable shopping bag, so he was likely there for grocery shopping as well.  

Still, the first one to notice the other was me. When I greeted him, he seemed completely distracted, almost lost in thought. That caught my attention.  

“Oh, Take-san,” he said, greeting me after snapping back to reality.  

Noticing his unusual demeanor, I was almost certain something had happened. 

“Did something happen?” I asked.  

Looking somewhat relieved yet simultaneously uneasy, he muttered, “I’m sorry.”  

“What for?”  

“I mean, I made you ask such a thing…”  

“Don’t worry about it. If anything, I’m sorry for prying… but maybe we should move somewhere else?”  

At that moment, we were standing in front of the bell peppers, effectively blocking the aisle for other shoppers. We decided to relocate to a bench near the store’s entrance.  

Sitting down side by side, he finally spoke.  

“Um, Take-san… have you ever said something insensitive to a close friend?”  

“Hm?”  

To put it simply, his words suggested that he had said something tactless to someone close to him.  

Who could it have been? Tomoe-chan? Or maybe Sakurako-chan? It might have been a character not mentioned in the original story I knew. Speculating was pointless unless he chose to share more.  

“You’re right… apologizing for saying something insensitive can feel strange.”  

Strange, and possibly problematic—saying “I’m sorry for the rude comment I made” could itself come off as insensitive, implying, “You were upset by what I said, weren’t you?” It wouldn’t be unusual for someone to take offense to an apology like that.  

“Even adults feel that way sometimes,” I added.  

“They do?”  

“Of course. People don’t usually share what matters most to them or what they hold dear. That makes it hard to know what someone might not want to hear.”  

“That’s true…”  

“Still, it’s important to be flexible and handle these situations as they come. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary. While I mentioned that apologizing can feel awkward, it’s also an option. And if the other person doesn’t bring it up, that might mean they don’t want an apology, in which case, it’s better not to apologize.”  

“It’s so complicated…”  

As he lowered his head with a thoughtful “Hmm”, I gave him a small smile.  

“Whether this is the right way to say it or not, I think the key is for both sides to ‘grow up.'”  

“Grow up, huh?”  

“Insensitive words aren’t the only cause of pain. People often say things that unintentionally wound others. The person on the receiving end should recognize that as well—though, I’ll admit, this is just an ideal.”  

After a moment of silence, he nodded. “I understand.”  

He wasn’t foolish, and from the way he spoke, it seemed like he had brought this up partly to organize his thoughts by talking it through. Even though I did most of the talking, if it helped him find clarity, that was good enough.  

“Thanks. Sorry for such a heavy topic.”  

“It’s fine. Listening to kids is part of an adult’s responsibilities.”  

With that, I chuckled and pointed to the pumpkin sitting in his shopping basket.  

“By the way, that pumpkin might be watery.”  

“Really?”  

“Yeah, let me give you a tip on how to pick a good one—”

***

After finishing the groceries and heading back home, I noticed a small crowd gathered in front of the house.  

Well, “crowd” might be an exaggeration—it was four women. Tomoe Hinomoto, Sakurako Tendo, and Aina Rindo I recognized immediately.  

But why was Yozuki Kongo-chan here?  

What’s more, while the other three looked uncomfortable, Yozuki-chan seemed oddly confident. Exuding unnecessary confidence, her expression carried a hint of danger, which was unsettling.  

“What’s going on here?” I asked, setting Sho-kun’s bewildered reaction aside for the moment.  

Unfazed, Yozuki-chan, still radiating that air of baseless confidence, spoke up.  

“As of today, I’ll be living here.”

…

…

Sho-kun and I exchanged a glance before simultaneously voicing our shock.

“What!?”