When I Thought I Was Reborn, My Family Turned Out to Be a Huge Landmine - Chapter 03: Heroine’s Charm

Chapter 03: Heroine’s Charm

“I should have just gone home straight away.”

“Really. Why do I have to do this…”

After school, Kenichi and I were walking down the hallway, carrying a somewhat heavy cardboard box. 

We had just seen off Sogo, who was heading to his club, and were about to leave ourselves when a teacher caught us. 

There was a staff meeting coming up, and the teacher, unable to spare his hands, asked us to carry the box.

I could have refused, but it’s hard to say no to these kinds of requests from teachers.

“Well, it’s a quick job, let’s finish it fast.”

“I agree. I need to get home and continue reading my light novel.”

I wondered why he always managed to get good grades despite spending his time at home playing gal games and reading light novels.

He claimed he never studied at home, but maybe it’s one of those paradoxes where those who claim they don’t study actually do.

“Fufu, you two really get along well, don’t you?”

Yumeno, walking beside us, asked with a smile.

I nodded in response. Kenichi, Sogo, Shinjo, and I had known each other since middle school, and we got along quite well. 

Yumeno ended up joining us because she was nearby when the teacher asked us for the favor.

“Sorry to drag you into this, Yumeno. You’re stuck with two guys like us.”

“Not at all. Helping others is natural, even if it’s a simple task.”

Ah, she really is a good person. 

As a heroine, her smile has a tremendous impact.

I had always wondered what it would be like if the characters from anime and games came to life. Well, it’s incredible. 

She’s just like a beautiful girl from those worlds… but so naturally fitting in. 

While I chuckled at my silly internal commentary, we continued walking.

“Helping people, huh… I’d be more enthusiastic if it were helping girls instead of teachers.”

“You’re really all about that, aren’t you?”

“Shut up. I want to experience saving a girl from being hit on, just like you did back in middle school!”

“If that ever happens, you probably won’t do anything anyway!”

I know. He would definitely pretend not to see anything like that.

But still, recalling our middle school days brings back such nostalgic memories… memories that had almost faded until mentioned.

“Heh, did something like that happen?”

Apparently, Yumeno was interested.

“It was in our second year of middle school, I think. We went to the next town over, and there was this girl surrounded by boys. So I pretended she was a friend of mine, held her hand, and we ran away.”

“And then you gave her a frog keychain because she was scared, even though you hate frogs.”

“I had no choice. That was the only thing for sale nearby.”

Being in the second year of middle school meant starting to seriously notice the opposite sex. But since I had never dated a girl, my simple solution was to give her something, anything.

“How wonderful. She must have been happy.”

“I wonder… I don’t even remember her face, and we didn’t talk much.”

The girl from that time… I barely remember her great figure, with glasses and braids, giving off a plain impression, but she was pretty in her own way… probably.

“So, Kamisato-kun, you really hate frogs?”

“Yeah, I wish they’d just disappear.”

“Like that time when it rained and you couldn’t move because you saw the little ones hopping by the roadside?”

“Yeah, that happened. I just can’t stand those hopping things.”

People have things they can’t stand, right? Both the me from the past and the me now share a dislike for frogs

As Kenichi and I talked about our past traumas or dislikes, Yumeno laughed.

“Fufu, sorry. It’s just fun to learn about things I didn’t know about you two.”

“…Hey Kenichi, is talking about frogs a good way to get close to a beautiful girl?”

“That’s not an option in any game. Damn, reality really is different from games!”

“Pfft… Ahaha!”

I didn’t quite understand what was so funny, but it was nice to see Yumeno laughing.

She really does have a beautiful smile. 

Now that we’ve gotten to know each other, I really don’t want to cloud that smile. Well, I admit I get excited by her face lost in pleasure, but that’s something only permissible in games.

“…Ah, sorry Ren. Can I go to the toilet?”

“Yeah. Go ahead.”

“Eh? Aren’t you going to wait?”

“Waiting in front of the men’s restroom would be awkward, wouldn’t it?”

“…Ah.”

Yumeno blushed, realizing what I meant, and quickly walked up to join me.

I remembered her character was written to be a bit airheaded. How many traits have they packed into her? She’s really my ideal type.

Holding the cardboard box, we reached an empty classroom, but Kenichi was still not back. I figured he might be taking his time, so I decided to wait a bit longer.

“Yumeno, I’ll wait for Kenichi. You can go ahead. Thanks for helping.”

“No, not at all. I’ll wait too.”

“Really?”

“Yes♪”

I found myself blankly staring at her enchanting smile, which could captivate any man.

“Hey, Kamisato-kun.”

“What’s up?”

“Do you have someone you like?”

“That’s quite sudden…”

Well, we were alone together in this place, and I had been wondering what to talk about with Yumeno, so I appreciated the topic. But, someone I like, huh?

“Not really.”

I had said during lunch break that I wanted a girlfriend, but unfortunately, there was no one specific I liked. My gaze naturally drifted to Yumeno as I thought about someone who caught my interest.

“What’s wrong?”

She tilted her head, looking as cute as ever.

I thought about how Yumeno would surely end up with Arisaka if it weren’t for my brother’s intervention. As a player of the game, I couldn’t deny that I harbored some hope of perhaps being with her.

[I really like you. I truly do…]

Yumeno confessed in the game’s opening scene, set against a sunset. That scene was truly magnificent.

The detailed art made me almost forget about the ‘NTR’ genre. It’s still vividly etched in my memory.

“It’s nothing. What about you, Yumeno?”

I harbored some hope, for the second time.

Everyone must think at some point that they’d like this heroine to be theirs. But having her right in front of me, maybe just watching is enough. Just being able to secretly watch that opening scene might be sufficient.

“I do have someone I like.”

Yumeno said, her cheeks slightly tinted.

She closed her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her chest, continuing,

“I’ve been interested since we met. He’s kind, handsome, and just talking to him a little makes my heart race.”

Hey, Arisaka, you should be happy. She’s totally smitten.

“Hmm… This would make a nice illustration.”

I murmured to myself, unnoticed.

As Yumeno talked about the person she liked, the scene before my eyes felt like it could be a part of a gal game event scene, not an eroge. 

The reality before me was captivating enough to steal my gaze, just like Yumeno’s presence did.

“Ahaha… It’s a bit embarrassing to talk about this.”

She said with a bashful face, which also had its own charm.

A little later, Kenichi returned, and it seemed like he really did go for a big one.

“I feel refreshed. I did a lot just now.”

“Man, we’re in front of a girl, try to phrase it better…”

“I’m a high schooler now, I’m not going to get embarrassed over something like that.”

“Whoa…”

“Though, I do think you should consider how you say things, like Kamisato-kun mentioned.”

Yeah, that’s the right response.

With Kenichi’s cardboard box also placed, our task was finished. We returned to the classroom, and Yumeno, already with her bag on her shoulder, waved at us.

“See you guys. Bye-bye, see you tomorrow.”

“Good work today. See you tomorrow.”

“Later.”

After seeing Yumeno off, Kenichi and I left the school building after a while.

“Want to stop somewhere?”

“Umm, I think I’ll just head home today.”

I had nothing particular to do or wanted to do, so I decided to head straight home. After parting ways with Kenichi at the convenience store, I went straight home.

“I’m home~”

Even though it was the evening, it wasn’t even five o’clock yet. My brother, who said he would be late, and my sister were, of course, not there. I had gotten used to it, but sometimes I missed hearing a ‘welcome back’ in response to my ‘I’m home.’

“…Maybe I’ll run a bath.”

Trying to distract myself from the loneliness, I murmured and headed towards the bathroom.