8
Thank you for the 10,000 points.
I never imagined I’d ever reach something like 10,000… I can only feel grateful.
The first thing I do when I arrive at school is always the same. I look for Touga from the classroom window.
I rarely actually find him—over these past two months, it’s happened only a handful of times—but I still can’t help searching.
I come early, and I keep watching until Ichika shows up right before morning homeroom.
Even during breaks, my eyes drift toward the hallway.
There’s no real reason to pass through the second-year corridor, and yet I still glance that way anyway.
When we move classrooms, I scan the surroundings again, just in case.
I almost never find him, and yet I still look.
At lunch, I go to the vending machines.
That’s because I sometimes catch a glimpse of Touga there—so I end up going almost every day.
After school, I walk with Ichika to the shoe lockers, but even then my eyes keep searching the crowd.
Even after stepping outside the school gate, I’m still looking for him wherever I go.
And yet, I never go to the rooftop.
Because the rooftop is the place where the heroine talks with him.
In the game, that’s where Touga usually was.
So I don’t go there.
“…What are you doing, staring at the rooftop like that?”
Without me noticing, I was gazing up at the rooftop visible from the classroom window.
Ichika, who had been talking beside me, tilted her head and asked me that.
“Nothing~,” I replied absentmindedly, my mind still half-asleep, and turned toward her.
“You’ve been spacing out a lot lately. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I was just thinking about world peace.”
“What even is that?”
“I’m praying for the peace of the world…”
“…Huh? Is this some kind of religion?”
At Ichika’s retort, I just nodded vaguely and started preparing for the next class.
“Oh right, I heard this from Ichinose—you turned down Maeno’s contact, didn’t you?”
“Oh, wow. You heard about that?”
“Of course I did. Maeno-kun seems interested in you… Do you already have a boyfriend?”
“Nope—no way! I don’t!”
“Then… do you like someone?”
At that question, I hesitated for a moment… then smiled.
She was someone I’d known for a long time, so Ichika must have understood from my expression immediately.
Her face changed in an instant, shock spreading across it.
“W-Wait, seriously!? Who is it!? Tell me!”
“Secret.”
“No way. I’m seriously curious. Tell me!”
“Don’t worry about me—worry about yourself instead.”
“You’re dodging it…! Just wait until after school! My dream is to go on a double date with your boyfriend!”
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
“I just thought of it now.”
“What kind of free spirit are you…”
Sorry, Ichika.
That dream of a double date is probably never going to come true.
I don’t think I’ll ever love anyone more than Touga.
Even if I end up dating someone someday, he’ll still be there in my heart. And before that—getting into a relationship itself will probably take a long, long time.
After graduating… how many years would it take?
A heartbreak that spans both my past life and this one.
Maybe I should call it a recovery trip and travel around the country. Or maybe go overseas.
I could fill my days with so many new memories that Touga’s presence would eventually fade… until I finally think I can try loving someone else.
“…You went out with Ichinose-kun on Sunday, right? How was it?”
“How was it supposed to be? We just went to see a movie.”
“Classic childhood friend romance?”
“Not happening with that guy. I mean, it’s Ichinose. Crybaby Ichinose.”
“That was when you were kids, right? Don’t you think he’s gotten cool now? He’s on the soccer team too, right? I bet he’s popular.”
“Who knows. I don’t care about him. I like older, more mature men.”
“Oh yeah, you did say you liked older guys.”
Honestly, I think she and Ichinose would be a good match… but if I push it too hard, I’ll just become that nosy aunt type. Better stop here.
Besides, I don’t even know if Ichinose actually likes her.
Just then, the bell rang perfectly on cue, cutting off our conversation.
Our next class was science. The teacher was Shishido Yuka-sensei, who also happened to be the homeroom teacher of the neighboring class.
Her long, silky purple hair was free of any harshness. Her eyes were the color of amethysts. She was tall, with a low, calm voice.
And yet she didn’t feel unapproachable—probably because of her gentle personality and the soft smile she always wore.
Her drooping eyes and the mole beneath them gave her a slightly sensual charm, and the white lab coat she always wore suited her perfectly.
One thing about Yuka-sensei that always came up: her hair tie.
Even though she was 28, she always used cute hair ties that looked like something little girls in kindergarten or early elementary school would wear.
Bunnies, strawberries, ribbons, star shapes—today it was a red and pink glittering heart.
Every time she turned around to write on the blackboard, you could hear the girls in class whispering, “So cute,” “It’s a heart!”
And honestly… it really was cute.
A refined adult woman—an elegant beauty—using such adorable hair ties. There was no other word for it.
My friends and I often talked about it too.
“Why does she always use such cute hair ties?”
I knew the answer.
But I could never say, “Because Momoyama-kun, who lives with her, picks them out!”
There was no way I could say that. I’d be interrogated immediately—How do you know that?—and then they’d probably call the police.
“No, officer, I swear I only know this from a game!”
No. That would make me look like a completely unhinged person. I’d end up on a mental health ward overnight party cruise. Absolutely not.
Yuka-sensei and Momoyama-kun are relatives.
Since childhood, she had taken care of him while their parents were busy with work.
She started wearing cute hair ties so that the boy who cried for his parents would smile even a little.
And because Momoyama-kun liked cute things, he was delighted when he saw them.
So Yuka-sensei kept wearing them ever since.
Without really understanding anything that was being taught, the class eventually ended.
I quickly put away my notes—just a summary of what was on the board—and my textbook.
After school, I tried to slip away and go home, but it didn’t work.
Ichika grabbed my arm firmly, and my hopeless escape attempt came to an end.
Her face wore a shadowed smile as she pointed dramatically down the hallway with her thumb.
…She means “let’s go home together,” doesn’t she.
Understood, Lady Ichika.
She’s probably going to question me again about what I said before class.
The thought alone makes me tired… Why did I smile back then? I should’ve just said I didn’t like anyone.
But it was too late now.
As Ichika dragged me forward like I was resisting for show, someone passed by us.
Hanamiya-san.
Her golden hair swayed as she ran lightly down the corridor—so pretty it almost looked like a scene from a painting.
She hurried up the stairs without stopping.
The third floor is mostly first-year classrooms, so there’s rarely a reason for second-years like us to go up there, unless it’s for moving classes.
So maybe she has something to do with a first-year?
But I found myself thinking—she’s probably going to the rooftop.
I couldn’t forget what happened on that rainy day.
Those two people she was talking to…
She’s probably going to the place where Touga is.
I don’t even know if Hanamiya-san likes him… and yet I can’t stop thinking she might.
A sharp pain ran through my chest.
I don’t talk to Touga at school. I don’t see him either.
No matter how often we call or meet sometimes, the heroine—Hanamiya-san—will always have more chances to meet him than I do. That’s just the difference between heroine and background character.
While I was searching for him, she was probably already meeting him easily, talking with him.
Jealousy crept in.
Even though I love him this much… why am I not the heroine?
What a blasphemous thought.
Even as a background character, I was still born into this world. I got to meet him—that should’ve been enough. I could call him, I could even go to his room. I already had so much.
And yet, desire never stops growing.
(Just seeing him would be enough to make me happy…)
If my past self heard me now, she’d laugh at how greedy I’ve become.
I am already blessed beyond measure…
These emotions are proof that I love Touga.
This pain in my chest, these ugly feelings, the tears, the smiles—everything that makes me who I am… it’s all shaped by Touga.
To me, he shines brighter than anything. So bright it feels almost divine.
At this point, I really do sound like someone in a religion… Tougaism or something. If that existed, I’d definitely join. I’d give offerings without hesitation.
Ah… no.
Whenever I think about the heroine, my mood just sinks.
No, it’s not that. It’s probably just PMS making me emotional.
That must be it. I get tearful and sensitive around this time of month.
So it’s not that I’m sad. It’s not that I don’t want him taken away.
The heroine can choose whoever she wants—I decided I would support that.
And yet…
Still… for some reason… I don’t want her to choose Touga.
Even though I’m just a background character.
Somewhere far away, it felt like someone said that.
——
At a well-known fast food restaurant, after we sat down, Ichika immediately opened with:
“So. Who is it?”
I pretended not to hear her, chewing on a hot fry and staring into the distance.
“Hey, don’t ignore me!”
As she complained, I took another fry and put it in my mouth.
When I kept eating in silence, Ichika finally gave up and spoke more softly, almost to herself.
“I mean… if you’re hiding it that much, who is he? Please, if something’s wrong, at least talk to me.”
Hearing her worried voice, I stopped eating and looked at her.
She really was worried about me, like it was her own problem. That’s just how Ichika always is—she laughs with me when I’m happy, and cries with me when I’m sad.
I felt like punching my own useless self for making her worry and still saying nothing.
“…Someday I’ll tell you, Ichika. For now… just stay like this and watch over me. Sorry.”
I smiled awkwardly.
Ichika sighed, then smiled sadly, showing her perfectly aligned teeth.
I’m sure she wants to ask more. She’s curious like that—she always wants to know everything.
But she held it back for me.
I was grateful.
“Want some fries?”
“I don’t want your leftovers.”
She sipped her drink, resting her cheek on her hand.
I ate the rejected fry anyway, then looked out through the glass window.
White clouds drifted across the blue sky.
It was such a beautiful view… and yet I felt nothing.
And of course, Touga’s face naturally drifted into my mind.
—
I rushed this because I ran out of stock.
I’ll add and revise it later.
