ALL NOVEL chapter 17
17. As a Villain
This kind of development didn’t exist in the original. Yet, right before my eyes, a new story was beginning to weave itself as the protagonist and heroine met. An irregular development was unfolding.
The protagonist, Fusegawa Raito, looked down at Mashiro, who had collided with him, in a flustered manner.
Sitting on the ground, Mashiro had a startled expression, pressing down on her dramatically flipped-up skirt with both hands. Her face flushed bright red as she looked up at Fusegawa Raito and spoke in a trembling voice.
“Did you… see it…!?”
“I-I didn’t see anything! I swear! I didn’t see anything at all!”
Fusagawa Yorito shook his head desperately, his face flushed. But that expression clearly told the story—he had seen under Mashiro’s white skirt.
I knew this scene all too well. I had witnessed similar moments countless times in the story of ‘Fusekoi.’
Lucky perversion—it’s a common trope in romantic comedies, an event that occurs due to sudden mishaps.
Such events typically happen only between the protagonist and the heroine. Yet here it was, unfolding between the protagonist, Fusagawa Yorito, and Mashiro.
Their encounter was not a coincidence but a necessity.
By becoming the world’s strongest beautiful girl, Mashiro was given a new role as the heroine, a role enforced by this world.
She was thrust into a situation where she would collide with the protagonist, and the world conspired to make it happen.
Even the way Mashiro fell on her backside was orchestrated. The way she braced herself on the floor, the way her skirt flipped up to reveal her underwear—everything was a result of this world exerting its force to create a ‘lucky perversion’ event with the protagonist.
At the same time, my body was paralyzed, unable to move, because this world was interfering with me.
I was Mashiro’s childhood friend, and if she had fallen like that, I should have been the one to help her up before the protagonist, Fusagawa Yorito, could.
But I couldn’t. I was unable to move. This world wouldn’t allow it.
It was unacceptable for a villain to act before the protagonist in relation to the heroine, and so my movements were continuously restricted.
“Anyway, get up. The afternoon classes are about to start, so come on.”
As he said this, Fusagawa gently reached out to Mashiro.
If she took his hand, the love story with the protagonist would begin. She would become one of the heroines surrounding him in the back row by the window, destined to spend her days in that role.
I truly wished to change Mashiro’s disastrous fate that I had seen in the original story. I wanted her happiness, even if it meant hiding my own feelings.
If Mashiro became one of the heroines surrounding Fusagawa Yorito, surely she would not meet a disastrous end in the future. She would never find herself vowing revenge against Fusagawa Yorito and the other heroines, descending into a life of villainy.
But—still, I couldn’t forgive it. I didn’t want to forgive it. This was selfishness. I simply didn’t want to give up on Mashiro.
I wanted to share my youth with Mashiro.
We had decided to join forces and confront the absurdities of this world together.
Along with my heart’s cry, Shindo Ryusuke within me echoed with a roar filled with rage.
Mashiro was my childhood friend, a precious companion, an irreplaceable existence. She had changed for me, transforming her feelings into effort, allowing her to shine as the strongest beautiful girl.
Yet, just because Fusagawa Yorito was the protagonist of this story, he was trying to easily take away my precious person. Even if this world allowed it, we would never forgive it.
Shindo Ryusuke’s inner voice roared like a flame, burning with fury. But right now, we were mere background characters, unable to interfere in the world of the protagonist, Fusagawa Yorito, and the heroine, Mashiro.
This world was telling us to remain as mere background.
(Don’t mess with me…!)
I had to stop this at all costs.
Even if it meant breaking the norms of this world, I didn’t want to lose Mashiro.
Move, move――move!!!!!!
Clenching my teeth and tightening my fists, we resisted the rules of this world.
And that anger, that hatred, awakened the role that lay dormant within us.
“What the hell are you doing, you b*stard!!”
The voice escaped. My body moved.
I lunged at Fusegawa Yoshito, who was reaching out towards Mashiro. And I raised my voice in anger.
“You bumped into Mashiro and made her fall!! You should be the first to apologize, right!? Smirking like that, who the hell do you think you are!?”
“Wha…!? Y-you’re Shindo Ryusuke…!?”
Fusegawa was taken aback by the sudden turn of events.
But I didn’t care; I forcefully yanked his arm up. Fusegawa Yoshito grimaced in pain.
And I glared at him, speaking in a strong tone.
“I saw you, you idiot. This is what happens when you walk while looking at your phone in school! It’s dangerous, you know!!”
“…!? W-well, that’s…”
“Huh!? Got a problem with that!? What were you planning to do if you seriously injured the person you bumped into!?”
“N-no… I’m sorry.”
Fusegawa averted his gaze as I yelled at him.
I pressed on, delivering another blow.
“I’m not the one who should be apologizing! It’s Mashiro who you bumped into!”
“I-I get it… I wasn’t paying attention, I’m really sorry, um, Mashiro-san?”
Finally acknowledging his fault due to my words, Fusegawa apologized to Mashiro, and I lifted her up from where she had fallen.
“R-Ryusuke…?”
I spoke to the Mashiro I was holding, consciously using a gentle tone to reassure her.
“Are you okay, Mashiro? Does it hurt anywhere?”
“I-I’m fine, Ryusuke. But, why? This… princess carry…”
She averted her gaze from me, her cheeks flushing red as she spoke. Her ears, slightly visible, were also dyed a bright red. She seemed embarrassed to be carried like this, but there was nothing else to do for now.
“I’ll take you to the infirmary. Even if it doesn’t hurt right now, it’s better to have the teacher check you out. It looked like you might have twisted your ankle when you fell, just to be safe.”
“B-but class is about to start…”
“You’ve been serious about attending classes, so it’s fine to take a little break. I’ll explain everything properly to the nurse, so don’t worry.”
“But… for me, that’s one thing, but what about your attendance…?”
“Just come on. Let’s go, and hold on tight, okay?”
“Y-yeah, thank you. Ryusuke…”
Saying that, Mashiro wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly.
Smiling gently at her, I took her hand and led her out of the classroom.
In my arms, Mashiro blushed and smiled happily.
As I held her close and walked down the hallway, I recalled what had just happened.
I was pondering the reason I, who had been a mere background character, was able to move. The anger and hatred within me had compelled my unmoving body to act. As a result, I was able to interfere in the romantic comedy unfolding between the protagonist and the heroine.
I understood what that meant.
There was likely only one event in this world where a villain could interfere with the absolute justice of the protagonist in the story.
(It’s begun… the development where I will be ruined by the protagonists.)
In that moment, I proved to the world that I was a clear enemy to the protagonist. I exercised my role as a villain against the protagonist.
Being a villain isn’t just about simply getting in the protagonist’s way. That is merely a process; the true role lies beyond that.
In a romantic comedy, the role of the villain is to serve as an obstacle for the protagonist to be united with the heroine, ultimately being defeated by the protagonist as a supporting character. My role is to meet a disastrous end and exit the story.
(But…)
I thought I was okay with that.
Back then, if I had remained just a mere mob character in the background, I would have been unable to protect Mashiro. The protagonist, Fusegawa Yorito, would have taken her from me. So, I chose to change that fate and opted to oppose the protagonist.
“Mashiro.”
“Hmm? What is it, Ryusuke?”
“Uh, it’s nothing.”
“Hehe, you’re being weird.”
Seeing Mashiro giggle in my arms, I etched a new vow in my heart.
I will not let anyone take her away.
To protect this girl, I will not fear getting hurt.
I will resist this world until the very end. I will never give up.
I will definitely show that I can grasp happiness with Mashiro—.