ALL NOVEL chapter 5
5. Encounter
In the corner of the cafeteria, I was slurping up udon by myself.
In the romantic comedy world I had reincarnated into, the lovestruck maidens were in love with Fusegawa-kun.
The main setting was Kizakura Academy High School.
This school had a large number of students and spacious buildings. The cafeteria was no exception, being wide and frequented by many students. Blending in among the background characters, I continued to bring the udon to my mouth.
Right now, I didn’t want to meet any of the main characters from “Fusekoi.”
Most of the main characters had feelings for the protagonist, Fusegawa Yorito, while they openly showed hostility toward the antagonist, Shindo Ryusuke.
If I were to encounter a main character now, it was highly likely that it would lead to some event, starting the same ruinous path for Shindo Ryusuke as in the original.
For example, if I bumped into one of the heroines while walking in the cafeteria and she got hurt, the protagonist would surely step in, and then I would have to fulfill my role as the antagonist.
I could sense that even if I had no intention of opposing the main character and the heroines, the atmosphere around me was leading to that outcome.
The reason for this was the cold glances directed at me from those around.
As long as I remained in the position of a villain, the supporting characters would likely insist that I was forcibly bumping shoulders with them, trying to fulfill my role as a villain.
I had already realized this during the morning classes; the people in this world were imposing the role of a villain on me according to the original story. The reactions of the teachers and students who showed an attitude of rejecting my attendance spoke volumes — they did not approve of me acting in ways that were not villainous.
So for now, I would do my best to avoid causing any events. Until I could at least become a generic mob character rather than the absolute villain Ryusuke Shindo, it would be best to live quietly and inconspicuously.
I was silently progressing through my meal, ignoring the people in the cafeteria when—
“—Wah! Seriously!? Ryusuke is at school!?”
Suddenly, my name was called, causing my body to jump.
When I turned to look, there stood a girl with a gyaru vibe.
She was different from the blonde-haired, blue-eyed beautiful student council president, Miyuki Sakuramiy, who was the heroine of the story. This girl had artificially dyed blonde hair and heavy makeup typical of gyaru style.
Her uniform was slightly disheveled, lacking the seriousness one might expect; her skirt was short, and the buttons at her chest were undone, emphasizing her ample curves. Her nails were adorned with luxurious nail art, and earrings sparkled in her ears. Her side ponytail accentuated her gyaru appearance even more.
Above all, she was incredibly cute. With well-defined features, lips tinged with a cherry blossom hue, smooth white skin, captivating blue eyes, and long eyelashes.
There stood a girl who seemed to embody every aspect of gyaru cuteness.
(Ugh… I didn’t want to get involved with anyone during my time in the cafeteria… and now she’s coming over.)
Her radiance was different from the supporting girls around. It was clear she was not just an ordinary mob character. There was a possibility she could be one of the heroines who would color the harem of the protagonist, Raito Fusegawa. This was bad.
“Ryusuke, can I sit next to you? It’s super surprising to see you at school!”
“…”
“Don’t ignore me; you can hear me!”
“P-please do…”
“‘Please do’? You seem a bit off, Ryusuke. Well, it’s already strange for you to be at school, haha!”
After hearing my response, she let out a cheerful laugh and sat down next to me.
I tried to recall who this gyaru girl was from my knowledge of the original “Fusekoi.”
This distinctive appearance… could it be?
This gyaru girl was not a heroine from the protagonist’s side. She was the “villainous delinquent gyaru” created to enhance the heroine’s character, and her name was—Mashiro Amanatsu.
She was a character who would begin to appear in the story in earnest after the protagonists advanced to their second year.
She was set up as Ryusuke Shindo’s childhood friend, and she would move to take revenge for the fact that the protagonists had caused Ryusuke to drop out. However, her revenge would never come to fruition, and in the end, she would also be condemned like Ryusuke Shindo, exiting the story—meeting a fate of social obliteration.
While Mashiro Amanatsu was undoubtedly a villain, she was a character who, unlike me, had high popularity among fans. Many were moved by her vow of revenge for her lost childhood friend, standing against the protagonist with thoughts of him in her heart.
While I, the enemy in the first-year arc, was a villain with no room for sympathy, Mashiro Amanatsu, the enemy in the second-year arc, approached the protagonists with complex emotions intertwined. This was a result of delving into the conflicts with the protagonists to avoid a one-dimensional story.
As I recalled Mashiro Amanatsu’s actions in the story, memories of playing around with her as Ryusuke Shindo began to vaguely surface. It seemed that, just like in the “Fusekoi” setting, Mashiro Amanatsu was very close to Ryusuke Shindo.
As I slurped my udon, I noticed that Mashiro, sitting next to me, was peering intently at my face.
“Ryusuke, I sent you a RINE on my phone, but you haven’t replied, and you didn’t pick up when I called. I was worried! Kogane and Obayashi were worried too, and then I was surprised to see you at school. Plus, the fact that you’re eating alone is hilarious. I might have never seen you eat in the cafeteria before!”
This girl talks so cheerfully…
The Amane Mashiro from “Fusekoi” had a sharper gaze, glaring at the protagonist, Fusegawa Yorito, but the Amane Mashiro in front of me gave off the impression of a bright, charming gal.
Even the Amane Mashiro that vaguely floats in my memory always kept a smile and continued to chat energetically while playing.
Now, she’s throwing questions at me left and right. If I were the Shindo Ryusuke from before my reincarnation, I could have probably gotten along with her… but now, that’s just impossible.
Reflecting on my youth in my previous life, I never once had any interaction with girls like her. I have no idea how to talk to someone like that, and if I’m not careful, it might be revealed that the essence of Shindo Ryusuke has been significantly altered by my reincarnation.
Besides, I want to escape the role of the villain and avoid a future of ruin. If I continue a close relationship with Amane Mashiro, who is a villain in the original story, it seems like I’d be heading straight for the same fate that Shindo Ryusuke faced.
So, I thought it would be best to avoid getting involved with Amane Mashiro as much as possible.
“Sorry, Mashiro. I’m not feeling well today. I don’t even have the energy to talk to you, so could you just leave me alone?”
“Huh, Ryusuke, are you sick? And you still came to school? That’s crazy! Normally, you’d skip and go to karaoke for a change of pace, right? Even if you have a fever!”
“I’m just not in the mood for that right now. Please, just go somewhere else. I’m begging you.”
“Really? Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“Oh, I get it. You’re up to something, aren’t you? Otherwise, there’s no way you’d come to school!”
“It’s not like that. I swear.”
“Hmm. Okay, I understand.”
As I desperately pleaded, Mashiro seemed to accept it and stood up, walking off somewhere.
Phew, thank goodness… With that, she probably won’t come talk to me anymore. I thought I could relax, but after a while…
“Sorry for leaving in the middle of our conversation! Since I saw you eating udon, I got hungry too and ordered some!”
With a giggle, Mashiro placed a bowl of udon on the tray next to me. After putting her hands together, she snapped her chopsticks and started slurping the noodles.
“I usually eat at family restaurants or ramen shops with you, but eating together at school like this isn’t bad either. What do you think, Ryusuke? Is it good?”
“…”
“Don’t ignore me! I know you can hear me! Seriously, Ryusuke, you’re always so cold to me! You just keep ignoring me!”
“Huh…?”
“Huh, what do you mean, huh? We’ve been friends since elementary school, so can’t you be a little nicer?”
Despite voicing her complaints, Mashiro continued to chat happily. No matter how cold I acted, she kept talking with a bright smile.
Seeing her like that made me wonder. Did the Shindo Ryusuke from before my reincarnation also treat Mashiro coldly? It seems that the original Shindo Ryusuke also brushed her off casually… If that’s the case, no matter how much I push her away, she would never leave my side.
“I see… so that’s how it is.”
This world is determined to make me fulfill my role as a villain, no matter what.
Teachers and classmates who reject my attendance.
—
The villainous delinquent gal, Mashiro, who will never leave my side.
And the heroines destined to be united with the protagonist.
Even if I try to break free from my role as the villain and repaint myself, this world insists on imposing a future of ruin upon me.
In that case, there’s only one thing I must do. Not only change myself, but also significantly alter the environment surrounding me.
It seems that my second life, having been reincarnated as a villain, won’t be so easy after all.