I Reincarnated as the Villain in a Rom-Com but I’m Enjoying Youth with My Favorite Heroine

94. A Little Anxiety and a Lot of Courage

Having finished preparing for the tasting event, I was carrying the completed sweets towards the classroom.

On the aluminum tray were freshly baked waffles, along with autumn-flavored sweets and tapioca for toppings.

I had asked Himeno to gather everyone early in the morning, so by now they should all be seated.

As I walked down the long hallway, I felt anxious about what kind of reactions I would get.

Then, Mashiro, walking beside me, lightly bumped her shoulder against mine and looked up at me.

“Ryusuke, you’re really nervous, aren’t you?”

“U… Can you tell?”

“Yeah. Because Ryusuke, you’ve had a worried look on your face this whole time. You’re worried if they’ll like it, right?”

“Well, yeah… I’m a bit anxious about what kind of reactions I’ll get at the tasting event.”

I think I was able to recreate the sweets from the café where I worked part-time in my previous life.

I had prepared since yesterday, came to school early in the morning, and with Mashiro’s help, I should have been able to replicate the taste, baking time, and texture.

Mashiro was happy and said it was delicious, and Nishikawa seemed very satisfied as he returned to morning practice for the basketball club.

However, when it comes to whether I can convince all my classmates, I still have some lingering anxiety.

Especially since the protagonist, Fusegawa Raito, doesn’t think highly of me.

The relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist is like oil and water.

That relationship isn’t a good one, and I can’t shake off the unpleasant feeling that something might go wrong at this tasting event.

As I was feeling anxious, Mashiro gently reached out and pinched my cheek softly.

“M-Mashiro…! W-What’s with the suddenness?”

“Ehehe. I thought I’d help ease your nerves, Ryusuke.”

Mashiro grinned mischievously, her clear blue eyes directed straight at me.

In a soft and gentle tone that seemed to reassure me, Mashiro spoke in a cute voice while pinching my cheek.

“When you’re deep in thought, Ryusuke, you look really serious, and I like that. But I like your smiling face even more. So don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Everything you’ve worked hard for won’t be in vain, okay?”

With that, Mashiro released her grip on my cheek and spun around in front of me.

The skirt of the uniform danced lightly, looking as if an angel had spread its wings, creating a beautifully graceful gesture.

“Come on, Ryusuke. Let’s treat everyone to some delicious sweets!”

“Yeah, you’re right. Thanks to Mashiro, I feel a lot more at ease.”

With Mashiro’s encouragement, the anxiety clouding my heart began to clear.

That’s right.

If I keep a gloomy face, my feelings definitely won’t reach anyone.

I’ll stand before everyone with a smile.

And boldly, in front of everyone, I want to be able to hold my head high, knowing that I did my best in what I wanted to do. Surely, waiting ahead is a cultural festival where everyone can smile and be happy.

Thanks to Mashiro, my heavy heart lightened, and I was filled with gratitude for the courage she had given me.

At the same time, I felt a desire for revenge for her pinching my cheek earlier, and a mischievous spirit toward Mashiro began to sprout.

“Mashiro, hold this for a second.”

“Huh? Okay?”

Mashiro tilted her head curiously as she received the tray filled with sweets.

In that moment, I gently pinched her cheek with both hands and pulled.

“F-fuwawa!? Hihfarufah!!”

“This is payback for earlier. I wanted to pull Mashiro’s cheeks too.”

“Muuu…! Fuufue! Hifoi!!”

“Yeah, yeah. I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”

Mashiro’s cheeks were soft and squishy like marshmallows, and just pulling on them felt oddly soothing. Thanks to that, all the tension of standing in front of my classmates completely vanished.

Mashiro, showing signs of resistance as I pulled her cheeks, had her expressions changing rapidly between anger and laughter. It was so funny that I couldn’t help but laugh too.

As I lowered my hands, satisfied with my revenge, Mashiro puffed out her soft cheeks and protested.

“That was fluffy! You made them squishy, Ryusuke!”

“Sorry, sorry. I just couldn’t help but tease you.”

“Geez… Ryusuke always bullies me. But this time, I’ll let it slide. I’ll forgive you.”

“Thanks, Mashiro. You’ve really cheered me up. I was able to relax because of you.”

“Then that’s good! I’m happy to see your smile back, Ryusuke. You really look better with a smile.”

As Mashiro said that, she showed a cute grin with her canines peeking out. That smile was the one I loved the most, and just seeing it brought peace to my heart.

With such a gentle Mashiro by my side, I walked toward the classroom.