I Was Reincarnated As the Hated Scummy Best Friend in a Gal Game and the Protagonist Is Useless

14

7. Takeru Jumonji

Lately, I’ve been plagued by strange dreams, almost to the point of insomnia.

Truly sleepy days continue.

“Hideyori-kun, you look sleepy…”

“No, you look sleepy too…”

Emi, unusually, is walking beside me with sleepy eyes.

It’s rare for Emi, who usually sleeps around 9 PM, to be sleep-deprived.

“Did you have a weird dream today?”

“A weird dream, huh? Something R-18-like?”

“What’s R-18?”

“…Never mind if you don’t get it.”

I sometimes slip into the crude banter of boys from a past life, but Emi usually doesn’t catch on.

It’d be scarier if a first-grade girl understood…

But with her mother’s influence, Emi’s become precociously mature, and I fear the day her mind turns pink.

“Strangely, when I woke up this morning, I was crying.”

“Eh? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m glad you’re worried about me.”

“Of course, I’d be worried.”

Maybe it’s the effect of some horror show that was on TV yesterday.

“What was the dream about?”

“I don’t remember much… but I dreamt I was drowning in a river.”

“A river?”

Despite myself, I’m reminded of Emi’s fate in the Risa route.

“And, I think someone like Jumonji-kun appeared in my dream. Ah, but he was more of an adult.”

“…”

Huh?

Could it be that my dream coincides with hers?

Are you okay?

“After that… I was scared because a terrifying demon kept appearing in my dreams.”

“A demon…?”

“I couldn’t defy its orders… In the sinking river, ‘I won’t forgive, I’ll kill you,’ murderous intent began to sprout…”

“…Idiot, forget such a scary dream!”

He lightly chops Emi on the head to snap her out of the dream.

“Ouch…”

“Seriously, it’s your fault for remembering such a negative dream.”

“That’s right! Thank you, Hideyori-kun! I feel energized thanks to you!”

“…”

Should I distance myself from Emi even now…?

I never thought the dream would affect Emi too…

“I’m really a terrible person, aren’t I…”

If I hadn’t remembered my past life, it might have been a future that could have truly happened.

I couldn’t stop trembling at that possibility…

Maybe I shouldn’t even have the right to talk to Emi like this…

―――――

“You always worry about the same thing, big brother.”

“But, Dad and Mom are worried about you too. They keep asking if you’ve made any friends yet.”

On the way to school, the Juumonji siblings were engaged in their usual siscon and brocon banter.

Watching them together, Emi whispers to me sneakily.

“Juumonji-kun’s sister, Miss Juumonji, she must really like Juumonji-kun, right?”

“What, you noticed too?”

“Miss Juumonji has the same look in her eyes as I do!”

“Are we talking about eyeballs?”

“No, not that… It’s… the way she looks at men.”

“The way she looks at men…”

That means… That means!?

Emi is in love!

And the person is… Takeru!

I see, is it because we like the same person that we share the same gaze?

Hang in there, Emi!

There’s a Risa route, so there’s an ending where Takeru and Risa get together, but there’s no route where Takeru and Emi end up together, so it might be more difficult.

As usual, the protagonist of the dating sim seems to be popular with everyone.

“Keep it up! I’m rooting for your love, Emi.”

“Really!?”

“Yeah. Even if Risa is a strong rival, I’ll blatantly suggest Emi to Takeru. Emi is cute, she’s perfect for Takeru.”

“Don’t do anything unnecessary!”

“Sorry, sorry…”

So, you want to win over Takeru without any help from me, huh?

You’ve got guts, Emi!

Despite your youthful face, I love how manly you are, Emi!

“Heheh. Cute, you say… You won’t get anything from me, Hideyoshi-kun!”

“Ah, yes.”

What would the Takeru and Emi route be like if it were unlocked?

As a fan of the “Breaking the Chains of Sorrow” series, it’s a phantom route, and I’d love to see it!

“So, what are you two lovebirds doing this early in the morning?”

“Hey, morning Takeru.”

Now that we’ve made a connection, I’m getting along well with Takeru.

He was the protagonist of the game I loved, so I’m curious about what kind of ending Takeru will have.

Even if he’s ridiculed as an incompetent protagonist, the game wouldn’t be as enjoyable without Hideyoshi, the scumbag best friend character, at the same level of existence.

“Hey, Takeru.”

“What’s up, what’s up?”

Stepping away from Emi and Risa, we have a man-to-man chat.

“Emi’s got her sights set on you! This is your chance!”

“Huh?”

“It’s your duty as a man to accept her!”

I gave Takeru a push on the back.

Emi told me to stop, but I want her to be happy.

Even if I’m scolded for being meddlesome, her happiness is what matters most.