Chapter 32 - The Other Protagonist
Even during class, I could sense the impact of changing to short, black hair.
The teachers, who would normally call on me without hesitation, seemed somewhat perplexed.
It seemed that the other students noticed it too. While they glanced at me, they quickly turned their eyes back to their textbooks or deliberately looked out the window, making their attempts to avoid eye contact blatantly obvious.
They were unsure whether they should treat me with hostility as they had before or interact with me normally. This uncertainty was nothing but an opportunity for me. By behaving like a model student and paying full attention in class, I would turn their hesitation into certainty. I would make them believe that I was no longer the villain.
However, even though I had changed my appearance drastically, there was still one person who continued to direct even stronger hostility toward me than before.
The protagonist, Fusegawa Raito.
From the seat in the far corner by the window, I could feel his piercing gaze. He must have been really bothered by the fact that I now resembled him.
There were other students with short, black hair, background characters that Raito wouldn't even notice. But it was only acceptable because they were part of the background. For me, an enemy in his eyes, to now take on the appearance of a classic protagonist would obviously disrupt the narrative.
Moreover, my behavior had become that of a serious, straight-laced protagonist, and it was clear he couldn't accept the fact that I was acting like one.
But that doesn't matter. This is my resolve.
This world is moving forward with the original plot, pushing me towards a ruinous end as the villain. It’s mobilizing the people around me to force me into the role of the villain.
I know it's not easy to change that.
Simply trying to escape the role of the villain won’t work; it won’t be enough in time.
So I’ve decided to change my approach.
I'm not aiming to be a background character, nor the protagonist’s best friend, nor a rival in love.
――I’m aiming to be the protagonist.
But not a guy like Raito, who cluelessly builds a harem while surrounded by multiple women vying for his attention.
I’ll be the kind of protagonist who fights against this world for the sake of one girl, who gets hurt but still protects her no matter what.
A protagonist has the power to resist an unreasonable fate.
No matter how high the wall standing in his way, the protagonist will always perform a miracle to overcome it in the end.
One day, I too will become a protagonist and make that miracle happen. I will reject the ruinous end and create a future where Mashiro and I can be together.
That’s why I must change.
From a side character to the main character.
I will no longer end as just a villain. This is where the true battle begins.
And I’ve already found my first step forward.
I started preparing for after school.
+×+×+×+
Morning classes passed, lunch was spent eating together with Mashiro, and then the afternoon classes ended.
After school finally arrived.
I went to a quiet place.
The curtains were left open, the lockers were empty, the desks were covered in dust, and there were no chairs occupied.
It wasn’t the classroom we usually used, but rather an empty classroom in another building. I came here with Mashiro.
The reason was simple: we were going to hold a study session together for the upcoming final exams.
This place had been set aside for the protagonists.
In the original story, it was the setting for significant events, like the heroine confessing to the protagonist, or the protagonist accidentally witnessing a kiss scene between two characters while hiding in a locker.
Most of the major event scenes in the original story happened in this empty classroom.
Up until last week, I would have never wanted to come here, but now, as I aim to become another protagonist, this place felt like somewhere I had to be.
And with exams coming up, a study session after school is a classic rom-com staple. If I want to assert my presence as a protagonist, I must make full use of this space.
Mashiro entered the empty classroom and looked around.
“Wow, I didn’t know there was an empty classroom like this. I had no idea.”
“Yeah, other students don’t seem to know about it either. I found it when I was checking out the school’s layout thoroughly and noticed it in a separate building.”
“You really found a secret place, Ryusuke. It feels like a secret base, so exciting!”
She said that with a sparkle in her eyes, clearly excited.
Indeed, this place was special.
Most likely, the side characters didn’t even know it existed. It was a sacred place set up for the main characters to hold their events, and it was under the narrative’s influence to ensure no interruptions from the outside world.
Of course, it had to be. Imagine a crowd of side characters barging in during a confession scene or making noise in the hallway. It would ruin the mood.
And that was convenient for me.
No side characters would come in, meaning no interruptions.
There couldn't be a better place to focus on studying.
Besides, in the original storyline, Fusegawa Raito and the heroines spent the final exam prep period at his home, turning it into a cozy study session full of flirting.
Since Raito had left school with the three heroines after class, I was sure everything was proceeding according to the original plot.
With them gone, this was my chance. Here, we could study to our heart's content.
Through this study session, I would achieve high marks on the final exams.
I would accomplish something that a delinquent villain could never do, and use it as a stepping stone to become the protagonist. I couldn’t afford to be complacent. I would pour all the knowledge and experience from my previous life into this and seize victory.
Mashiro and I pushed our desks together and took out our textbooks and stationery from our bags.
“Well, shall we get started?”
“Yeah! What should we start with? English? Math?”
“Let’s see... I think I’ll start with math since I’m good at it, and if I don’t have any problems, I’ll move on to the next subject... or so I thought.”
“Wow, Ryusuke, you’re good at math? I’m not so great at it.”
“Well then, I can teach you. What specifically don’t you understand?”
“Hmm, let’s see.”
Mashiro flipped through her math textbook and stopped at a certain page.
“This part, I guess. It’s a lot more complicated than in middle school...”
“This is a tricky part where the scores tend to vary. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll score well, Mashiro.”
“Really? Then I’ll do my best!”
“All right, I’ll go over it with you. First, let’s...”
Just as we were about to start our study session, the door to the empty classroom opened, and someone walked in.
The sudden entrance made my body tense for a moment.
This was supposed to be a sanctuary where background characters couldn’t intrude.
Who could it be?
However, when I saw who it was, I understood. Although side characters couldn’t enter this sanctuary, it was a different story for the main characters.
Standing there was Raito’s best friend, Kizaki Reo.
And behind him was his friend, Nishikawa Kyoya.
“Hey, Ryusuke. I’ve been looking for you.”
“Reo, isn’t basketball practice today?”
“We’re off during the exam prep period. So I thought I’d invite you to walk home with me for a change, but you disappeared as soon as class ended. I checked the shoe locker, and your shoes were still there. I even sent you a RINE message, but you didn’t reply, so I went looking for you.”
“Sorry about that, Reo. I turned my phone off to focus on studying.”
When I said that, Reo glanced at Mashiro, who was sitting in front of me.
“Oh, I see. You were studying with Mashiro. Sorry for interrupting.”
“No, no, it’s fine. What about you, Reo? How’s your exam prep going? Are you studying alone?”
“Kyoya kept begging me to teach him, so I was planning to have a study session with him.”
“Well then, why don’t you join us? This place is quiet, and since most students don’t know about it, it’s great for focusing.”
“If you’re inviting me, I’d love to join. You’re right; it does seem like a good place to concentrate.”
“What do you think, Mashiro? Are you okay with Reo and Kyoya joining us?”
“Yeah, of course! The more, the merrier!”
With Mashiro’s approval, we pulled two desks and chairs together, forming a cozy study group for four.
However, it seemed there was an issue with the seating arrangement.
“Nishikawa-kun, are you okay? Your face is really red, and you’re sweating a lot.”
“I-I’m fi-fin... f-fine...!”
“Haha, Nishikawa-kun, you’re stuttering again.”
When he first came into the room, Nishikawa hadn’t said a word. But it seemed he was ridiculously nervous just from being around Mashiro. Sitting next to her had completely flustered him.
Reo, sitting across from him, looked at Nishikawa with concern.
“Kyoya... Should I switch seats with you?”
“I-I’m f-fine here!”
“You’re stuttering so much. You won’t be able to concentrate like this.”
“Ugh...”
He probably wanted to sit next to Mashiro, but yeah, there’s no way serious Reo would let him stay in this state during a study session.
“Sorry, Mashiro-san. Would you mind switching seats with me?”
“Sure! I’ll move to Reo-kun’s seat, then.”
“Reo, if you want Nishikawa to focus, I can switch seats too.”
“Yeah, let’s do that. It’s probably best to keep Mashiro-san and Kyoya apart.”
With that, we rearranged the seating. Mashiro sat next to me, while Reo and Nishikawa sat together.
Now that they were separated, Nishikawa should be able to focus without getting too distracted.
After confirming that everyone had their notebooks, textbooks, and writing materials ready, I gave the signal.
“All right, let’s get started. Let’s all do our best.”
“““Got it!”””
And so, our after-school study session began.