Chapter 13 - A Good Guy
Kizaki Reo’s skill was overwhelming.
While the other students were desperately passing the ball around, he was working alone, doing the job of three people. The moment he got the ball, he moved swiftly, dodging the defense and driving in for a layup.
Every time he made a shot, cheers erupted from the crowd. If there had been any girls around, you could bet they would have been screaming too.
That’s just how brilliant and cool Kizaki Reo’s play was.
"Shindo-kun!"
"Oh, yeah!!"
Receiving a pass from Kizaki Reo, I dribbled towards the goal.
But the opposing team blocked my path, and I quickly decided to step sideways.
The opponent missed spectacularly, and in that moment of opportunity, Kizaki Reo smoothly overtook me. I passed the ball to him in sync with his movement, and Reo effortlessly shot towards the ring.
The ball drew a perfect arc as it slipped through the net, and cheers from our classmates echoed through the gym once again.
Kizaki Reo continued to shine throughout the game, leading our team to a decisive victory.
Out of breath and drenched in sweat, I left the court and sat down, leaning my back against the gym wall.
Kizaki Reo, who has been a regular on the basketball team since his first year, truly lived up to his reputation. Even the students on the opposing team seemed to acknowledge his talent, showering him with praise after the game.
Still... the body I’ve reincarnated into, that of Ryusuke Shindo, is something else. Back in my previous life, I was hopeless at sports, yet now I could sync up with Kizaki Reo’s moves, deliver accurate passes, and even make some shots. Even though I’ve had almost no experience with basketball.
Before I reincarnated, Ryusuke Shindo had been diligently building his strength.
Thanks to that, I can play powerfully and use my leg strength to pick up speed. More importantly, my body moves exactly how I want it to. When I aim for a pass or a shot, the ball goes right where I intend it to, passing through the net just as I imagined.
This body might have hidden potential as an athlete. But the problem is, I get winded quickly because of the smoking habit. If I can regain my health and train properly, I might be able to grow to a pretty decent level.
While I was thinking about that, Kizaki Reo came running up to me. He sat down next to me with a bright smile.
"Good job, Shindo-kun. How was the game?"
"It felt good to break a sweat after a while. But man, you’re amazing, Kizaki-kun. I’d heard the rumors, but I didn’t expect you to be this good..."
"Forget about me. It’s you who surprised me. Are you really a beginner? Even from someone like me, who’s been playing basketball for a long time, your passes were incredibly accurate. And your shooting form was so clean, you barely missed. You definitely contributed to our team’s victory."
"It’s kind of embarrassing to be praised by someone like you, Kizaki-kun."
"I'm just telling the truth. More importantly, you have a great sense of the court. You’re good at reading the whole game and making the right decisions about what play is needed at any moment. Because you could do that, I felt confident moving around out there too. Thank you."
"...I-I should be the one thanking you. After all, you were always in the right place at the right time during the game. We wouldn’t have managed without you, Kizaki-kun."
"It goes both ways. You were always in the perfect spot for me to attack. I’m glad you were on my team."
"Haha... it’s a bit embarrassing to hear that."
As I scratched my cheek, feeling a bit shy, Kizaki Reo chuckled softly.
"You know, you’re really different from the first impression I had of you. To be honest, when you first talked to me, I was a little on guard. After all, Shindo-kun, you’ve hardly ever come to school, and you’re kind of famous for that. I thought you might be more of a rough, intimidating person."
No wonder. Even if Kizaki Reo is a high-spec, best-friend character, deep down, he’s just a regular high school student. That reaction is only natural.
Ryusuke Shindo’s appearance is that of a tough delinquent, and before I reincarnated into him, he lived a life that fully embodied that image.
And up until now, Kizaki Reo and I had no relationship whatsoever. It’s only natural to be on guard if a scary-looking guy like me suddenly starts talking to you.
"But after talking to you, you turned out to be completely different. You’re really polite and respectful. That’s why I want to apologize. I’m sorry for misunderstanding you."
"No, no, Kizaki-kun, you don’t have to apologize. I’m actually grateful that you’re being honest about your feelings. And more than that, I didn’t expect someone like me to be able to talk to you without you being put off. So, I’m just genuinely happy we got to chat."
"Haha, Shindo-kun, I could say the same to you. I’m also glad we got to talk. And please, just call me Reo. I’m not really used to being called by my last name."
"Then you can call me Ryusuke. Feel free."
"Got it, Ryusuke. I look forward to getting to know you better."
With that, Reo flashed a refreshing smile and extended his right hand. I hesitated for just a moment but then decided to take his hand.
"Yeah, same here, Reo. I’m really happy to be your friend."
"Of course, let’s get along. Oh, by the way, since we’re becoming friends, would it be alright if I introduced you to one of mine?"
"Uh...?"
I had a bad feeling about this. The friend Reo wanted to introduce... was, as I expected, him.
Reo shifted his gaze towards the court where the game was being played. The person he was looking at was Fusegawa Raito, the protagonist of this world.
"Look, it’s Fusegawa Raito, the one playing right now. He’s wearing the number 8 jersey. Raito’s my best friend. Well, we’ve only been close since high school, but we really get along—he’s just fun to be around."
"Oh, really...?"
"He’s usually surrounded by girls in the classroom, so it might be a bit hard to approach him, but I’m sure you’ll get along with him in no time, Ryusuke."
"I... I’m not so sure about that..."
If this conversation goes any further, things could take a turn for the worse.
If the protagonist, Fusegawa Raito, and I, the villain, get too close, then this time, which should be merely a gap in the narrative, might turn into something significant.
Fusegawa Raito will soon be in the spotlight, fully stepping into his role as the protagonist.
A protagonist-villain event—there’s no doubt it will be a scenario where I get crushed to highlight Fusegawa Raito.
Even if it doesn’t happen right away, the seeds for my downfall would be sown in the narrative. If that happens, my destruction as the villain would be certain. I would lose any means of surviving.
I have to refuse Reo’s introduction. I must avoid any interaction with the protagonist.
"Sorry, Reo. The thing is, I... um..."
As I hesitated, trying to figure out how to escape this situation, Reo looked into my face and smiled softly.
"Seeing your reaction, I think I understand. You’re not comfortable around Raito, right?"
"...!?"
My eyes widened in surprise. It seemed he had figured out what I was thinking before I could say it.
"Actually, it’s not uncommon. I have a few friends who feel the same way, so I could tell right away from your reaction."
"Really? There are others who feel uncomfortable around Fusekawa?"
"Yeah. Raito’s always surrounded by girls, and he never really tries to talk to the other guys. Plus, he has this unique aura, you know? It makes some people find him hard to approach."
That’s probably because Fusegawa Raito exudes a kind of aura typical of a protagonist.
In a rom-com world, the protagonist almost never interacts with background characters. His surroundings are filled with beautiful heroine characters, or a cool best-friend character like Reo, and the other supporting characters generally don’t engage with the protagonist.
A rom-com world full of background characters would never exist, and the supporting characters must understand that unconsciously. That’s why they all say, “I’m not comfortable around Fusegawa Raito,” and keep their distance.
This, in turn, helps establish the rom-com world around Fusegawa Raito, enhancing his presence as the protagonist.
If Fusegawa Raito’s aura is keeping background characters at bay, I should play along. If I, like the other background characters, claim I’m not comfortable around Raito and try to distance myself, Reo, as the best-friend character, would surely understand.
"Yeah, you’re right. I’m not very good with Fusegawa either, so I’d rather not get involved with him..."
"Just as I thought. Don’t worry, Ryusuke, I won’t push you into anything you’re uncomfortable with. After all, I want us to become good friends."
I sighed in relief. With this, I could say I’d avoided taking a step onto the path of destruction. If Reo kept us from getting too close to Fusegawa Raito, I could continue to be friends with Reo without worry.
"Oh, looks like Raito’s game is over. I’m going to go check in on him."
"Alright. Catch you later."
"Thanks. See you in a bit."
With that, Reo walked away from me.
I watched as Reo chatted and laughed with the sweat-soaked Fusegawa Raito, and I let out a small sigh.
Thanks to becoming friends with Reo, I haven’t strayed too far from the story’s path, and I’m gradually breaking away from my role as a villain.
But I can’t let my guard down yet.
As I began to watch the next game, I pondered my next move.