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

51

8. The Girl in the Birdcage is Lonely

The spring I moved to a new middle school.

I had relocated to this place where I knew no one.

It truly was the beginning of a brand new world.

Despite hundreds of peers at school, not a single face was familiar.

Even in my own classroom, groups of friends had already formed.

They must all be former classmates from their old schools.

Boys with boys, girls with girls.

That’s how they were divided.

“I don’t belong…”

In front of my seat, a group of about four girls had gathered.

I could just ask to join their circle, but they seemed a bit too made-up and their language was too boyish for me to fit in.

I didn’t want to be targeted and end up as their errand girl, so I stepped out into the hallway.

“…Sigh. This is a bit too much like hard mode.”

Despite family circumstances, the girl caught up in it all had her entire social network reset.

After all, the kids I’d been laughing with for six years were now all at different schools.

“Melancholy…”

I stand idly in front of the classroom.

Watching people go by, it’s like people-watching.

It seems like it’ll take about three months to fit in with the class…

As I worry about this, a group of three catches my eye.

“So then, Risa was like!”

“And then, Risa-chan goes!”

“…Ah, yeah…”

A boy with an androgynous vibe.

A girl with short stature, her hair tied in two.

A boy with a sullen look, seemingly bothered, but responding.

They draw my attention.

The reason they stand out is that they’re a mixed-gender group walking together.

Since other groups are same-gender, they’re even more noticeable.

How nice, I’d like to mingle and act alongside boys like that.

I’ve always had a strong desire to do something mixed with boys and girls.

So, I envied the short girl walking with them.

Her beauty mark near the eye is cute, and I wonder if she’s dating one of them… such a thoughtless guess.

Moreover, a girlish name “Risa” comes up among them.

It seems there are other girls in that group too.

They were the ones living my dream.

“Exciting to meet new people!”

“I’m already satisfied just meeting Hideyori-kun.”

With that, the two enter the classroom.

However, the boy with the sullen look turns towards me.

“Good morning!”

Whoa, what!?

He greets me unexpectedly.

It’s sudden, and my heart races, but I muster up all the voice I can.

“Good, good morning!”

Today, for the first time, I directed my voice towards someone else.

I was overwhelmed with embarrassment, wondering if my voice sounded strange.

“My name is Hideyori Akechi. Nice to meet you.”

“Ye-yes! My name is Towa Miyamura. ‘Towa’ as in ‘eternity’. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Akechi.”

Mr. Akechi introduced himself with a kind face, so I also shared my name, hoping he would remember me.

It’s often mispronounced as “Eien,” so I emphasized that it’s “Towa.”

“My name’s a bit unusual, like a mix of Mitsuhide Akechi and Hideyori Toyotomi. Feels like we have something in common, huh, Ms. Miyamura?”

Mr. Akechi laughed in a teasing way, and I couldn’t help but laugh along.

He was so easy to talk to, and I felt myself starting to open up to him.

“Hehe, you’re quite an interesting person! Are you in this class too, Mr. Akechi?”

“That’s right. Does that mean you are as well, Ms. Miyamura?”

“Yes, we’re in the same class. I’m glad to be in the same class as someone like you, Mr. Akechi!”

That’s great!

I had hoped to be in the same class as Mr. Akechi, and it’s really happening.

“Got it, got it. I’d be happy if you’d feel free to talk to me anytime.”

“Yes! Understood!”

“Well then, I’ve kept my friends waiting. I’ll see you around.”

“Thank you for talking to me.”

He’s so approachable and cool.

Except for his fierce look, he’s pretty much my type.

But when he was talking to me, I didn’t even notice that fierce look…

I’m suddenly looking forward to school life!

Peeking into the classroom, I saw Mr. Akechi apologizing with a “my bad, my bad.”

“Huh? Hideyori, where were you?”

“Ah, just spotted a UFO.”

“What?! That’s amazing! You should’ve called us too!”

“What color was the UFO?”

“…Brown?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at Mr. Akechi making up such a funny excuse with his friends.

As I entered the classroom a bit later, Mr. Akechi noticed and our eyes met.

From noble mtl dot come

I want to leave a good impression, so I return a smile.

“What color is ‘brown’?”

“Brown.”

I’m captivated by Akechi-kun, who seems to be having a friendly conversation.

I wish he would talk to me like that.

The girl laughing with him.

I wanted to be part of that circle.

Hmm…

Starting a conversation with Akechi-san out of the blue seems like a high hurdle.

That boy over there seems approachable too, regardless of gender, but he’s even more intimidating than Akechi-san.

In that case… maybe if that girl acknowledges me, I could join them?

Her name seems to be Emi Sasaki.

Alright, I’ll muster up the courage and try to befriend Sasaki-san!