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

64

20, Tanigawa Sakuya wants affection

“…Hmm”

“Oh, you’re awake?”

Sakuya had been asleep for about two hours since then.

It was probably just a nap since her fever had gone down.

“How do you feel?”

“Much better. Ice water really is amazing.”

“…Hey”

“Just kidding, thank you, Hideyori.”

Sakuya, sitting up in bed with just her body, meets my eyes.

Handed a towel, I took it and tossed it into the bucket.

“Think you can make it to school tomorrow?”

“I was feeling like taking a break for about two days, but my body’s surprisingly spry…”

“…Hey.”

“Just kidding. Thanks, Hideyori.”

“When you’re being spoiled, you always stretch your words.”

I can tell he must be making those kinds of requests to the manager.

“Well, you’re recovering, so maybe it’s okay to take a few days off?”

“Huh, Hideyori being nice…”

“I’m nice to everyone but you.”

“Hideyori…”

“Stop being so clingy…”

As he clings to me from the bed, I stop Sakuya’s body.

What is this adorable enigma?

Where did his usual quirky, sharp-tongued character go…?

“So, I’m the only special one to Hideyori, and he’s the type who can’t be nice to the girl he likes!”

“…”

“Don’t ignore me!”

Sakuya often reacts like this when he feels ignored.

It’s a way of handling annoyance.

“I want Hideyori’s affection!”

“There’s no demand for that!”

“Hideyori’s affection. Should we call it ‘Hidere’?”

“Good work—”

“Don’t leave meee, Hideyori!”

Why am I being followed by this mysterious creature…?

Maybe the right answer was to leave immediately when we first met and he said, “Hey, you! This isn’t a place for kids to come alone! Leave now!”

Even if he calls it affection, I have no idea what that’s supposed to be…

I just say the first thing that comes to mind.

“It’s not like I took care of you because I wanted to, okay?!”

“……Ew.”

“I’m leaving.”

“Hideyori, I’m sorry, I really like you.”

“Can’t you just let me go home, seriously!?”

Being called “ew,” of course, makes me want to leave!

I’m used to Sakuya’s antics, but verbal abuse still hits me hard.

“I shouldn’t have come to take care of you, really…”

“Let me go home, take care of me, those words hurt me, Hideyori.”

“It’s a joke, don’t start crying now…”

“I’m always sorry…”

I make sure not to push her too hard and tuck her back into bed, laying the blanket over her.

“So, are you going to take a sick day tomorrow?”

“Eh, I wonder. Maybe I’ll take the day off.”

“Ah, I see. You’re taking a day off. …That’s too bad. I won’t get to see Sakuya tomorrow. I’ll miss her…”

Even though I used a gift to heal her completely, it seems I’ve inadvertently given her a reason to play hooky.

It’s disappointing, but it looks like I won’t be seeing Sakuya tomorrow.

“……….I’ll go.”

“Eh?”

“If you show me such a sweet side, I have no choice but to go…”

“?”

Sakuya mutters to herself, curled up in bed.

I couldn’t quite catch what she said, but it sounded like a happy nuance.

“Lately, I’ve been getting along with Hideyori’s friends, and school has been fun, so I’ll go to school!”

“There are only weirdos there though…”

“It’s fine. Hideyori is the weirdest one.”

“Should I knock you out? Seriously?”

Seeing Sakuya chuckle, I think to myself, “Well, it’s okay.”

She looks happy, and Sakuya’s smile is precious.

“By the way, who do you like the most among them?”

“I don’t really want to rank them, but… I like Emi.”

“Wow,”

I’m taken aback by Sakuya’s response.

Sakuya likes Emi.

It feels like a surprise attack, something unexpected.

“Why’s that? You and Emi aren’t even in the same class.”

From noble mtl dot come

“It’s precisely because we’re in different classes that I want to talk to her… And…”

“And?”

It’s the first time I realize Sakuya sees Emi in that light.

She pauses, lost in thought for about five seconds.

“Emi and I are rivals.”

“Rivals? For what?”

“We’re both crushing on the same person.”

“Cr-crushing!?”

“Meaning, we have similar tastes. Meaning, we’d probably get along.”

“Is that so?”

…So Emi and Sakuya like the same person.

That must mean Takeru.

The protagonist is too awesome…

Even without any direct connection, he’s got a high favorability rating with characters who shouldn’t even be connected…

What a romance cheat.

“But I think Risa and Madoka feel the same… We’re all rivals.”

“It’s like a battlefield!”

Yikes…

Takeru is amazing…

Sure, Risa adores Takeru too…

I had no idea even Tsugaru was considered a rival.

…Being unpopular is a sin.

I cried inside…

“Hehe, sneaking ahead, huh? Gotcha!”

“…………”

Eternity-chan will probably end up with Takeru too…

While peeling off Sayaka, who clings to me, I ponder various things.

The scumbag villainous best friend might eventually, like in the main story of “Breaking the Chains of Sorrow,” not be able to complain even if he rebels against the protagonist, right?

Maybe I should cause a real Honnoji Incident?

“…Sigh.”

“There, there, you’re so cute.”

“…”

For some reason, Sayaka was patting my head.

If I’m serious about finding my lover, I might need to look beyond the original work.

That realization hit me hard.