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

72

28, The Unfulfilled Event

“Good morning, Mr. Akechi!”

“Good morning, uh… Ms. Miyamura.”

On Saturday, standing at the meeting place in front of the station, I was greeted by Eien-chan.

I almost naturally called her Eien-chan, the name I use for her in my heart.

I arrived early to recreate the date book scenario, waiting for Eien-chan.

Her long, light purple hair was tied with a ribbon, and she was dressed in a demure dress, a charm not found in her uniform.

She also wore a stylish pendant, looking beautiful.

Thank you for “breaking the chain of sorrow.”

It’s like a dream that such a scumbag villainous best friend would arrange such an event.

“You look very nice, Ms. Miyamura. It’s exactly the image I had in mind. You’re very beautiful.”

“Eh, ehh!? No, no, I’m not beautiful enough to be called that…”

Eien-chan’s face turned red, and she shyly shook my body, looking up at me with her eyes.

This is like a date!

I might misunderstand that we’re dating!

Date! Date! Date!

“Mr. Akechi, you look cool in your casual clothes too. It’s wonderful, like you could protect me.”

“Do you think so…”

I gratefully received the compliment!

Thank you, God!

The god who gifted me with this role intends to kill me, but still, thank you, God!

“Miyamura-san, you’re seriously an angel.”

“Hehe, Akechi-san, you’re quite the character, aren’t you?”

The nuance of ‘interesting’ could also mean ‘weird, right?’ but I’ll take it in a good way.

“By the way, Akechi-san?”

“Yes?”

“Um, can I also call you by your first name like Emi and Jumonji-san do…? I mean, I want us to be closer.”

Eien-chan used to call Emi ‘Sasaki-san,’ but they quickly became friendly and started calling each other by their first names.

It seems Emi calls her simply ‘Eien’ too.

“Call me whatever you like. Be it Hideyori, Akechi, or even trash, it’s all fine by me.”

“Then, I’ll go with Hideyori-san. Hehe, Hideyori-san, you’re quite the character, aren’t you?”

Hideyori…!

She called me Hideyori!

In the original work, Eien-chan always called me ‘Mr. Akechi’ or ‘trash,’ but now she’s calling me Akechi Hideyori by ‘Hideyori’!

If I were a player of the game, I’d probably be like “What? Die, Hideyori,” and smash the disc, but it’s different when I am Akechi Hideyori.

It’s not a bad experience at all.

“Um… I’d like to call you by your name too, if that’s okay? Like, if you could call me by my name, that would be… um…”

“I can call you Eien-chan by your name!?”

“Eh… Eien-chan…?”

“Ah…”

Shoot, I accidentally said ‘Eien-chan’ out loud when I was only thinking it.

I need to correct this before she thinks I’m weird!

“I know your name is Towa! ‘Eien-chan’ is just like a nickname, there’s no mockery or disrespect intended… um… well…”

I can’t explain it’s a fan nickname for Miyamura Eien.

Before the release, many users mistakenly called her ‘Eien’ instead of ‘Towa,’ and even the official side made a mistake once, mislabeling the reading as ‘Eien’ in the opening video, which led to the widespread use of the name ‘Eien-chan.’

It’s a nickname born out of love.

“That’s fine.”

“Eh?”

“I’m happy to have an original nickname from Hideyori-san! Please call me Eien.”

“Okay, thank you, Eien-chan…”

“Hehe, you’re quite the character, Hideyori-san.”

Eien-chan… even though she could’ve taken offense, she just laughed and gave her consent.

Is this a dream, or isn’t it? I seriously can’t tell anymore.

“Then, Hideyori-san! I’d like you to show me around town.”

“OK, let’s do this. Where do you want to go first?”

“I’d like to go to a store where I can buy clothes. I’m counting on you to guide me, Hideyori-san.”

“Eien-chan, you’re seriously an angel.”

“Hehe, you’re quite the character, Hideyori-san.”

I took the lead, guiding her to Emi and Risa’s favorite shops that they often visit.

Each time we visited a clothing store, we’d step inside, browse a bit, and then leave.

“There really are a lot of hidden gem stores here.”

“Yeah, there are quite a few paths around here. If Eien-chan gets lost again, I’ll guide you as many times as you need.”

“Is, is that really okay!?”

“Of course, it’s fine.”

“Hideyori-san, you’re seriously a saint.”

“Haha, Eien-chan, you’re quite the character.”

I was happy she even imitated me and laughed cheerfully.

The aura of a heroine is truly amazing.

Risa is a heroine too, but with my TAKERU LOVE glasses on, it doesn’t really make my heart race.

But Eien-chan, she genuinely engages with me, even though I’m just bottom-of-the-barrel trash, and that makes me happy.

“Next, I’ll show you the department store. It’s super convenient with lots of clothes, groceries, bookstores, musical instruments, and more.”

“Thank you, Hideyori-san.”

She gives fresh reactions to everything, so I end up introducing her to all sorts of things.

Meanwhile, I can’t find a solution to her ‘birdcage’ problem.

“…………”

“Is something wrong, Hideyori-san?”

From noble mtl dot come

“No, it’s nothing. Sorry, I was just thinking. Oh, right! This street always has people handing out tissues, so it’s recommended if you ever need some.”

“That’s true, it’s subtly convenient.”

I don’t have a way to solve Eien-chan’s problem.

After all, I’m not the hero, but the villain.

I can’t possibly be of any help to the heroine…

As I gaze at Eien-chan’s profile, I ponder.

That’s right, only Takeru can solve this problem.

It’s all part of the script.

Entering the department store, Eien-chan’s eyes sparkle with excitement.

This smile, I want to protect it.

Yet, I can’t even lend her a hand…

Even if her parents weren’t murdered, the presence of her father, who forces her to study.

It intervenes, and Eien-chan is pushed into a birdcage.

Time is probably running out.

Eien-chan, starved for friends.

At last, she’s made friends like Emi and Takeru.

What can I do to not leave her alone?

Is there no other way but to use my gift, like my uncle, and twist her will?

I’m not keen on it…

I have no desire to use it, but if it’s the only option, I have no choice.

Yet, that wouldn’t be a true resolution.

I can’t imagine Eien-chan would want such a phony ending.

Lost in thought about using the gift, Eien-chan stops in her tracks.

“Hm? Eien-chan? What’s wrong?”

“…Swimsuits.”

“Swimsuits?”

We stop in a section of the department store selling swimsuits.

There, a mannequin dons a woman’s swimsuit, and I, a man, struggle to find somewhere to rest my eyes, looking up at the ceiling instead.

“Yeah. I wonder why… I just feel like going to the pool with Hideyoshi-san, Emi, and the others…”

“Eien-chan, you’re crying.”

“Eh? Why…”

I hand Eien-chan a handkerchief, and she begins to wipe the tears from her eyes.

I watch silently.

“Why do I feel so strongly about wanting to go to the pool with everyone…? It’s strange… We’ve never even talked about going to the pool, yet I’m left with nothing but regret… Where did that promise go…?”

“…………”

Do you remember the original story…?

The episode before the main story where Eien-chan, led by Tsugaru Madoka and others, goes shopping for swimsuits.

However, due to her father’s intervention, the swimsuit gets torn apart.

Taking advantage of her saddened state, Hideyori steps in and murders her parents.

The pool event that never comes to fruition.

Even the users were saying things like, “For a gal game, not having a swimsuit CG of Eien-chan is like a joke, right?” or “It’s safe because she’s wearing a swimsuit as a store bonus.” I remember it well because of that.

After all, there’s not a single event where you go to the pool in Eien’s route.

“I’m sorry, Hideyori-san. I showed you something strange. Let’s go.”

“….Ah.”

“…………”

Eien-chan hastily leaves the swimsuit section.

I follow her.

The date that was fun at one point, has now become awkward.

†

A note on the name Eien, which is written with characters that can be read as Towa or Eien.

In the narrative from Hideyori’s perspective, she is referred to as Eien-chan, but in his heart, he calls her Eien-chan too.

When spoken aloud, it’s Eien; in the narrative, it’s written as Eien.

When other characters refer to her as Eien, they call her Towa.

Currently, Hideyori is the only one who calls her Eien-chan.