NOVEL NEXT chapter 32
32. The Other Protagonist
Even during class, I could feel the effects of having changed to black hair and a short haircut.
The teachers, who would have mercilessly called on me for questions before, seemed somewhat hesitant now.
It seemed that this hesitation was conveyed to the other students as well; while they would occasionally glance at me, they quickly began to lower their eyes to their textbooks or deliberately look out the window, clearly avoiding my gaze.
They were unsure whether to direct hostility at me as before or to treat me normally. And that uncertainty was nothing but an opportunity for me; I would continue to behave like an honor student and earnestly participate in class, turning that hesitation into certainty. I would make them recognize that I am no longer the villain.
However, even with my drastic change in appearance, there was one person who directed an unwavering—no, even stronger—hostility towards me.
The protagonist, Fusegawa Yorito.
From the very back seat by the window, I could feel his piercing gaze. It was clear he was extremely displeased that I was overlapping with him.
For him, if I were just a background mob character, there would be other students with black hair and short hair. But that is only permissible because they are background characters; if I, as his enemy, were to take on the appearance of an archetypal protagonist, it would naturally have a significant impact on the story.
Moreover, my actions were precisely those of a serious and archetypal protagonist, and he must be unable to accept that I was behaving like a protagonist.
But that doesn’t matter. This is my resolve.
This world is moving in such a way that I will meet a disastrous end as a villain to continue the developments of the original work. It tries to force the people around me to acknowledge me as the villain.
I have come to know that twisting this is not an easy task.
Simply making efforts to escape the role of the villain won’t be enough; it surely won’t be in time.
So, I decided to change my approach.
What I aim for is not to be a background mob character, nor the protagonist’s best friend, nor a rival in love.
――I aim to be the protagonist.
Surrounded by many women like a slave, and being pursued by numerous women without even realizing it, he is not the kind of man who builds a harem insensitively.
He is a protagonist who continues to resist this world for the sake of just one girl, sometimes getting hurt, but ultimately protecting that one girl.
A protagonist possesses the power to fight against unreasonable fate.
No matter how high the walls may rise, the protagonist will surely create a miracle in the end to overcome them.
Eventually, I too will become the protagonist and show that miracle. And together with Mashiro, I will fend off a disastrous ending.
So, I will change.
From a supporting role to the leading role.
I will no longer end as just a mere villain. This is where the real battle begins.
And I have already found my foothold.
I had begun to take action as the afternoon approached.
◆
In the morning classes, I ate lunch with Mashiro, and then finished the afternoon classes.
And then, the after-school period arrived.
The place I headed to was quiet.
Curtains left wide open, an empty locker, a desk covered in dust, and chairs with no one sitting in them.
This was not the classroom we usually used; it was an empty classroom in a different building, and I had come there with Mashiro.
The reason was simple: to hold a study session for the final exams together with Mashiro.
This was a space prepared for the protagonists to use.
It was the place where confession events from the heroine to the protagonist occurred, and where the protagonist, hiding in a locker, would witness kiss scenes between other characters.
Most of the significant event scenes from the original story took place in this empty classroom.
If it had been last week, I would have absolutely wanted to avoid this place, but now, as I aim to shed my role as a villain and become another protagonist, it felt like a place I must approach instead.
Moreover, with the exams approaching, after-school study sessions are a staple of romantic comedies. If I want to assert my existence as the protagonist, I have no choice but to make the most of this space.
After entering the empty classroom, Mashiro looked around excitedly.
“Wow, I didn’t know there was an empty classroom like this here!”
“Right? It seems like the other students don’t know about it either. I found it by checking the school’s floor plan.”
“Ryusuke, you found it well! It feels like a secret base, and I’m so excited!”
She said this with sparkling eyes, clearly enjoying herself.
Indeed, this is a special space.
Probably, aside from the main characters of the story, no one knows about the existence of this empty classroom. It is a sanctuary prepared solely for the protagonist to conduct events, and there is a force at work ensuring that no distractions from the surroundings interfere with the unfolding of the story.
Of course, it would be a letdown if mob characters barged in during a confession event or if there was a commotion in the hallway.
It was convenient for me at the same time.
The fact that no mob characters were coming in meant that there would be no interruptions from them.
There’s probably no other environment where I can concentrate this much on studying.
Moreover, according to the original story development that I know, the protagonist, Fusegawa Raito, and the heroines spend the preparation period for the first semester final exams as a home visit event. All the heroines gather at Fusegawa Raito’s house and flirt while studying for the test.
I was on guard against any irregular developments, but after class, Fusegawa Raito left happily with the three heroines, so it seemed that it was indeed following the original story.
The fact that they weren’t at school was an opportunity; here, I could study to my heart’s content.
And through this study session, I would achieve good results on the final exam.
I would accomplish something that the villainous delinquent character could never do and use that as a stepping stone to become the protagonist. I could never let my guard down. I would invest all the knowledge and experience from my previous life to surely seize glory.
Masiro and I pushed our desks together and took out textbooks and writing utensils from our bags.
“Well then, shall we get started right away?”
“Yeah, what should we do first? English or math?”
“Let’s see. For now, I’ll tackle the math I’m good at, and if it seems like there won’t be any issues for the test, I’ll move on to the next subject… but I was thinking.”
“Wow, Ryuusuke, you’re good at math! I’m not really good at it, though.”
“If that’s the case, I can teach you. What specifically don’t you understand?”
“Hmm, let me think…”
Flipping through the math textbook, Masiro stopped at a certain page.
“Maybe around here? It’s complicated compared to middle school…”
“This part is difficult to understand, and it’s where score gaps can easily appear. If you grasp it well, you can get a good score, Masiro.”
“Really? Then I’ll do my best!”
“Alright, alright. Then I’ll teach you as a review, starting with…”
Just as our study session was about to begin, the door to the empty classroom opened, and someone walked in.
I tensed up for a moment at the sudden occurrence.
This was supposed to be a sanctuary unknown to mob characters in the rom-com world.
Who on earth could it be—?
However, upon seeing the person who appeared, I was convinced. Even if it was a sanctuary that mob characters couldn’t enter, it was a different story for the main characters that colored the narrative.
There stood the protagonist’s best friend character, Kizaki Reo.
Behind him was the figure of Reo’s friend, Nishikawa Kyouya.
“Hey, Ryuusuke, I’ve been looking for you.”
“Reo, how was basketball practice?”
“During the test preparation period, we have a break. I thought I’d invite Ryusuke to go home together for a change, but as soon as the bell rang, he left the classroom. There were still shoes left in the shoe locker, and I sent a message on RINE, but there was no reply, so I was wondering where he went.”
“Sorry, Reo. I was trying to focus on studying, so I turned off my phone.”
When I said that, Reo looked at Mashiro, who was sitting in front of me at the desk we had pushed together.
“I see. You were studying with Mashiro-san, huh? I guess I interrupted you.”
“No, no, it’s nothing like that. What about you, Reo? How do you plan to study for the test? Are you going to do it alone?”
“Kyoya keeps asking me to teach him, so I was planning to have a study session just the two of us.”
“Then why not join us? This place is quiet and not well-known among most students, so we can concentrate.”
“If Ryusuke is inviting me, I’d love to join! Just as you said, it seems like a good place to study.”
“What about you, Mashiro? Is it okay if Reo and Nishikawa join us?”
“Yeah, of course! It’s more fun to study together!”
With Mashiro’s approval, I pushed two desks and chairs together at our spot. Now the four of us could study happily together.
However, it seemed there was a problem with the seating arrangement――.
“Nishikawa-kun, are you okay? Your face is really red, and you’re sweating a lot?”
“I-I’m fine…! It’s nothing…!”
“Ahaha. Nishikawa-kun, you’re stuttering again.”
Nishikawa hadn’t said a word when he entered the empty classroom, but it seemed he was incredibly nervous upon seeing Mashiro. Now that he was sitting next to her for the study session, he was completely flustered.
Reo, sitting across from him, looked at him with a worried expression.
“Kyoya… what should we do? Should I go sit next to him?”
“I-I’m fine here! I can manage!”
“You’re stuttering. That won’t do. You can’t concentrate like that, can you?”
“U-uh…”
Nishikawa probably wanted to be close to Mashiro, but… well, the purpose was studying, so serious Reo wouldn’t let the current situation slide.
“I’m sorry, Mashiro-san. Could you give up that seat for me?”
“Sure! Then I’ll move to Reo-kun’s seat.”
“Reo, if you want to help Nishikawa concentrate, should I move too?”
“Yeah. It would be better to separate Mashiro-san and Kyoya if possible.”
With that seat change, Mashiro ended up next to me, while Nishikawa and Reo sat next to each other.
Since we arranged the seats to separate Mashiro and Nishikawa, this configuration should be fine as long as they don’t talk to each other.
Once everyone took out their notebooks, textbooks, and writing tools, I spoke up.
“Alright, let’s refocus and get started. Let’s all do our best!”
「「「Yes!」」」
Thus, the after-school study session began.