Reborn as the Man Who Takes Away the Protagonist’s Beloved Childhood Friend

The presence of supportive people

In the end, Shuu’s family fell apart… or more precisely, it seemed that only Hatsune-san would be leaving that house. The reason, of course, was infidelity, with the man I witnessed being the other party. I had a feeling that Kashizaki knew something, but since my mom insisted it was unnecessary to ask, I refrained from inquiring.

“If you cheat, that’s what happens.”

I’m concerned about Shuu, but I haven’t reached out to him yet. I don’t know what words to say in times like these. Maybe he needs some time to calm down… geez, these situations are tough.

…But, today, my mom had things to do and wasn’t home, and Ayana was also absent. The absence of the usually present figures, and experiencing the recent commotion, made this space feel wide and quiet as I sat alone. Huh, was I always this lonely?

“I guess that just shows how much I care about them.”

I murmured while gazing at the ceiling, but then decided to step outside for a bit. After getting ready quickly and leaving the house, the heat was truly befitting of summer. Feeling the sweat trickling down my forehead, I continued my steps as if taking a stroll… And it was when I reached a certain park that I found him.

“….Shuu?”

Shuu, who was sitting on a bench, staring into the distance, didn’t move. Hey, even though it’s shady, it must be hot. It’d be tough without a drink. I bought two juices from a nearby vending machine and, approaching from behind, pressed a chilled can of juice against Shuu’s cheek.

“Whoa!?”

“That’s quite a reaction.”

“Touwa…?”

Shuu was supposed to be looking in the direction of the park entrance, but maybe he hadn’t noticed after all… Well, his mind seemed elsewhere, so it couldn’t be helped. As I handed him the juice and sat next to him, Shuu, looking puzzled, quietly thanked me.

With a fizzing sound characteristic of carbonation, we drank the juice together.

“……..”

“……..”

After a while of silence, Shuu muttered softly.

“…You’re still investigating, huh?”

“Yeah… Was it tough?”

“Well, I never thought I’d end up in this position. But, considering Mom’s recent behavior, I suspected something. I didn’t expect it to be infidelity, though.”

“……..”

Shuu then began to tell me.

About how strange Hatsune-san had been acting, about the timing when Shuu found it odd and received photos of their secret meetings, about how even their father, who was supposed to be working away from home, oddly knew about it… And the fact that they had no idea what happened to that man. Hatsune-san seemed surprised to hear about this as well.

“…And there was another thing. I found out that Koto had almost been assaulted by that guy.”

“Huh…”

Koto-chan, I hadn’t seen her at all recently… I hadn’t even thought about meeting her, but I see, so that kind of thing happened. While she’s someone I have no desire to see, just like Hatsune-san, hearing about it from Shuu made me feel incredibly conflicted.

“Tearfully, she told me about what happened… and that became the trigger for confronting Mom. Hey, Touwa.”

“What’s up?”

“I mentioned this before, but I found out that Mom and Koto said terrible things about you. Mom might be one thing, but young Koto believed it was true. Of course, it’s all just excuses in hindsight, and I know it’s a lasting wound for you. Still, I… wanted to protect Koto.”

Maybe Shuu thought I wanted some kind of punishment for Koto-chan. I didn’t think about that at all, and I’m truly past caring. It’s true that it was a hurtful past, but as I’ve said many times, it’s all in the past. I’m not the type to drag my past along forever, nor do I intend to grumble and hold grudges. I hate to say it myself, but I don’t want to be a petty person.

“Seeing Koto cry in front of me, I felt like I wanted to protect her as her older brother. Because we’re siblings by blood, I felt like I had to protect her no matter what. Even if there were parts of me that were beyond saving, at that moment, I just couldn’t turn a blind eye.”

Shuu said this as he clenched his fist tightly. I’m an only child, so I can’t fully understand those feelings, but I think his determination to protect his sister like that is what makes a cool older brother.

“Isn’t Koto-chan lucky to have a big brother like you?”

“…hahahaha, it’s nice to hear you say that.”

…It seems like he’s going to be okay. It’s natural for him to feel down, but I couldn’t see a sense of despair in Shuu’s eyes. Even if he lost the presence of a mother, being able to stand strong because there’s someone to protect nearby, I think that’s what it’s all about.

“……..”

Koto-chan… Yeah. There were times when I felt an indescribable anger towards her. I did think, “Don’t mess around” and even wished she’d go to hell. But thinking about that doesn’t change anything; it’s just a barren pursuit. The happy moments now have erased what was smoldering inside me.

“But if anything happens, let me know, okay? I’ll be there for you.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Touwa.”

We’re friends, after all.

After finishing our juice and taking a deep breath, a soccer ball was rolling conveniently in our direction. There was no one nearby, so it was either forgotten or discarded, but oh well. I stood up, headed towards the ball, did a few keepy-uppies, and then kicked it over to Shuu.

Shuu was surprised but quickly got up, trapped the ball, and let it fall to his feet. He then kicked it back to me.

“It’s a bit hot but how about a game after a long time?”

“Sounds good. Then I’ll treat you to juice next time… or how about ice cream?”

“That works. Let’s get moving a bit then.”

When it’s all over, we’ll likely be wiping away a fair amount of sweat… Well, it’s too late to worry about that now. We’re not exactly sprinting; we’re just kicking the ball back and forth to each other. How many years has it been since Shuu and I played with a soccer ball like this…?

“Hey, Towa, how many years has it been since we played like this?”

“…What, don’t think the same as me, it’s creepy.”

“Isn’t that harsh?! Sure, the cause of the injury was me, but isn’t it rude to me, who was moved to see your current state?!”

“hahahahaha! Just kidding, just kidding! Look!”

“! Oops!”

For a while after that, we frolicked more than usual to pass the time. It wasn’t that long, but we ended up sweating enough for our shirts to stick to our backs. We both felt like we had to hurry home and shower; otherwise, we’d feel sick.

We didn’t disband after that; as promised, Shuu and I bought ice cream together. As we stood there eating our ice creams, a cool voice reached us.

“Shuu-kun, Yukiyo-kun?”

Shuu and I turned to see Iori. She was carrying bags, probably from shopping… oh, Shuu blushed and looked away. Well, I can kind of understand; there was just a glimpse of cleavage. And for some reason, even I felt a strange chill in this scorching heat, so I slowly shifted my gaze too.

“Shopping?”

“Yes. Why are you two sweating so much like that?”

When we told her we had been playing with a soccer ball earlier, Iori smiled awkwardly.

“I’m not saying exercising is bad, but pushing yourself in this heat can lead to heatstroke, you know?”

“That’s why we bought ice cream to cool down our bodies.”

“I see. Hey, Shuu-kun… that ice cream looks delicious.”

“…Excuse me, one more, please.”

“Thank you, Shuu-kun!”

“…Sure.”

They really make a great pair, don’t they, these two?

…Ah, I see. Maybe Iori has something to do with why Shuu wasn’t so pessimistic. Did she consult with him, or did she pick up on something from Shuu’s demeanor… Well, that’s just my speculation, but when I think about it this way, I realize that everyone is the same after all.

Even in the face of harsh reality, just having someone by your side who thinks about you, cares for you, can help you face that harshness. If that someone for me back then was Ayana, maybe for Shuu now, that someone is Iori.

“Hey, Shuu-kun, why are you turning your face away?”

“T-That’s…”

Come on, Iori-san, be a bit more self-aware…

“Oh!”

At that moment, the ice cream dripped onto her chest. The liquid, starting to melt, flowed towards her cleavage, and looking troubled, Iori made a suggestion to Shuu.

“Hey, Shuu-kun, do you have a handkerchief in your pocket? Could you get it for me?”

“Uh, sure.”

“Thanks. Hey, Shuu-kun, my hands are full right now. Could you wipe it off for me?”

“Uh, sure… sure!?”

“I did say ‘sure,’ right? Come on, don’t hesitate.”

“Then, then I’ll hold the ice cream.”

“Sorry. If I let go of the ice cream, I’ll die.”

“Why?!”

Save the comedy routine for elsewhere. Look, even the ice cream vendor is clicking his tongue.

I was worried about what would happen with Shuu, but as I watched the scene unfolding before me, I laughed and became convinced that everything would be fine.