“I’ll be waiting at that place…”
I realized as I was writing.
I haven’t written a single rom-com…
In mid-spring, when the winter cold was almost forgotten, plum blossoms bloomed their delicate flowers ahead of other plants, announcing the arrival of spring with their sweet fragrance.
It had been almost a year since that day…
My body had recovered steadily, and my right arm, which had been the most severely injured, had overcome the painful rehabilitation and could now grasp things.
The fact that my arm, which was said might never move again, had recovered this much was entirely thanks to…
“Hmm? Is something wrong?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
Sakurazuki, who was walking beside me, looked at my face with a curious expression. In just one short year, Sakurazuki’s appearance had shed its high school look and taken on a sophisticated, college-like atmosphere. Her expressions and gestures conveyed a confidence and radiance that came with taking a step into adulthood.
“Doubt~! You’ve got a face that says you’re hiding something, you know?”
…Or so I thought, but that was only for a moment. Her innocent and cheerful nature was still very much alive.
“I was just thinking about how much time has passed since Sakurazuki and the others made the doctor worry about me getting off the wheelchair.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“You’re kidding me…?”
Sakurazuki tilted her head, looking puzzled.
I still remember it sometimes, but it was a big deal when my injuries healed enough for me to get out of the wheelchair. I just wanted to walk freely as soon as possible, but the four of them were adamant in their opposition, as if they wanted to take care of me.
Shino even said things like,
“We don’t need a doctor who makes wrong judgments. State your name.”
She was seriously troubling the doctor.
It’s not a good memory at all…
—That day when Sakurazuki and the others read my Diary.
When I thought about it carefully, I had read many stories about being reincarnated into a game in my previous life, but I had never heard of a character in that world finding out that their world was a fabrication.
Normally, the World’s Compulsion should have erased even the memory of reading the Diary, but now that I was free from LoD, the World’s Compulsion was not working. That’s why I was able to recognize it, and the explanation made sense.
However, when I was told that I was a criminal from a higher world, I was a little taken aback…
And that was also the reason for their overwhelming guilt and excessive gratitude towards me. Certainly, if I were in their position, I might have fallen into darkness as well, I thought.
Well, honestly, that doesn’t matter. The important thing is…
“How embarrassing…”
I looked up at the sky and covered my face.
No, I never intended for anyone to see it. Besides, towards the end, I had gone crazy, and the writing was messy and illegible.
And that last line…
“‘The resolve to not fear death will bring victory…'”
Sakurazuki muttered, looking at me with a smug face. My head and neck flushed with heat.
“Stop it…”
“Ehh~, why~!? I’m so happy! There aren’t many people who can say something like that, and it makes me feel like I’m loved!”
“Please, don’t say that in public! Please!”
We were currently at a shopping mall. It was what you would call a date. We were usually together as a group of five, but the other three had other things to do, so it was just the two of us today.
Then, Sakurazuki gently intertwined her arm with my right arm and looked up at me with a sulky expression.
“…Since it’s just the two of us today, look only at me right now.”
“Ah, sorry…”
My girlfriend is too cute…
I was thinking about the other three, and she saw right through me. As we walked through the mall, the gazes of others focused on us. Especially on me, with jealous looks.
“Well, it’s much better than it used to be…”
I chuckled wryly. If you were to measure the power of jealousy, the intensity of the gazes focused on me was about 1/4 of what it used to be.
Usually, Reon, Akina, and Shino would be here as well.
Not only Sakurazuki, but all four of the heroines, the Four Beauties, are my girlfriends.
I had already gotten used to the gazes that accused me of being a harem guy, and at university, I had become a local celebrity as the mob character who was followed by four beauties.
Originally, Yuto Sano was supposed to be in this position, but life is unpredictable.
Speaking of which, Sano hasn’t been involved with us at all since then.
Whether it was because the four of them got seriously angry that day, he has been quiet at university and hasn’t tried to contact the Four Beauties. Maybe he really did reflect on his actions.
If that’s the case, I want Sano to start over from scratch.
I’m sure I’d be criticized for being so lenient after he put me through hell, but I was a scumbag in my previous life, so I couldn’t bring myself to hate him that much.
And most importantly, the chances of the Four Beauties falling into darkness have almost disappeared.
They still direct intense emotions towards me sometimes, but even that is nothing compared to the early days.
My peace of mind was finally being maintained.
“That’s not true. Satoshi-kun. The reason we stopped falling into darkness is because we felt loved by you.”
“…Stop reading my mind so naturally.”
“Fufufu, we spend hot nights together every day, you know~. If we know we’re loved that much, it reduces our worries.”
“That’s why you shouldn’t say things like that in public!?”
Sakurazuki, with her cheeks flushed, made an explosive statement, but she seemed to be in a trance and showed no signs of stopping. The surrounding gazes were a mix of warm looks and jealousy, and I felt like I was catching a cold.
…Well, that’s how it is. At night, it’s basically with the four of them, yes… But recently, my stamina has been gradually…
I’ve been thinking of ways to deceive them by changing my approach, but well, the results are as you might expect.
“Well, that’s the truth.”
“You’re not joking…”
“The most important thing is that Satoshi-kun solved the darkness that we were carrying. Thanks to that, our hearts are clear! Thank you?”
“Well… it’s only natural.”
Sakurazuki quit being a gravure idol. She was a popular one, so they were very reluctant to let her go, but I said, “You guys were the ones who were encouraging Sakurazuki to do pillow business in the first place, so what’s with the change of heart now that she’s popular?” and I went all out on them.
Reon’s problem with her mother, Akina’s company issues, Shino’s family conflict…
I solved the problems that Sano was supposed to solve in LoD.
Well, it’s not something to be proud of.
If a girl I like is in trouble, it’s only natural to help her, right?
“Hmm?”
Then, my arm was pulled.
“More importantly, let’s enjoy our date! We don’t have much time until night!”
“Ah, okay.”
“Let’s start with window shopping! We’re going to go through all of them!”
“You’re kidding me!?”
There are about thirty stores here…
◇
“How about this one~?”
“It’s very spring-like. The bright and soft atmosphere suits Sakurazuki perfectly.”
“Ehh~, really? Then how about this one?”
“It has a very soft feel overall. Especially the way that long skirt sways in the wind, it’s very spring-like, I think.”
When Sakurazuki came out of the dressing room, she naturally struck a pose that suited the outfit. As expected of a former gravure idol, her talent for attracting people’s attention was outstanding. However, I was worried that she might be recognized as Sakurazuki if this continued.
More importantly, how many more outfits are left? It’s been about two hours already…
“Satoshi-kun is so good at complimenting, I lose track of time~ It’s so much fun!”
“Well, I’ve been trained.”
Since all four of them are girls, they are interested in fashion like anyone else, so window shopping like today is common. However, when we first started dating, my complimenting skills were non-existent.
Sakurazuki, Akina, and Shino were still very happy, but Reon was different.
“Hey? Doesn’t it look good on me?” “That’s the same comment as before…” “Fufu, you don’t have to force yourself…” “After all, someone like me…”
And she would sink into depression. Every time, I had to hug and comfort Reon, who was on the verge of tears. In front of a crowd of people. In other words, my complimenting skills were something I acquired out of a kind of survival instinct.
It was tough. Seriously…
Reon had never been able to rely on others since she was a child, so as a reaction, she was very clingy with us. And if we neglected her, she would visibly become sad, so we all spoiled her.
It’s like she’s the youngest sister. Although she doesn’t admit it at all…
Everyone thinks, “What is a girl who can’t sleep at night without someone being with her saying?”
“Well then, let’s go there next.”
“Ah, let’s go…”
I froze when I saw the store that Sakurazuki was pointing at. It was a lingerie shop.
“Please, let’s not go there…”
“Ehh~! Because of someone, my size is “Ah! I get it! Don’t say anymore!”… Good, you understand.”
I was half-dragged away by Sakurazuki, who was smiling darkly…
◇
After the hellish lingerie tour, we moved to the game center.
“Ahahaha! Satoshi-kun, you’re so bad!”
“No, no, it’s hard to play the drums without my right hand!?”
We ended up having a taiko drum showdown, but I’m a beginner, and my right hand won’t move the way I want it to. What’s more, my dominant hand is my right hand. So, I tried hitting the drum with my other hand, but naturally, I couldn’t hit it at all.
“You have absolutely no sense of rhythm~”
“No, no, if I had my right hand, I could have done a little better… Besides, Sakurazuki is just as bad as I am…”
“Even a narrow victory is still a victory!”
She puffed out her chest, her nose held high.
“Damn it…”
Even if it was a close match, a loss is a loss. It’s too frustrating.
If that’s the case, I want to have a match that I can win.
Which means…
“How about a medal game?”
“Rejected.”
“Why not…?”
“Medal games don’t bring back good memories because of Akina…”
“Ah… I see.”
It seems Akina found a new hobby after becoming a university student, and that was the problem.
That hobby was gambling. Slots, horse racing, boat racing, you name it…
If she played within the bounds of common sense, I wouldn’t stop her. However, she had such terrible luck with money that she often came home penniless.
“I’m investing in things I feel have potential~. Just watch, in a few days, it’ll come back many times over~”
Because of those words, we’re the ones managing Akina’s money. Of course, she protested with all her might, but we couldn’t send her to the underground, so we hardened our hearts.
In the first place, you should know the dangers of gambling better than anyone…
There’s no doubt that Akina has the most compassion and composure, but in a way, she’s also the biggest troublemaker. Despite her laid-back nature, the things she does are terrifying.
“Then, let’s play the UFO catcher.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea. Which one should we go for?”
“I want a stuffed animal for my room. How about that one?”
Sakurazuki pointed to a teddy bear.
“Isn’t that huge…? Can we even get something like that?”
It was a giant teddy bear that looked to be about eighty centimeters tall, but Sakurazuki seemed determined.
“It’s not about whether we can get it or not. We’re going to get it…!”
“That sounds like a famous quote…”
“Alright! Let’s do a cooperative play! I’ll press this button, so Satoshi-kun, please press that one!”
It seems that Sakurazuki will press the right button, so I should press the left button.
“Okay… Wait, it’s already off!”
“Huh!?”
In conclusion, it seems we have no talent for games.
Even though the clerk gave us a service play, we couldn’t get it in the end.
Well, if we were walking around with such a big stuffed animal, we would have stood out too much. It’s not like I’m disappointed, okay?
◇
“This, this~! The Deluxe Strawberry Parfait! I’ve been wanting to eat this~”
Sakurazuki’s eyes sparkled as she snapped photos.
To change the dark mood from the game center, we came to the cafe that Sakurazuki had her eye on. When we entered the cafe, I was still hung up on the earlier failure, but as soon as her desired item was brought to the table, her mood improved rapidly. I felt relieved.
“Satoshi-kun, take a picture!”
“Sure.”
“Peace!”
I took a picture of Sakurazuki, who had a smile like a cherry blossom, in front of the huge parfait. She looked so happy, and it warmed my heart just looking at her.
However…
“Isn’t that too much? Can you eat that all by yourself?”
“You’re so naive, Satoshi-kun.”
She clicked her finger and lips.
“You see, a parfait is something that halves the calories the moment a girl eats it.”
“What is that…”
Even if you’re using the calorie theory of the streets, that’s too much of a stretch…
“And, what’s more…”
Sakurazuki dramatically scooped up a corner of the mountain of parfait with a spoon and turned it towards me. Fluffy whipped cream covered in strawberry sauce, with a vibrant pink ice cream peeking out from underneath.
“When you add the coefficient of ‘Ah~n’ to that, both happiness and deliciousness double. So, ah~n.”
Sakurazuki smiled and held the spoon out to me.
I took the spoon into my mouth, while being mindful of the gazes around us. When I looked up, Sakurazuki was smiling and looking at me.
“Q.E.D. (Proof Complete), right?”
“…Indeed.”
The deliciousness hadn’t changed, but I was overcome with a happy feeling and embarrassment. I’ll apologize for saying it was a stretch.
“Alright, now it’s my turn! Bring it on!”
“Are you a baseball player?”
We fed each other the Deluxe Strawberry Parfait. It seems the coefficient of “Ah~n” can be applied infinitely. The deliciousness increased even more.
Doing this kind of thing reminded me of the recent trend in our house. Lately, it’s been popular to say occult theories at home, and Shino loves this kind of wordplay.
Since we became university students, we’ve been buying alcohol and drinking every day at home.
Minors? We’re university students, so it’s safe, okay?
Surprisingly, Shino is the biggest drinker, but she’s also the weakest.
“Listen here, Satoshi-san. People say that the kanji for ‘person’ 人 means that people support each other, but if there’s love【Ｉ】between two people, they’ll end up in bed【Ｈ】, you know? So, let’s sleep together, okay?”
She’d say some old man theory like that, while chewing on dried squid, drinking a highball, and slapping me on the back.
There shouldn’t be a trace of Yamato Nadeshiko in that figure, but it’s too unfair how I strangely feel a sense of sexiness…
By the way, there was a time when we decided to quit drinking, but Shino would sulk so much that she’d sleep hugging an empty shochu bottle, so we gave in.
“Umm~! Delicious! Waiter~! Another one!”
“Hey.”
I tried to warn her, but Sakurazuki didn’t listen at all.
I guess, if Sakurazuki is happy, then it’s fine, I gave up.
◇
“Yeah, a big haul, a big haul.”
Sakurazuki had a lot of shopping bags in both hands. I wanted to say that I’d carry them, but I was useless with my right hand not being in perfect condition.
By the time we were on our way home, I was exhausted. No, the date itself was very enjoyable. However…
“I’m sorry~ I got so caught up in things that I lost my bag.”
“Well, well, just be careful next time.”
She stuck out her tongue, showing no sign of remorse.
No, I really want her to be careful soon!?
She has her wallet, phone, and other important things in there, so why is she so energetic?
Sakurazuki, including her personality and everything else, is the most normal of the Four Beauties, but she has a fatal flaw.
That is, she often loses things. Losing her commuter pass is a given. She’s become such good friends with the station staff and the university lost and found department that they chat with each other. She’s so used to going to the police box that the old police officer teases her, asking, “Did you come to get arrested?”
“I’m a prisoner locked in the prison of love called Satoshi-kun, though~”
“Don’t read my mind…”
Sakurazuki, who was next to me, made a joke about my recollection, so I sighed and retorted.
“Besides, it’s okay about the bag… It’ll be at the police box (………..) tomorrow (………..) anyway.”
“?… Well, I guess so.”
There’s no point in panicking now. Besides, Sakurazuki has never lost something and not had it miraculously found, so I can trust her words.
Even so, what I’ve learned from spending time with the heroines of LoD is that they have too many fatal flaws. However, I don’t dislike them or become disillusioned with them because of that. Rather, it adds to their humanity, and I feel closer to them because of it.
Their human side, which I couldn’t see just from their profile screens, felt very appealing to me.
“Ah, I can see it!”
A cheap-looking apartment came into view. The light was on in my room at the very end. Even though there are five rooms, it’s become routine for us to have dinner and sleep in my room. After a year, I’ve gotten used to it.
“Ah, you’re finally back~”
“Welcome home.”
“You were late.”
“Yeah. Sorry~”
When we entered the one-room apartment, there was sushi, pizza, and a variety of expensive-looking alcohol that wasn’t cheap. It was a luxurious meal for our house.
“Is today some kind of anniversary?”
“You forgot after all…”
I was celebrated on my birthday, so was there something else…?
“Today is the one-year anniversary of the day you saved us, you know?”
“Ah, that’s today, was it?”
Even when I looked at the calendar, I couldn’t remember. It was a day that could have been the day I died, so I had a vague sense of it being around this time, but I didn’t remember the exact date.
It felt like a distant past that I was struggling to change a hopeless future.
“Thank you for saving us that day, okay?”
Sakurazuki and everyone else smiled at me.
I saved the heroines for revenge. It was just a means.
To me, who was like that…
“Mugyu!?”
Reon grabbed my cheeks with both hands, as if she was sulking.
“Okay, okay. The self-deprecating time is over. That’s a bad habit of yours, Satoshi.”
“I’m shorry.”
When Reon let go of my cheeks, a pleasant tingling sensation ran through them.
“No matter what you think, it doesn’t change the fact that you saved us, okay~?”
“That’s right. This past year has been the happiest of my life…”
Shino nods deeply, seemingly moved. Hearing her words, a warm feeling spread through my chest.
After all, the only time the four of us have been together directly was this past year. The fear that they might be disillusioned with the real me always lingered in the back of my mind. Even so, her saying that made me happier than anything.
That’s why I’ll respond to that love.
“Until the day this life ends, I will keep running for everyone. That is the meaning of my, Satoshi Iriya’s, birth in this world—”
Thank you for reading this far!
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