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

Unconsciously trying to lead the heroine astray

On the way back from the date with Ayana, Kotone appeared in front of us and raised her voice loudly. I had been thinking about the possibility of encountering Shu’s family along the way to escort Ayana, but it seemed that bad premonitions like this tend to come true.

Kotone’s eyes, looking at me, seemed to be filled with anger as if to say, “Why are you next to Ayana? Why are you Ayana’s lover? Why isn’t Shu the one next to Ayana?” Those words seemed to resonate directly in my mind, causing me to instinctively place my hand on my forehead.

“Towa-kun?”

I heard Ayana’s worried voice from beside me. I reassured her that I was fine and then opened my mouth to Kotone, who was still glaring at me.

“I liked Ayana. So, I confessed my feelings, she accepted them, and we became a couple. That’s all there is to it. Nothing strange about it.”

“Shut up!”

…There’s no reasoning with her, it seems.

Kotone probably wouldn’t lend an ear to my words. Someday… Oh, that’s right. Back then. I felt the same way about Mrs. Hatsune. In the end, their world revolves around themselves.

Shu and Kotone, Mrs. Hatsune and… Come to think of it, how’s the husband doing? Let’s put that aside for now. The world where Ayana was, was their world. The girl named Kotone genuinely admires Shu. And it’s true that she also admires Ayana, who was by his side.

(…People deceived by masks, huh)

I can’t understand how Ayana’s selflessly serving Shu while suppressing her true feelings appeared to Kotone and the others, but perhaps they saw her as a convenient presence. Calling it convenient might have a negative connotation, but in their case, they genuinely believed that Ayana, in that state, was everything, and being with Shu was what made Ayana happy.

Thinking about it, Ayana’s past was quite hellish. What would Ayana be like if we hadn’t met back then? It’s an unimaginable “what if” now, but thinking that Ayana by my side might continue to suffer forever also pains my heart.

“…Hey, Kotone-chan, Ayana isn’t a doll. She’s a person with her own will.”

“Huh? Why are you stating the obvious?”

At this point, does she not realize what she doesn’t understand?

“Then let me ask you, have you… Have you ever heard Ayana’s true voice?”

“True voice… What nonsense are you suddenly spouting?”

Kotone tilted her head in genuine confusion at my words. Refusing to understand… No, it would be harsh to expect her to comprehend that at her young age. Considering that Ayana’s mask even deceived her own mother, it might be unavoidable in a sense.

Thinking she would be a tough nut to crack, I tried to continue speaking, but Ayana stopped me. Stepping forward, she gazed at Kotone and began speaking calmly.

“Kotone-chan, I’ve been suffering all this time… being with you guys.”

“…Huh.”

Ayana’s words struck a chord. I hadn’t expected her to be so straightforward, and like Kotone, I found myself slightly surprised as I gazed at Ayana. Unperturbed, Ayana continued speaking.

“To be honest, I should have been clear too. But back then, I just did what I was told, prioritizing Shu because we were childhood friends. Living a life where I just followed orders, spending my days with you guys… He was the one who rescued me from those days.”

With a glance towards me, she took my hand.

“On that day, this warmth led me out of a small world. Since then, I’ve always liked Towa-kun. And finally, these feelings were truly conveyed and we were united. So, Kotone-chan, I can’t go back to being the Ayana you all liked so much.”

Ayana’s words were direct and clear. To me, they seemed to signify a definitive break from them.

The arrangement of her words may have been complex, but I could understand the meaning, and Kotone seemed bewildered. She didn’t see me, her gaze fixed solely on Ayana.

“I don’t understand. Because Ayana was always by my side. Always smiling, by my side… When mom said to become a bride, she smiled and nodded, right?”

The Ayana wearing a mask… right.

Kotone’s illusion of Ayana she had held onto until now seemed to vanish with Ayana’s own words. While I may have some reservations about her harshness towards me, saying anything more would only worsen the situation. I didn’t particularly want to get along with Kotone, but I didn’t want to hurt her either. So, as I was about to lead Ayana away, Kotone, driven by rage, spoke out.

“…That’s right. Since meeting you, Ayana has become strange! That’s what it is!”

Indeed, Ayana had changed since meeting me. But I didn’t think that was a mistake. Above all, it was that encounter that led to where we are now.

“Kotone-chan, enough—”

As Ayana tried to calm Kotone and approach her, she blurted out… It was a piercing remark, even for me, who had overcome the past, and then—

“Because you’re here, Ayana has become strange! My mom said that when you had that accident, it was a punishment! It wasn’t just an injury; you should have just died right then! Then Ayana would have stayed by your side forever!!”

…!

Upon hearing Kotone’s words, I felt a twinge of sadness. There was certainly resentment, but I had decided to live without caring about it. However… to be told that I should have just died to my face was hard to bear. Despite having saved Shu, who is your family, being spoken of as if I’m the villain… It’s painful.

…Well, that being said. Those words did strike a nerve with me. Just as I was about to say something a bit harsh to the brat in front of me, Ayana’s voice rang out coldly.

“What did you just say?”

It was a cold voice that gave the illusion of the surrounding temperature dropping a few degrees.

Inadvertently, when I looked at Ayana’s expression, she wore an expression as blank as a Noh mask. Her eyes didn’t reflect any light, and she stared only at Kotone as if she had forgotten my existence.

“Huh!?”

Caught in such cold eyes, Kotone involuntarily fell back on the spot, unable to move. Ayana slowly, slowly closed the distance between herself and Kotone as she walked.

“Hey, what did you say? Hey… hey!! Can you hear me!?”

“N-no… no!”

Ayana, who had forgotten even the polite speech she had used for years and was consumed by anger, was frightening. Normally, Ayana’s default mode is polite language, but when her anger crosses a certain line, she loses control and her words become harsh… I had seen it portrayed in games before, so I wasn’t as surprised as Kotone, who seemed completely taken aback by Ayana’s expression for the first time.

“Say something, damn it!! Always… always like this–…”

Ayana, who was about to confront Kotone, stopped her movement and took a small deep breath. Though she still felt anger, she continued speaking in a calmer tone than before.

“I dislike all of you. I want nothing to do with you. So, please never involve yourselves with me again. And that includes Towa-kun… If you say anything to Towa-kun again, I won’t show any mercy.”

Her voice was quiet, but Ayana clearly conveyed her intent of rejection to Kotone. Kotone, on the verge of tears from those words, still seemed more afraid of Ayana, as she stood up clumsily and hurriedly left. As Kotone’s back disappeared from view, Ayana rushed to me and embraced me, pressing her forehead against my chest.

I gently stroked her head.

“I’m sorry. It seems I let Ayana say everything.”

“No… I couldn’t stop myself either.”

After that, we leaned against each other for a while.

A few minutes passed, and Ayana finally pulled away, seeming calmer.

“Whew, I’ve calmed down. But… it feels kind of refreshing, you know? It’s a bit unsatisfying, but it feels like I’ve let out what was building up.”

“Your expression was quite something.”

“F-forget about that! Ugh… it’s the worst to show that in front of Towa-kun!”

Blushing now, feeling embarrassed, Ayana shook her head. While I knew about it, seeing that side of her for real was a bit touching. Also, even though Kotone’s words had struck a chord with me, I was genuinely happy that Ayana got angry like that.

“I love Ayana no matter what. …But I should try not to make Ayana angry like that myself.”

If I were scolded with such an expression, I might end up crying too. Even though I wasn’t as surprised, it doesn’t mean I didn’t find it scary.

“Do you ever get mad at Towa-kun…? I’ll spoil you a lot, okay?”

“Stop it. If you spoil me any further, I’ll drown in Ayana and become a worthless person.”

“Huh? What’s wrong with that? Let yourself drown more in me, Towa-kun. I’ll take care of you forever, so it’s okay for you to be a worthless person by my side.”

She says it as if it’s the most natural thing, but is she waiting for a retort?

But somehow, ever since we started dating… well, even before that, I knew Ayana might be the type to turn the person she loves into a good-for-nothing. She seems to possess something like a bewitching charm that envelops her partner with love and devotion, leading them to decadence.

(At first glance, it seems like the heroine being corrupted, but in reality, she’s the corrupting one… Too innovative, isn’t it?)

That’s also one of her charms.

If I don’t watch myself a bit, I might really end up being corrupted by Ayana… in a bad way.

“Towa-kun, shall we head back?”

Saying that, Ayana linked her arm with mine, and we started walking.

Meeting Kotone was unexpected and had some tough moments, but being rejected so firmly by Ayana made me feel like we wouldn’t meet again easily.

It’s a bit frustrating to have missed the chance for a proper conversation… but.

“What’s wrong?”

If this girl is by my side, even that feels like a trivial worry.

“Thank you, Ayana.”

To that short thank you, Ayana was momentarily surprised, but then she smiled and nodded.

“Yes!”