Welcome, to the Bad End Route - V3 SS 1

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Volume 3, Side Story 1: Bad Selection, Broken Heart ~Fair and Cloudy~

 

 

"―― Susumu-kun, it's time to get up."

 

I could hear a familiar voice.

This was what always started my day, and this had already been going on for so long.

How many years had it been since she started coming over without contacting me first?

Although it sometimes got annoying, this voice had been a lifesaver many times.

 

"...Still sleepy."

"But don't you have club activities today?"

 

That voice belonged to my childhood friend Hareyama Hanae.

Although we were childhood friends, only our parents were close, not our houses.

 

"Go wash your face because breakfast is ready."

"Ugh..."

 

Of course, we weren't on bad terms. But it wasn't as if we were always close enough for her to prepare breakfast for me.

My parents were hardly ever home because of work. I didn't have any financial problems, but life itself was horrible.

I was always late, my house gathered dust quickly, and my meals came from the store.

 

Maybe because she noticed this, Hanae began to take care of me from then on.

It might have been right after middle school.

Hanae suddenly came over and took over chores, as if my parents had asked her to.

Unsurprisingly, I had been spending more and more time with Hanae since then.

 

"Bon appétit."

"Go ahead~."

 

I had a meal prepared by Hanae. It was as delicious as ever.

But initially, she was very bad at this.

If she cooked, it would turn into something unpleasant, and if she cleaned up, it would get dirty instead.

It was normal for clothes to fade after getting washed, and before, I would always wake up just in time before I would be late.

 

"Does it taste good?"

"Ah, the usual."

"...I see, that's good."

 

It was amazing that she could do this perfectly now.

If Hanae were to leave, I would be in a real bind.

Still, it wasn't as if I didn't my reservations.

 

"Hey, you don't have to come here every morning, you know?"

"...But I'm not really overdoing it?"

 

Hanae, sitting across me as she ate her breakfast, said this with her usual gently smile.

Although I kept on saying this to Hanae several times, she denied every time.

 

But sometimes, I saw that.

It was during when she was cooking or cleaning. I stole a glance at Hanae's face.

―― She didn't look like she enjoyed doing this kind of thing.

 

"Thanks for the food."

"Hmm."

 

When she was with me, she never showed that expression. Even now, it was the usual, flowery look she had.

Maybe housework wasn't something she enjoyed doing, and she didn't have to force herself to do it for others.

I wouldn't go so far as to call her expression as pained...but it still looked worrisome.

But I couldn't just ask Hanae about it.

It felt like if I did, this situation would end.

So, I was going to place it at the back of my mind, like I always did.

 

"―― See you later then, Hanae."

"Yeah. I'll come back in the evening."

"Ah, take care."

 

I saw off Hanae, who came in the morning even though it was a holiday, and I started getting ready for club activities.

Hanae basically left my house whenever I wasn't home.

She didn't have a duplicate key. I tried giving it to her many times, but she didn't accept it.

I just gave it to her instead the day before I wanted her to wake me up in the morning. It was almost every day, so it was a bit of work.

 

――――

――

―

 

After club activities were over, I was walking home with Umi.

By the way, the Inter-High ended with a first-round loss. Most of the third-years had already retired.

We were looking for a manager, but we hadn't found one yet.

 

"Hey, you wanna go have fun tomorrow?"

"Sounds good."

 

Just like today, we agreed to meet up before noon tomorrow.

As we were walking, we discussed what to do, and we touched on various activities.

 

"Also, my parents won't be at home next Sunday."

"Oh~, is that so?"

"They had some legal matters to attend to. So, wanna stay at my place?"

"That's fine, we could game through the night."

 

I had Umi and other friends stay at my house many times, but this was the first time I stayed at Umi's house.

Looking forward to next week, I parted ways with Umi at the nearest station from the school.

 

 

After splitting up with Umi, I took a short break in front of the station.

 

"―― Susumu?"

"Hmm...?"

 

As I was sitting and playing with my phone, I heard a voice calling my name.

I looked up to see who it was, and there, was Azumi Reika.

 

"Reika."

"What are you doing here?"

 

Reika, dressed fashionably with a drink in her hand, sat down next to me, not caring about attracting the gazes around us.

Reika, looking like a modern-day high school girl, gave off a tremendous presence.

She seemed well-dressed, but she didn't have a date, did she?

 

"I'm on my way back from club. Are you...on a date?"

"No, it's a part-time job."

 

I found myself relieved at this fact.

Reika tended to forget because she was often near me, but she was a very popular girl.

Now that I looked back at it, why was she spending time with me?

We were in the same class last year, and sometimes, our seat went side-by-side, so did something happen back then?

 

"What's up with that stare, does it look weird on me?"

"No, it's nothing..."

"Haa...right."

 

Reika, who had a bored expression on her face, was also familiar to me.

Reika was easily put into a bad mood, and there would be no end to it if I had to worry every time.

In the beginning, I did think about it a lot. But lately, everything I said made her lost interest instead.

 

"You're really different from that guy."

"...That guy?"

"Ah...it's nothing, sorry."

 

Reika's hasty retraction of her words was something new to me.

I often saw her red-faced and angry, but it was refreshing to see her now smiling happily, as if she remembered something pleasant.

―― But I never saw her direct that smile to me.

 

"Did something good happen?"

"Huh? What?"

"That face says something did."

"It's not really like that."

 

Did she let it out unconsciously? I was mildly jealous of the reason that made Reika look like that.

Reika was a tsun-tsun girl. I wanted her to be at least a tsundere, she didn't have a dere side.

 

"Hey, Susumu. Do you wanna go out tomorrow after I get off my job?"

"Ah...tomorrow is..."

"Did you have any errands?"

"No, it’s, hm~m..."

 

I just promised Umi I'd go play with him a few moments ago.

But normally, I should be playing with a pretty girl instead! Also, I frequently go out with Umi, too.

No but, wasn't also the same with Reika? She often invited me out as well.

 

"Well, do consider it. ―― I'll be heading to my part-time job, then."

"Got it."

 

Reika left with that.

I wondered if Reika's job was near here? Now that I think about it, this was the first time I ever heard of her having a job.

Because of Reika, I arrived home a bit later than usual.

 

――――

――

―

 

Back at my home, I finished the dinner Hanae cooked for me, then I took a bath, cleaned up, and got ready for bed.

As I lied down, recent events came to mind.

What did were the faces of four pretty girls, as well as the hateful guy named Jimichi Ikuto.

Ever since I became involved with him, nothing had gone right.

What's more, he played the fool to gain the favor from two of them.

―― No, I was played.

Both Shigure Airi and Mutuski Yukinaga were involved, and because of him...that guy, that guy!!

 

I lost? You've got to be kidding me!

 

But the fact was, as frustrating as the situation might be, there was no doubt that those two were definitely closer to Jimichi than I was.

In any case, Jimichi must have done something weird to them.

I didn't lose them. They didn't seem to be in a relationship, either.

That would mean I still had a chance to make up for it.

 

Still...

 

I should cool down a bit here.

It would only be ridiculous if I continued chasing the two of them, and it was pathetic to be so unmotivated by the two girls I had left on my side.

 

By my side...right, I still have them...

 

Their faces came to mind. Hareyama Hanae and Azumi Reika.

There two had been with me for much longer than Shigure or Yukinaga-senpai.

There should have been no other reason than the fact that they liked me a bit, which was why they stayed so close to me.

Should I just silently give up on Shigure and Yukinaga-senpai and focus on the other two?

 

―― Don't give up

 

No, I didn't have to give up on them.

Even if I didn't get aggressive, if I had the chance, I would steadily start from the ground up again.

First thing I had to get out of the way was Jimichi, so I wouldn't hold back.

Feeling refreshed, I went to sleep.

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