「はぁ、結局いつもの玲奈さんだったなぁ〜」
「はは、そうだね」
全ての授業が終わった放課後......腕を高く上げて伸び〜っとしながらそう呟けば、隣を歩いていたユウが苦笑しながら同意する。
同じ『壱の蓮』クラスである筈の玲奈さんは途中で先生に呼ばれてここには居ないから、コイツとは今二人っきりという事になる。
......なんだか少し、いやかなり......心臓の鼓動が煩い気がする。
「──でさ、──それで」
自分の煩い心臓の鼓動を意識した途端なんだか急に気恥ずかしくなっちゃって......胸を手で抑えながらグルグルと思考を巡らせる。
私が赤鴉に襲われてしまった時に全力で駆け付け、そして生意気にも私を横抱きにしながら戦って勝ったユウの姿が......ふとした時に頭に浮かんでは消えてくれない。
それを打ち消す為に別の事を考えようと必死になっても、思い浮かぶのはいつだってすぐ隣に居るコイツの事ばかり。
「......ねぇ、舞?」
そういえばと、第二回公式イベントの時も私が変な子に拐われてしまった時も助けに来てくれたっけと思い出す。
せっかく助けに来てくれたのに、ブロッサムに半ば脅される形で途中抜け出しちゃったけど......最後まで見る事は出来なかったけど、あの時もコイツは私を助けに来てくれたんだ。
「──舞ってば!」
「あひゃう?!」
隣りに居たユウに思いっ切り肩を掴まれ、驚きから素っ頓狂な声を出しながら飛び上がってしまう。
「い、いきなり何をするのよ?!」
「えぇ......いやだって、舞が急に人の話を全然聞かなくなるんだもん......」
「そ、それは......その......だ、だからって女の子の身体を許可なく触らないでよね!」
「ご、ごめん......」
......違う、これは私が悪いのに何でユウが謝ってるのよ......これじゃあいつもと同じじゃない。
「......ちがう」
「え? ご、ごめんなさい?」
「あ、いや、そうじゃなくて......」
謝り方が不味かったのかとユウがやり直すのを見て、今度は胸に鋭い痛みが走る。
......ツンデレや暴力系ヒロインは流行らないっていうのにね。
「わ、私の方こそ......その、ごめん......上の空だった」
動揺のあまり何故か左右確認をし出すユウを見て歯噛みしながら、普段の自分の行いを鑑みる。
何かあれば直ぐにユウに頼る癖に、そのユウに対して私はあんまり優しくなかった気がして......いや、多分というか事実なんだろう。
「わ、私だって! ......そ、その......悪いと思ってるわよ............ふ、普段から......」
あー、もう! いったい私はどうしたって言うのよ!
何でこんな何気ない、いつもと変わらない下校途中で意味わかんない事を口走ってるの?!
ここは普段通りに流せば──いやだからそれがダメなんだってば!
「......ねぇ、舞さん?」
くぅ、噛んだ......!!
「もしかして......なんだけどさ、この前の事を怒ってる?」
「? ......この前の事?」
この前の事ってなんだろう......私なにかユウにされたっけ?
うーん、思い付く事はいっぱいあるけれど、どれも駅前のケーキ屋で何かを奢るという事で手打ちになっているものばかりで分からない。
ユウが何を気にしているのか、ちょっと本当に分からないな。
「ほら、頑なに遊ぶのを断ってた事を」
「......あ、あぁ......あれね」
赤鴉騒動の時の事を気にしてた訳かぁ......それで普段とは様子の違う私を見て、もしかしてその事を怒ってるんじゃないかと思った訳ね。
......はぁ、そんな訳ないのにね。あれは私を危険から遠ざける為だったって理解してるし。
「あれは別に気にしてないわよ」
「......じゃあ、なんでこっちを見てくれないの?」
何だか少し、本当に少しだけ悲しそうな声色のユウの訴えに胸が締め付けられる......ついさっき自身の態度を改めようみたいな事を考えていたのにこれだ。
自分でも何故だか分からないけど、ユウの顔を見れなくて......どうしてか勝手に顔を逸らしてしまう。
ユウが移動する度に逆の方へと顔の向きを変え、またいつもと変わらず......相変わらず私は彼を傷付けている。
「そっちは反対方向なんだけど?」
帰宅路の進路上にユウが立ちはだかってるせいで、自分で言った前を向いて歩くという事が出来ない。
「そ、そうだけどぉ......」
「じゃあさ、前を向かないと......ダメだよね?」
な、なんで?! なんで今日のユウはこんなにも意地悪なの?! 私なにかした?!
「い、意地悪しないで......」
「......意地悪なのは舞の方じゃないか、なんで僕を避けるの? やっぱりこの前の当てつけ?」
「ち、違っ......!」
それは違うんだと、あれは本当に感謝してるんだと......そう、自身の思いに突き動かされる様に前を向いてしまって──
「──ほら、僕の目を見て」
両頬を幼馴染の彼に掴まれて、真っ直ぐに自分の目を射抜かれる。
私の、大好きな目に......見られると顔が熱くなって、身体から力が抜けてしまう不思議な目に見詰められてしまってはもう無理だ。
自分よりも一回りも背が高い幼馴染の彼から強引に抑え込まれながら、自分の目を覗かれるなんて体験は私には酷く強烈で......目尻から涙が溢れ出てしまう。
真っ赤になった顔を少しでも隠そうと伸ばした手は中途半端にしか上がらず、手の甲で口元を隠すだけに留まる。
身体に力が入らないせいで何一つとして自分の恥ずかしい表情を隠す事は出来ず、また何故かこの時だけは照れ隠しの横柄な態度も鳴りを潜めて......ただ、上目遣いで彼を見上げるだけだった。
「ご、ごめん......そういえば僕の目は嫌いだったよね......」
「......っ、違うから! そ、そんな事ないから! ユウの馬鹿!」
我に返った彼が身体を離し、謝るけれど......その内容に照れ隠しなんかじゃなく、本心から強気な態度で叫ぶ。
そのままもう自分でもどうしたら良いのかさっぱり分からなくて......気が付けば私は彼を置き去りにして走り去ってしまった。
「わ、わたしっ......の、バカ!」
低身長で運動もあまり得意ではない私を捕まえる事なんて簡単なのに......彼は追い掛けては来なかった。
In the end, it's the usual Rena-san~"
"Haha, that's right."
After school, when all the classes were over, I muttered to myself as I stretched my arms high in the air, and Yuu, who was walking next to me, agreed with a wry smile.
class with me, was called by the teacher on the way to the school. So, it was just the two of us now.
...For some reason, my heartbeat is thumping loudly.
"--T, then..."
As soon as I became aware of my own rapid heartbeat, I felt embarrassed.
When I was attacked by the Red Crow, Yuu rushed to my aid, before winning the battle while brazenly holding me... Said image of Yuu suddenly popped into my head and wouldn't go away.
Even if I desperately tried to think of something else, I could only think of the guy who stood beside me.
"...Hey, Mai?"
Come to think of it, he also came to my rescue during the second official event when I was kidnapped by a strange child.
Although, halfway through, I got intimidated by Blossom and fled. I didn't get to see the end, but wasn't he there for me, as well?
Dance!"
"Ahyuu--!?"
Suddenly, Yuu grabbed my shoulders with all his might. As a result, I jumped in shock.
"W, what are you doing all of a sudden!?"
"Eeh... Nothing. It's just, Mai went quiet all of the sudden."
"T, that's because--more importantly! You aren't supposed to touch a girl's body without permission!"
"I, I'm sorry..."
No, I'm the one at fault. So why is Yuu apologizing? Isn't this the same as usual?
"...Wrong."
"Eh? S, sorry?"
"Ah, no, it isn't like that..."
Upon seeing Yuu apologizing once again, a sharp pain ran through my chest.
Even though a tsundere and violent heroine isn't popular.
"I, I'm the one who should be apologizing. S, sorry, I was daydreaming..."
Looking at Yuu, who was so shaken that he was checking his surroundings, I gritted my teeth.
Considering my usual behavior, which was to rely on Yuu when anything happened, I realized that I had mostly been unkind to him.
"W, what I'm trying to say is--! I, I feel bad... for how I usually act..."
Ugh, what the hell am I doing!?
Why am I muttering a bunch of nonsenses on the way from school!?
Then, let's act like usual--no, like I said, that's no good--!
"...Hey, Mai-san?"
I accidentally bit my tongue...!
"...Could it be, are you upset about what happened last time?"
"...? What are you talking about...?"
What is he saying? Did I do something to Yuu?
Hmm, there were so many things I could think of, to the point that I couldn't determine which was which. It was akin to buying something at the cake shop in front of the station, really.
...I really didn't know what Yuu was concerned about.
"After all, I did adamantly refuse to play with you back then."
"O, oh... so, it's about that..."
Apparently, he was concerned about the time when the Red Crow went berserk... As a result, when he saw me behaving unusually, he thought that I might be upset...
I understood that he did it to keep me safe.
"I don't care about that."
"...Then, why did you refuse to look at me?"
For some reason, when Yuu appealed with a slightly sad tone, my chest constricted. I had thought of changing my attitude just now, but this might be my limit.
I didn't know why, but I just couldn't stare at Yuu's face. Whenever I attempted to do so, I found myself averting my gaze.
Every time Yuu moved, I'd shift my face in the opposite direction--
"...But aren't you the one looking towards the opposite direction?"
Because Yuu stood in my way, I couldn't walk forward.
"W, well, that's right, but..."
"Then, if you don't face forward, it's no good, right?"
Why is Yuu so mean today!? Just what did I do to him!?
"D, don't be mean to me..."
"...Isn't Mai the one who's being mean to me? Why are you avoiding me? As I thought, is it due to the past allegations?"
"N, no...!"
That wasn't true at all. In fact, I was truly grateful towards him. Then, as if I was driven by own thoughts, I faced forward--
"--Look into my eyes."
My childhood friend held both my cheeks and peered into my eyes.
...My crush was staring straight at me. To be stared at by those mysterious eyes, I couldn't stand it at all. As I began to get flustered, my body lost all of its strength.
For me, the experience of being forcibly held by my taller childhood friend as he stared into my eyes was too intense--soon, tears began to overflow from the corners of my eyes.
Trying to conceal my embarrassment, all I could do was to cover my mouth with the back of my hand.
Due to not having any strength in my body, I couldn't hide my embarrassed expression. For some reason, I couldn't act haughtily, either. In the end, I found myself staring back at him.
"I, I'm sorry... Come to think of it, you didn't like my eyes..."
"...I, it's isn't like that at all, you idiot--!"
When he came back to his sense, Yuu let go of me and apologized. But instead of hiding my embarrassment, I shouted--
Thus, I left him behind and ran away.
"I, I'm such an idiot...!"
It'd be easy to catch me, who was short and wasn't very good at sports, but Yuu didn't come after me.
Genocide Online ~Playtime Diary of an Evil Young Girl~
ジェノサイド・オンライン 〜極悪令嬢のプレイ日記〜
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/genocide-online-playtime-diary-of-an-evil-young-girl/
Action Adventure Fantasy Psychological
Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Assassins Beautiful Female Lead Cold Protagonist Cruel Characters Dark Depictions of Cruelty Evil Organizations Evil Protagonist Famous Protagonist Fearless Protagonist Female Protagonist Gamers Gods Gore Lack of Common Sense Level System MMORPG Modern Day Murders Overpowered Protagonist Psychopaths R-15 Royalty Ruthless Protagonist Sadistic Characters Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Wars
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7796fc/
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