Chapter 35: The Reason I Move for You

I looked at Aya with a desperate expression.

That said, I couldn’t reveal all my secrets.

That you are characters in a novel, and I am a person who has been transmigrated into that world as a mob.

In this realistic world, who would believe such a thing?

But…

Was it because I hid my secrets and wasn’t honest enough?

Even with my pathetic voice, Aya’s eyes were still wavering, unable to be sure.

Aya just looked at me silently, without saying a word.

Not the usual sharp words, nor the playful jokes that have increased lately.

This… was Aya’s face when she was seriously worried.

‘…Why?’

I thought to myself.

And, I realized.

‘Ah…’

The actions I’ve taken so far.

Predicting the problems I knew from the novel in advance, and acting accordingly.

All, all… were actually things Aya should have done.

I was taking away Aya’s role.

“I’m sorry… please believe me, Aya.”

I begged Aya once again.

“I really don’t want to be vice president or anything. It’s not about that, I just…”

I took a quiet breath and continued.

“I really… just don’t want to see Aya struggling. I won’t take action first again. I didn’t know you would hate it because of my actions.”

“……”

At that moment, Aya’s lips moved slightly.

But no words came out of Aya’s lips.

Instead,

Aya quietly pierced me with her deep, unfathomable blue eyes.

That gaze felt like needles pricking my heart.

It was the moment I was nervous about what to say.

“…If you say that, it makes me look like a bad person.”

Aya let out a small sigh.

Then, she smiled slowly.

“Okay. I’ll believe you.”

“Re… really?”

I reflexively asked back.

Aya nodded.

“Because Rina is doing so well these days… I started to think that way.”

“Ugh… I really wanted to help.”

My eyes became hot, and my vision blurred.

Wait, me?

Even if the outside has changed, the inside is still a man?

I thought that I was strangely swayed by emotions after becoming Rina…

I didn’t know that tears would come out so easily.

Seeing me like that, Aya laughed softly.

“Then, shall we go together to meet my sister?”

“Eh…?”

I paused for a moment.

Didn’t Aya… hate meeting her sister?

Rina looked at Aya and shed tears.

Aya looked at Rina…

And felt a little, just a little bit relieved.

‘Yeah… Rina isn’t someone who’s greedy for the vice presidency.’

But at the same time…

Doubt bloomed in one corner of her heart.

‘Is she really not greedy? The actions she’s taking now…’

If things continue like this, all the credit for the spring festival will go to Rina.

Aya hated that. Aya always had to shine in this academy, and always had to be ahead.

She hated to be overtaken by Rina, who was just a cute and harmless friend.

But, she also felt strangely relieved.

She was wary of being overtaken, but she thought that Rina wouldn’t have such an intention.

Kurosawa Rina.

The girl she met at the beginning of the semester had become like a small animal in Aya’s heart.

It was strangely lovely that such a fragile being was struggling for her.

However.

Is this love really the emotion of love?

Or is it a terrible jealousy felt towards a competitor?

Aya couldn’t pinpoint her own feelings, and just smiled faintly and said.

“Then, shall we go together to meet my sister?”

At Aya’s words, Rina looked momentarily flustered.

As always, she had a face that couldn’t hide her emotions.

“Eh…?”

Seeing her flustered face, Rina was indeed Rina.

Aya felt a strange urge to play a small prank.

Aya slowly approached Rina.

“Rina said it herself. That you want to help me because you’re worried I’ll struggle.”

“Ah, th, that’s true…!”

Rina waved her hands and made excuses.

Aya continued to approach Rina.

Rina kept backing away to maintain some distance.

Then, a ‘thud’ sound came from behind Rina.

Rina’s back had touched the hallway wall.

And Aya…

Blocked both sides of Rina with her arms, making it impossible to escape.

“Ah, Aya…?”

Rina looked as if her heart had dropped for a moment.

Rina’s big eyes shook, and her cheeks gradually turned red.

‘This posture, it’s a wall slam?!’

Rina reflexively turned her head.

Whatever Rina was thinking inside, Aya continued to stare at Rina.

With those deep blue eyes, calmly.

Because Aya was completely unaware of this posture.

But, Rina wasn’t.

The moment she realized she was trapped between the wall and Aya… Rina’s shoulders twitched slightly.

“S, so, Aya, this…!”

Rina hesitated slightly and raised her hands, but Aya didn’t budge.

“So, you have to help me until the end, right?”

Aya’s voice was still calm,

But Rina’s mind seemed to have gone blank.

After hesitating for a moment, Rina finally nodded slightly.

“…Yes. Of course.”

Hearing that answer, Aya smiled slightly as if satisfied.

‘…Yeah, I knew Rina would say that.’

However.

‘Does this child need to go this far for me?’

That thought crossed her mind.

Aya could have solved the night market related problems on her own.

She always had, and she always will.

So…

Rina doesn’t need to help.

“Really, Rina is such a fool.”

Aya muttered softly.

“…Huh?”

Rina looked up at Aya with a surprised look.

“Why are you trying to help me so much?”

Rina looked at Aya, her lips slightly parted.

And slowly, she uttered one sentence.

“…Because I don’t want to see Aya struggle.”

At that repeated sentence, Aya couldn’t say anything for a moment.

Aya’s blue eyes shook subtly.

‘Because I don’t want to see Aya struggle.’

Is that really all there is to it?

Is she really not thinking about running for vice president?

Why was Rina, who was always so passive, why?

Suddenly, like this, is she moving for me?

Aya looked straight at Rina.

If you’re lying, tell me now.

However.

Rina kept her lips tightly shut, and her eyes looked as if she wanted to run away.

Nevertheless, Aya pushed Rina.

“Really, Rina, you really don’t want to see me struggle?”

“Yes, really. Really.”

Hearing that answer, a corner of Aya’s heart strangely ached.

At that moment, Aya realized.

Rina was someone Aya couldn’t understand.

Aya doesn’t understand altruistic people.

Aya is kind because there is always a corresponding benefit.

The respect that comes from them.

Becoming someone untouchable in the academy.

Everyone following, trusting, and needing me.

Aya has been kind for that purpose.

But Rina?

Even though Aya didn’t give her anything, Rina continued to be by her side.

Without expecting anything in return.

‘Because I don’t want to see Aya struggle.’

For that simple reason, Rina moved.

But the feelings hidden behind Rina’s altruism…

Were still a type of emotion Aya couldn’t understand.

…Is that why?

She felt foolish for not being able to understand it.

It was the first time she had ever felt this emotion.

She never had time to feel this kind of emotion.

That emotion made Aya a little, just a little bit uneasy.

‘Is that really all there is to it?’

Aya thought that such Rina.

Was foolish, but she couldn’t hate her.

Because…

“Aya…”

“Yes.”

“I’m starting to get scared…”

“Ah, I see.”

To corner someone who is trying to help you.

That’s something you shouldn’t do.

Somehow, I was walking with Aya.

The sun had set long ago, so the sunset was no longer visible.

And… Mizuki parted ways with us at the fork in the road earlier.

So.

Now… I… am going to Aya’s house.

“Is it really okay for me to go?”

“Yes. Let’s say we’re going to study.”

“Study… I do need to study.”

Honestly, as a former examinee, I was curious about Yukikawa Aya’s study method, who is one of the top students in Japan.

How does Aya maintain such perfect grades, is there a special secret?

But, more than that, right now…

I felt more awkward being in this incredibly rich neighborhood.

I walked a little further along the main street, not the alleyways I usually walk in Oizumi.

And finally, the Yukikawa family’s mansion came into view.

It was a modern mansion, but it had an imposing presence reminiscent of a castle.

The garden was neatly arranged without any clutter, and a high fence was built with a sophisticated design.

But because of its overwhelming size and perfect balance, it somehow gave the impression of a place that was ‘not easy to enter’.

I stopped for a moment and looked up at the mansion.

“……Wow.”

Admiration came out of my mouth without me realizing it.

Aya walked naturally to the front of the door as if it were nothing.

It’s a very familiar house to Aya, but to me, it was literally another world.

‘So Aya grew up in a place like this…’

I realized that fact again and hesitated for no reason.

I wondered if it was okay for a commoner like me to enter such a place.

“Rina, are you okay?”

Aya looked back at me from the front of the door.

I came to my senses at Aya’s call, and quickly followed her into the mansion.