Part-1 Ch-04 Ep-01
25
Entries
It’s Not Like I’m Into That Kind of Thing
2026
While enduring the unavoidable heat, I was eagerly eating the ice cream I had just bought in front of the convenience store.
Together with Kagami-kun.
The reason I was with him was simple: in the game’s setting, Maki and Kagami-kun are next-door neighbors.
That means I, who am childhood friends with Maki and also live next door, naturally end up sharing roughly the same neighborhood as him.
You understand, right?
And so, when I went to the convenience store to buy ice cream, I happened to run into him.
Then, we ended up casually chatting and eating our ice cream together in front of the store.
That is all there is to it.
"If that girl saw this scene, I feel like I'd get done in."
"Huh, by who?"
Is Kagami-kun being targeted for assassination by someone?
There shouldn’t have been such an extreme setup in this all-ages, standard otome-game world.
Seeing him fidget slightly while thinking about someone who wasn’t here made me a little uneasy.
Well, in the few months since enrolling, I’ve come to understand that he’s exceptionally considerate, so perhaps he notices things I don’t. It would be nice if I had something that could help soothe him in the future.
"Oh, by the way."
"What is it?"
"I was talking with Maki about going to the aquarium next time. How about you come too, Kagami-kun?"
"Oh! That sounds good!"
His face instantly brightened into a delighted smile, and I found myself feeling genuinely happy as well.
For me, it was killing two birds with one stone—supporting an event between the heroine and the capture target.
Originally, the summer-vacation aquarium event in the game is one where, after reaching a certain affection level, the capture target invites Maki.
"No, but wait...? Wasn’t that originally something planned for just the two of you?"
"Yeah, but I think Maki wouldn’t mind if it was you, Kagami-kun."
"Hmmm… Nah, I’ll pass. You two go and enjoy yourselves. I’ll invite the guys from class or Todoroki-kun on a day when there are no club activities and go then."
"Huh? Why? Wouldn’t it be the same if we all went together?"
"It’s fine! I wanna go with Todoroki-kun and them!"
"Then should we do it on a day when Todoroki-kun also has no club activities?"
Even so, Kagami-kun stubbornly refused to agree, which made a question rise in my mind.
Normally he would have readily said yes after two exchanges.
According to him, “planning it from the start as everyone going together, and me joining afterward when you two had originally planned a trip for just the two of you, have different implications.”
"Isn’t that just playing with words…?"
"You’re really smart, but you don’t understand these delicate maiden-heart kinds of things, huh…"
He looked at me with eyes tinged faintly with pity.
Maiden heart.
A maiden heart refers to those subtle feelings of a girl in love.
"In other words, Kagami-kun wants to be alone with Todoroki-kun…?"
When I said that, he chopped the top of my head with his hand. Violence against girls is unacceptable.
"Ow, that hurt…"
"I’m sorry too, but you’re also at fault."
"I actually kind of like that part of your personality, Kagami-kun, where you properly acknowledge your own faults."
"Please stop using words like ‘like’ so carelessly in places where people might misunderstand. It shortens my lifespan."
"Huh, so there is something with Todoroki-kun… ah, with the guys in class…?"
"That’s why I’m telling you to stop making those extreme assumptions where, if there’s no girl involved, you jump straight to that!"
I received his half-serious scolding.
I’m sorry. I sincerely apologize.
Well, he is a capture target, so I was simply curious, but in the first place, it doesn’t really matter to me what his romantic preferences are.
"Sorry. When it comes to you, Kagami-kun, I end up thinking of Maki, so I thought I should confirm."
"You’ve stopped hiding that scheme of yours to pair us up, even right in front of me."
"I’m bad at keeping secrets."
Kagami-kun gave a troubled laugh, saying, "You really are just a runaway train, aren’t you," but then offered a bit of advice: "But Nagase, you should pay more proper attention to Ichinose’s behavior."
Maki’s behavior… meaning.
A question that had been lingering in my mind floated to the surface.
"I wonder if Maki has someone she likes."
"…That’s precisely the sort of thing you should talk about directly with her."
He was probably being kind when he shifted the topic toward making summer-vacation plans.
He’s considerate, kind, perceptive—honestly, he’s a genuinely good catch.
But the more I interact with him as a real person, the ruder it feels to think of him merely as a “capture character with good specs.”
Even though this is inside a game, this reality is still reality.
Lately, ever since entering high school and interacting with everyone, I’ve begun to feel that very strongly.
Because there are many story flows unfolding that go far beyond the main storyline.
Well, that’s also because I’ve been handling all sorts of events with the heroine that the capture targets were originally supposed to take part in.
"See ya."
After tossing around some ideas for hangouts and agreeing that each of us would invite Maki or Todoroki-kun, I waved goodbye to Kagami-kun and went my separate way.
The walk home was as unbearably hot as ever, and I found myself wanting ice cream again.
~~~End~~~