Part-2 Ch-09 Ep-01

"Okay, then let us begin the sports festival reflection meeting. Thank you for your cooperation." 

In the empty classroom, with the sports committee representatives from each class gathered before him, Godaiin-kun raised his voice to open the meeting. As I responded, everyone lowered their gaze to the handout in their hands.

One week had passed since the sports festival had concluded, and today this reflection meeting was being held as part of the committee assembly.

Although it was called a reflection meeting, in reality it was little more than a report and appreciation session along the lines of, "The event ended safely. Good work, everyone."

Due to school formalities, a review must be conducted after every event without exception. That obligation was the sole reason this meeting had been convened.

From the perspective of someone who was merely a single student, I felt absolutely no interest in an event that had already ended.

I watched absentmindedly as Godaiin-kun and the other student council members carried the meeting forward.

On the day of the sports festival, I began dating my childhood friend, Ichinose Maki.

For someone like me, who had lived with the sole purpose of prioritizing Maki’s happiness, this was an enormously significant decision.

Until then, I had believed that the correct and ideal path to Maki’s happiness was for her to be united with one of the capture targets, such as Koga-in-kun or Kagami-kun.

The term "capture targets" referred to the romantic routes in the classic otome game Sakura no Chikai: Kimi to Tsumugu Watashitachi no Monogatari.

I believed that I had been reincarnated into the world of this game, and I had always regarded Maki as its heroine.

Because of that belief, I had devoted myself to ensuring that Maki would end up together with one of the capture targets.

Up until now, five capture targets had appeared.

Kagami Shin-kun, Todoroki Tsuyoshi-kun, Asahina Yuu-kun, Ranjishi Takahito-kun, and the one standing before me now, Godaiin Takumi-kun.

Kagami-kun showed interest in Maki shortly after enrollment, but before long, his position shifted into something closer to that of a guardian.

Todoroki-kun was interested solely in Maki’s muscles.

Asahina-kun was already dating Seishuku Kokoa-san from our class.

Ranjishi-kun had recently developed a very good atmosphere with a girl from his class, and it seemed only a matter of time before they officially began dating.

Strangely enough, Maki’s relationship with any of the capture targets had not progressed at all.

Amid all of this, the one who appeared was Godaiin-kun.

His honest nature led him to fall for Maki naturally. He fell in love, approached her sincerely, and expressed his feelings with honesty and straightforwardness.

I could also sense that the clear boundary Maki usually maintained toward others had softened when it came to Godaiin-kun.

Seeing everything finally begin to align, I should have been happy.

And yet, I was not.

In truth, I was so heartbroken that I felt like crying. Around that time, my relationship with Maki had also grown awkward, which made things even more painful.

"This time, there were no major accidents."

Godaiin-kun’s voice was calm and carried clearly throughout the room.

I stared intently at his dignified figure as he continued to lead the meeting.

Although he appeared gentle at first glance, there was an undeniable strength at his core.

To be honest, I thought he was a completely flawless partner for Maki.

Flawless, and yet, the reason I could not bring myself to give Maki to him was because something inside me had changed.

I had fallen in love with Maki.

I realized it only recently, but I think I had probably loved her for a very long time, ever since far in the past.

The person who had watched her most closely since childhood was me, and the person who had done everything possible for her was also me.

At some point, I began to feel that a world without Maki was unnecessary. Her existence had grown far too large within me.

It was around that time that Seishuku-san told me, "Just because things proceed according to the game does not necessarily mean it will lead to Ichinose-san’s happiness."

This world was one created by imitating the game’s setting. Even if it diverged from the original story, that was fine.

It was acceptable to live freely.

And the choice I made was to take responsibility for Maki’s happiness myself.

That was the first time I made a decision entirely on my own: that Maki and I would become happy together.

That said, since this world was still modeled after the game, flags with the capture targets were inevitably easy to trigger.

From now on, I would have to focus on avoiding those flags. It troubled me that I now had to do the complete opposite of what I had done until now.

Especially when it came to Godaiin-kun and any capture targets who might appear in the future, I felt the need to remain vigilant and steel my resolve.

Although, to be honest, I had already made contact with them.

"Then, this concludes the committee meeting. Thank you all for your hard work today as well."

While I was lost in thought, the meeting came to an end.

Not a single word of it had registered in my mind.

The handout that had been distributed remained completely blank, just as it had been at the start.

"Please make sure not to drop eraser shavings on the floor. Throw them in the trash can, okay," I heard the student council officers calling out, but I paid them no attention as I stood up.

Holding my writing utensils and the handout, I turned around to return to my classroom.

That was when it happened.

"Um, umm. Nagase-senpai."

"Yes?"

Before I realized it, I was completely surrounded by a circle of first-year girls.

"...Yes?"

It seemed I would not be returning to my classroom anytime soon.