Side Story 2: Red Monologue Sequal

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

---

　I was a slacker, and I enrolled at Tenkain Academy.

　Despite being mentally damaged, I acted like an idol on the surface.

　I found myself chosen as a goddess. Tenkain Academy’s god system is well known. I never thought I would be chosen. This year, it seemed to be a close race, and other goddesses were chosen in addition to me. To be honest, I was not interested in the position of goddess.

　But I was interested in other goddesses.

　I originally disliked Umi Aoyama. She was the one with whom Sho-chan always played, and I was jealous of her many times. I wasn’t good at sports, so I just watched Sho-chan and her running around in silence.

　Tsukiyo Kuromine was plain until the middle of junior high school, but now she was quite conspicuous. I wanted to ask about the rumors that circulated during middle school. Although that rumor disappeared before I knew it, Sho-chan suffered because of it.

　I don’t know about Mayuki Shirase. The only thing I know about her is that she is a young lady who came from Himemiya Jogakuin. She was petite, had a childish face, and looked like a Lolita.

　The male god was, as expected, Renji-kun.

　For the first time, a divine meeting was held. While we were discussing future plans and the schedule of events, Renji-kun told me the truth.

“…………. I knew he couldn’t do it. In the letter, he wrote that he didn’t want to make it important and that he didn’t want revenge, but now that we’re face to face, I can’t take it anymore. I’m sorry, Shota.”

　After murmuring this, he told us what had happened to Sho-chan with a look of anger on his face.

　Umi Aoyama, who was Sho-chan’s best friend, had ignored him, talked bad about him, and even pushed him down the stairs and seriously injured him.

　Tsukiyo Kuromine turned Sho-chan, who protected her, into a criminal. And she used the incident to make herself a friend by inviting the sympathy of those around her.

　Mayuki Shirase dumped Sho-chan like garbage by dating another handsome guy right after they started dating. He was weak at heart and tore Sho-chan to pieces.

　And then–

“Yuuhi, you hurt him by spreading the lie that Shota was stalking you. You were the closest to him, but you betrayed him.”

　I silently accepted Renji-kun’s words.

　I myself did not spread the rumor, nor did I admit him being a stalker. I could have refuted it, but I didn’t. It is true that I hurt him. And I also used Renji-kun for my own pleasure.

　Apparently, Renji-kun had received a letter from Sho-chan. It described the treatment he had received, and at the end of the letter, it seems he wrote that he did not want to make this one big deal out of it and did not want revenge. He probably thought that if the problem became bigger, it would cause trouble for his mother, Yurie-san.

　When Renji received this letter, he had been holding back until then, but now that everyone was together like this, he broke down.

　Renji-kun was trembling with regret, anger, and sadness.

　He was his best friend, but he didn’t know what had been done to Sho-chan. Renji-kun was busy with club activities and was also the student body president in junior high school. He was not able to communicate much with Sho-chan, who did not have a cell phone.

　After that rumor started, he understood Sho-chan’s concern and avoided contact with him at school. He blurted out that he couldn’t see him even when he headed home, and that he was frustrated by the situation he couldn’t do anything about.

　It was chaos in my heart when I found out everything.

　However, it was clear to me that I had recognized the “enemy.”

　These people did not argue with Renji when he was furious. That meant it was true. Yes, those demons had destroyed Sho-chan.

　I was on fire when I recognized the enemy to be defeated in the school. I didn’t like the fact that these demons were called goddesses. I probably didn’t deserve that title either, but I didn’t want to be defeated by those people.

　I spent my first year of high school with a variety of emotions in my heart.

　The season was about to start the next spring.

　One day, I bumped into Yurie-san again. Yurie-san moved out not long after Sho-chan transferred to a new school.

　She told me she needed to talk to me, so we went into a neighborhood café.

“I’m getting remarried.”

“C-congratulations.”

　I was prepared to be stuffed and beaten, but what I was told was that she was talking about remarrying.

　Yurie then told me her story so far.

　Yurie had regrets.

　Having raised Sho by herself, Yurie-san was always away from home for work. She was always away from home for work. She said in tears that she did not give Sho-chan much time for him.

　Every time I heard about her hardships, my heart ached.

“—-Shota is coming back in Spring.”

　My heart jumped.

“It’s just that he says he has been reborn now”

“Eh?”

　She said that Sho-chan would leave the past behind him along with his name.

　There were many painful events in this community. Sho-chan’s heart must be full of despair, anger, and fear, as I can guess from Renji’s story.

“I know very well that Yuuhi-chan wants to apologize, but that boy is about to be reborn. I’ve actually met him, and he doesn’t look the same as he did back then.”

“…… yes.”

“So I want you to pretend you don’t notice until he tells you himself what he used to be.”

　For me it was a final punishment that was too heavy for me.

---

　Finally the day came.

　Yurie-san had told me that Sho-chan would be attending Tenkain. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that her new younger sister had enrolled in this school and that Renji, his best friend, was also a student there.

　It seems that academically, they are a perfect match. He used to be bad at studying, but he has become smart enough to come to Tenkain. It really seems like Sho-chan has been reborn.

　I should be happy, but it was complicated.

　The people who hurt Sho-chan, including me, are attending here.

“I am Shota Nijitani. I moved here from a small house in the countryside. I have been swallowed up by the atmosphere of the city school. Please be gentle with me.”

　His voice was bouncy, drowning out his anxiety.

　He had taken off his glasses. His hair had changed and looked fresh. He was taller than he had been back then.

　That was all. There was no way I could have mistaken Sho-chan for someone else.

　I remember Sho-chan’s appearance when he was not wearing glasses. I know the way he looked before he grew his hair long. There was no way he could fool my eyes when he grew taller.

　My feelings were quickly rising. I want to apologize for what happened, clear up the misunderstanding, and then tell him how much I like him.

　–But this is my punishment.

　The reborn Sho-chan is trying to hide his past. So I can’t apologize to Shota Mukawa. On the contrary, I have to pretend not to notice and treat Shota Nijitani-kun as if we were meeting for the first time.

　I want to apologize, but I can’t. I can’t say I love him even though I love him. I have to pretend that I don’t know him even though we have known each other since childhood.

“Nice to meet you, Nijitani.”

　I found my voice was coming out of my own mouth. Sho-chan, who was about to walk next to me, was startled by the voice.

“Nice to meet you.”

　I was so happy just to hear his voice back that I jumped up and down.

　Then the teacher asked me to show him around the school. Sho-chan had a very complicated look on his face. He was somewhat awkward when we talked, and he was fidgeting around while telling me false information about his life.

　Seeing this, I decided to keep my distance.

　However, something unplanned happened.

　For some reason, Sho-chan was getting along with Hazuki. He was talking normally with the person who had wronged him so much.

　Or rather, Hazuki was unaware of Sho-chan’s true identity?

　And Nazuka-kun didn’t seem to notice either. Perhaps Nazuka-kun knew Sho-chan since they had been in the same junior high school. But there was no particular reaction. If he had noticed, he would have told me and Hazuki.

　Am I the only one who realizes that Shota Mukawa = Shota Nijitani?

　Then the unexpected continued.

　After all that had been done to him, Sho-chan tried to reconcile me and Hazuki. To be honest, I still can’t completely forgive Hazuki-chan, but since it was Sho-chan, of all people, who interceded, I decided to forgive her.

　He really is too kind.

　His meddlesome figure was the very prince who saved me one day. I don’t want to give up on him after all.

　After we made up, I talked with Hazuki.

“Hey, Hazuki. Will you promise me one thing?”

“What?”

“If you see Sho-chan again, tell him everything and apologize sincerely.”

“….Yes. Understood”

　Then I treated Shota Nijitani-kun as a mere classmate.

　We slowly deepened our relationship, and I hope that someday he would forgive me.

　I had such naive thoughts.

　…… things suddenly changed.

　Those demons approached Shota.

　The first time I saw Blue suddenly enter the classroom and call out to Sho-chan, I had the urge to kill her. After that, they apparently got into a relationship where they played games together.

　It still pisses me off.

　It was complicated when the rumors of daddy’s love and dating started to appear in black. I saw Sho-chan’s face and it hit me. I don’t know what’s going on, but Sho-chan knows something about Black rumor. He knows, but he wasn’t sure what to do about it. So I advised him, but he meddled again.

“Nijitani-kun, you really are meddlesome, you know that?”

　I was happy to say that. You would even reach your hands out for a demon. I really love that about him.

　But then, when rumors started to circulate that Black and Sho-chan were dating, my reason overstepped its bounds. I was about to assault Black, even if I could have been arrested. The relief when it turned out to be a lie was tremendous.

　And finally, White. When she brought him into the conference room, I almost had my hand out until she said he was a friend. To begin with, this girl was unforgivable when she and Sho-chan became lovers, even if only for a moment.

I could see that Sho-chan’s complexion gradually clouded over after he got involved with those people. It is likely that he is experiencing a resurgence of past trauma. The gentle Sho-chan is a prime target for those demons. If he just stood there and watched, they would destroy him.

　The only saving grace is that those demons don’t connect [Shota Mukawa = Shota Nijitani].

　If they were aware of it, they would have taken action. They are the worst kind of scum.

　After the contest, we went to the karaoke bar.

　I had been worrying about it for a long time.

　How can I protect Sho-chan?

　Would it be okay if we were just classmates?

　I thought desperately. And then I saw Sho-chan staring sadly at the graduation album.

“….I have decided”

　In the karaoke box, I made up my mind.

---

“Okay, that’s perfect.”

　I check my fashionable appearance in front of the mirror. There stood the idol. My red hair, which I am now proud to call my charm point, was flowing in the wind.

　I have made up my mind.

　I would continue to accept the punishment as it was. I would never tell Sho-chan that I am aware of it. But I can’t give up on Sho-chan, who I love, so I’m going to press on aggressively. I know I’m at a disadvantage because of the past, but I’m going to push him around and make him fall in love with me.

　I came up with a stupid conclusion.

　But that was the only thing I could think of.

　To protect Sho-chan from the hands of the devil, I would make him fall in love with me and become my boyfriend. Then those demons would not be able to touch him. I would tell them to stay away from my boyfriend and kick them to the curb.

　And if possible, I would like him to tell me who he really is someday.

　There is much to be done.

　I will not let those demons realize that [Shota Mukawa = Shota Nijitani]. I have to keep pretending that I don’t notice Sho-chan. On top of that, I have to make him like me.

　I know it’s difficult.

　But I will definitely accomplish it.

　The summer of my second year in high school, the summer of competition, begins.

---