Chapter 17: An idol with a very strange sense of distance

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Translator: Soafp

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I always thought she looked familiar.

Rira Nakazato and Tojo Rira… not only did they look almost identical, but even their voices were the same, and that had always bothered me.

But still, I never imagined they could actually be the same person.

A famous idol who appears on TV and even graces magazine covers being my classmate? That's the kind of thing you'd never believe, no matter how much they look alike.

“From the look on your face, I really surprised you, huh?”

“…Well, yeah.”

That's why, now that I know the girl sitting in front of me—Nakazato—is actually Tojo Rira, I can't help but feel both a sense of understanding and a shock that's too big to measure.

“Actually… I kinda had a feeling. The hair and eye colors were different, but your face and voice were exactly the same. I mean, I saw you up close when I helped you, but even so… who'd ever think a top idol would be my classmate?”

“That's true, huh? But this is reality. The truth is, the idol Tojo Rira… is actually your classmate, Rira Nakazato~♪”

“……………”

She winked playfully, her expression so full of charm that I could see exactly why she was popular as an idol.

“Hey, Nakazato… is it okay if I call you that?”

“You can call me Rira if you want.”

“Nakazato's fine… but, how do people not notice?”

“Notice what?”

Aside from the different hair and eye colors, she's basically the same person.

And yet, nobody at school has figured it out. Everyone knows Tojo Rira is a seventeen-year-old high school student, but her school's never been revealed anywhere.

When I said that, Nakazato tilted her head thoughtfully.

“Yeah, it's weird that no one's noticed. Maybe people just can't connect my usual self with my idol self?”

“Really? To be honest, whether it's the Nakazato I see at school or Tojo Rira on TV, they're both equally beautiful to me.”

“…Ahaha, thanks♪”

…Ugh, saying that out loud made me feel embarrassed.

Nakazato blushed slightly and smiled shyly—idol or not, she was genuinely stunning.

And whoever said she was only the second most beautiful girl in class? I'd really like to have a word with them.

“But, there might be a reason. I once appeared on a livestreaming show on a weekday afternoon.”

“Yeah?”

“Beforehand, we recorded a fake ‘live' video and planted fake comments, so it looked like I was streaming in real time. That might've helped keep my identity hidden.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yep, but you can't tell anyone, okay?”

“I won't!”

I immediately denied it, and she chuckled softly.

Even without her warning me, I'd never tell anyone. In fact, I admired how she'd gone that far to avoid being exposed.

“I'm not, like, a diehard Tojo Rira fan, but I do know you're doing great. So I'd never do anything to cause trouble for a classmate who's working so hard.”

“Kamiki-kun…”

She reached out, placing her hand over mine on the table and gently squeezing it. My heart skipped a beat.

“Kamiki-kun, you really say the nicest things. Why are you so kind?”

“Uh… I don't know, I just say what I think, I guess.”

Honestly, even I was surprised by how I talked these days.

Ever since I helped Aizawa, I've caught myself saying thoughtful things I didn't know I could say.

It's not like I'm reading from a script or hearing someone tell me what to say—it just comes out naturally.

“I almost forgot why I came here in the first place. Talking with you has been so fun that I lost track of it. Anyway, thank you again. If you hadn't helped me that time… I don't know what would've happened.”

Now that she mentioned it, I remembered too.

“Got it. I'll accept your thanks.”

“Yeah.”

“I was actually worried about you. Even if I managed to help, something like that could've been traumatic, you know? It wouldn't be strange if that fear stuck with you forever… But seeing you smiling on TV and social media made me feel relieved. You're not forcing yourself, right?”

“Not at all. It was scary, sure, but I'm fine now. Because a real hero came to save me that day.”

Her grip on my hand tightened again.

She smiled brightly, her red eyes shining as she looked straight at me.

Her usual blue eyes were beautiful too, but these red ones… they were mesmerizing.

“I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me a hero, though… ahaha.”

“Why not? You totally deserve it~”

“I'm really not used to it… It's not like I was trying to be a hero, or expecting something in return. I just acted out of pure NTR hatred, that's all.”

She clearly understood what NTR meant, so there was no need to hide it.

Lately, both Aizawa and Nakazato had been easy to talk to, so I knew she'd take it lightly.

But her response went far beyond anything I expected.

“NTR, huh… maybe that fits what happened back then, but it doesn't matter anymore. I broke up with that shitty boyfriend.”

“…What?”

She broke up…?

If Tojo Rira had a boyfriend, that meant Rira Nakazato did too. And now they weren't together? That shocked me even more.

Especially since she called him a “shitty boyfriend.” What the hell happened?

“Yeah, he was trash. I mean, I was the one who agreed to date him, so I guess my taste in men was the real problem.”

“…………”

“To be honest, my ex was part of that whole thing. Turns out he was into… netorase.”

“Netorase…?”

Netorase—so, the reverse of NTR? I knew what it meant.

Basically, letting your partner get taken by someone else for pleasure. I'd read about that kind of messed-up fetish before.

“I know about NTR, and yeah, I've read some erotic manga here and there, so I get what netorase is too.”

“Ah, right.”

“But knowing that, imagine how I felt when I realized my own boyfriend had that fetish in real life. I completely lost it.”

“…Yeah, I can't blame you.”

That's not just gross—it's betrayal on another level.

He set her up to be defiled like that? No way in hell that's forgivable.

I couldn't even begin to understand how someone could enjoy seeing their girlfriend in that situation.

“That guy's… trash.”

“Yup, total garbage. I told him that straight to his face.”

Nakazato smiled boldly as she said it.

Her hand was still on mine, and before I knew it, I was holding hers a little tighter too.

“Anyway, it was a double dose of awful, but I'm over it now. Honestly, I've already forgotten about it!”

“…That's good. Just forget it all.”

“Yeah♪ I'll fill my mind with happy memories instead.”

Seeing her that cheerful made me feel relieved for real.

“Oh, by the way, the only person at school who knows I'm Tojo Rira is Runa.”

“Huh… I thought you two weren't super close.”

“We're kinda like childhood friends.”

“I see.”

Leaving the incident behind for a moment, Nakazato told me about Aizawa.

They weren't just good friends—they had a deeper bond than I realized.

“I think I like sitting next to you better than across from you. Mind if I move?”

“Wh—wait a sec…”

Nakazato slid over from across the table and sat right beside me, pressing her body lightly against mine as she continued chatting.

“So anyway, about Runa—”

She started talking about her memories with Aizawa, but with her body leaning so close, the soft pressure against my arm made it impossible to focus.

My whole body felt like it was heating up, but I forced myself not to show it… this was heaven and hell at the same time!!

“…Kamiki-kun and Rira?”