Chapter 8: On the rooftop with Aizawa and Nakazato

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Translator: Soafp

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[Aizawa PoV]

When I got that call, I immediately started to worry.

“This might show up in the news soon, but… I was almost gang-r****.”

The one who told me that, with a faint tone of seriousness in her voice, was my best friend, Rira.

If someone asked me who I, Runa Aizawa, was closest to and trusted the most, I would say her without hesitation.

“Are you okay!? I'm so shocked right now, but from how you sound, nothing actually happened, right?”

“Y-yeah… It was really close, but someone saved me just in time.”

“I see…”

Rira calling me while I was relaxing in my room wasn't unusual.

But I definitely wasn't expecting her to talk about almost being r***d… Still, hearing that made me remember what nearly happened to me a few days ago, and my body trembled.

“I really didn't think it would happen to me… I've calmed down now, but back then I was terrified. I couldn't understand how scary it was when you told me what almost happened to you before, but now I get it.”

“Yeah… but I'm glad you're safe. Honestly, I want to go to your place right now and see with my own eyes that you're okay.”

“Fufu♪ You're gonna comfort me with your big b**bs, Runa?”

“Yours are bigger than mine… but if my best friend wants that, then sure, I'll do it.”

“Thanks… you really are so kind, Runa.”

I don't need a reason to comfort my best friend.

When I was almost attacked because of an old grudge back in middle school, she was the one who comforted me — so this is just me returning the favor.

“I love you both as my best friend, Rira, and as the idol, Rira.”

“Runa…”

My best friend also has another face — that of the idol, Tojo Rira.

I'm the only one who knows that secret. Even now, I can't believe no one has noticed that she's the same person, just changing her eye and hair color — and she seems to enjoy the thrill of it.

She also has a boyfriend, just like me… or so I thought, until she said something that made me doubt my ears.

“He… my boyfriend, he was basically behind the whole thing.”

“What?”

“He knew what the manager wanted to do and just let it happen. He said he wanted to see the moment I got defiled. He told me he has a ‘NTR’ fetish. Can you imagine the look on my face when I heard that?”

“NTR… meaning he wanted to have his own girlfriend violated by other men?”

“That's right — I kicked him in the crotch on the spot, and the police had to stop me. Apparently, I had the scariest blank expression ever.”

Of course she did… but I couldn't believe it — that there are actually people who want to see the person they love being violated.

“You've talked about him before… did you really love him?”

“He said his feelings were real… but in the end, he chose his desires over me. He even said that he wanted to comfort me afterward once I'd been hurt.”

“……………”

“There's no way to describe that, right? But I just tell myself it was my fault for not seeing through him. Otherwise, I'd die of shame for falling for someone with a fetish like that.”

“I… I don't even know what to say.”

It felt like I had just peeked into a world I wasn't meant to see. I had no idea what words to use.

But there was one thing I couldn't help but wonder.

After going through something so awful, and learning that the man she trusted had such disgusting thoughts… how could she still sound so cheerful?

“I know it might sound strange, but… you seem really energetic.”

“Oh, you wanna ask about that!? You're really asking!?”

“……………”

“Okay, okay, I'll tell you! The truth is—”

And then she told me.

She told me that the person who saved her had completely stolen her heart. That ever since that moment, she couldn't think about any other man.

Her excitement was a little scary, but I was relieved to see her finding something new to hold on to instead of sinking into despair.

And more than anything, I envied how happy she looked while talking about love like that.

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[Kamiki PoV]

“Sigh…”

“What's wrong?”

“I know it can't be helped, but… I just hope Rira-chan is okay.”

The one who said that was Nakajima, the idol otaku standing next to Touya.

He's a hardcore fan, and that includes being a huge supporter of Tojo Rira.

He's even been to several of her live shows — and because of that, the news about the attempted assault hit him hard.

“Even though they said nothing happened and people are telling everyone not to make a fuss since she must be hurting, there are still some jerks online calling her a ‘used-up woman’ and stuff. It pisses me off.”

“Are you serious?”

I asked, and Nakajima showed me.

Sure enough, even though Tojo Rira was the clear victim, there were people online using social media to attack her instead of supporting her.

“People are awful…”

“Yeah, are they even human?”

I sighed — there are just too many cruel people out there.

I'm the only one who knows that nothing actually happened to her, but no one would believe me even if I said it… and that frustrates me.

“Masato?”

“I'm just gonna take a walk to clear my head.”

After saying that to Touya and the others, I left the classroom and headed to the rooftop.

Whenever I came here, I couldn't help but think back to my conversation with Nakazato from a few days ago. What was that all about, anyway?

“……………”

While I was lost in thought, the rooftop door opened.

When I turned around to see who it was, I saw two people I didn't expect — Aizawa and Nakazato.

“…Huh?”

“Oh, Kamiki-kun.”

“I knew it was you, Kamiki-kun!”

Why are these two here…?

They walked up to me as I stood there confused.

“Kamiki-kun, are you here for some air?”

“Yeah… something like that.”

“I see. We were going to have a private talk, but if someone's already here, maybe we should go back.”

No, I should be the one to go.

I was about to leave, but Nakazato stopped me.

“It's fine, you don't have to go. We were going to talk in private, but we can do that after school. So maybe I'll just chat with Kamiki-kun instead?”

“I shouldn't be the one to say this, but do you and Rira even know each other, Kamiki-kun?”

“Until recently, not really. But a few days ago, we had a chance to talk, right, Kamiki-kun?”

“Y-yeah.”

I nodded — it wasn't a lie.

They didn't seem interested in the details, though, so Aizawa just accepted it and stood beside Nakazato… wait, why am I suddenly in the middle?

“Were you looking at the view?”

“Huh? Oh, no, just thinking.”

“About something?”

I hesitated for a bit, but then decided it was fine to tell them.

I told them about Nakajima and the things people were saying online about Tojo Rira.

“I just… can't believe people can say stuff like that. I'm not even a fan, but it still makes me angry.”

“I see…”

“……………”

They both listened quietly until the end — they already knew about the incident and about Tojo Rira herself.

“So, what I'm trying to say is—”

I paused, then continued.

“I'd never say cruel things like that. I just hope she can keep smiling the way she always does. I want her to know there are people out there who feel that way.”

Oh no… that sounded really embarrassing out loud.

“You really are kind, aren't you?”

“Ugh…”

Her soft, gentle eyes were too much — I couldn't handle it.

Maybe it's because I once saved Aizawa before, but still, being looked at like that by a beautiful girl was enough to make me blush.

“W-Well, then!”

Then I ran straight back to the classroom without looking back.

And got scolded by the teacher.