[Warning 15+]
PrologueNagasaka Kōhei, Who Is Not the "Main Character"
High school life—my first Summer Vacation has begun.
The faint sound of crickets coming from outside the window seems to herald the arrival of summer, oblivious to my mood.
In the distance, I can see a range of towering green mountains and a clear, unobstructed blue sky. The view appears blurry, as if it were from another world.
They say the weather this year is indeed very hot and sweltering, but since I hardly ever leave the house, I don't feel it at all. In fact, because the AC is blowing cold air directly onto my body, I actually feel chilly.
"Huft…"
I rolled over in my bed.
Then, I picked up my smartphone—which I'd propped against the wall—and closed the video I'd just been watching while daydreaming.
I was getting bored of browsing related videos… ...Maybe next I'll watch a video game live streaming from a VTuber… …Oh right, have I finished my daily tasks yet…?
Without thinking twice, I tapped the social video game icon. But while waiting for it to load, for some reason I lost interest, so I closed the app before the title screen even appeared.
So I just wandered around, scrolling through my Tbitter timeline, or opening a manga app.
But in the end, nothing felt quite right, so I went back to the home screen and sighed again.
I don't know why… …there's really nothing I can do….
Summer Vacation has just begun, and only two days have passed. Maybe because I've been lazing around like this nonstop, time feels like it's passing so slowly.
I've been getting plenty of sleep—9 hours, plus a nap. I've even been experiencing the rare symptom of a headache from sleeping too much. In fact, I usually get headaches from not getting enough sleep.
…Well, just as I was daydreaming about things like that, my smartphone screen suddenly changed. Without realizing it, I must have tapped an icon somewhere.
Right now, what's displayed on the screen is— —"Friends' Notes."
"—!"
I snapped out of it instantly and immediately turned off the screen.
But it was too late; My mind began rapidly recalling events from before summer break.
—The Student Council President Election, due to those unusual results, was eventually held again.
It seems there are those who question whether it is appropriate for the school to intervene in the results of the Student Council President Election… … Essentially, a system that lacks provisions regarding invalid votes is actually considered more problematic, so it was decided to hold a re-election for Student Council President.
However, the school's schedule is already very packed, and summer vacation is just around the corner. There was no time to reopen registration for Student Council President candidates or hold another campaign. Ultimately, the re-election for Student Council President was held on a very tight schedule—merely by adding provisions regarding invalid votes, without replacing the candidates, and scheduled to take place after the end-of-year closing ceremony.
Then, it seemed that the unspoken pressure from the school—which amounted to "Don't cause any more trouble!"—and the students' collective sentiment of "Enough already, whatever it is, just let us start our Summer Vacation already!" aligned perfectly, resulting in a vote of support that far exceeded a simple majority, and Shiozaki-senpai was appointed as the Student Council President for the next term.
In any case, in the end, everything turned out as it should have… …but reportedly, some teachers criticized, "His campaign promises were too extreme," so it still seems unclear whether the Student Council's operations will proceed as originally planned.
All of that is just a rumor I heard from others, with no concrete evidence. I don't have any more detailed information beyond that either.
Since I didn't look into it at all, I have no idea.
'As for the Student Council President Election, I'm sure it'll be fine. In the end, everyone will lean toward what they trust. Because for "Normies," that really is the least troublesome outcome.'
That day, just as I was about to leave the roof of the building.
The words Kiyosato-san had accidentally let slip suddenly echoed in my mind, and without realizing it, my body shivered.
'As for the rest, those "Extraordinary" people just have to give in. Just compromise. That way, in the end, we'll all be able to laugh and say, "Well, it wasn't actually that bad, was it?"'
Surely—Kiyosato-san.
At that time, Kiyosato-san must have already anticipated everything, including the final outcome of the Student Council President Election.
Kiyosato-san must have anticipated things that I couldn't possibly have predicted based on the information I'd gathered.
…Or, to put it in Kiyosato-san's own words.
How a "Normie" would act.
In the past, in order to realize her ideals—'To make "Everyone" smile'—Kiyosato-san did everything she could with all her might, but ultimately failed.
Even though Kiyosato-san acted solely for the sake of "Everyone" without thinking of herself, she still failed.
And ironically, that failure came in the form of rejection from "Everyone" themselves.
Come to think of it, it was the same for me back in middle school.
It all fell apart because of "Everyone"—people I hadn't even noticed at all.
Back then, I always thought I'd failed because I gave up halfway through and ran away. After all, my friends who didn't run away and kept fighting until the end each managed to achieve their own "Happy Endings."
But—actually, maybe it's the exact opposite.
If I, like Kiyosato-san, had kept fighting until the end.
If I had kept fighting for that "Extraordinary" ideals, involving my friends, and kept fighting without giving up...
In the end, maybe "Everyone" would have ended up with a "Bad Ending" instead.
Maybe "Everyone" can be happy precisely because I gave up on my ideals.
"I..."
My ideals—.
Whether it's the "Main Character," the "Friend Characters," or all the "Supporting Characters." Will I hurt them all and make them suffer?
Will I lose the important "Characters" around me?
Will I be... ...rejected?
"I, well..."
My "Childhood Friend" and "Partner."
Uenohara, the person closest to me.
The unluckiest of them all, the one who hurts the most.
And, finally—.
A chill ran down my spine.
"—D*mn it!"
Thud.
With my hand clutching my smartphone, I punched my pillow.
I kept punching my pillow with my fist several times, then finally buried my face in it with all my might.
It turns out….
It turns out that "The Plan" can't go on.
"The Plan" that would make everyone suffer must not go on.
"But… …if that's the case…"
We won't be getting together for meetings about that "Plan" anymore.
We also won't be going to various places to conduct surveys every holiday for that "Plan" anymore.
The days we've been living like this will disappear completely.
'─Nagasaka-kun. Seriously, I'm begging you!'
─Suddenly.
The image of Kiyosato-san staring at me impassively flashed through my mind.
After tucking her hair, which had been blown by the strong wind, back behind her ear—.
'Come on, stop chasing your ideals—let's just try to find joy in this "Ordinary" reality, okay?'
—Oh.
Me… ...what should I do now?
Can I achieve a "Happy Ending"....?
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
RP: Angga Kun
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