Is It Tough Being A Friend? Volume 1 Chapter 4 Part2

I took an absence from school for three days after that.

To be honest, I didn't want to see anyone. I was frightened that I might trigger another flag if I take even one step outside. Once you suspect something, everything else will seems suspicious.

(What course of action do I take…?)

Laying on my bed, I stared at the ceiling all day long, and continued pondering about my purpose of existence.

For these three days, I didn't sleep or even eat. However, that's not a problem. I can still function as normal even if I don't sleep for a week. Being young is amazing.

(Where did I…go wrong?)

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

To start with, Ryuuga wasn't supposed to be a girl. No wait, what I mean when I say that is I wasn't supposed to know about the hidden side of Ryuuga and the others.

I'm a sub-character, and yet I got too involved with the story. In the end──I've become an ambiguous mystery character that I myself don't even know the true ident.i.ty to.

(Anyways, I don't have time to worry about my role anymore. The battle with Ryuuga and the others…is approaching its final phase.)

I got a message from Ryuuga this morning.

‘To Ichirou. It seems you caught a bad cold, so you don't have to force yourself to reply. I think that we're getting close to exterminating the apostles. So until then, I have to prioritize my mission. This is also for the sake of keeping up our current relations.h.i.+p.'

Ryuuga's battle will reach its end soon. However, it probably won't go smoothly.

Mion had said something. She talked about how the revival of the ‘Evil Spirit' will begin in the near future. They already found what to summon him with.

The final battle, and the decisive match, involve that ‘Evil Spirit.' Once victory is gained, then the world will return to its peace. The story will reach its ending.

(Is it fine if I just silently observe?)

I'm uneasy about it, but I don't know my position. I can't find a role that I'm supposed to accomplish.

If Ryuuga comes back to her senses after conquering the “Evil Spirit” and being freed from her duties, there may be a way for me to return to being a friend character. Perhaps I can somehow get out of my semi-boyfriend role and settle into a position that I want.

No wait, that's not it──I wouldn't be a “friend character” by then. I'd just be a “friend”.

The world would already regain peace, so things would be post-conclusion. At that point, Hinomori Ryuuga isn't really a protagonist anymore.

If it's just hanging out, then I'm not really needed. Since Ryuuga had a mission to accomplish, I wanted to support her. Doing that would also lead to protecting the world.

(Ultimately──all that I wish for is to have a unique reason for being. In that case, perhaps it's fine being Ryuuga's boyfriend? No, that isn't any kind of solution, I've been rejecting that kind of thing to this day, and…)

While thinking of such things, my cell phone suddenly rang.

“!”

I unintentionally sprung up from my bed, and immediately checked my phone screen.

It was not a notification sound for a message. It was a phone call. And, the one calling was──Ryuuga.

Perhaps, she's already regained peace for the world?

I turned pale from the anxiety, then at the next moment, something occurred.

*thud!* I heard a tremendously loud noise, and my room trembled.

“Whoa!”

I suddenly fell down from my bed, and tumbled out of my room. The impact was like if a meteorite fell down on the neighborhood.

Despite the floor and windows still rumbling, I pushed the call b.u.t.ton anyways.

It's obvious that there's no way this situation and Ryuuga's call are unrelated.

“h.e.l.lo! Ichirou!”

I heard Ryuuga shout as I held the cell phone to my ear. Judging from her alarming voice, it was easy to realize that something was dire.

“Ry, Ryuga, what the heck happened? There was a devastating impact just──.”

“This is serious! Kyouka…Kyouka!”

What Ryuuga said next were words that I had never expected.

“Kyouka became the ‘Evil Spirit!'”

“Wha──”

There was another explosion somewhere, and my house shook.

However, I'm not paying attention to those kinds of things anymore. I kneeled on the floor with my eyes wide in surprise and my mouth agape. I only kneel down during serious moments.

“Kyouka was chosen as the one to summon the ‘Evil Spirit' with! We're the Hinomori household, a family that inherits the ‘Dragon King'…a deity can dwell within us, making us suitable as a vessel! Most likely, the same applies for the ‘Evil Spirit'…”

The way Ryuuga's speaking is a lot like a man right now. Perhaps it's due to the confusion, or perhaps it's because the heroines are around her.

“Kyouka is the final boss…”

I never expected that the vessel Mion was talking about would be the protagonist's sister.

I don't want to say this, but that's a far more shock-inducing candidate than me. For Ryuuga, her sister is a more important symbol of her daily life compared to me.

“S, so, what happened to Kyouka?”

“Her consciousness was taken over by the ‘Evil Spirit,' and is heading towards the riverbank…are you at home, Ichirou?! Do not, under any circ.u.mstance, go outside!”

“Huh, why?”

“A bunch of doors to the spirit world have opened! Right now, the city is overflowing with many apostles that are coming from──”

There, the phone call suddenly got cut off.

For a while, I couldn't move while the cell phone was still next to my ear.

“Kyouka is the final boss…”

While stunned, I repeated that to myself.

I didn't really consider what would happen in the event of a surprise like this. There is one thing I do know, though. This is a harsh development for Ryuuga.

If Kyouka is the vessel, then Ryuuga won't be able to fight her. She won't be able to make an attack, knowing that it's her sister she's against.

As expected of the final boss, they know how to liven things up into a climax…actually, this isn't the time to be impressed.

This is against what Ryuuga wanted, but it's impossible for me to keep still. At this rate, if I just stay kneeling at home, then that really would make me a “person that doesn't know anything.”

(I'm still Ryuga's semi-boyfriend…which means I'm still an important character right now. How I act here will affect the quality of the story!)

I'm a pro at being a co-star.

From the time I was cast as a frilled lizard at a play, I've always been living as such.

Fortunately, the apostles can't attack me. So I should have no problems stepping outside. Nonetheless, since I don't have any unusual abilities, my risk of danger remains the same though…

However, I have to make a move anyways! I have to get involved with the final battle in some way!

(I don't know where to go. I might not even have any work to do when I'm there. I need to cease my worries! Now that it's come to this, I have to actively take part in the main story!)

Even if my only role is to be a “commentator,” or perhaps a “victim” of all things.

If I can help Ryuuga, if I can contribute to the story, then I won't have any regrets in my life. I will not let myself be a spectator because I am “the female protagonist's companion.”

(Wait for me, Ryuga! I'm heading off now! I'm the semi-boyfriend with a mysterious setting!)

A minute later, I quickly jumped out of the house.

Since these might be the clothes I die in, I changed into an easily-identifiable uniform.