A Supporting Character’s Love Story - Chapter 59

POV Makoto Shinji

Can a person with no presence be called a protagonist? Probably not.

I wondered as I looked at the person sitting across the table from me.

“This is the first time that someone noticed and called me out you know?” Arakawa muttered softly while looking at his bento on the table.

I almost forgot that he was a guy for a moment as my heart rate quickened at his soft voice. His face looked so lonely and cute that if I were a girl in a shoujo manga, I would have fallen for him on the spot.

I quickly shook of the “susness” in my heart and focused on the situation. I could somewhat understand how Arakawa felt. He had been alone for so long that he had forgotten what it felt like to exist in the eyes of others. Just like me who had hidden his true self for so long from others, all this time he was isolated from the others as well. Alone at school, alone at home, alone at… work?

Wait a minute.

As I was having these thoughts my mind quickly noticed a discrepancy in his words.

“Wait. You said this was the first time anyone called your name out?”

“Yeah.” He nodded.

But then what about Kanade? Clearly she was aware of his presence. I mean, they had the same part time job and I even saw her looking at him in class today.

“What about your part time job then? How did you get work?”

I tried asking him about his job first.

“Ah. Yes. That is just a lucky break.” He took a bit of his lunch before continuing, “The thing is my mother’s friend knows the manager there and I only got the job through that connection.”

“I see.” I nodded at his explanation.

That makes sense. But…

“What about Kanade?” I just bit the bullet and asked.

“She.”

Hm?

“Yes… She is just a rude and noisy girl whom I don’t care for?”

Hmm?

“In fact, if it was up I would have dumped all arrogant bitches like her in the ocean long ago.”

Hmmm?

“You… Hate her?”

“Of course I do. Do you not know how much she insults me and tries to make me do shit for her? If I wasn’t invisible I would have long ago been forced to become her gofer. She couldn’t be farther from my ideal type of person even if she tried!” Arakawa was half shouting at this point while leaning over the table with his hands.

“…”

Normally I would have told him to chill out, but right now my mind was focused on something else.

His presence… What just happened?

I couldn’t believe the transformation that took place in front of me. It felt as if somebody filled in the colours of an outline sketch. His presence had instantly skyrocketed. If this situation was compared to an RPG, Arakawa had just changed his job from an assassin to a tanker.

You have to understand that presence is something like aura. Generally a stronger presence indicates a higher level of popularity and rank in class and is not something that can easily be changed. Of course, things like wearing good clothes and a nice hairstyle can increase presence slightly, but a transformation of this extent is something I have never seen even in my dreams.

But now is not the time for that. I quickly shook off the surprise and composed myself as I analyzed the situation at hand.

So he hates Kanade with a passion. And talking about it makes his trait go under control? It seems like a conveniently construed plot for some reason.

“Have you ever talked to anyone else about this?” I asked trying to understand the complete picture of his situation.

“No. I haven’t really talked to any of my classmates except Kanade herself.”

“So she can see you normally?”

“Ye-yeah.” He replied with a stutter as he sat back down.

“She can see you normally and can talk to you but you still hate her?”

This was what I couldn’t understand. To him she must appear to be an angel who brought him out of despair but it didn’t seem like that was the case here.

“I-it’s not like that!” He suddenly exclaimed which almost made me jump out of my chair. Then he calmed down and continued, “It’s not not like that. I do appreciate the fact that she can hold a conversation with me. If not for her I would truly be left with nobody to talk to. But as a human being I don’t like her. She is rude, mean and bullies others as she sees fit. Just look at the thing she did to Kaname san recently. Although no one talks about it everyone knows that she is being bullied by Kanade. How can I like someone like that?”

Well. I can’t really fault him on that. No matter who the instigator is Kanade’s moves are heavy handed. Not like I can complain though. Especially after the thing with Tanaka. If you think about it I am also somewhat similar, except I would never do it so explicitly like her and resort to more underhanded measures like blackmail and manipulation.

So although I see why Arakawa thinks like this I don’t agree with him.

“The first person to do anything was Kaname. If Kanade didn’t retaliate she would have only continued her harassment. Do you think anyone would want to be in that sort of position?”

“That-”

“Well you don’t need to say anything. I don’t mean to make you change your mind.” I said as I got up to leave. “Just remember there is more to a person than what meets the eye, alright?”

I saw Arakawa’s face expression turn into one of deep thought and I knew I had accomplished my goal for the day.

“Wait. I forgot to tell you something. Kanade was cursing you too, so be careful.” Arakawa hurriedly shouted as I left.

No need to worry about that now Arakawa. Her biggest weakness is now on my side.

I waved my hands behind me from above my shoulder as I left the abandoned clubroom.

All the pieces are already in place. Kanade already feels something for Arakawa. And his thoughts on her have been shaken up by me. The sports festival would be the perfect event to move things to the next level. But for now the best thing would be do let the situation stay and ferment for some time with them having small interactions. They work on the same part time job as well so that will be done automatically.

When I came back to class I found Kanade’s gaze instantly lock onto me. If it was a year ago I would really be somewhat afraid, but now?… It was nothing.

For now the problems on this side have been solved. Now I need to check the “victim’s” side now. Should I do it after school today?

.

.

.

I didn’t expect sports committee member duties would take such a long time. I once again felt better for not nominating myself for the job. I had to cancel going home with Akari today just so I could catch Kaname alone and have a conversation without interruption. This better be worth that sacrifice. It was already an hour after the classes had ended for the day, and I was sitting all alone in the empty class.

Due to the sport festival coming up all the club activities had been suspended for the next few weeks so there wasn’t any sounds of people on the field shouting like every day. The clock ticked by slowly and soon I felt my eyelids close.

I must have dozed off for about half an hour or so when I heard the classroom door sliding open which instantly jolted me awake and I lifted up my head. As expected three people had finally returned — the two class representatives and Kaname Akatsuki who I had been waiting for.

“Woah. Makoto, why are you still here?” Takara Hideki, one of the class representatives said shocked at me being here so late.

I didn’t have anything to hide and replied directly as I shifted my eyes onto my target, “Oh it’s nothing I just wanted to have a nice little chat with Kaname san over here.”

My words were not supressed at all and Kaname san froze as soon as she heard her name being mentioned.

Takara understood the situation with just that much and immediately pulled Makino Nobuko, the other class representative, out of the class with him, leaving Kaname still being frozen on the spot.

As expected of trait users. They immediately caught on what I meant and gave me the free pass to go for it. I guess I will have to thank them later.

I slowly got up from my seat as the setting sun cast an unnaturally tall shadow on the floor, and walked one step at a time towards her without saying anything.

Now the show begins.

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