Chapter 2
The village morning should have been the same as always.
The chirping of small birds, the sound of wood being chopped, the voices of housewives drawing water from the well.
—I, Yuma Satou, intended to spend today quietly as a “supporting character.”
One night has passed since yesterday’s cow incident. For some reason, the villagers are buzzing about “Yuma saved the village,” but as far as I’m concerned, it was all just a coincidence.
What’s more, yesterday’s confession-like words from Lisa. Since then, things have felt strangely awkward.
(I don’t want to stand out… I want to be an “observer”…)
As I told myself this and walked along the farm road.
“Kyaaaaaah!”
A shrill scream could be heard.
“No, no, the flag is being retrieved too quickly!” I cried in my mind, but I had no choice but to run.
There stood another girl living in the village—Serena.
A spirited girl with blonde hair in braids, she was apprenticing as the village apothecary.
“What’s wrong?”
“A, a snake! I was picking herbs, and a big snake emerged from the bushes!”
Indeed, a black snake was coiled at Serena’s feet, its head raised.
I couldn’t tell if it was venomous, but since she was frozen with fear, I couldn’t just leave her there.
(…Damn it, again. It’s because I happened to be nearby “coincidentally” again…!)
I brandished a wooden branch I happened to be holding and stood in front of the snake.
“This way, come this way!”
I hit the ground with the branch to draw its attention.
The moment the snake turned towards me, its tongue flicking, I swung the branch down with all my might.
— Pashiiin!
A dry sound echoed, and the snake, perhaps startled, retreated into the bushes.
“Haa…”
Wiping the cold sweat from my brow, I turned around to see Serena looking up at me with tear-filled eyes.
“Y-Yuma… you saved me?”
“No, I just threatened it with a branch. It wasn’t a big deal—”
“Amazing… I couldn’t even move just seeing such a frightening snake…”
Serena’s cheeks flushed red.
…I have a bad feeling about this.
After the snake left, Serena tried to stand up, but her legs buckled, and she fell into my arms.
“Whoa.”
“Kya…!”
A soft sensation hit my chest, and my heart skipped a beat.
We’re too close.
“S-Sorry!”
“…A, thank you. I… I was caught by Yuma.”
“No, no, I just happened to support you—”
“Yuma, you’re actually a very kind person.”
…Here it comes. This is it.
This is the “mistaken romantic flag” I want to avoid the most.
Serena’s face was bright red, and she was clutching her hands tightly in front of her chest.
Seeing her, I realized she was exactly like Lisa yesterday.
(Hey, stop it. I’m a supporting character. If you misunderstand, the story progresses!)
I denied it with all my might in my heart, but Serena’s eyes were sparkling.
It seemed my words weren’t reaching her.
By the afternoon, rumors were flying around the village square.
“Did you hear? Yuma saved Serena!”
“Yesterday it was Lisa, and today it’s Serena? That boy is truly a hidden hero.”
“He’s like the protagonist of a story!”
“No, no, no! I’m just a mob character!”
Even if I shouted, no one believed me.
It was painful that they only thought I was being modest.
And then, the moment Lisa and Serena were in the same place—.
“…It was me who saved you, Yuma-kun, right?” (Lisa)
“That’s not true! While yesterday might have been yesterday, today it was me!” (Serena)
A strange spark ignited between them.
(Aaaargh…! Stop it! I won’t get involved, I won’t be dragged in! Please don’t fight!)
While I screamed inwardly, the girls’ misunderstandings and misconceptions continued to grow.
—And so, I was once again dragged into an “unwanted protagonist special treatment.”
—
That night.
As I lay alone in my hut on the outskirts of the village, I sighed while staring at the ceiling.
“…Could this be the prelude to a harem development?”
I, who was supposed to live quietly as a supporting character, am somehow surrounded by romantic flags.
I could only accept this ironic reality with a bitter smile.
