Mob Heroine - Chapter 39

Chapter 39 - The One the Fully Bloomed Mob Heroine Chose Was… Him

Mogami Fuko had earned the right to become a main heroine. But whether she actually used that right was entirely up to her.

Normally, she should’ve considered being chosen by the protagonist, whom everyone unconditionally likes, the highest joy, but she did not feel any value in that at all.

So that's what it was. I had sensed it from the way she’d acted today… and as expected, I was right.

“Sato-kun. Don't get the wrong idea, okay? It’s not like I like Sanada-kun or anything.”

If she were a tsundere, that line would’ve meant the exact opposite. But Mogami-san wasn’t one. If anything, she's the complete opposite of a contrarian. She's an honest, straightforward girl, so there was no hidden meaning behind her words.

(I’ve never seen a situation like this before.)

Even as a reincarnated, content-consuming otaku who had devoured every rom-com imaginable, I had never encountered a story like this. Actually, I wasn’t even sure this still qualified as a romantic comedy anymore.

A character who was destined to be chosen by the protagonist and to become the main heroine, had willingly thrown that ‘right,’ away. Which meant that, in this case, the protagonist was left looking like nothing more than a delusional fool.

No wonder this kind of situation didn’t exist in romantic comedies, I mean, it simply wasn’t interesting to watch.

“…I see. So you really don’t have any interest in Sanada.”

For now, I was just glad that was finally clear. I'd been completely misreading the situation and getting worked up over nothing, so from here on, I could at least try to get on the same page as her.

Though honestly, I still had no idea what my role was supposed to be.

“Why did you even think that in the first place, Sato-kun?”

“That’s… well, just a feeling.”

Because I’d read the manga, obviously. But since I couldn’t exactly say that, I covered it up with vague phrasing.

“I just assumed that's the reason why you were working so hard over summer break. I thought maybe being ignored by Sanada shocked you so much that you decided to change.”

“Ah, I see. You’re right, that might have been one of the reasons, I guess."

“The way you said that makes it sound like there were other reasons too.”

“Of course. Sanada-kun wasn’t the only reason.”

So that whole incident with Sanada before summer break had just been one of several reasons, huh? As for the other reason why she decided to change… well, even without her saying it out loud, I already knew.

“—Because there was someone who told me to do my best.”

That someone… was me. Yeah, it was me.

"There was someone who called me by my name, who encouraged me, and pushed me to be better. Someone who believed in me even when I didn't, who affirmed me, who acknowledged me, and who cheered me on. I realized... I wanted to do my best for that someone."

This girl was truly influenced by others so easily. My words had moved her deeply enough to push her toward her first step into breaking free from her role as a mob heroine. And as a result, she had fully bloomed.

“I’m not a morning person, and I hate exercise. But during summer break, every day was fun. Getting up early wasn’t hard at all. Because… I knew I’d get to see you, Sato-kun.”

The warmth in her words was on a whole different level from when she'd talked about Sanada. Her genuine feelings deeply stirred even my heart.

(…So the one Mogami-san chose… was me.)

Not Sanada Saiga, the protagonist, but me, the supporting side character.

And the reason was simple.

“I mean, Sato-kun, you love me, don’t you?”

My affection was so obvious that even her past Mobuko-chan self, with her crippling self-doubt, could feel it. For someone with such low self-esteem to say something like that, my feelings must have been painfully transparent.

Yes, that’s right. I love you. Even before I was reincarnated, I had always followed you with my eyes, the quiet girl who was always tucked away in the corner of the pages. 

I had fantasized countless times about seeing Mobuko-chan find happiness. At times, I would post some of my passionate feelings about her on social media, I even started a tiny fan community devoted to her. There were only a handful of us who adored this mob character from a cancelled manga, but still, I kept posting about her whenever I found some free time at work.

That’s why I had always wished for her happiness. I thought I had devoted myself entirely to praying for and supporting only Mobuko-chan's happiness.

However, it seemed all of those actions had ended up meaning something  far more significant to her—.