Chapter 1

I was just an ordinary guy, not thinking of myself as a minor character until I became a high school student. In fact, I might have been closer to a protagonist.

But after I met him in high school, I started to see myself as a minor character.

I met him—Ryūma Ryūzaki—and because of this harem-loving protagonist, I realized I was just a side character.

And so, I became a minor character.

I ended up living an empty school life, always spacing out in the corner of the classroom, unable to create any story.

Today, I was once again watching those girls I used to love from the corner of the classroom.

"Hey, hey, Ryūma-oniichan? Next time, let's go buy swimsuits together, okay?"

A small girl with her black hair tied in two pigtails was sitting on Ryūzaki's lap. She was my adoptive sister.

We were only a few months apart in age, but I was technically the older brother because I was born a little earlier. After our parents remarried when we were young, we were supposed to care for each other like real siblings.

Aya Nakayama, my adoptive sister who used to be so close to me, was now completely infatuated with Ryūzaki. Watching her try so hard to get his attention made my heart ache.

Come to think of it, she used to be so affectionate with me too... but lately, we hardly talk, and it's been a bit lonely.

"Hey, Aya. It's still May, isn't it? Isn't it a bit early for swimsuits?"

"Huh? But I want Ryūma-oniichan to see me in a swimsuit..."

"Is that so? Well, I'd like to see it too!"

Ryūzaki was smiling and patting Aya's head. Aya was also smiling happily.

Even though it was break time, they were being so affectionate in the middle of the classroom. Aya, who used to be shy, was usually uncomfortable with attention, but because she liked Ryūzaki, she didn't care if people were watching.

It was incredibly painful to watch.

"But, isn't it okay? It's a bit early, but it's fine to just look, right?"

Competing with Aya, a girl with long, beautiful black hair leaned forward. She was my childhood friend.

Yuzuki Hōjō. She was small in stature but had a well-built body and was a popular girl among the boys in school.

"Actually, my chest has gotten a bit bigger. So, the swimsuit I bought last year doesn't fit anymore..."

"Huh? Really? That's tough..."

Yuzuki used to be self-conscious about her large chest, but she was trying to emphasize it to get Ryūzaki's attention.

Watching her try so hard to change herself for someone she liked made my heart feel constricted.

"Ryū-kun, you pervert. You really want to see girls in swimsuits, don't you? If you do, just say it honestly, okay♪"

The girl who was playfully poking Ryūzaki's cheek with high energy was a girl with striking blonde hair. She was my best friend.

Kirari Asakura. She had a flashy and bold personality. While her chest wasn't as big as Yuzuki's, her loose uniform showed a bit of cleavage, and her short skirt was a feast for the eyes of teenage boys.

"I could show you if you want... Come on, Ryū-kun, be honest."

"Um... I want to see it. I want to see girls in swimsuits!"

"Hmm? You want to see me in a swimsuit? If you do, I'll show you."

With that, Kirari leaned forward exaggeratedly, showing her cleavage to Ryūzaki. I couldn't see from where I was, but from Ryūzaki's lecherous expression, I could tell he was getting a good view.

...She used to be a much quieter girl until middle school. To be precise, until the day of the high school entrance ceremony, she had her hair in a bun and wore glasses, and was a normal, well-behaved girl.

We got along well, and we often chatted... but after meeting Ryūzaki at the entrance ceremony and learning that he liked flashy girls, she completely changed her image.

...Watching Kirari, who had given up her old self to become the type of girl Ryūzaki liked, made my chest feel heavy. The girl I used to like was nowhere to be found.

(Fucking hell...)

I clenched my fists under the desk.

Until I became a middle school student... I was in Ryūzaki's position.

I was close with those three and always spent time with them... but now, I'm completely left out.

I always thought I was the protagonist.

I had a cute adoptive sister, a beautiful childhood friend, and a charming, close friend. I thought I would spend a fun and happy high school life with them.

But reality is cruel.

At the high school entrance ceremony, I lost everything to Ryūzaki.

The three girls I liked are now completely infatuated with Ryūma Ryūzaki.

And to make it worse... Ryūzaki seems to be a harem-loving protagonist, and there were many more girls around him.

There were junior girls who were like small animals, the student council president, the kendo club captain from the same grade, and the list goes on.

And even now, there was one more girl in Ryūzaki's harem, in addition to the three.

"So, we're going to go look at swimsuits after school... Shihō, do you want to come?"

Ryūzaki turned around. Behind him, a girl named Shihō Shimogaki, who seemed to be one of the oldest members of Ryūzaki's harem and his childhood friend, was sitting.

"......?"

She had been sleeping with her head down, but when Ryūzaki called her, she reluctantly lifted her head. She had light, almost Nordic-looking hair, and was a very beautiful girl.

She was fragile, like a delicate glass figurine, and almost transparent.

She was arguably the most beautiful girl in the school. And she was Ryūzaki's childhood friend. How lucky could he be?

"You're sleeping again? You always look so sleepy."

Ryūzaki laughed and reached out to pat Shihō's head. She seemed to dislike it and lightly pushed his hand away.

"......What?"

Then, she asked the question with a blank expression.

Shihō was always like this. She was very quiet and never spoke unless spoken to.

Even when her childhood friend Ryūzaki spoke to her, she only said the bare minimum.

But it seemed that Ryūzaki genuinely loved her.

I think he probably liked her more than the three girls I loved... or any other girl, for that matter.

In fact, he was inviting her to go shopping, which he rarely did with other girls. He usually waited for them to make the first move, but with Shihō, he always took the initiative.

But Shihō's answer was always the same.

"......No."

She said two words and lowered her head again, burying her face in her arm to go back to sleep.

I couldn't tell what she was thinking, but her refusal was clear.

"Okay? I'll ask you again next time, then."

Ryūzaki, used to being turned down, quickly turned back to the conversation with the three girls.

Watching this scene from the corner of the classroom... this was my daily life, Kōtarō Nakayama's routine.

It had been about a month since I started high school.

Since meeting Ryūzaki, I've been living like this.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't lonely.

The people I loved were infatuated with someone else. It was so painful that I couldn't even put on a brave face.

When I became a high school student, I realized I wasn't the protagonist.

I was apparently just a minor character.

A side character who couldn't create any story, or perhaps a prop to make the main characters more appealing.

I was probably just a supporting role for Ryūma Ryūzaki.

A "prop" to show how charming Ryūma, the protagonist, was, to the point where the three heroines—Aya, Yuzuki, and Kirari—would fall for him instead of me, the fake protagonist.

(Sigh... I really wanted a girlfriend.)

I wanted to fall in love.

I wanted to make someone I loved happy and be happy with them.

But it seemed I could never do that again.

Because the girls I liked had already fallen for someone else—

Illustration: Roha-sensei

*The web version and the book version have different content. Also, the manga adaptation is based on the book version, which is significantly different from the web version. Please note this.

The book version has been completely rewritten. I would be very happy if you could read it!