Chapter 1

New Work Begins!

-- I think childhood friends are a curse.

Don't you think so?

Anything can be forgiven with "because we're childhood friends."

Isn't this the most terrifying curse of all?

If there is one, "because he's my older brother" or "because she's my older sister" might be similar, but they are family.

It might vary from person to person, but for me, it's acceptable.

But I can't accept childhood friends. They are practically strangers.

Even if we're not that close, just because we met when we were young, we're labeled as childhood friends. It's the curse of curses.

Once you're labeled, you can't get rid of it, right?

It's really annoying.

So, why am I talking about this? Because I have a childhood friend.

We happened to sit next to each other in kindergarten. Our houses were close, and when our mothers got along, the relationship as childhood friends was pretty much set.

My childhood friend's name is Yuto Mihara.

Ever since I met this guy, a lot of things have been taken from me.

It's fine if it's just things. They were trivial.

But my step-sister and the kind older girl from the neighborhood, they both went crazy after meeting this guy. To be honest, I don't really care. They went crazy before we became close. Saying they were taken might be a bit off.

But it's not just me. He drives people's crushes, childhood friends, sisters, and even brothers crazy.

And somehow, it always comes back to me being the one at fault.

"It's your fault for not managing Yuto, your childhood friend."

Fucking ridiculous!

I'm not his guardian.

We might be childhood friends, but we're not even friends to begin with.

Thanks to Yuto, my relationships have been the worst since I started having romantic feelings in upper elementary school.

On the bright side, when I became a middle schooler, more people understood my struggles, and the number of male victims increased, so I have a lot of friends.

Yuto, while he doesn't have any male friends, has a ridiculous number of female friends, so he's always in a good mood.

The only thing we can do is wish to get away from Yuto as soon as possible. Such days continue. Or so I thought.

"I'm going out with this girl!"

"Huh?"

In the spring of my third year of middle school.

After the opening ceremony, as I was about to leave the school gate, Yuto, with a smile, was waiting there, arm in arm with a girl from the neighboring class.

"I thought I should at least let you know, you know?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Why? You said you were interested in this girl, right? So, I thought I should let you know as a matter of courtesy."

I was about to say, "I'm not interested in her, I just thought she was cute," but I stopped.

In his mind, I'm in love with the girl who's arm in arm with Yuto, smiling creepily, and he thinks he's stolen her from me.

Explaining would be a waste of time, and more importantly, I wanted to escape from the public humiliation in front of the students and the guidance counselor.

"Ah, congratulations. But I'm surprised. You've never had a girlfriend even though you've had a lot of close friends."

"I guess she's my soulmate."

"Yuto-kun, you're so lucky!"

I hope you stay that way forever.

More than that, I want to escape from the pitying looks of the students.

It's not that I was rejected. I don't even like this girl whose name I don't even know.

I was just curious, but damn it!

"Um, I'm going home now."

"Ah, see you tomorrow! You should get a girlfriend too, Natsuki!"

"I'll introduce you to some friends next time."

I wanted to yell, "Shut up, ugly!" but I started running.

Everyone probably thinks I'm crying in public after being rejected.

That's not it. I just don't want to be involved with that idiot.

I want to get home as soon as possible!

If I get home today, the sneakers and clothes I bought with my saved allowance and New Year's money will be waiting for me. I've been looking forward to it!

The womanizing childhood friend? I don't care!

I ran past the pitying students and turned the corner of the school route, enveloped in a strong light.

-- Listen. On that day, I was summoned to another world as a hero.

-- Isn't that just my luck?

-- Fucking hell.

New work begins.

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