Chapter 3

I'm Shingo Ueda.

Betrayed by my ex-girlfriend and mocked by my classmates...

I'm in a love hotel with the gal, Matsubara-san.

"Am I... Matsubara-san's... boyfriend?"

We're sitting on the bed of the love hotel.

"Y-Yeah, boyfriend."

"Is this some kind of... punishment game...?"

She had said earlier.

The classmates are using me to plan further bullying.

They made a girl in the class confess to me and then reveal it as a prank later...

"Don't get the wrong idea. I don't intend to bully you. This is revenge."

"R-Revenge?"

"Yeah. Aren't you pissed? That bitch."

"About Miko?"

Matsubara-san nods.

"I hate that woman. She pretends to be a model student, cheats with other guys, and then dumps you so casually... I can't forgive her!"

Thump! Matsubara-san hits the bed.

"...Are you... angry... for me?"

"Idiot! Don't get the wrong idea! I'm not doing this for you at all!"

"Is this some kind of tsundere thing?"

"Huh? I'll punch you!"

"Ah! Sorry!"

Right... of course.

A hardcore gal like her wouldn't like someone like me.

"So, why are you helping me with the revenge?"

"I just find her annoying. She did something really despicable."

...I don't know why,

but I feel a bit lighter hearing Matsubara-san badmouth Miko.

"This is just the beginning. The real revenge is just starting."

"H-How exactly?"

"First, you and I will pretend to be a couple. We'll keep up the fake relationship and act all lovey-dovey in front of her."

"L-Lovey-dovey...?"

Matsubara-san's face turns red.

"Because! It's fake! We're just pretending! Even if it's fake, it will still make her angry."

"Is that how it works...?"

"Of course! You'd expect your ex to be devastated, right? But if they act completely fine and even have a new girlfriend, it would be infuriating."

"That would be infuriating."

"Right?"

I see... I get it.

"Besides, if we're going to take revenge, let's do it thoroughly."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll become so beautiful that you won't recognize me."

Matsubara-san puts her hand on her chest and grins.

"Eh? What are you talking about? Matsubara-san is already beautiful."

"Nya...!"

Matsubara-san's face turns bright red.

Eh? What? What?

"B-B-Baka! Don't say weird things, idiot! Don't interrupt me, pervert!"

"Eh...?"

Why is she so worked up...?

Emotions...

"Anyway, I'm pretty flashy now, right? With my makeup and hair and all."

"Hmm... I don't think so. I think you're pretty normally. I don't think you're flashy... What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing! I'll kill you!?"

Scary!

"Anyway... Even if we pretend to be a couple, Miko probably won't be shaken. But if I become beautiful and we're together, she'll be even more jealous, right?"

"Y-Yeah... That might be true."

If she sees me with someone prettier than her, she might feel even worse... maybe?

"You'll pretend to be my boyfriend. We'll act all lovey-dovey. During that time, I'll become beautiful. Then we'll show her, 'Look at this, you bitch!'"

She grins.

It's surprising how bright and almost cheerful she looks, even though we're planning revenge.

"Plus, the clever part of this plan is that everyone in the class thinks it's just a punishment game."

"Oh, right. They don't know that Matsubara-san and I are working together."

"Exactly. So, even if we pretend to be a couple, no one will say anything. They'll just laugh and think, 'What an idiot.'"

The classmates, who don't know we're working together, will think I've been tricked into dating Matsubara-san.

"The deadline is the end of the third term of our first year. By then, we'll be a couple, acting all lovey-dovey... and on the last day of school, we'll make our grand debut. I'll be beautiful, and you'll kiss me, and we'll announce that we're really together."

"N-Naruhodo...! Wait, what!? K-Kiss!?"

Kissing...!

"D-Don't get the wrong idea! This is just part of the plan! It's for revenge!"

"R-Right... I get it."

Yeah, it's just acting.

It's not like someone like me, a shy otaku, would ever date a kind gal.

"So, what do you say, Ueda? Are you in for the revenge...?"

...If it were the old me, I would have refused.

But... but!

I can't forgive what happened this time!

"I'm in. Let's do it!"

"Ah, that's the spirit!"

She extends her hand.

I take it.

"Let's shock them, okay?"

"Sure! Thanks!"

And so, to take revenge on my ex-girlfriend and the classmates, I decided to become Matsubara-san's fake boyfriend.

★

I, Shingo Ueda, decided to enter a fake relationship with her.

As for Matsubara Rika...

"Yayyyyy! I get to date Shin-chan!"

After returning home, Rika fell onto her bed and kicked her legs happily.

"Hehe~! Yay! I get to be Shin-chan's girlfriend~! Hehe~! Yay~!"

Rika, who had been tough just a moment ago, now looked incredibly happy.

"Shin-chan... I'm sorry you had a hard time... But... it's okay, right?"

Rika looked at a photo on her study desk.

In the photo, a young Ueda and a girl were standing next to each other.

The girl was very plain and unremarkable.

She hid her face behind her bangs, wore plain clothes, and was hiding behind Ueda...

Plain and shy...

【Her former self】.

"Shin-chan and I... as a couple... Hehe~! Hehehehehe~!"

Puff puff, Rika bounced on the bed.

"I'll make the most of this, Miko... the classmates, and the cheating bastards."

In an instant, she switched from her girly mode to her tough gal mode.

"I'll become incredibly beautiful. Then I'll act all lovey-dovey with Shin-chan and make her truly regret it."

Rika glared at the absent ex-girlfriend, Miko Nakatsugawa.

"Even if you realize Shin-chan's good points and come crawling back, it will be too late. I'll make Shin-chan fall head over heels for me, and we'll be so lovey-dovey that there will be no room for you to interfere!"

And so, with their own motives, their revenge began.

【A Very Important Request to All Readers】

This is the end of the short story.

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