Whose youth romance story begins with a witch's trial?!

—I didn’t feel anyone behind me at all…Where did Emma come from? And I’m not the kind of person who moves before looking, so theoretically I shouldn’t have bumped into Emma, ​​right?

After these past few days of turmoil, Chang Rong has basically confirmed one thing: she does not have the life that Gala gave to the male protagonist.

The kind of scene in romantic comedies where the male protagonist uses his magic to pull a beautiful girl to his side and then rushes up to hug her tightly is something that could never happen to me.

But at this very moment, such a bizarre and abnormal event has indeed happened to me and Emma Sakura. What does this mean?

That's right... This means my luck has finally turned around, and I'm going to become a genuine male protagonist of Galatea!

"Get up quickly, and remember not to be so reckless next time, Sakura-kun."

Thinking that he was finally going to live a life of millions, Chang Rong happily reached out and helped Sakura Emma up, all the doubts that had flashed through his mind earlier were thrown to the winds.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry, I always cause everyone so much trouble... Ah, the hat...!"

Sakura Emma lowered her head in embarrassment to apologize, causing her already slightly askew soft hat to slip off.

"It's not about causing trouble, it's about the risk of getting hurt."

Chang Rong caught the hat that slipped off the ball and put it on I Sakura Emma's head (top four). By the way, under the expectant gaze of the girl, Qi Fen, he ruffled Emma's hair.

"Hehehe, I'll be more careful next time, Chang Rong-kun—woo!?"

Sakura Yuu Emerald showed a somewhat surprised expression (this time~ the expression was more realistic than the one before when she was knocked down).

It seemed that Chang Rong's rubbing of her head would end their interaction, but the white-haired boy seemed to be in a particularly good mood today, and casually began to tidy up Sakura Emma's hair and clothes. Chang Rong's subsequent actions were clearly something Sakura Emma hadn't anticipated.

"I don't know why Sakura-san is up so early, but as a girl, you should pay a little attention to your appearance. Your hair is all messy, your collar is crooked, and your bow is tied unevenly. If Nikaido-san sees this, she'll get angry again—right, Nikaido-san?"

While gently and skillfully tidying up Sakura Emma's appearance, Chang Rong also gave her advice, and didn't forget to ask Nikaido Hiro behind her.

"right--"

Nikaido Hiro, who witnessed the entire event from beginning to end, was speechless and practically spat out a single word as a response.

—Sakura Emma… This girl is getting more and more outrageous…! What was that just now? That third-rate, lousy acting was so bad, couldn't that idiot rabbit see through it even a little bit?!

Watching Chang Rong's gentle and doting expression as she carefully tidied Sakura Emma's clothes and hair, Nikaido Hiro felt an urge to grab a piece of black bread from the table and smash it down on the rabbit head.

Just because she looks like a puppy that's just been rolling around on the ground and playing wildly, does that mean I have to take meticulous care of her? Wouldn't that mean my pursuit of elegance and correctness will be ignored forever?

Oh no, think about it carefully. I've seen myself in a disheveled and pathetic state in front of that white-haired boy before.

And at that time, faced with Chang Rong's cautious yet sincere offer of help, the choice I made was—

I refused, breathed on him, and then beat him up.

Humans are indeed creatures that find it very difficult to empathize with each other, let alone understand the feelings of others. Nikaido Hiro can't even empathize with the version of himself who was in the punishment room with Chang Rong back then.

"Okay, that's fine then—but don't make yourself look so messy again. Sakura-kun, you're so cute, if you dress up nicely you'll definitely make a lot of friends, okay?"

Having satisfied his "grooming addiction" on Emma Sakura, Chang Rong was still somewhat unsatisfied. While admiring his masterpiece, he smiled and said to Emma Sakura.

"Eek!? Ke Lu, is Yin cute?... No... No way... But, I'm already so happy to be friends with Chang Rong-kun...?"

Faced with Chang Rong's undisguised praise, Sakura Emma blushed and lowered her head shyly, rubbing her fingers together as she responded softly.

"Have more confidence, Sakura! You're only one step away from becoming a champion. But, in a way, Sakura's personality isn't so bad after all...?"

"Huh? Me, this is me...?"

Chang Rong began to seriously analyze whether Sakura Emma would be more popular if she maintained the status quo or became more cheerful and proactive.

At least for Chang Rong herself, it seems she prefers the soft, lazy, and needy version of Sakura Emma.

This guy... ugh, I can't stand him...!

Nikaido Hiro, who had been a complete bystander who could only watch from the sidelines and couldn't get a word in edgewise, finally couldn't suppress his anger any longer.

Hiro Nikaido still felt very "unhappy" about his previous behavior in the prison cell when he was facing Emma Sakuraba and Chang Rong, and how he forcibly dragged Chang Rong away in an almost "disheveled" manner.

That's right, Nikaido Hiro not only breathes on others, but when she's in a daze, she even breathes on herself.

Interrupting someone's conversation without any reason? That is clearly 'incorrect'.

Forcibly dragging someone away without asking or inviting them? That is clearly also 'incorrect'.

To lose your temper in front of Emma Sakura, who's always been your little follower and always falls down and cries at the slightest mistake? That's just wrong...!!

She should have been the one who effortlessly led the conversation, the one who could easily make both the white-haired boy and the pink-haired girl obediently revolve around her – the 'right guide'.

But why has it turned out like this? Something must be wrong! Something must be wrong...!

"Sakura Emma—!!!"

Growing increasingly agitated, Nikaido Hiro inadvertently called out the girl's name. Clearly, the call was neither elegant nor polite, and certainly not appropriate.

The consequences of such erroneous shouting are predictable.

"Ugh...!?"

"Nikaido-kun...?"

Sakura Emma was startled by the overly rude, even 'malicious' shout. Her head, which Chang Rong had just smoothed, shrank back in fear.

Chang Rong, almost instinctively, stood between Nikaido Shiro and Sakura Emma.

Although the boy's movements were small, it was clear that he had already included Sakura Emma on his 'protection' list.

As for Nikaido Hiro?

This ridiculous person, who can have a fit of madness anytime and anywhere and never tells the truth, is naturally regarded as a dangerous individual who has become "witch-like and insane." She must be guarded against, kept at a distance, and "let her calm down on her own."

"..."

Nikaido Hiro looked at the two people in front of him, his mouth open but unable to make a sound, and he didn't know what to say.

If there were a mirror, one would probably see a completely nonsensical clown reflected in it. A sudden, inexplicable breakdown, a random shouting—neither perfect nor correct.

It's truly ugly... ugly and ridiculous, absolutely 'incorrect'.

What... what's wrong with me?

Volume 1: Chapter 63. My past weakness is dead! (5K)

"Hiro-chan..."

Sakura Feather, Ai Wing, Malina's concerned yet somewhat worried voice rang out, so gentle and soft, yet also so grating and noisy.

It's pointless to think about why Emma Sakuraba came so early now—because Hiro Nikaido knows better than anyone that Emma Sakuraba is here because of Hiro Nikaido herself.

When the curfew was lifted in the early morning, Emma Sakura, still half asleep, noticed Hiro Nikaido's unusual behavior, which is why she followed him to the cafeteria at this time.

While it's true that she gets up this early every day, Nikaido Hiro doesn't usually come to the cafeteria this early to check attendance.

Even if Hasumi Ryoya is the first to get up for breakfast, she has to wait until around 7 a.m., before which no one comes to the restaurant at all.

She simply wanted to talk to Chang Rong—about that strange detective agency, about the 'child' Noah, about Nanoha Kaori who always picks locks, whatever the boring and meaningless topic, she just wanted to chat with him.

It was precisely because of this insignificant reason that Nikaido Hiro left the cell after the gate was unlocked. Upon discovering that Chang Rong was not in the study as usual, he immediately went to the cafeteria where he might be squatting.

No matter how much she didn't want to admit it, no matter how much she always boasted that she could "live a normal life on her own," the truth was that when she was with the boy in front of her, the girl named Nikaido Hiro felt very... relaxed.

In this suffocating, endless prison, the only things that allowed Nikaido Hiro, who always considered himself 'just and righteous,' to breathe were the time he spent with Noah and Chang Rong.

Uh...maybe watching Rhea do some nonsensical witchcraft occasionally can relieve some stress and give me a bit of a laugh.

Regardless, it's all over now. He had failed to uphold the 'rightness' he had always been proud of, the creed he held dear in his life, and had completely exposed his ugliest and most ridiculous side to himself and Emma Sakura.

The moment Nikaido Hiro inexplicably and spontaneously shouted out Sakura Emma's name, he no longer knew how to face her and the boy beside her.

"Nikaido-kun—"

An unusual warm sensation came from my head.

"I understand, right? It must be tiring to be constantly tense, right? Northia comforted me in the same way back then."

As Chang Rong's words reached his ears, Nikaido Hiro realized what had happened—he had once again been stroked by the idiot rabbit.

"...?"

A wave of confusion washed over me, but even more so, I felt a deep dependence on that warm touch.

If I could, I'd really like to become a complete shut-in, not thinking about anything, and just let this guy—no, that's not right…!

"Is it strange that 1 water 2 ru2!?"

Nikaido Hiro jerked his head back, escaping the boy's terrifying rabbit claws.

The feeling I just experienced was as if all my desires and troubles had been absorbed at once... What's going on?

No, that's not the point. The point is, why is this guy still willing to come closer?

Even though he was clearly a strange person who had suddenly fallen ill for no reason and whose mental state was abnormal, like a 'witch-like' person, why would he take the initiative to come closer?

Nikaido Hiro looked at Chang Rong with some confusion, while Chang Rong tilted her head, looking at Hiro with a 'What's wrong?' expression.

The crimson eyes met the gray eyes of the white-haired boy, and Nikaido Hiro immediately realized that the side of himself that he thought he had just made a fool of himself was actually something that Chang Rong had seen before—no, he should say that he had even seen himself in a more embarrassing and shameful way than he was now.

Wasn't it in the punishment room when he said he would help me 'change my clothes'?

...It was like acting like an idiot, when in fact there was no need for me to maintain this so-called 'perfect and correct' image in front of him.

Thinking of this, Nikaido Hiro smiled.

"Seriously, you've shown me my embarrassing side again."

The obsession that was almost uncontrollable vanished instantly, and Hiro, trying to shed his always perfect and exquisite mask, smiled and said this.

And Chang Rong—

"Quick...run, Sakuraba-san! That smile is weird, so creepy! That's right...Nikaido's going to silence us! She's really going to silence us—Goohoo!!!"

"You nonsensical, idiotic rabbit...!!"

In a rare moment of genuine connection, Nikaido Hiro's heartfelt smile was met with Chang Rong's terrified expression, as if the boss had encountered a requiem for a golden experience.

Then, unsurprisingly, he was beaten to his knees by Hero.

"hope, can we make peace? -- Eek!? Oh no... Anyway, let's run!"

"What are you stirring up now... Uh!?"

Chang Rong, who had been begging for mercy, saw something behind Hiro and, almost instinctively, grabbed Nikaido Hiro's arm and ran away.