Vol. 1 Chapter 1 - My Long-Awaited Childhood Friend Was a Fragile Beauty

“…I wish I had a cute childhood friend.”

 

I muttered such a desire almost unintentionally. It might sound strange to say out of the blue, but given that I was about to enter my third year of high school without ever having experienced romance and because I avidly enjoyed romantic comedies featuring childhood friends in manga and anime, such thoughts naturally crossed my mind.

 

“Well… even if I can’t become as close as the protagonist, it’s still a dream to have a cute and close childhood friend, right?”

 

After all, humans tend to long for what they don’t have!

 

In this reality, which was far from the world depicted in those manga and anime, having a female childhood friend was a privilege reserved for only a few guys. And among them, how many could establish a deep relationship akin to lovers?

 

“Alright, alright. I’ll leave romance to my future college self… I’ll leave it.”

 

Though saying that made me feel a bit sad, I decided to head home for now. At that moment, while quietly humming the opening theme of a recently started romantic comedy anime and daydreaming about a cute girl, something unthinkable happened.

 

“Danger!”

 

“You, run from there!”

 

A deafening scream, or something similar, pierced my eardrums. I thought, “Who are they shouting at?” But it seemed like that shout was directed at me.

 

“…What?”

 

What’s happening? While pondering this, my gaze was drawn upward, as if pulled by an invisible force. Right from the spot where they were doing repairs on a building, a massive steel beam was descending.

 

“Uh-oh…”

 

I realized it was dangerous. But by the time I thought that, it was already too late. While I was lost in thought, the steel beam came crashing down before my eyes, and my consciousness sank into a pitch-black sea.

 

▽▼

 

“…So that’s what happened.”

 

“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”

 

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

 

I shook my head and told my mother, who was driving the car. She didn’t seem particularly concerned and didn’t press further. I started gazing at the passing scenery.

 

(To think I’d be reincarnated…)

 

It was sudden, but I was reincarnated. It might sound strange, but… huh? This passage feels strangely déjà vu, like I’ve seen it before. Well, it doesn’t matter now.

 

Probably due to a steel beam falling on me from above in my previous life, I likely died and found myself reborn into this current world. I didn’t have memories from infancy, but I suddenly recalled everything a few months ago.

 

“Wh-what…? My head… it hurts…!”

 

The headache back then was intense. If I had to describe it, it was like my head was splitting open. It was so intense that I could confidently say that. And it was during the summer vacation of my third year in middle school that I suddenly remembered my past life.

 

(Though, even though I remember, I can’t recall anything about my family…)

 

Just like I have a precious family in my current life, I must have had a family in my previous life. But I can’t remember anything about them, not even a hint… Maybe losing those memories helped me let go of my attachment to my previous life.

 

“We’ve arrived, Nagisa.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Lost in thought, I arrived at my destination. This was a hospital, and it was the largest in the city where I lived. It was big enough to be featured on TV a few times.

 

I came here not because I had a serious illness or anything like that. I simply wanted to meet an acquaintance.

 

“I’ll go on ahead, Mom.”

 

“Sure. I’ll be there shortly.”

 

I left my mother and entered the hospital. I walked down the familiar white hallway, and my destination was a particular private room. The nameplate read “遠坂とおさか璃音りおん” (Tosaka Rion). This was my destination.

 

I knocked on the door, and I could hear a sigh from inside. However, since there was a response, I entered.

 

“Hey there, Rion.”

 

“Hello, Nagi-kun. You seem carefree as always.”

 

“… …”

 

Upon entering, I was immediately struck by her words. The speaker was a girl with semi-long, silky black hair that swayed gently. Her eyes, a breathtaking shade of sapphire, could be easily mistaken for jewels. She was a beautiful girl.

 

She was Tosaka Rion, my childhood friend in this world. We had known each other since kindergarten, and our parents were close friends, which naturally led to our close bond. Yes, she was the girl with the childhood friend attribute I had yearned for in my previous life. Furthermore, she was an exceptionally beautiful girl!

 

(But she’s merciless when it comes to me.)

 

She… Rion was a bit stubborn, or rather, she had no mercy when it came to me.

 

Even back when we were childhood friends, she never held back in her words and actions. But since her hospitalization, her lack of mercy had intensified.

 

Well, despite that, considering that she was a beautiful childhood friend, I had a motive for wanting to get closer to her. So, I thought I had become quite friendly by visiting like this.

 

“My mom will be here soon. Here, this is for you.”

 

“Thank you. Did Misato-san choose it?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Misato is my mother’s name.

 

Rion nodded at me and continued to look at me. “I hope Nagi-kun will do his best without relying on Misato-san for the sake of his childhood friend who’s been bedridden.”

 

“Did you forget that I once said, ‘What’s with this weirdo?’ when you told me that?”

 

“But it really was something weird.”

 

“Ugh…”

 

It seemed that my lack of experience in dealing with girls had resulted in catastrophic choices.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

“Does it look good?”

 

“…”

 

“It’s fine. I haven’t had any seizures today.”

 

I averted my gaze from her, and Rion turned to face the window as she spoke.

 

Rion had always been fragile, but this year, her health had deteriorated rapidly. It all started on the day of the opening ceremony, and from there, she was forced into hospitalization. It seemed to be a heart condition.

 

(…Even though I finally got a cute childhood friend, this happened… It’s really frustrating.)

 

What’s frustrating isn’t having Rion as my childhood friend. Regardless of the circumstances or how we became friends, I’m frustrated with myself for not being able to do anything about the current situation where my childhood friend is so weak that she can’t even move properly.

 

(…You idiot.)

 

You idiot… That’s what I wanted to say to the idiotic god who reincarnated me. If you were going to make me experience reincarnation, at least give me some cliché cheat ability along with it. I don’t even want the whole world, and I only wish for a harem life with a few girls. At the very least, give me the power to save one frail girl.

 

“Nagi-kun.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Why are you sulking by yourself? It’s creepy.”

 

“…”

 

…This girl has some nerve.

 

I approached her, giving the impression that I might lose my temper, but Rion stared at me without showing any fear and had a somewhat challenging smile, as if saying, “Shout at me, show me your anger.”

 

“You cheeky brat!”

 

However, I didn’t get angry.

 

I ruffled her beautiful hair vigorously! A bit rough!!

 

“Hey, you stupid Nagi-kun! I just styled it!”

 

“Shut up! It’s your punishment for being cheeky!”

 

“Enough already!!”

 

I was reincarnated, and I got a cute and beautiful childhood friend. But she had a sharp tongue, and she was frail. Nevertheless, she was undoubtedly a precious childhood friend to me.

 

In this second chance at life, I was determined not to let it end in an accident. I would live without regrets, enduring my childhood friend’s verbal attacks every day.