Fingers clicked incessantly across the keyboard and mouse.
For modern people, the convenience of the internet is an indispensable part of life. Xuegu You finally found what he was looking for.
This world changed——
The debut work of Utako Kasumi, Koisuru Metronome, officially went on sale.
A construction company president surnamed Yukinoshita was elected as a Chiba prefectural assembly member.
The AUGUS company released a new game.
Tensions continued to rise between the Principality of Westalis and Japan, and so on.
People and objects that originally didn't exist in this world appeared without warning, yet no one felt surprised. It was as if they had always existed!
Only that God could quietly alter the world in such a way. Xuegu You knew well that this was another of God's tricks!
Taking his hands off the keyboard and mouse, Xuegu You leaned back in his chair, staring up at the somewhat unfamiliar ceiling.
"You're here, aren't you?"
"What's the script this time?"
Xuegu You muttered toward the ceiling. To an outsider, he looked like a madman talking to himself. But Xuegu You knew that God could definitely hear him.
However... there was no response.
Xuegu You rubbed the bridge of his nose; this was an extremely unusual situation. Previously, whenever Xuegu You took the initiative to reach out, God responded. Even when Xuegu You forgot the original plot or character dialogue, the deity would tell him how to act next.
This was the first time he received no answer to his questions. Xuegu You faintly sensed that this God was plotting something.
"What a bastard!"
Xuegu You cursed, unsure if he was referring to the unknown God or himself.
He knew he wasn't a good person. He could clearly see girls about to encounter trouble yet remain indifferent, appearing only when the story required his entrance just to farm their affection. He was a bastard who would deceive others for his own benefit.
Though in a sense he was a pitiful person—merely a toy in God's hands—it was no excuse for playing the male lead in various worlds and toying with the emotions of girls. Xuegu You saw this clearly.
In his original world, he endured the beatings of society and knew that simply debating right and wrong was meaningless. Even knowing his actions were scummy, even feeling guilt toward the girls, he wouldn't stop.
He wanted to go back. In his own world, he had a family. Not everyone could accept the reality of leaving their loved ones behind. Any benefit brought by his status as a transmigrator couldn't compare to having a single meal with his family.
Because that was his real life!
However, until God grew bored, he couldn't return.
Ending his slightly sentimental reflections, Xuegu You stood up to change. Though used to wearing a high school uniform, staying so stiff at home was unnecessary.
Right then, the phone on the desk rang.
Xuegu You raised an eyebrow at the caller ID. His contact list now contained many new numbers. Every name in the notes represented a tangled, messy history.
To be honest, Xuegu You didn't intend to answer. But the caller was unexpectedly persistent. The ringing continued until it was forcibly cut off, only to start again seconds later. It felt as if the caller wouldn't stop until he picked up.
Feeling helpless, Xuegu You pressed the call button; ignoring it would only lead to more trouble later.
"Xuegu, why didn't you attend the opening ceremony?"
A familiar female voice came through the phone. Xuegu You could clearly sense her suppressed anger.
Shizuka Hiratsuka, the Japanese language teacher at Sobu High School. Back when Xuegu You played Hachiman Hikigaya, she was the one who threw him into the Service Club. In this world, she seemed to be the language teacher and homeroom teacher at the unnamed high school he attended.
Having already mentally prepared and investigated, a calmed Xuegu You wasn't surprised by her existence.
"Sorry, Hiratsuka-sensei. I'd like to request a leave of absence today."
"Leave? What happened?"
"I caught a cold. The doctor told me to stay home and rest."
On the other end of the line, Shizuka Hiratsuka leaned against a wall, an unlit cigarette in her mouth. She raised an eyebrow. She originally thought he was making up an excuse to skip the ceremony, but the tired, raspy voice over the phone dispelled her suspicion.
He seemed truly ill.
"In that case, get some rest. But if your fever breaks, remember to come to class on time tomorrow."
"Understood."
The call ended, and Xuegu You breathed a sigh of relief. He knew an ordinary lie wouldn't fool Shizuka Hiratsuka. Though she appeared carefree—much like Luffy from One Piece—she actually possessed observational skills on par with, or even exceeding, those of Hachiman or Haruno Yukinoshita.
But after countless transmigrations, Xuegu You was an expert in acting, if nothing else. Every world he visited featured plots where the male lead fell ill and the heroine came to visit.
One couldn't get sick just by wanting to, so to follow the original script, Xuegu You often had to fake illnesses to keep the plot moving. He had a lot of experience in this regard.
"Even if those girls appeared in this world... it's fine."
Xuegu You clenched his fist tightly.
He realized it didn't matter if people he knew from the past came to this world. Looking at Utaha Kasumigaoka's attitude, they clearly didn't know him.
That was only natural. The person they knew and liked was the male protagonist of their own stories, not the version of Xuegu You who merely wore their skin and put on an act.
As for why God sent them here, Xuegu You had no way of knowing and didn't want to think about it. Perhaps it was a new "interesting story" God prepared, or perhaps it was to compensate the "actors" by giving them back their original heroes.
Regardless, it had nothing to do with Xuegu You. This was his rare vacation. What he needed to do was enjoy this long-lost leisure time before heading to the next world to perform in a new drama.
'Maybe I could even become friends with someone like Hachiman!'
Xuegu You shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. That would be a truly rare experience. As an actor who once played Hachiman Hikigaya, he never imagined he might one day meet the original protagonist.
"But never mind... it's better to stay away from them."
Xuegu You didn't want to intervene in those girls' lives anymore.
Because, from the very beginning, he was never the protagonist of their stories.
He was just a despicable actor.