I Reincarnated as the Villain in a Rom-Com but I’m Enjoying Youth with My Favorite Heroine

87. New Connections

“Ryusuke, that’s impressive. Did you really come up with this many menu ideas by yesterday?”

“Well, it’s not that big of a deal. I just hope there’s something in here that everyone will like.”

The next morning.

At school, I was showing Reo the menu I had thought up the day before.

I had densely written dessert recipes in my notebook, listing the benefits of serving them as well as potential issues.

Reo was praising my efforts from yesterday, and the rest of the class was watching us with keen interest.

The gazes directed at me, which had never been received before, felt somewhat ticklish. It was a bit embarrassing, but this was a chance to bond with everyone through the cultural festival, so I needed to muster my determination and do my best.

As I was feeling motivated, a female student approached from the window side. With blue hair tied in twin tails and determined eyes, the poised girl—Hinano—came to stand in front of my desk and lowered her gaze to the notebook filled with recipes.

“You’re doing well, Shindo. To come up with this many menu ideas in one day is impressive.”

“I’m good at this kind of thing. If you have any requests, Hinano, let me know.”

“I’m not really knowledgeable about sweets. I like Yuna and the others, so I’ll ask them next time.”

Reo looked surprised, his eyes widening as he observed Hinano and me chatting amicably. This scene, which had never happened before, likely came as quite a shock to him, just like the curious gazes from those around us.

It’s no wonder, considering Hinano was always glued to Fusekawa Raito, and I had barely exchanged even greetings with her.

Reo, still looking surprised, spoke up to Hinano.

“Hinano-san… um, why are you talking to Ryusuke?”

“Reo-kun. I’ve started talking to Shindo since yesterday. So, I hope to join your little circle.”

“Then Hinano-san has finally realized that Ryusuke is a sincere person, huh?”

“That’s a bit different. I’m not completely trusting yet, but at least from looking at this notebook, I’ve realized that Shindo isn’t a slacker and is somewhat serious.”

Himeno shrugged her shoulders and shook her head in exasperation.

It seems that Himeno still hasn’t fully figured out what kind of person I am. Still, thanks to our discussion yesterday, she seems to trust me a little more. Honestly, I can’t say we’ve become friends yet, but I want to believe that we’ve managed to close the distance just a bit.

The Himeno I know well from the original story dislikes being treated with formality. So I’ve decided to speak to her in a more casual manner than I would with other students. I hope this can serve as a good catalyst for change, but it still feels like she’s observing me.

“Hey, Himeno. By the way, where’s Fusegawa? It seems like he’s not in the classroom.”

“Raito is with Yuna in the student council room. It seems he wants to ask Sakuramiya-senpai various things about the cultural festival.”

“I see. Fusegawa is working hard for the success of the cultural festival, huh?”

“That’s right. Well, Shindo, please take care of the sweets menu. Since we’re at it, I think it would be better to prepare a menu with high drawing power to aim for increased sales.”

Himeno bounced her twin-tailed hair and turned around. Then, she sat down at her window-side seat, resting her chin on her hand and starting to gaze outside.

“Surprising, huh, Ryusuke? I never knew you were getting along with Himeno-san.”

“Well, you know. I thought it would be nice to talk a bit more with the students in class besides Leo.”

“That means you’re slowly blending into the class, right? I’m glad to see you making more friends, Ryusuke.”

“I still have areas I want to improve, though. For now, I think it’s a good sign that Himeno is talking to me in a friendly manner.”

As I replied, Leo smiled happily.

Seeing that gentle smile naturally made me smile too.

The friends I’ve made at this school are indeed irreplaceable. I hope to continue nurturing these relationships for a long time to come.

After that, Fusegawa Raito and Hanazaki Yuna returned to the classroom, exchanging awkward greetings with Himeno.

While the success of the cultural festival is important, it’s equally crucial to reconcile Fusegawa Raito and Himeno. I need to uncover the truth behind the strange occurrences surrounding Fusegawa Raito and explore solutions.

Thinking that things were about to get busy, I turned the page of my notebook.