I Reincarnated as the Villain in a Rom-Com but I’m Enjoying Youth with My Favorite Heroine - I Reincarnated as the Villain in a Rom-Com but I’m Enjoying Youth with My Favorite Heroine chapter 54

54. The Sea and the Villain④

While holding hands with Mashiro, we waited for Mai to return in front of the beach house.

As we held hands like this, we really looked like a couple, and as Mashiro had said, no one trying to hit on her appeared.

Thanks to hiding our bodies with the beach towel, I also didn’t feel the piercing gazes of the men from earlier.

Still, being close in front of so many people was embarrassing, and just holding Mashiro’s hand made my heart race wildly. Even Mashiro, who had seemed fine at first, now had her face turned red up to her ears as she looked down, apparently trying to act tough.

Yet, rather than letting go, we tightened our grip on each other as if we were seeking one another, making me wonder if we might actually have the talent to become a silly couple.

As I pondered such things while waiting with the two of them, Mai returned in just a few minutes, carrying a beach umbrella and a leisure sheet.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, we pulled our joined hands behind our backs and greeted Mai as if nothing was amiss.

“Big brother, Mashiro-san, sorry to keep you waiting~!”

“Welcome back, Mai. Did you bring what I asked for? You borrowed quite a large one.”

“I thought it would be better to have something this big for the three of us. By the way, you and Mashiro-san both look a bit red. Are you okay?”

“Ah, yeah… I’m fine. Just feeling a bit overheated, maybe.”

“I-I feel the same way… ahaha.”

“Eh, Mashiro-san, are you okay? Do you want to rest?”

“N-No, I’m fine, so let’s go find a spot together. It’s the beach after all, and I want to play soon!”

“Right! Then let’s all move together!”

Bouncing ahead like a little rabbit, Mai stomped her feet in her beach sandals, making a cheerful sound on the sand.

Mashiro and I exchanged glances, shouldering the cooler and bags, and followed after Mai.

The beach was crowded with people, each enjoying their own version of a seaside getaway.

As we walked, contemplating where we might set up our base, a group of boys and girls caught my eye.

“Those guys…”

“Hm, what’s wrong, Ryusuke?”

Seeing me stop with a furrowed brow, Mashiro looked at me with a puzzled expression.

Following my gaze, she too turned her eyes toward the group.

Under a beach umbrella, two beautiful girls in swimsuits surrounded a boy.

One was a demure girl with long red hair, and the other was a lively-looking girl with blue twin-tails that reached her waist. Sandwiched between these two beauties was an ordinary-looking boy with short black hair.

This trio consisted of the story’s heroine, Hanazaki Yuna, and Hime no Karen, along with the protagonist, Fusegawa Raito. For some unknown reason, it seemed that the student council president, Sakuramiya Miyuki, was not present.

Mashiro appeared to remember them as well, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked at the three.

“Those people are your classmates, right? What a coincidence!”

“Yeah, that’s right. I ran into them at the beach house just a while ago.”

As I replied, I observed Fusegawa Raito and the others. Their cheerful laughter and chatter reached my ears.

Hanazaki Yuna was speaking to Fusegawa Raito while holding a bottle of sunscreen.

“Hey, Raito-kun. Can I ask you for a favor before we go into the water?”

“Yuna, you’re not asking me to put sunscreen on you, are you?”

“Yes, that’s right. If it’s not too much trouble…”

“Then that means I’d have to touch your body directly, are you okay with that?”

—

“If it’s you, Raito-kun, I don’t mind being touched. Rather, um… I would actually like you to… apply it all over my body, if I may say so… Ah, wait! Forget what I just said!”

Yuna Hanazaki covered her face with both hands, realizing her slip of the tongue. However, her ears were flushed bright red, making it clear that she was speaking her true feelings despite her embarrassment.

Yet, it seemed that Raito Fusegawa, the protagonist with the typical obliviousness of a harem rom-com hero, was completely unaware. He tilted his head, puzzled by Yuna’s flustered demeanor.

On the other hand, seeing the reaction of this lovestruck maiden, the other heroine, Kakeru Himeno, also lit up with excitement in her eyes.

“Yuna, you’re so bold! I can’t let you outshine me… Hey, Raito. I want you to apply it on me too; I just can’t reach my back properly on my own.”

“Wait, Kakeru too? If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be easier for girls to do it for each other?”

“That won’t do! I feel like it would be more effective if it’s you doing it, Raito, so please!”

“Hmm, I see. If you’re asking that much, I suppose I have no choice.”

Receiving such bold approaches from Yuna Hanazaki and Kakeru Himeno, Raito Fusegawa let out a wry smile, as if to say, “What a hassle.”

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However, it didn’t seem like he was entirely displeased, and the two girls exchanged shy, happy glances at his reaction.

“Please, Raito-kun… be gentle, okay?”

“Make sure to apply it generously, Raito. I’m counting on you to keep me from getting sunburned!”

The two beautiful girls lay down on the leisure sheet. Then, they reached for their bikini straps, presenting their backs.

Raito Fusegawa moved behind them and picked up the sunscreen.

The scene of the protagonist applying sunscreen to the beautiful heroines was a quintessential event in a rom-com.

This was a classic development in a harem love comedy, depicting the interactions between the protagonist and the heroines, and one of those service scenes was now being recreated. It was quite a luxurious situation to be attending to two beautiful girls at once.

The surrounding background characters were also captivated by the sight, feeling as if the center of the world was right under that beach umbrella.

Showing a brilliance befitting a protagonist, Raito Fusegawa was undoubtedly the true hero, unfolding a summer beach rom-com scenario that everyone envied.

As I analyzed this calmly, I suddenly locked eyes with Raito Fusegawa.

He looked at me and let out a soft, mocking laugh.

Surrounded by the best heroines, he wore a triumphant smile.

“Isn’t it enviable, Ryusuke Shindo? Something you, the villain, could never hope to replicate.”

His gaze was so intense it felt like I could hear those words echoing.

As he applied sunscreen to the backs of the two heroines, he wore a smug smile that seemed to say this was the privilege of a protagonist.

But then, upon seeing Mashiro’s face pop up next to me, his expression quickly darkened.

Mashiro mischievously smiled at me and poked me with her elbow.

“Ryusuke’s classmates are all such good friends, huh? Hey, hey, don’t you want to have sunscreen applied like that too?”

“Stop it. Don’t tease me…”

“Hehe. But it’s okay, right? I wouldn’t mind anything if it’s you, Ryusuke.”

“Some things are just not okay. If I did that, I’d end up collapsing from heatstroke, you know? Me.”

—

“Hmm, Ryusuke is a bit too serious. It would be nice if he could be a little bolder.”

Mashiro puffed out her cheeks.

I let out a sigh, somewhat exasperated by her, and then I gently patted her head.

“Being serious is a good thing, right? Come on, we’re leaving. We’ll be left behind by Mai.”

“Okay! Let’s go, Ryusuke.”

With that, Mashiro clung to my arm. This scene was a usual sight between Mashiro and me; it was a bit embarrassing, but I had gotten used to it.

However, while watching us, Fusegawa Yaito was gnashing his teeth in frustration.

Perhaps he didn’t like the sight of the strongest beauty, Mashiro, flirting with the villain, me, as jealousy clearly showed in his eyes.

(Sorry about that. I can’t afford to lose either.)

I was determined to spend the best youth possible in this sea without losing to the protagonist.

Since I had made up my mind, it was time to stop dealing with Fusegawa Yaito and the others.

To enjoy a fun time with Mashiro, I took her small hand and started walking again.