After My Girlfriend Dumped Me, I Got Reincarnated As A High School Student. That Part’s Fine—But Why Are All My Ex-Girlfriends Here Too? - Chapter 35 – Even Punching Bags Sometimes Bounce Back and Hit You

Lunch break.

“I see. So that’s what happened.”

“Good for you, big brother.”

“Yuta, let’s make up too—”

“That’s not necessary.”

“Pien…”

With my lunchbox in hand, I was walking through the courtyard with Rio, Hinami, and Shima.

“It’s not like we were even fighting to begin with.”

“But you’ve been so cold lately, Yuta…”

“Alright, alright, there, there.”

“Eh!? Yuta!?”

Shima, who’s always the one clinging to me, suddenly turned red like a tomato when I patted her head.

She started stammering and panicking.

Huh, this actually works better than I expected.

Maybe I should use this trick next time to shut her up…

“Yuu-nii! Maria also wants pats!”

Suddenly, Maria jumped onto me from behind.

“Hey! Wait, I was first!”

Hinami pushed in between us.

It’s not like we’re taking turns here…

And then—

I noticed someone glaring at me.

“Kawasaki…”

I knew the person staring daggers at me very well.

“Big brother…?”

Sensing the tension, Hinami asked nervously.

“Well, look at you. You’ve been acting pretty high and mighty lately, huh?”

A reunion after a long time.

But there wasn’t even a hint of friendliness.

“Yuta, who is this?”

Rio asked cautiously.

“I guess you could say… an old childhood friend.”

I couldn’t help sounding hesitant.

We only got along back in kindergarten. After that, we went to different elementary schools, and by the time we met again in middle school—things were awful.

If the definition of a “childhood friend” means someone who’s been close since we were little, then honestly, I don’t have anyone who fits that description.

Still…

“So, it really isn’t just good luck, huh.”

Lately, I’d been surrounded by people I never thought I’d see again.

Old friends, ex-girlfriends, and now—someone I swore I’d never meet again.

Kawasaki.

I couldn’t help but sigh.

“You’re the last person I ever wanted to see again.”

“What?”

Kawasaki walked closer, irritation written all over his face—and then,

A sharp pain hit my cheek.

He’d punched me.

“Big brother!”

Hinami rushed toward me, but I held up my hand to stop her.

I could already taste bl00d in my mouth.

Another sigh escaped me.

“You’ve always been like this, haven’t you? Whenever you don’t like something, you swing first. Even a chimpanzee’s smarter than that.”

“Huh? What the hell are you—”

For a moment, Kawasaki hesitated.

Of course he did.

In my previous life, when he used to hit me, I never fought back. Not once.

So, for me to stand here now, not flinching, and even talking back—must have felt completely wrong to him.

Like a punching bag suddenly grew a mouth and started complaining.

“You know, I always said—if I ever saw you again, there’s something I wanted to tell you.”

“W-what…?”

“Screw you.”

I spat, mixing bl00d with saliva, right in his face.

“Wha—!?”

Before he could react, I kicked him in the stomach with everything I had.

“Guh!?”

It landed perfectly.

Kawasaki flew backward, too winded to stand back up right away.

I moved in to follow up—But stopped, my foot inches away from him.

Kawasaki flinched, squeezing his eyes shut, expecting another hit.

“The old you would’ve kept kicking, huh?”

“W-why…? You could’ve gotten your revenge right now.”

“Oh, I wanted to.

After all the times you beat me down, and then laughed with your new friends in the yearbook like nothing happened…

It made me sick.

‘You’ve gotten cocky’? Yeah, maybe I have.

So what?

Right now, I’m surrounded by people who actually care about me.

I laugh like an idiot and enjoy life.

So don’t come back now, trying to ruin that, you bastard!”

I kicked him once more—just enough to knock him away—and turned my back on him.

He didn’t follow.

Once he was completely out of sight, I dropped to the ground, exhausted.

“B-big brother, are you okay?”

Hinami ran to me, worry all over her face.

“Yuta, don’t worry.

I recorded and filmed the whole thing. I’ll report it to the police and the education board right now.”

Shima’s too prepared—it’s kind of scary.

“No, that’s not necessary.”

I stopped her by resting a hand on her shoulder.

“Ah, that hand on my shoulder… so good…”

I can’t deal with this ex anymore…

“How dare he hit Yuu-nii! I won’t forgive him!”

Maria’s voice shook with anger.

“You pushed yourself too hard, Yuta.”

Rio’s tone was soft, full of concern.

“Yeah… guess I’m not used to fighting. My legs feel like jelly.”

“That childhood friend… right?”

“Yeah. But it’s complicated.”

So, I decided to tell them everything—about my past with Kawasaki, and the betrayal that followed.

“Our houses were close.

We went to the same kindergarten, always together with another childhood friend—Tamai Emi.

But we went to different elementary schools, and after that, we barely met.

I think we all met once again, just once.

After that, I was too caught up in my own mess to reach out.

My elementary school life was hell.

Everyone in my class—and even other grades—avoided me, mocked me, bullied me.

Sometimes they even got violent.

I had a few people I thought were friends, but none of them ever stood up for me.

Still, I looked forward to middle school—because I hoped to see them again.

But that hope was crushed fast.

Tamai ignored me. Kawasaki punched me every time we met.

He never said why, and I never understood.

By second year, he finally stopped. Maybe he found a new crowd to hang out with.

Meanwhile, I had no place anywhere.

It was miserable.”

“That’s awful…”

Hinami looked pained, as if she could feel my past herself.

“At that time, I couldn’t trust anyone.

I blamed everyone else.

I didn’t even think maybe I was part of the problem too.

But then… someone changed that.

Mr. Tsunaoka.”

“Mr. Tsunaoka?” Rio asked softly.

“He talked to the class about me.

They probably thought he was just playing favorites. But he wasn’t.”

‘Listen up. I’ve got something to say about Misumi.

He’s been through a lot. Closed himself off.

Sure, he’s an idiot. You can probably find a hundred things wrong with him.

But that’s not all there is to him.

He’s kind. So, help him open up again.’

“After that, a few of my classmates started being nicer to me. Not everyone, but it made a difference. And that was the start. Because of that, I changed. Made friends. Met Hinami.”

“Yeah.”

Hinami smiled brightly.

If it weren’t for that moment, I wouldn’t be here like this now.

“I’m glad you can trust people again, Yuta.”

Rio smiled too.

“Yeah.”

Reborn in this world, I’ve had good and bad things happen.

But that’s fine.

Now, I’ll do everything I couldn’t before—every single thing I left undone.

With that vow in my heart, I turned my thoughts to the next big challenge ahead—final exams.