I was Reincarnated as the Scum Older Brother of the Protagonist in a Romance Battle Game, But I don't want to Die, so I'll do my Best - Episode 8

“That’s why you shouldn’t jump into the sea in that scene~ Kukukuku.”

“Yeah, right. Hahaha, then just go back the way you came, huh? Ufufu.”

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“What… was that… That’s Amamiya-san, right?… On the rooftop with Ariel, looking so happy… And Jōji-kun with such a gentle smile…”

Hiding behind the rooftop door and peeking at the two of them was Miyashita Aru

I am Miyashita Aru, the second daughter of an old, prestigious family from Tokyo.

And I have a fiancé chosen by my parents—Kitano Jōji, the eldest son of the distinguished Kitano family from Hokkaido, the same age as me.

But my fiancé is the worst kind of man—a vulgar, unreasonable, lowlife scum who lacks even the most basic common sense.

At first, I tried to make things work with Jōji-kun for the sake of my family, but…

“Hey~ Aru, come stay in my room tonight… Pre-marital relations aren’t so bad, y’know?”

“Hey, I wanna do it at school. Just go along with it.”

“Hah~? The hell’s wrong with you?! Who even cares about old-fashioned engagements these days?! Just hurry up and let me have you!”

“Huh?! The hell you think you’re doing, huh?! You think you can just talk to my woman and walk away?! I’ll send you straight to the hospital, you bastard!!”

Sexual harassment was the norm with him. If I showed even the slightest opening, he’d immediately demand my body.

Once, when a middle-aged salaryman asked me for directions on the street, Jōji-kun insisted it was a pickup and gathered his lackeys to threaten and assault the man.

Even when I wasn’t around, he’d make lewd comments to female students at school and harass anyone he didn’t like with unreasonable complaints.

And he did whatever he wanted, shielded by the authority of the prestigious Kitano family.

The entire school—no, even outside of school—everyone despised him, and no one dared to get close.

The only ones who approached him were fellow lowlifes just as rotten as he was.

I pleaded with my parents over and over, explaining the situation and begging them to cancel the engagement.

But they only cared about preserving the family’s status and brushed me off without even listening.

So I turned to my older sister, Aika, for advice—

“Parents who only care about appearances like that aren’t worth listening to! I don’t regret leaving home at all. Aru, you don’t owe that family anything. You should seize your own happiness.”

Her words freed me.

I firmly told my parents I would break off the engagement with Jōji-kun.

But they clung to me, crying, “Are you trying to ruin the Miyashita family?!” and begged me to reconsider.

Overwhelmed by despair, I sat on a bench in the school courtyard, staring at the ground—

“Kyaa?!”

Something cold touched my cheek!

“Hey… Aru-san, what’s wrong? Did my brother do something again?”

A male student stood before me, offering me a juice with a bright smile.

The only boy in this school untouched by Jōji-kun’s influence.

“Takeru-kun…”

The one who spoke to me was Kitano Takeru—Jōji-kun’s younger brother.

In truth, he was an adopted child taken in by the Kitano family, with no bl00d relation to Jōji-kun.

But unlike his brother, he was a gentleman—kind to everyone without discrimination, with a gentle personality.

On top of that, despite his outstanding talents, he never grew complacent and tirelessly worked to improve himself.

“I… don’t know what to do anymore…”

That’s right… I often confided in Takeru-kun about Jōji-kun’s unreasonable behavior.

Because he was the only one I could rely on.

He took my worries seriously, thinking about them as if they were his own, and helped me figure out what to do.

“I’m sorry… I know your position in the Kitano family makes it hard for you to speak up, but… I have no one else to turn to…”

“…Aru-san, Aika-neesan is right. It’s wrong for you to be treated so horribly. You should put the Miyashita family aside for now and prioritize yourself first.”

“Takeru-kun…”

“I’ll talk to Father Kitano about the Miyashita family… No matter what happens, I’ll handle it. So Aru-san, you should do what you think is best.”

With Takeru-kun’s support, I resolved to tell Jōji-kun I was breaking off the engagement.

“Knowing my brother… if you reject him, his pride will be wounded, and he might lash out at you. So I’ll be there with you when you tell him.”

I trusted Takeru-kun completely.

Only now did I realize how much his presence had grown in my heart.

And so, on Monday morning…

Takeru-kun and I arrived at school earlier than usual, waiting for Jōji-kun to show up.

But then I got a message from a friend saying Jōji-kun had arrived unexpectedly early.

Before I could mentally prepare myself, he was already standing right in front of me.

But… there was no turning back now.

A voice in my head whispered—

“I, Miyashita Aru, hereby annul my engagement to Kitano Jōji!”

“I see… Understood. I accept the annulment. I’ve caused you a lot of trouble… I’m sorry.”

(Huh?! What?)

Jōji-kun accepted my demand without resistance, bowed deeply, and turned to leave.

The complete opposite of what I expected. My mind spiraled into panic.

“My actions and words have hurt a lot of people… Aru—no, Miyashita-san. A wonderful woman like you deserves someone much better.”

“Huh? ‘Miyashita-san’…? Wait, Jōji-kun?”

The sudden formality—calling me by my last name—threw me off.

Even though I was the one cutting ties, his distant attitude confused me. How ridiculous.

“From now on, I won’t involve myself with you anymore… You can get along with my brother—Takeru—without worrying about me. He’s a far better man than I could ever be.”

“Well then… goodbye, both of you.”

Jōji-kun’s back grew distant.

He didn’t even glance back.

For some reason, at that moment, I was struck with an overwhelming fear—as if I’d done something irreversible.

The students around us started whispering behind my back—calling me a cheater, two-timing him.

I couldn’t stand being there any longer.

“Hey… Takeru-kun… was this really the right thing to do…?”

I hated myself for asking him something so pathetic.

Even now, I was trying to push the responsibility onto him.

I was the worst.

Takeru-kun said something in response, but I told him I wanted to be alone and ran away.

After the incident, I calmed down and realized how selfish I’d been.

This couldn’t go on…

I decided to talk to Jōji-kun properly about the annulment and visited his classroom during lunch.

But when I asked his classmates, they said he’d gone somewhere on business.

Reluctantly, I gave up.

The next day, and the day after that…

Every lunch break, Jōji-kun disappeared somewhere.

Then, on my way home after school, I overheard some third-year seniors talking mockingly about how “that second-year trash from the north” kept vanishing to the rooftop at lunch.

Determined, I headed to the rooftop at noon.

I had to settle things peacefully with Jōji-kun…

When I opened the rooftop door and looked around, I spotted Jōji-kun sitting behind the water tank, eating bread.

“Jo—?!”

I was about to call out to him when I noticed someone sitting beside him, chatting happily.

From the glimpse of a skirt, I could tell it was a girl.

“What… so he was cheating on me… That’s why he accepted the annulment so easily…”

I should’ve just turned back then.

I could’ve just convinced myself he was a cheater and moved on.

But I couldn’t help but wonder—what kind of girl would willingly spend time with a twisted guy like him?

So I stayed and kept watching.

“Who is she…? What kind of weirdo would fall for such a disgusting, lowlife man…?”

After a while, Jōji-kun happily took the girl’s hand, smiling brightly as he thanked her.

Then, through a gap in the water tank’s scaffolding, I finally saw her face.

“What… That’s… Amamiya-san, right?… Laughing so happily with the rooftop Ariel… And Jōji-kun with such a kind smile…”

The sight of them enjoying each other’s company filled me with an indescribable tightness in my chest and unease.

I fled the rooftop as if running away.

“What… is this unsettling feeling…?”

Aru, confused by her own emotions, rushed down the stairs as if trying to shake it off.

But no matter how hard she tried, their happy smiles wouldn’t leave her mind.